Franchisee Q&A - Phil Frassinelli, Spherion Staffing

Name: Phil Frassinelli

Title: Franchise owner 

Brands: Spherion Staffing and Recruiting 

Units: 9 

Years in franchising: 16

Why did you choose to franchise with a service brand?

With a service brand like Spherion, my focus is on building long-term relationships that generate a stable foundation of recurring revenue rather than one-time sales opportunities. I truly enjoy the people aspect of the staffing and recruiting industry, too. The general sport of prospecting is invigorating to me, whether it’s finding the right candidate for a great employment opportunity or making a difference for a client who was previously struggling to fill their positions.

How did you choose the sector and brand you did?

Businesses always need people, so the demand for qualified talent is constant. I was drawn to Spherion’s established brand reputation and strong corporate support system, and I had first-hand experience working at their offices in the late 2000s. The company not only has a proven track record, but Spherion’s senior leadership is very tenured and knowledgeable about the staffing and franchising industries. I have a direct line to a dedicated senior vice president who works with me on the backend of the system, whether it’s support in marketing, running payroll, or helping to guide strategies related to changing laws and labor regulations. To me, it was a clear choice for a long-term partnership.

What different skill sets are required for franchising with a service brand?

Success in a service franchise depends heavily on people skills. You must be an excellent communicator and relationship builder, and those qualities directly translate to operational functions like sales and recruiting.

In my experience, you also must have a desire to grow and improve your own leadership skills on a daily basis. With essentially nine offices across several different markets in Pennsylvania, I need to be able to trust my team. I guided my now area director and director of on-premise management as they worked their way up through the ranks. When I saw that they demonstrated the ability to lead, I leaned into that and helped to build them up to where they are today. At the end of the day, it’s not the money that drives me, although it’s definitely a perk of the job. The continued success of the business and watching my team develop confidence is rewarding enough.

What are the advantages of choosing a service brand?

Service brands often require low overhead and have a high potential for rapid scalability. You don’t carry inventory, which also helps to reduce costs and risk, while building long-term client relationships that generate recurring revenue.

When we started in 2009, it was truly from the ground up. Over the years, we’ve pushed ourselves outside of our comfort zone, acquiring additional offices in 2010, 2011, and again in 2017. That strategic growth gave us the chance to grow our team and really refine our vision for the kind of people we want in our organization: a small business with the potential to do big things.

What are some keys to being able to operate multiple franchises at the same time?

The key to successfully managing multiple locations comes down to strong leadership and standardized systems. You can’t be everywhere at once, so it’s imperative to empower and trust your team. With the right people in place, you can confidently focus on financial discipline. That’s why, for us, hiring always comes back to our core values of integrity, family, and courage. 

On a practical level, having a scalable platform of a franchise system has made all the difference. We don’t have to worry about what the layout of the offices should look like or researching the latest technologies to keep us competitive. Spherion does a great job of providing resources that allow us to focus on investing our time and energy into our local communities.

What are some of the top ways in which you have been able to market and promote your business?

Our most effective marketing has always come through networking and referrals. By attending community events and business meetings, we’re able to build relationships that naturally turn into new business opportunities. At the same time, we’ve found success with a mix of digital marketing through social media as well as traditional reach-outs via emails, phone calls, and even drop-ins. At the end of the day, we focus on being authentic, whether that’s through social media, online, or face-to-face interactions.

What would you recommend to anyone considering a service brand?

I would highly recommend doing thorough research and focusing on the culture-fit between your passions and the business itself. Start by talking to other franchisees and asking them questions that help you to better understand their experience running the business, in addition to their overall level of satisfaction. When I was exploring Spherion, I had the chance to visit a franchise owner in Vermont and several other franchisees in the system. What stood out to me was their commitment to ensuring the whole brand succeeds. It inspired me to be a part of it. 

At the same time, I believe that it’s important to be honest about your own leadership capabilities. Your ability to build relationships and lead a team is one of the most critical factors for success as a franchisee.