There’s no sugar-coating it. I was stretched so thin, I barely recognised the person looking back at me in the mirror. It wasn’t just the work - it was the weight of it all.
You see, I had a small minority of franchisees in my network who saw me as the enemy. Despite their financial success, despite the brand’s growth, they found fault with everything I did. And when you’re someone a natural 'fixer' who’s driven to solve problems, that can tear you apart.
So, I did what many of us do when faced with criticism. I worked harder. I tried to fix it all. Tried to make them see me for who I really am.
I poured everything I had into making the franchise as perfect as possible, making it a seriously profitable and polished business model. But in doing so, I lost myself.
Five years of trying to be everything to everyone, of working relentlessly and yet still facing constant attacks and criticism - it broke me. I was exhausted, stressed, and utterly depleted. That small group never let up, no matter what I did, and eventually, I hit a wall.
Here’s the twist, though: that burnout turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to me.
No, I wouldn’t want to relive it. But it forced me to turn inward. To do the real work. The kind of work that goes beyond solving problems for others and starts solving the ones within yourself.
With the support of my coach, I began a journey of personal discovery. I learned to build my confidence, set boundaries, and reshape the way I viewed myself. I realised that my worth didn’t lie in how much I could do for others, or in their opinion of me - it lay in who I was, and in how I saw myself.
I reconnected with my true vision for life. A vision that didn’t include running myself into the ground trying to make people happy who would never be satisfied with anything I did.
What I came to understand was this: My natural drive to be a “fixer” wasn’t the problem. In fact, it’s my superpower. It just needed to be directed in a way that served me as much as it served others.
Through this process, something incredible happened. I began to see possibilities for myself that I’d never allowed myself to imagine. I developed a strength and self-belief that I had never known before.
And that’s when it hit me - the power in going through all of that struggle was that I now knew how to come out the other side. I understood how to rebuild confidence, set healthier boundaries, and challenge the deeply ingrained beliefs that had kept me stuck for so long.
I knew how to grow resilience through tough times and reconnect to my core, so I could set goals that genuinely excited me - and then go out and achieve them.
That burnout became my breakthrough.
I made the very tough decision to sell that business. A decision that, once made, ignited a fire under me that I hadn't felt for years.
And now, I help others find theirs.
If any of this resonates with you - if you’re feeling stuck, burned out, or lost - I’d love to chat. Sometimes, the hardest times in our lives can be the most transformative. And I’m here to help you navigate that transformation, just like my coach helped me.
If this resonates with you, let’s grab a virtual cuppa and see how I can help.
Because, in my opinion, franchising's better when we do it together 💜
Nikki has a wealth of experience in business growth and development, and of course, franchising. Following her life-long passion for all things personal development, she supports franchise networks and business owners through the challenges that running a business brings.
Nikki is a Mindspan™️ Consultant, meaning that she combines her personal expertise with the tried and tested Mindspan™️ methodology to deliver impactful training, coaching, workshops and keynote talks.
In essence, if you're looking to improve performance, increase confidence, instill resilience, or overcome burnout, you need to have a chat with Nikki.