Why This Franchisor Invests in Franchisees Who Have No Experience

Shirin Behzadi knows the importance of being able to take care of yourself. As a teenager, she emigrated to the United States with her parents at the height of the Iranian Revolution and worked as a gas station cashier to help make ends meet. Today, she’s the of , a family of direct-to-consumer home improvement brands including Budget Blinds, Tailored Living. But her gas station experience still stays with her, driving a core mission at HFC: She wants to turn what she calls “everyday” entrepreneurs -- , seniors, single parents,  and anyone else who may appear inexperienced on paper -- into business owners. To make it happen, her 25-year-old company offers in-classroom training, coaching, webinars and area meetings to help develop new franchisees.