Franchise Spotlight – Andrew Fry

We sat down with Office Evolution franchisee Andrew Fry to learn more about him and his franchises in Charleston, South Carolina. In his own words:

Tell us a bit about yourself and why did you decided to become an OE franchisee?

Before joining Office Evolution as a franchisee in 2016, I was an Institutional banker with responsibilities that included relationship management, sales, operations, and service delivery to major Institutional Investors. The common thread between my banking background and Office Evolution is client service. I’ve found that I really enjoy helping clients succeed, and the OE business model enables me to help my customer base build their businesses for success. This gives me true satisfaction.

On the personal front, three years ago I was in the midst of a move to Charleston and thought it might be nice to try something different as a life and career change. The idea of owning my own business was appealing but I had no experience at it. The franchise model, and the Office Evolution model in particular, seemed like a good fit with my background. As I did my due diligence, Office Evolution stood out as a quality system with a quality management team. After two-plus years of being in business, I can honestly say the support from OE corporate is excellent. Many aspects of the business such as billing, digital marketing, IT support, training, and human resource policies are handled by Office Evolution corporate for owners so that we can focus on revenue generation, client service, and day to day operations. All of this has validated my decision to become and Office Evolution franchisee.

What do you enjoy most about owning and running a flexible workspace?

First and foremost, I find it very gratifying to help my clients succeed in their businesses. Since my client base ranges from attorneys to accountants to party planners, it’s been a great learning experience for me to dive into their business models and see what works.

I have also enjoyed the opportunity to immerse myself in the local Charleston business community. It’s important professionally, of course, but it’s also personal to me since I’m new to the city. I have gotten to know numerous business groups and individuals around town through networking activities, and that’s enabled me to learn the fabric of Charleston much more quickly than I would have otherwise. This has been a huge intangible benefit personally, and fun too!

As an entrepreneur and business owner, what is your advice for other entrepreneurs as we enter 2020?

My advice? Expect the unexpected. Business and political environments seem to change on a daily basis, so it’s important to think about how these changes could impact your business. That said, it’s also important to recognize what you do well, stick with it, and keep it simple. In other words, stay focused!

As a successful business owner, we want to know, what do you do in your spare time?

I love the ocean, the beach, the good weather, and all the natural wonders that Charleston has to offer. And I’ve not gotten away from my financial roots. My perfect day is going to the gym in the morning, then sitting on the beach with a copy of The Wall Street Journal while watching for dolphins and pelicans!

Click to find out more information about Andrew’s Office Evolution franchises in Charleston and Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.  Or find an Office Evolution location in your area.