One of the first questions people ask me when they start exploring business ownership is:

“How involved do I actually need to be?” or “How many hours per week do I need to spend on my business?”

Fair question… And like most things in business ownership…it depends.

There are three common models for how owners participate in their businesses. They all works. They all have pros and cons. And most importantly, each one supports a different kind of life style, financial investment and financial return.

Let’s break them down so you can see which best aligns to the future you want to build.

1. Owner-Operated: You're in the Driver’s Seat (Literally Every Day)

This is the most hands-on model.  If you choose an owner-operated business, you’re both the owner and the person running it full-time.

We’re talking 40+ hours a week… sometimes more in the early days.

You’ll be:

• Working directly with customers
• Managing employees
• Overseeing day-to-day operations
• Making sales happen
• Meeting with the corporate teams at your franchisor HQ 
• Putting out fires and improving processes as you go

For some people, this is the dream. They want to be inside the business, learning every detail, building it brick by brick. And honestly? Many first-time owners love this because it gives them deep insight, lower payroll costs, and total control over the customer experience.

If you want to roll up your sleeves, be on-site, and be the heartbeat of the business then this model fits.  This model also keeps your initial costs lower as you’re launching your business as you’re not paying a salary to a manager who would be taking some of responsibilities off your plate.

2. Semi-Absentee Ownership: Managing the Manager (While Keeping Your Life Intact)

Semi-absentee is exactly what it sounds like:

You own the business, but you’re not the one running the daily operations.

Instead, you hire a manager who handles:

• Scheduling
• Employee oversight
• Customer service
• Day-to-day decisions

Your job becomes managing the manager.

Most semi-absentee owners spend about 10–20 hours a week checking in, reviewing KPIs, guiding strategy, and making sure the business is performing.

Over time, as the manager gains experience and trust, and as employees grow into bigger roles, many owners reduce that involvement even further.

This model is ideal if you want to:

• Keep your full-time job
• Raise kids
• Build multiple locations
• Maintain a flexible lifestyle
• Have a business that doesn’t require your physical presence every day

It's the middle ground: engaged enough to steer the ship, free enough to live your life.  Owners launching their business with this model will need to plan for the additional salary expenditure and make sure they have enough funds to support the additional salary until the business becomes profitable.  If their job has flexibility, some semi-absentee owners will take time off from their full-time job to be more hands on during the first few months of the business, especially if they did not have an existing trusting relationship with the person they bring in as manager prior to starting the business.

3. Executive Ownership: The Investor Model

Executive ownership is where you step out of the day-to-day almost entirely.

Think of it like this:

You’re the board.

Your GM is the CEO.

Your involvement becomes high-level oversight, not operations.

You’re relying heavily on a strong general manager from the very beginning. Someone you trust. Someone who treats the business like their own. Someone you can confidently hand the keys to.

Your time commitment here is minimal, often just a few hours a month once things stabilize.

This model is perfect for people who are:

• Building a portfolio of businesses
• Scaling into multi-unit ownership
• Investing, not operating
• Outsourcing the day-to-day to a seasoned leader

It’s the most hands-off model, but it absolutely requires strong systems, clear KPIs, and a GM who is a rockstar from day one.  This also requires the highest level of investment up front and you’ll need to be well enough capitalized to be able to offer competitive compensation to your GM to attract the right person who has the experience and proven track record to run and build the business for you.

So…Which One Is Right for You?

There’s no “best” model, only the one that matches your goals, your lifestyle, your appetite for involvement and your ability to fund payroll for additional headcount should you prefer the semi-absentee or executive models.

Ask yourself:

• How much time do I want to spend each week?
• How much time can I realistically commit?
• Do I want to build something hands-on, or create something I step back from?
• Do I already have someone in mind who could run the business?
• What kind of life am I building outside the business?

Your answer will point you directly to the ownership model that supports the life you want, not just the business you want.

If you want help figuring out which model fits you best (or which franchises support each structure), I’d love to walk you through it.

Book a call with me and let’s find the ownership path that aligns with your True North.