Ask most people to name a franchise and you’ll almost always hear the same types of answers: McDonald’s, Subway, Chick-fil-A, or maybe Dunkin’. In other words, consumer-facing, food-related brands. But here’s the truth: these B2C (business-to-consumer) franchises are only a small slice of the franchise pie. In reality, the vast majority of franchise opportunities operate behind the scenes as B2B (business-to-business) service providers. Think commercial cleaning, staffing, logistics, and IT services. These aren’t flashy, but they’re profitable—and sustainable.
This misconception about franchises parallels another common myth in the entrepreneurial world: that success requires a groundbreaking, one-of-a-kind idea. When I ask aspiring entrepreneurs what it takes to start a business, they often tell me, “You need a unique product,” or “You have to be the first to market.”
To those folks, I have to say—flat out—you’re wrong.
The First-Mover Myth: Debunked
There’s a romanticized view in our culture that the people who make it big in business are the daring visionaries who invent something completely new. But look closely, and the truth tells a different story.
Let’s take a few examples:
Google wasn’t the first search engine. Before Google, there was AltaVista, Lycos, Yahoo!, and others.
Facebook didn’t invent social networking. MySpace, Friendster, and even Classmates.com paved the way.
McDonald’s wasn’t the first fast-food joint. They just created better systems than the competition.
What separated these companies from their predecessors wasn’t a revolutionary idea—it was superior execution. They built better mousetraps by improving usability, scaling more efficiently, and creating stronger operational backbones.
It’s Not Innovation—It’s Iteration
The myth of the lone genius inventor blinds us to the real secret of many successful businesses: iteration. Winning companies often enter an existing market and simply do things a little bit better than everyone else. They optimize processes. They fine-tune customer experiences. They make smarter decisions with data. That’s it.
The benefit of not being the first mover is enormous. These businesses don’t have to waste energy and capital educating the market. By the time they arrive, customers already understand the value proposition—they just need a better version. This lets the company channel all its efforts into refining its product, customer service, and marketing.
Execution is about consistency, customer obsession, and attention to detail. It’s making sure your staff is well-trained, your systems are scalable, and your customers are delighted. It’s obsessing over the experience and never settling for “good enough.”
A great idea with poor execution goes nowhere. But a decent idea, executed masterfully, can become a multi-million-dollar business.
So why do people chase innovation instead? Because it’s sexier. It sounds impressive at cocktail parties. But in the real world of business? Execution is the gritty, unglamorous engine that builds empires.
A Better Way to Think About Entrepreneurship
Instead of chasing a once-in-a-lifetime idea, consider looking at existing industries or even struggling businesseand asking:
What are they doing wrong?
Where are the pain points?
How can I do this better?
This approach mirrors what many B2B franchises do. They enter established markets—like commercial cleaning or IT support—and simply operate more efficiently and professionally than the mom-and-pop competitors. That’s not innovation—it’s disciplined execution.
This is why franchises are such powerful business models. They’ve already figured out the execution blueprint. Franchisees don’t need to innovate; they just need to follow the system and deliver consistently.
So, What Should You Be Doing?
Ask yourself: Are you spending all your energy dreaming up new ideas, or are you refining your execution to outpace your competition? Because the companies that win are rarely the ones that shout “Eureka!”—they’re the ones that quietly get better every day.
Do you focus your energy on being more innovative, or on getting better at execution so you can leap-frog your competition?
