Lynn and Richard Yoerk
Franchisees, Illinois
It’s the American dream – to get a job with a company and work your way up through the ranks until you own the place. Though it doesn’t happen for everyone, that’s the path Lynn Yoerk started on when she joined an Express office 15 years ago in Champaign, IL.
Working her way up to a manager position, Lynn developed a passion for the business. “I enjoy the hustle and bustle of everyday operations and the staffing industry excites me,” she said. “I even met my husband, Richard, through Express. I was looking for new clients and found a husband.” With a passion for the business and each other, they decided to buy an Express franchise in Oregon.
After the success of their first office, Lynn and Richard purchased two more Express offices in Oregon. “This business is great, and the support we receive from headquarters is amazing. We knew we could do it.”
With three successful franchise offices under her belt, Lynn had an opportunity to buy the franchise office that first ignited her passion for the business. This was something Lynn wanted, a chance to move back home to be close to her family. But, she would have to sell her existing offices to do that. And, it came with some questions. The biggest of which was, “Can we repeat our success over and over again?”
Lynn had started new offices before, but this time it was different. “I was selling my existing offices, moving back home to Illinois, and starting over from scratch.” Lynn and Richard were already established and successful in their market, and the idea of starting over was a bit frightening for Lynn. “It was a big decision, but I was confident that we would be successful again because of the proven Express system.” So, they sold their offices and bought the office in Lynn’s hometown.
What gave her the confidence that she could be successful in a new market? The skills they developed and the tools provided through Express. “We use the marketing and communications pieces all the time to help us establish ourselves and our relationships with the businesses in our area, and it works.” Even with Lynn and Richard’s experience, the resources offered by Express are easy-to-use and time saving. “It takes time to establish trust in a new market, and the resources we have access to give us the opportunity to confidently win new business.”