Pros
Average owner/operator makes minimum $90,000 per year....average operator makes $200,000, I know of a very successful operator that makes $500,000. Your income is based on sales, which means if you work hard you are paid more for it. You own the business, unlike a franchise. Being the owner you make your own schedule, can take vacation while still getting paid. You are in charge of your own marketing so you can focus only on things that are succesful in your store. Being an owner gives you the capabiliy to reach out into the community. Most owners are husband/wife teams which has been really rewarding for me and my husband.
Cons
You are anything and everything in the store, responsible for every aspect......from OSHA, EDD claims, fixing ballasts, scrubbing/buffing floors( unless you hire someone to do them), hiring/firing, ordering/receiving product, etc etc. Investors have recently come into company and the company is going south as far as operator health, they are beginning to treat operators as managers and not independent owners, extreme amount of pressure to perform financially in store....you could be a superstar one year and the next they could be giving you "the talk"
