From The Top: FranChoice owner helps others become their own bosses

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Naperville resident Pete Gilfillan, 45, launched FranChoice, a one-man operation where he helps clients identify their interests and discover franchise opportunities. | Submitted

Updated: February 16, 2012 8:13AM

If you’ve always wanted to be your own boss, here’s someone you might want to talk with. Naperville resident Pete Gilfillan helps people realize their dreams of business ownership.

Gilfillan, 45, launched FranChoice, a one-man operation where he helps clients identify their interests and discover franchise opportunities that can open the door to new or supplemental careers.

Gilfillan boasts a solid business background, which began by earning a degree in business administration and marketing from the University of Wisconsin, followed soon after by a 17-year stint at Ford Motor Company where he held a senior leadership position in the Midwest market.

“I worked with 75 people and a network of 600 dealers, and later led a team of five contest and incentive coordinators where we managed $5 billion in a variable marketing incentive budget, in support of division and regional sales, production and profit objectives,” he said. “I was also national merchandising manager for the Lincoln-Mercury sales division, but as time went on, I was sick of being gone five days a week and having to relocate every 20 months. I decided to start my own company.”

Gilfillan opened FranChoice in March, and in September, he set a record for number of clients placed, “based on the kind and size of the deals.”

“I feel like we’re off to a good start, and before the end of this year, I feel we’re going to need some administrative people to help out here at the office, and I plan to do more seminars and increase our exposure,” he said.

Finding right opportunity

One of FranChoice’s recent clients is Ryan Carrigan, 38, who opened a Title Boxing Club franchise in Naperville just before the end of the year. Carrigan said he also operates a small mortgage business and was looking for something with strong potential for good returns on his investment, and that Gilfillan led him to the boxing franchise.

“Pete is extremely thorough in vetting success, and knows all the nuts and bolts about what makes things work,” Carrigan said. “He brought me five to seven different concepts, and he was extremely educated about each one. There was no question he had done his due diligence and his homework. The business here opened the day before New Year’s Eve, and we had nearly 50 people join the very first day.”

Gilfillan said his clients include those looking for a job as well as others hoping for alternatives to the work they are currently doing. Many have become discouraged given the average time of 18 months these days to find work.

“I find people are often in transition or sick of the corporate world, and actually the current economy has played out well for my business,” he said. “People in their 40s, 50s and even 60s are taking these buy-out packages and are burning through their savings, and are looking now to make their own destiny and set their future.”

Making difference

Gilfillan, along with his wife, Shannon, and four children live in Naperville just outside the downtown area. In his free time, he said, he enjoys coaching sports, outdoor activities, exercising and reading self-improvement books. And when it comes to work, Gilfillan said he’s driven by his own mission statement.

“My focus is to make a difference in other’s lives, while living with passion, joy and gratitude,” he said. “Having people manage their own destiny is a way to fulfill that mission.”

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