By ScaleMates Editorial

If you hire based on a resume, you are hiring history. In the high-velocity world of franchising, you need to hire for the future.

We have all seen the candidate: The pristine CV, the MBA, the ten years at a corporate chain with rigid systems. They look perfect on paper. You hire them, breathe a sigh of relief, and three months later, the unit is in chaos. They knew the theory, but they couldn't handle the friction.

Conversely, some of the most successful Operating Partners in the ScaleMates network have resumes that look "messy." They might have gaps. They might have tried a startup that failed. They might have worked in three different industries.

Why do the "messy" ones often outperform the "perfect" ones? Because franchising is not a theoretical exercise. It is a contact sport.

The Problem with "Corporate" DNA

Candidates who have spent their lives in massive, well-oiled corporate machines often struggle in the entrepreneurial franchise environment. In a big corporation, if the internet goes down, you call IT. If the payroll is wrong, you call HR.

In a franchise unit, you are IT. You are HR.

When selecting an Operating Partner, you are not looking for a "Manager." A manager maintains a system someone else built. You are looking for a Co-Founder. You need someone who possesses "Irrational Care."

The New Criteria: Detecting the Intangibles

How do you interview for grit? How do you assess "ownership" before they own anything? You have to move beyond standard behavioral questions.

1. The "Sunday Night" Test

Ask them a specific scenario: "It’s 9:30 PM on a Sunday. You are at home. You get a text that the walk-in freezer is reading 50 degrees. What do you do?"

• The Employee Answer: "I call the repair tech and leave a note for the morning shift."

• The Partner Answer: "I drive to the store. I move the inventory to the backup freezer or buy dry ice. Then I call the tech. I don't lose the product."

2. The Failure Audit

Don't ask "What is your biggest weakness?" Ask: "Tell me about a time you lost money or failed significantly. Who was at fault?"

If they blame the economy, the bad location, or the lazy staff, pass.

You are looking for Extreme Ownership. You want the candidate who says, "I failed because I didn't train the team well enough," or "I misjudged the market." People who own their failures will own their P&L.

3. The Hunger Index

Why do they want this?

If they want "stability" or a "better work-life balance," they are in the wrong room.

You want the candidate who is hungry for autonomy and equity. You want the person who says, "I'm tired of making money for people who don't work as hard as I do. I want to build something."

The "Intrapreneur" Profile

The ideal Operating Partner is an "Intrapreneur." They have the soul of an entrepreneur but perhaps lack the capital or the risk tolerance to mortgage their house for a loan. They need your platform (the franchise) to unlock their potential.

When you find an Intrapreneur, don't just hire them. Partner with them. Because if you don't, they will eventually leave to become your competition.