The entrepreneurial spirit has always been inside Marsha Kulcsar. Her grandfather was a business owner as was her father. But Marsha pursued, excelled and prospered in a career within the corporate world. Marsha rose through the ranks at a leading insurance provider, but there was always a desire to step out on her own. When downsizing struck, Marsha turned a professional misfortune into a personal opportunity.

In the spring of 2016, with help from The Entrepreneur’s Source®, Marsha found her Franchise Match with Oxi Fresh — the world’s greenest carpet cleaner®. Though she was unfamiliar with the world of carpet and upholstery cleaning at the time, Marsha is now fully immersed, and is enjoying her new career and more time with her family.

We sat down for an exclusive Q&A with Marsha to get some knowledge for other corporate professionals contemplating their next steps on their career journey. Here’s what she shared with us:

Hi Marsha! Tell us a little about yourself and your career prior to going into business for yourself.

I graduated from UConn and immediately landed a job at a major insurance company in Connecticut where I put my accounting degree to use. I eventually worked my way up to become the director of the corporate training department where I utilized my passion to help others. It was exciting. I got to travel, meet wonderful people, and the company helped pay for my MBA. Even though I was happy in the corporate world, I was longing to follow in the footsteps of my father and his father, as they were both entrepreneurs. I remember growing up watching them go out and make the sale and pitch the products. In the back of my mind, I wanted a piece of that action.

So, there was always an itch – What made you finally scratch it?

Out of tragedy comes triumph. It began in 2015, when my husband was laid off. During that time, he was introduced to The Entrepreneur’s Source® and Steve Rosenkrantz. I found myself intrigued as my husband talked about Steve’s seminar. Low and behold, a year later, I was among the casualties when my company took part in the restructuring process. But here’s the kicker, I had the same outplacement services as my husband, giving me access to a seminar that Steve was providing.

What was it about The Entrepreneur’s Source® Coaching that empowered you with the idea of owning your own franchise?

The idea of being an owner wasn’t a foreign concept, I always considered it. But Steve helped convert that dream into a reality. During my initial meeting, he stressed to always have an open mind when you’re looking at franchise opportunities. Steve and the Entrepreneur’s Source® tailored the coaching process to fit my goals, needs and expectations. based on my I.L.W.E. (income, lifestyle, wealth and equity) principle. He compiled a list of several intriguing businesses, and after careful consideration, I determined Oxi Fresh was the perfect choice.

Why was Oxi Fresh the best franchise opportunity for you?

I had no previous experiences working in-depth with a carpet cleaning and upholstery business. I went into the decision-making process with an open mind. Oxi Fresh was the only business that met all my requirements. And, Steve was a proponent of Oxi Fresh’s corporate structure as well as the culture. I confirmed it myself during a visit to the headquarters in Colorado. Everyone was courteous, genuine, and helpful. I also liked the challenge of being the first franchisee in Connecticut. I was taking something that was a proven model in other parts of the country and seeing if I could make it work in Connecticut. And people have been quite receptive of this concept. Besides providing superior customer service, their commitment to water.org, an international organization that provides access to clean water across the globe, aligns with my core values to give back to the community.

How has your life changed since becoming a franchisee?

My family says they’ve never seen me this happy! I can’t tell you just how much more relaxed I am with my new lifestyle compared to life in the corporate world. My daughter is a freshman in high school. Being a business owner has afforded me the ability to adjust my schedule so I can attend her school and sports activities, and simply keep a closer eye on her. This franchise has also allowed me to spend more time with my father. He’s out there helping me at job sites, turning equipment, vacuuming, whatever needs to be done. He’s always happy to be riding shotgun in my  van right now, it’s fun!

Great! Before we let you go, do you have any advice for people considering joining the entrepreneurial ranks?

You should know that it’s going to be a challenge. I can’t say I have had a profit every month but the positives have outweighed the negatives and I’m really pleased with the results. I recommend beginning the process with The Entrepreneur’s Source®. Having a coach to help me see the possibilities was helpful to me. It really opened my eyes to different franchise opportunities that I would not have been able to find on my own. Having as many people in your corner fighting for you is important and I highly recommend it.

For more information about how to find your best franchise opportunities with The Entrepreneur’s Source® please visit FranchiseMatch.com®!