Hire Yourself Podcast

Hire Yourself
  • 5.0 (6)
  • Careers
  • Semimonthly

Every week Pete from Hire Yourself will give you some franchise, business, or entrepreneurial advice and information. The episodes are ten to twenty minutes long and are perfect for the commute to or from your office. And who knows, maybe one day they will convince you to hire yourself!

  1. Oct 27

    1 in 5 - What a New AI Forecast Means for You

    Artificial intelligence is changing the future of work, and even successful executives may not be immune to the disruption. New research from Anthropic outlines three possible scenarios for AI through 2030, ranging from moderate labor market disruption to a future where unemployment among knowledge workers could approach 18%. While no one knows which scenario will unfold, the growing uncertainty raises an important question: How much of your financial future should depend on a single employer? In this episode of the Hire Yourself Podcast, Pete Gilfillan explores how AI could reshape corporate careers, impact wages, and shift economic value from employees to business owners. He challenges the traditional idea of corporate job security, explaining why relying on one employer for your salary, benefits, and financial stability creates concentration risk. Just as investors diversify their portfolios, executives should consider diversifying their sources of income and building assets they actually own. Pete also explains how franchise ownership can provide a path toward greater financial control without requiring executives to immediately leave their corporate careers. Through semi-active franchise ownership, professionals can leverage their leadership and business experience to build an additional income-producing asset while maintaining their current salary. Whether AI accelerates corporate restructuring or the labor market adapts, the goal is the same: create more options, reduce dependence on a single employer, and prepare for an uncertain future while you still have income and leverage. Chapters 00:00 - Why Owning Assets Matters in the AI Era 00:58 - Three AI Scenarios That Could Reshape Corporate Careers 02:45 - The Hidden Risk of Depending on One Employer 03:31 - How AI Could Shift Economic Power From Employees to Owners 04:10 - Building a Business Without Leaving Your Corporate Career 05:02 - Creating More Options Before Corporate Disruption Strikes 05:24 - Why Now Is the Time to Explore Franchise Ownership 05:46 - You Don't Have to Predict the Future, But You Should Prepare   CONNECT WITH PETE GILFILLAN: 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petegilfillan/ 🌐 Website: https://www.hireyourself.com/ CONNECT WITH HIRE YOURSELF PODCAST: 🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hire-yourself-podcast/id1472038217 🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7eTKOLjuUWbf7BRtGtp6dP?si=eb2f7b38bd884804 ▶️ YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@hireyourself7642 📅 Meet with Pete: https://go.hireyourself.com/gilfillan?utm_source=LinkedIn&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=IR

    1 in 5 - What a New AI Forecast Means for You

  2. Oct 13

    Keep the Job or Invest in a Business

    If you're a successful executive, you've probably spent most of your career investing in someone else's business. You trade your time, leadership, experience, and energy for a paycheck, benefits, bonuses, and maybe some stock options. It's a good trade, but at some point every executive should ask whether to keep investing their talent in someone else's business or invest in a business they actually own. In this episode of the Hire Yourself Podcast, Pete Gilfillan shares the decision he faced after a corporate career with Ford Motor Company and Terex: keep the W-2 executive position or invest in his own business. He chose to leave and invest in a Junk King franchise, a decision he says was never really about junk removal. It was about ownership, and about building an asset instead of value that stays with an employer when you leave. Pete walks through three reasons executives should consider exploring franchise ownership: control over your outcome, wealth creation through income plus equity, and the optionality that ownership brings, from multiple locations to retirement income to an eventual sale.  He also explains that you don't have to follow his path. Semi-active franchise models let executives keep their corporate income while a manager runs the day-to-day, and franchising provides the brand, training, processes, and support that put executive skills to work. The goal is not to quit tomorrow, but to explore the options, look at the numbers, evaluate the risk, and decide where to invest your best years. Chapters 00:00 - Are You Investing Your Talent in Someone Else's Business? 01:16 - From Terex Executive to Junk King Franchise Owner 02:16 - The Difference Between a Great Job and Owning an Asset 03:08 - Reason #1: Control 03:52 - Reason #2: Wealth Creation 04:24 - Reason #3: Optionality 04:49 - Full-Time vs. Semi-Active Franchise Ownership 05:29 - How Franchising Puts Your Executive Skills to Work 06:16 - Where Are You Investing Your Best Years? 07:12 - Explore Your Options Before You Decide CONNECT WITH PETE GILFILLAN: 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petegilfillan/ 🌐 Website: https://www.hireyourself.com/ CONNECT WITH HIRE YOURSELF PODCAST: 🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hire-yourself-podcast/id1472038217 🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7eTKOLjuUWbf7BRtGtp6dP?si=eb2f7b38bd884804 ▶️ YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@hireyourself7642 📅 Meet with Pete: https://go.hireyourself.com/gilfillan?utm_source=LinkedIn&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=IR

    Keep the Job or Invest in a Business

  3. Sep 29

    Build Your Exit Before You Need It

    What if you could build your Plan B while Plan A is still paying you? Most executives don’t seriously consider business ownership until something forces the issue. A layoff, acquisition, leadership change, missed promotion, or growing frustration with corporate life can suddenly turn a future possibility into an urgent decision. In this episode of the Hire Yourself Podcast, Pete Gilfillan explains why building your exit plan before you need it can put you in a stronger position. He shows how decades of corporate experience in leadership, operations, finance, sales, strategy, hiring, and problem-solving can translate directly into business ownership, especially within a franchise model that provides an established brand, systems, training, and support. Pete also explores how executives can build a Plan B without immediately leaving their corporate careers. By investing in a semi-active business, creating supplemental income, and building an asset they actually own, professionals can begin diversifying their financial future while Plan A is still paying them. The goal is not to make a rushed decision, but to create more options, more control, and a stronger contingency plan before the next restructuring or career disruption happens. Chapters 00:00 - What Asset Are You Building That You Actually Own? 01:00 - Build Your Plan B While Plan A Is Still Paying You 02:10 - Your Corporate Career Has Already Prepared You for Business Ownership 03:02 - How Franchising Reduces the Risk of Starting From Scratch 04:14 - Leaving Corporate America to Build Something for Yourself 05:01 - Building a Semi-Active Business While Keeping Your Corporate Job 05:55 - Why Having Options Changes the Layoff Equation 06:41 - Stop Renting Your Income and Start Building an Asset 07:23 - How AI Looks Different From the Business Owner’s Side 08:16 - Why Franchise Due Diligence Matters 09:10 - Applying Your Executive Skills to Something You Own 09:40 - Build Your Exit Before You Need It CONNECT WITH PETE GILFILLAN: 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petegilfillan/ 🌐 Website: https://www.hireyourself.com/ CONNECT WITH HIRE YOURSELF PODCAST: 🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hire-yourself-podcast/id1472038217 🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7eTKOLjuUWbf7BRtGtp6dP?si=eb2f7b38bd884804 ▶️ YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@hireyourself7642 📅 Meet with Pete: https://go.hireyourself.com/gilfillan?utm_source=LinkedIn&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=IR

    Build Your Exit Before You Need It

  4. Sep 15

    Your Corporate Job Is Not a Retirement Plan

    A strong corporate career can still leave you financially exposed if all of your income depends on one employer. In this episode of the Hire Yourself Podcast, Pete Gilfillan explains why job security and income security are no longer the same thing. Even successful executives can lose their positions because of restructuring, acquisitions, management changes, outsourcing, automation, or AI. Pete also explores the idea of concentrated career risk and why relying on one paycheck, one bonus, and one benefits package can create the same kind of vulnerability as putting an entire investment portfolio into a single stock. If you’re a corporate executive thinking about your long-term future, this episode will help you consider what your contingency plan looks like and why it may be worth exploring options like consulting, business ownership, or franchising before you actually need them. Chapters: 00:00 - Why One Employer Creates Concentrated Risk 01:06 - Why Good Performance No Longer Guarantees Job Security 01:49 - Rethinking What Income Security Really Means 02:39 - How Corporate America Is Reducing Headcount 04:00 - Why Senior Executives Face Fewer Opportunities 04:49 - The Risk of Depending on One Employer 05:53 - How AI Is Increasing Career Risk 06:39 - Why Executives Need a Personal Contingency Plan 07:29 - What Would You Do If Your Job Disappeared Tomorrow? 08:01 - Building Your Plan Before You Need It CONNECT WITH PETE GILFILLAN: 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petegilfillan/ 🌐 Website: https://www.hireyourself.com/ CONNECT WITH HIRE YOURSELF PODCAST: 🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hire-yourself-podcast/id1472038217 🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7eTKOLjuUWbf7BRtGtp6dP?si=eb2f7b38bd884804 ▶️ YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@hireyourself7642 📅 Meet with Pete: https://go.hireyourself.com/gilfillan?utm_source=LinkedIn&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=IR

    Your Corporate Job Is Not a Retirement Plan

  5. Aug 25

    The Jobless Boom

    Strong profits and rising share prices no longer guarantee job security. As companies invest in AI, streamline operations, restructure teams, and redirect capital toward higher-growth priorities, even high-performing executives can find themselves impacted by layoffs and organizational change. In this episode of the Hire Yourself Podcast, Pete Gilfillan explores the growing “jobless boom” and what it means for corporate professionals.  He explains why companies can report strong financial results while simultaneously reducing headcount, how AI is changing the economics of white-collar work, and why individual performance alone may not be enough to protect your position. For executives thinking about their long-term future, Pete makes the case for building a Plan B before it becomes necessary. By exploring business ownership and franchising while still employed, professionals can diversify their income, build equity outside of a paycheck, and create a greater level of control over their financial future. Chapters 00:00 - Good Performance Doesn’t Guarantee Job Security 01:01 - What Is the “Jobless Boom”? 02:00 - Why Profitable Companies Are Still Cutting Jobs 03:13 - How AI Is Reshaping White-Collar Work 03:40 - Why Individual Performance Is No Longer Enough 04:07 - The Psychological Shift for Corporate Executives 04:44 - Why More Professionals Are Exploring Business Ownership 05:06 - How Ownership Creates a Different Kind of Security 05:39 - Why You Should Build Your Plan B Before You Need It 06:16 - Turning Corporate Experience Into Business Ownership CONNECT WITH PETE GILFILLAN: 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petegilfillan/ 🌐 Website: https://www.hireyourself.com/ CONNECT WITH HIRE YOURSELF PODCAST: 🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hire-yourself-podcast/id1472038217 🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7eTKOLjuUWbf7BRtGtp6dP?si=eb2f7b38bd884804 ▶️ YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@hireyourself7642 📅 Meet with Pete: https://go.hireyourself.com/gilfillan?utm_source=LinkedIn&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=IR

    The Jobless Boom

  6. Aug 11

    The Biggest Franchise Trends Shaping the Next Decade

    Where are the biggest opportunities in franchising headed over the next decade? After spending several days hearing directly from more than 120 franchise brands across North America, one thing was clear: franchising is evolving, and some of the strongest growth is happening in areas driven by long-term shifts in how people live, spend, work, and invest. In this episode of the Hire Yourself Podcast, we break down the biggest trends shaping the future of franchising and what they could mean for professionals considering business ownership. In this episode, we cover: 🔹 Why health, wellness, and longevity businesses are gaining momentum 🔹 Why essential and specialty services continue to offer resilient opportunities 🔹 The growing demand behind pet care, children's services, senior care, and home improvement 🔹 How AI is making franchise businesses more efficient—not simply replacing them 🔹 What these trends reveal about where franchise growth may be headed over the next decade For corporate professionals navigating AI disruption, layoffs, restructuring, and changing workplace expectations, these trends offer another perspective on what it can look like to build something of your own. CONNECT WITH PETE GILFILLAN: 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petegilfillan/ 🌐 Website: https://www.hireyourself.com/ CONNECT WITH HIRE YOURSELF PODCAST: 🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hire-yourself-podcast/id1472038217 🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7eTKOLjuUWbf7BRtGtp6dP?si=eb2f7b38bd884804 ▶️ YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@hireyourself7642 📅 Meet with Pete: https://go.hireyourself.com/gilfillan?utm_source=LinkedIn&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=IR

    The Biggest Franchise Trends Shaping the Next Decade

  7. Jul 28

    Remote Work Is Over, Now What?

    As more companies tighten return-to-office requirements, many professionals are being forced to reconsider what flexibility really means. Remote work may offer freedom from the office, but when an employer can change that policy at any time, how much control do you actually have? In this episode of the Hire Yourself Podcast, Pete Gilfillan explores the difference between employer-provided flexibility and the flexibility that can come with business ownership. Drawing from his own experience leaving the corporate world, Pete shares how becoming a business owner gave him greater control over his schedule, from being present for his kids’ activities to spending a month working remotely from Florida. Business ownership does not necessarily mean working less, but it can give you more control over when, where, and how you work. For corporate executives considering what comes next, the bigger question may not be whether remote work will survive, but what kind of life and career you want to build. Pete discusses how corporate leadership skills can transfer to business ownership and why franchising may offer a path toward greater control over your time, income, and future. Chapters 00:00 - The freedom to work on your own terms 00:56 - Why return-to-office mandates are making a comeback 01:54 - What flexibility really means 02:42 - The return-to-office trend is accelerating 03:24 - Why corporate flexibility can change overnight 03:56 - What flexibility really looks like as a business owner 04:13 - How business ownership gave Pete more control over his time 04:54 - How technology is creating more flexibility for business owners 05:33 - Working, traveling, and building a schedule on your own terms 06:14 - The bigger question: What kind of life are you trying to build? 06:30 - Turning corporate experience into an advantage in business ownership 07:36 - Next steps for exploring business ownership CONNECT WITH PETE GILFILLAN: 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petegilfillan/ 🌐 Website: https://www.hireyourself.com/ CONNECT WITH HIRE YOURSELF PODCAST: 🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hire-yourself-podcast/id1472038217 🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7eTKOLjuUWbf7BRtGtp6dP?si=eb2f7b38bd884804 ▶️ YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@hireyourself7642 📅 Meet with Pete: https://go.hireyourself.com/gilfillan?utm_source=LinkedIn&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=IR

    Remote Work Is Over, Now What?

  8. Jul 14

    How Do You Finance a Franchise Business?

    One of the biggest misconceptions about buying a franchise is that you need to write one massive check upfront. In reality, experienced entrepreneurs often approach business ownership very differently by strategically combining multiple funding sources to preserve capital while investing in a business designed to generate long-term wealth. In this episode of the Hire Yourself Podcast, Pete Gilfillan breaks down the fundamentals of franchise financing and explains why understanding your funding options can be one of the most important steps toward becoming a business owner.  Rather than viewing financing as a barrier, entrepreneurs learn to leverage available resources in ways that maximize flexibility, reduce risk, and maintain liquidity. Successful entrepreneurs focus less on the purchase price and more on building an effective financing strategy. The episode also explores several common funding options available to prospective franchise owners, including brokerage-backed lending, retirement funding through the ROBS (Rollover for Business Startups) program, SBA loans, traditional bank financing, home equity lines of credit (HELOCs), outside investors, friends and family financing, and franchise-sponsored financing programs.  Key themes include: Why many successful entrepreneurs avoid paying for a business entirely with cashUnderstanding leverage as a core principle of business ownershipHow combining multiple financing sources can reduce financial strainThe advantages of retirement funding through the ROBS programHow SBA loans work and what entrepreneurs should expect during the processUsing brokerage accounts and home equity as sources of business capitalThe role of outside investors, friends and family, and franchise financing programsWhy preserving liquidity is critical when starting or acquiring a businessThe mindset shift from asking "Can I afford it?" to "What's the smartest way to finance it?"How understanding financing options can remove one of the biggest barriers to business ownershipFinancing a franchise is rarely about writing one large check. This episode helps listeners understand the full range of funding options available and strategically leverage multiple sources of capital to preserve cash, reduce financial risk, and build a stronger foundation for long-term business success. CONNECT WITH PETE GILFILLAN: 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petegilfillan/ 🌐 Website: https://www.hireyourself.com/ CONNECT WITH HIRE YOURSELF PODCAST: 🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hire-yourself-podcast/id1472038217 🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7eTKOLjuUWbf7BRtGtp6dP?si=eb2f7b38bd884804 ▶️ YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@hireyourself7642 📅 Meet with Pete: https://go.hireyourself.com/gilfillan?utm_source=LinkedIn&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=IR

    How Do You Finance a Franchise Business?
See All (200)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

Every week Pete from Hire Yourself will give you some franchise, business, or entrepreneurial advice and information. The episodes are ten to twenty minutes long and are perfect for the commute to or from your office. And who knows, maybe one day they will convince you to hire yourself!

Information

  • Creator
    Hire Yourself
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    200
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Hire Yourself Podcast
  • Show Website
    Hire Yourself Podcast