A “profound sense of ownership and satisfaction” is how John Larsen, co-owner of Spherion Utah, describes the frenetic but satisfying job of making a difference for area job candidates and employers. His brother and business partner Tim Larsen echoes the sentiment. “I love working with our staff and figuring out together how we can systematically improve our services to build a competitive advantage,” he says about franchising in the staffing industry. The brothers purchased multiple existing locations of the Spherion Staffing and Recruiting franchise brand in northern Utah in 2024. Now they manage four full-service offices and four additional on-site locations in Layton, Ogden, Orem, and Salt Lake City. Learn more about their path to franchise ownership and why they don’t take any part of their thriving business for granted.
What made you decide to look into purchasing a franchise?
Tim: I’m a CPA with a background in tax, international business, and corporate financial planning. A couple years ago, I was working as a CFO of a general contractor and trying to position the company for a sale. I was watching various business broker listings while contemplating the best way to pitch our company to a buyer. In that process, I read that due to baby boomers retiring, about 70% of small businesses would be changing hands in the next 10 years. This sounded like an opportunity.
I became interested in purchasing a business myself and came across the Spherion Utah franchise locations with the help of a business broker. The franchise owner wanted to semi-retire after running these businesses for more than 17 years. I approached my brother about acquiring the business and running it together. He agreed.
John: After 18 years at Ford, I stepped away to become an entrepreneur. I co-founded two technology start-ups in the HR space but was looking for something different. Tim approached me with this opportunity, and I fell in love with it! Helping people find jobs, helping businesses succeed, and getting to do it all with my amazing brother: Who could ask for anything more?
Financing can be an obstacle and/or intimidating factor for aspiring entrepreneurs. How did you find financing options to purchase your franchise?
Financing was indeed the most challenging hurdle to the deal. The most favorable rates and terms came with an SBA loan. The deal wouldn’t pencil at rates other than what we could get with an SBA lender. Knowing we wanted to proceed, we persisted with approaching different lenders despite receiving six “no’s” with significant time invested in each of those lenders (spanned 90 days) with information gathering and sharing. The banks indicated we could not overcome the SBA requirement of direct experience in the field (staffing) in which we would be acquiring the business. Eventually, we succeeded when a smaller bank indicated our experience in fields adjacent to staffing was sufficient.
How does Spherion support and encourage your success?
Tim: I investigated other franchise opportunities and was underwhelmed by the corporate support they offered, given the fees their franchisees pay. The Spherion team is genuinely all-in on helping us succeed and grow the franchise. Spherion’s business model of having extensive corporate support for collections, payroll, marketing, and legal issues means we can laser focus on operations and sales.
We’ve found the franchisor to be 100% supportive. The Spherion organization is made up of wonderful people who I enjoy working with and learn from constantly.
What are you most proud of and why?
Tim: The most rewarding part of being a franchise owner is watching our internal staff shift to a higher gear in their life and realize they have capabilities and skillsets of which they were previously unaware.
I love working with our staff and figuring out together how we can systematically improve our services to build a competitive advantage. We strive to improve the perception and reputation of staffing so employers don’t view us as a commodity, but as a valuable business partner.
I also love working with outstanding people. The ability to choose who I work with as the franchise owner means I can surround myself with people who make me laugh and smile, who are competitive and passionate, and who make work fun.
I am particularly grateful for the opportunity to work with my brother and business partner, John. He makes me a better person just from being around him.
John: For me, the most rewarding part is feeling real ownership for building something substantial. We really can make a difference for our clients, candidates, and employees. It is incredibly fulfilling to see the collective efforts of our team yield tangible results. There’s a profound sense of ownership and satisfaction that comes from being involved in every aspect of the business.
On top of all that, I get to do this side-by-side with Tim. He is one of the most hard-working, persistent, and caring people I know. Working with him is an absolute pleasure.
What advice would you give to new or potential franchise buyers?
Tim: I’m accustomed to building something and having it remain intact when I move on to other initiatives. I never cease to be surprised at how quickly circumstances change with our clients and how volatile the business is week by week. You will earn your commission every day. If you are looking for a passive investment or running a lifestyle business, you will not succeed with the level of hungry competition that exists in this industry.
If you are someone that thrives in chaos, adrenaline, and challenges to consistently change and evolve based on current client needs, you will find that here. Staffing is more difficult than I anticipated, but it is also more rewarding. The highs are higher than I anticipated!
John: I agree with Tim. This is not a business where you can “set it and forget it.” We don’t take any part of our business for granted. But with perspiration and persistence, you can really see the impact.
More about the Spherion Staffing & Recruiting Franchise Opportunity
This franchise brands shows up on our lists frequently. Just this year, you can spot Spherion Staffing & Recruiting on the following lists:
- Top 200 Franchises
- Most Profitable Franchises
- Top Franchises for Women
- Top Franchises for Culture
Additionally Spherion Staffing & Recruiting shares their full satisfaction report on our site so you can read all about what Spherion franchisees think about the brand. Here are a few notable points:
- 100% of franchisees agree that fellow franchisees are supportive of the brand
- 94% of franchisees believe that their franchisor acts with a high level of honesty and integrity
- 94% of franchisees agree that fellow franchisees are supportive of each other
Break into the business services with an incredible brand like Spherion Staffing & Recruiting.
