Case Studies on www.franchising-after-redundancy.com

Redundancy was the best thing that happened...im now a select franchisee

Tue, 26 May 2009 03:45:45 GMT

Graham Rowan feels that agreeing redundancy terms was the driver for a number of positive changes. He is now a proud franchise partner of Select Franchising and successfully runs 9 franchises across Scotland.

Select Franchising are the UK market leaders in recruitment franchising and have three unique and established franchise brands: Select Appointments (office staff), Parkhouse Recruitment (industrial, technical and engineering staff) and Select Hospitality (hospitality staff).

As a Select franchise partner we provide everything you need to get started and make your own business a success.

Graham has seen the success of franchising with Select “I had been keen to run my own business for a few years and agreeing redundancy provided the ideal platform to start out on my own. I think it is important for people to realise that they don’t need to be victims – it’s not always easy but they can take control. By doing this, I shook off the negative perceptions normally associated with redundancy and viewed it as a golden opportunity to really think about what type of business I wanted to run.”

Graham continues “We opened our first Select Appointments branch in Glasgow in December 2006. Since then, we have built the business to 9 franchises over 3 locations by reinvesting in the business, concentrating on a quality service to our clients and sheer hard work and determination with our teams.”

Graham and Lorraine are excited about continuing to develop their businesses in 2009 ”We’ve come a long way in a short time. Things are never certain, especially in the early life of a business and we have a long way to go, but we’ve made a great start and redundancy feels like a distant memory already.”

Many of our franchise partners generate over £1 million per year in sales and go on to open second and third franchise offices with us. The majority of our franchise partners have had no previous experience of the recruitment industry – so just imagine what you could achieve!

From doom and gloom to a Belvoir franchise

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 03:45:45 GMT

“When I was made redundant last year it knocked me for six,” says Lee, who opened Belvoir Oldham in November 2008.

“I worked for a large mortgage company and when the market changed there were many redundancies. I was one of the unlucky ones and was devastated.

“I got the call when I was on holiday so I had plenty of time for reflection and my family supported me. Once home I rang around my contacts and registered with recruitment companies but although I had numerous interviews it just didn't happen for me.

“I'd always wanted to work for myself and the property industry interested me so I started considering investing in a property franchise. I've got my own buy-to-let property and plenty of contacts in the industry from my mortgage days. Plus, I knew there were a high proportion of rental properties in Oldham so a lettings agency seemed the perfect solution.

“After finding Belvoir’s website I had a chat with one of the team and was very impressed with the tremendous support they give to their Franchise Owners. I knew straight away it was the right company for me.

“ When I opened Belvoir Oldham last November I was nervous but it has been great. As soon as the phone rang for the first time I knew I'd done the right thing.

“I've gone from being an employee to an employer and it’s certainly challenging but I’m thoroughly enjoying it. Each day is busy, which is very encouraging, and I'm pleased with the number of properties I’ve taken on - and let - in such a short space of time.

“In the longterm I want to grow the business quickly, employ more staff and become the biggest and most recognised residential lettings agent in Oldham. I may eventually open sub offices around the Oldham area too...

"From out of the doom and gloom of redundancy can come great opportunities. There's currently such fierce competition to get a job you have to look outside the box and create an opportunity for yourself.

“Opening Belvoir Oldham really is the best decision I’ve ever made. I'm working hard but I'm working for myself and my family now and there's a lot of satisfaction in that. I’m really happy!”

Life after redundancy with gas-elec franchise

Tue, 26 May 2009 03:45:45 GMT

Being made redundant doesn’t have to mean being on the scrapheap. A compulsory change can be the key to a whole new life, as some of gas-elec’s 126 franchisees have proved. For 12 years this national safety inspection company has provided statutory combined gas and electrical safety inspections to the residential lettings and homeowner markets and business is booming – up 9% year on year in the first quarter of 2009.

No job, no redundancy!

Engineer David McVicker has just signed up for his third five-year stint with gas-elec. A former manager for ICI, his job disappeared after he’d been redeployed to Ipswich and he found himself without a job and with no redundancy package either. He discovered gas-elec in the press and at a franchise exhibition, downsized his house and joined the business. ‘I really did do the right thing,’ he says. ‘I am glad I stepped out of mainstream industry into something like this. The pressure I was under was immense. I had tried self-employment before but I spent so much time chasing contracts and money that it was hard to make a living, whereas with gas-elec 100% of my working time is actually on the job.’

35 years in the motor industry

Richard Curl is gas-elec’s regional manager in the south, who came into the franchise after 35 years in the premium motor trade. ‘When I was made redundant I hadn’t got enough to retire on, I was too young to retire, and I knew I was the only person to get me out of the situation. I saw gas-elec and the rest is history!’ Four years later, he feels he made the right decision. He’s extended his territory, added more safety inspection franchisees to his team and his business is growing. ‘If I had my time over again, the only thing I would have done differently would be to have come into the business earlier and joined gas-elec from Day One.’ Richard’s tip for success? ‘Make sure your life partner is behind you; my wife works with me in the business and having someone to discuss things with is vital.’

Getting out of insurance

Sheffield-based David Swift came to gas-elec after taking early retirement as an assessor with Eagle Star insurance. An engineer, 62 year old David joined the franchise in 2002 because it appealed to him and he was not ready to retire. It’s been a great success. ‘Being able to control my own workload is a big thing. When I was an assessor I was working until 9-10 at night and I didn’t want to work all hours. Also, I enjoyed going back on the tools. I do my inspections and some remedial work and that’s it. I am so pleased I took early retirement; I still keep in touch with the people I used to work with and I would have finished anyway within 2-3 years so at least it was of my own choosing when I went. I have no regrets at all about leaving the insurance industry and joining gas-elec.’

Leaving manufacturing

Douglas Bell has been gas-elec’s manager in Scotland for seven years. At 47 he took voluntary redundancy from the semi-conductor industry because he felt manufacturing was ‘dying on its feet’ and he wanted something different and challenging, but which would not take him away from the area where his family was well settled. ‘I have to say, franchising and gas-elec was a good choice. It’s taken a while to build up the business but I’m happy and my family is happy. gas-elec has done what I hoped it would do for me, financially and personally.’ Doug wants more engineers in Scotland, especially to handle booming business in Glasgow, and hopes more people will join him in the franchise. His former employer has now closed down the semi-conductor factory and gas-elec is sending franchise information packs to them in an effort to encourage some of Doug’s former colleagues to join him.

From redundancy to TaxAssist Accountants

Tue, 26 May 2009 03:45:45 GMT

Just five months after being made redundant from his well-paid finance job, Nick Brook joined TaxAssist Accountants moving straight to shop front premises in Huddersfield.

When I was told that I was going to be made redundant from my job as a Finance Manager it came as a big shock. I knew my redundancy package would not last for very long so I was keen to be earning money again. Within three months of losing my job I was running my own TaxAssist Accountants business.

I really wanted to look for another job in a similar field to the role I held previously. I found out I was going to be made redundant the week before the Spring Bank Holiday in 2006 and I spent that Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday ringing finance companies to se if there were any jobs available. There was nothing at my level. On the Wednesday I bought a copy of The Franchise Magazine read it from cover to cover whilst making a list of all of the white-collar franchises available. TaxAssist Accountants was one of three franchises that appealed to me and I phoned each one, requesting information. The next day I received an information pack from TaxAssist Accountants through the post. I was impressed with the company’s track record and professionalism so that Friday I booked to go on a discovery day. I am a very decisive person, so while I had time to think on a one-week holiday in May, I decided to go for it and buy a TaxAssist Accountants franchise. By July 06 I was on the five week training course provided by TaxAssist Accountants and at the beginning of August I was ready to launch my franchise. TaxAssist Accountants was very supportive throughout the process. As well as paying for the franchise through my redundancy package I also borrowed some money from the bank.

Just two months after joining I opened my shop front in Huddersfield and my business has thrived ever since. At my year end in August 09 I am expecting to reach a turnover of £150,000. Despite the recession my business is going from strength to strength and I have currently got one full time and two part time members of staff working for me. Within three years I want to grow to a turnover of £300,000 and I may look into opening a second shop front. I am so impressed with the way my business is growing that I have recently extended my franchise agreement to 2016.

One of the main attractions to me joining TaxAssist Accountants was the strength of the brand, which has been growing over the last 13 years. When I launched my business it was great to know that it was based on a tried and tested model which if followed correctly would not fail. It was good knowing that in the years since TaxAssist Accountants was established it had achieved consistent growth. Furthermore, the support that I have continuously received from the TaxAssist Accountants Support Centre in addition to the leads that have been generated for me, have underlined the fact that my franchise fee is money well spent and is being re-invested to assist in the success of my business. As I did not come from an accountancy background I have found the technical helpline, which is manned by very skilled people, invaluable in assisting me in the running of my business. I also receive ongoing visits from members of the Support Centre to help my business progress and the annual conference also provides good support.

Finding the right franchise with Prestige Nursing

Tue, 26 May 2009 03:45:45 GMT

After being made redundant in 2008 from a highly successful career in medical device sales, both in the UK and previously in her native South Africa, Carol Stafford decided that she wanted a change of direction with her career.

Having always been attracted to the idea of franchising, Carol started to look at franchises in the care industry. With so many to choose from, and with little between them, Carol found the biggest challenge being which franchise was right for her.

‘I was looking for a management franchise, and eventually settled on the care sector as it offered excellent long term prospects given the UK’s demographic profile and the growing need for care at home. I hadn’t realised though quite how many companies offered franchises in the domiciliary and healthcare sectors and the choice was quite bewildering.’

Carol came very close to signing up with a domiciliary care franchise, but just before she did she heard about Prestige Nursing and decided to see what they could offer. “Their honesty, drive and professionalism made a real impact on me, as did their experience of running both company-owned and franchised branches.”

After the initial meeting with the franchise team at Prestige, Carol then met and talked with many of the existing franchisees. “Their feedback on the support I would receive was overwhelmingly positive as was their experience of the Prestige business model”.

Unlike many domiciliary care franchises, Prestige Nursing also offers the complimentary area of healthcare recruitment as an additional income stream for all franchisees.

“This was one of the main reasons why I chose Prestige’ states Carol “along with the fact that they offer a comprehensive back office support function as part of the ongoing management fee. This will save me an immense amount of time and allow me the freedom to grow my business quickly and effectively. I’ll be joining an established network of company-owned and franchised branches across the UK which has a real reputation for excellence, and this fills me confidence as well.”

On track with franchising at Snap-on

Tue, 26 May 2009 03:45:45 GMT

The motivation and self-discipline Richard Harkness learned in his decade with the Royal Engineers has helped him build a secure bridge to the future with Snap-on Tools.

Richard, who has a fast-growing Snap-on franchise in Lanark, Scotland, was in the Army for 10 years but does not regret making the move into self-employment.

He says: “I enjoyed most of my time in the Army until the final two or three years when the cuts started to bite I had two tours in the Falklands in 1984 to help with the post-conflict clear-up. I also spent time in Kenya working on small projects where we built a cottage hospital and a village school.

“But then regiments were closing down but we were still committed the same amount of work throughout the world and that meant we were travelling nearly all the time. I was just married and that was not good for us so I made decision to leave at the end of my nine-year contract. “

At that time, there were reasonable redundancy packages on offer so Richard took the deal, left the married quarters in Ripon North Yorkshire and bought a house in Harrogate.

He explains: “I went home and told Amanda, my wife, that the redundancy had come through and the next day I was offered a job as a warehouse manager by my wife’s boss, who was running a national distribution depot for a baby safety products company. I stayed with them four years as warehouse and then transport manager. I also managed an associated factory in Merthyr Tydfil in Wales.

After a personal tragedy, Richard and his wife wanted to move away from baby-related industries and Richard worked as warehouse and transport manager for a shop-fitting manufacturer in Leeds.

“I ended up doing too many hours on the road and decided to take a step back, working with a bakery company in the warehouse. I didn’t want the management role but within six months was promoted to manager.

“It’s not in my nature to keep quiet about something that I think is wrong and should be made better. So if I see something that needs doing, I’ll say so – that’s what happened at the bakery!”

But after a year there, Richard and Amanda decided to spend time travelling Europe. “We both knew that if we didn’t do it then, we’d never go. So we both quite our jobs and headed off for six months. We’d probably have gone on longer but my Dad fell ill and we wanted to be with him. So we came back and moved into a rented house just outside Carlisle, where I come from and where my Dad was.”

Thankfully, Richard’s father made full recovery and by that time the couple had decided to stay in the UK. He found work delivering furniture and his experience with the company convinced him that self-employment would be a better route for his skills.

“While it was a good company and I progressed quickly there again, I realised that my suggestions were making other people money. I wanted to find a way to earn the right reward for the time and effort I was putting in.

“I wanted to be my own boss but did not know at the time exactly what to do. If I jumped in at the deep end I knew I would be learning the hard way so I looked at getting a franchise because these guys had made all the mistakes and would know the right direction to point me in – and would keep me on the right track after that.”

I decided on Snap-on because I had a fascination with tools – I’m mad keen on motorbikes. Had good friend in Leeds who was services manager for main vehicle dealership and he taught me how to service my bikes. He used Snap-on tools and I thought they were just the best.

“I did my research, checked out the Snap-on competition and it showed me that Snap-on were by far the best. I then went back onto the website and applied online.

“My wife has family in Scotland and we wanted to move back up there so I looked for franchises there. Alasdair Baxter was field manager based in Hamilton and he came down and interviewed me. The Lanark area was his old patch and so he knew it would be good.

There was a period of waiting while the company reorganised the areas and in April 2006 Richard took his van out into the Lanark area for the first time.

“Overall, it has not been a difficult was I first expected. I was very well prepared by Snap-on and the company never lied to us about the challenges we would face. It was quite hard at first because I had to rebuild relationships with customers and took a bit of stick from them in the early months.

“For the first 6 to 8 months it was quite hard but then things picked up rapidly. My sales really took off and I have reached my targets a year earlier than planned. Sales are growing every month and I’ve nearly doubled my monthly average from around a year ago.

“I’m selling products from across the whole range – right now toolboxes are just flying out the van door – I can’t get enough of them! But diagnostics tools sell steadily and when customers realise the need, they invest in them.

“The support from Snap-on is brilliant. They run excellent promotions that help us shift lines well regularly. Their help-line support is also second-to-none. They can answer anything!”

Richard plans to continue building his business, earning top money and in the longer term move into field management when the opportunity comes.

“I always want to progress and find new challenges. I like Snap-on and the way they do things so this will be a way to stretch myself. Snap-on has a very good career path for that want to take the challenge of management.”

Richard works hard to ensure that he keeps the weekends free for himself and Amanda but doesn’t worry about working the occasional Saturday morning. He and Amanda both have motorbikes which they use for leisure rides. He has a 1000c Honda Fireblade and wife has Honda CG250.

Making the right choice with a Molly Maid franchise

Tue, 26 May 2009 03:45:45 GMT

Andy & Lynne Crewe

Doncaster

Molly Maid

“I was made redundant from my sales & marketing managerial position in 2007. Fed up with working hard for other people’s gain and craving more control I discussed the idea of running a business with my wife Lynne.

We realised that franchising was the best route for us because we could hit the ground running and use a proven business model. We chose MOLLY MAID because it is a member of the British Franchise Association, has impressive branding and the MOLLY MAID team were open and honest about our expectations when we spoke to them. Domestic cleaning is also a large industry and the service is one that customers can use repeatedly. Before signing the agreement we spoke to new Franchise Owners and had positive feedback.

We launched our MOLLY MAID franchise in March 2008. The comprehensive one week training course was followed by a visit from two Business Advisors who helped interview staff and conduct in home estimates.

Lynne is in charge of the day-to-day running of the business and I am continuing to work part-time as a consultant while we establish the business. Lynne had left her midwifery job after the birth of our second child and the franchise has given her a new lease of life away from ‘Bob the Builder’.

We love having the freedom to make the decisions and ability to schedule work to fit around family commitments. At the moment we have two cars and four staff members that clean 40 houses a week. In the second quarter of 2009 we plan to have our third car up and running. Our plan over the next year is to have at least 6 cars, which will help us continue to develop the brand awareness in our territory.

A change of career with Dent Technique

Tue, 26 May 2009 03:45:45 GMT

Being made redundant at the age of 42 may be daunting for most people but for Warrington Dent-Technique franchise holder Alan Gribben, it gave him the incentive he needed to change career direction and run his own business.

After 12 years behind the wheel of an HGV, Alan found himself in a situation that provided him with the ideal time in which to make a positive change. “I’d always had plans to be my own boss one day,” said Alan, “I decided that I wasn’t going to let my redundancy situation get me down and started thinking how I was going to use the redundancy money as financial backing for my new career.”

Whilst Alan knew a little about franchising, Internet research and industry magazines provided further information on exactly how it worked and what business opportunities were available. “I am really fanatical about cars so my first point of call was to find something in this field,” continued Alan, “I searched high and low for something that would suit me and gathered lots of information but was particularly drawn to paintless dent removal. I then discovered Dent-Technique’s website. I met with owner Paul (Phillips) and liked the feel of the company in the way that it felt like a family business.”

After completing Dent-Technique’s comprehensive training and induction programme, Alan opened his Warrington-based franchise in September 2007. He said: “The ongoing training that I receive from Dent-Technique head office is great and has really supported me in growing my franchise. I have developed the business and am now working with a lot of automotive dealerships and services in the area.

“Franchising has certainly fulfilled my ambitions and enables me to live a more comfortable lifestyle. It involved a great deal of hard work, dedication and long hours in establishing my area but the satisfaction of being my own boss make it worth while.”

Dent-Technique is a specialist paintless dent removal franchise that provides a fast a reliable repair service to damaged body panels on motor vehicles. The service is available to the trade and the general public repairing the vehicle in the showroom or on the forecourt, at work or at home making it convenient for the customer.

Fulfilling a lifetime ambition with MBE

Tue, 26 May 2009 03:45:45 GMT

Taking redundancy three years ago enabled Peter Petersons to fulfil his ambition to have his own business.

Previously, he had worked in the UK and all over Europe as an IT specialist. He decided that the time was right to become his own boss and thought that franchising was the right way to go about it. He began his research into franchising by reading a specialist magazine and then visited an exhibition, where he met MBE for the first time.

Peter explains: “That visit was an excellent opportunity to see the various franchises on offer and to narrow them down to a shortlist. I liked MBE particularly because I felt it fitted with my previous IT career. I wanted to work in a proper business with the opportunity to grow and expand.

“Another major consideration was that MBE is well established and, with more than 4,500 centres around the world and its UPS connection, it has a lot of credibility.”

After the exhibition, Peter visited MBE’s head office and, once he had decided to make the commitment, he researched his chosen area with MBE’s help. He opened his centre in Weybridge in November 2002 and, already, is planning to take on another centre in a nearby town.

Peter enjoys being a franchisee, running his own shop and the variety of the work. He comments: “If you choose the right franchise, you are supplied with a business model that works. You have the benefit and experience of other franchisees. You buy into a system rather than doing it all from scratch, which enables you to avoid making costly mistakes.

“You are provided with everything you need to start up. Franchisees pay for ongoing support from the franchisor but I feel I’m getting good value for money from my franchise fee - MBE’s head office is always there when I need advice or help.”

When he is not hard at work, Peter play bass guitar and is an active member of a Latvian band called Arvids un Mursiteji (roughly translated as Harvey and the Wallbangers). He is also interested in photography.

Opening the door of opportunity with Domino�s Pizza franchise

Tue, 26 May 2009 03:45:45 GMT

Domino’s Pizza franchisee Mike Groves is an example of a businessman who used redundancy as an opportunity to take stock of his career and set up his own business.

Mike previously worked for Burger King for over 20 years, most recently as vice president and a member of the UK Management Board. Mike took redundancy following management changes in 2002. After six months out to consider his options, he decided to set up his own business by becoming a Domino’s franchisee.

“Redundancy gave me the opportunity to step out of corporate life and set up my own business, which was something I had always wanted to do,” explained Mike Groves. “I took the time to consider my options and review a number of different business ideas. I knew I didn’t want to get back on the treadmill of corporate life and while it was tempting to start a business from scratch, franchising with Domino’s Pizza presented me a great opportunity to have the satisfaction of running my own business but with the support of a worldwide brand with a consistent, successful track record.”

Mike opened his first Domino’s store in Worthing in 2003 and now has a further three in Hastings, Crosby and Manchester. He is already looking to open a number of new stores within the next few years.

Mike sums up: “Franchising can be an ideal opportunity for people like me who have been made redundant and are looking for a change of direction. It’s important to do your research fully first and choose a business that suits you but it can offer great rewards, as well as the satisfaction of being your own boss and driving your own career.”

Facing a fresh challenge with Auditel franchise

Tue, 19 May 2009 03:45:45 GMT

Name Laurence Fitch & Ruth Dawe

Location St Albans, Hertfordshire

Why I chose franchising

Both Ruth and I knew that we wanted to run our own business but could not decide what we wanted to do. Franchising gave us an option to look at different established business models and decide which model suited us best.

We felt that franchising gave us the ideal balance of having our own business with the support of an established organisation.

I came across Auditel at Olympia Franchise Exhibition in April 2008 and was immediately impressed with their business model and how well it suited the current economic climate.

What I did before taking up a franchise

Before Auditel I was the general manager of a family business importing and distributing ceramic tiles throughout the South East but left in early 2008 as the economic climate reduced opportunities for the business.

Ruth had spent the last 10 years working for an international investment bank in the city where she ended up as Director of UK Tax. Ruth had the opportunity to take redundancy from the bank in August 2008.

We were both looking for a fresh challenge and, having spent several months researching Auditel, joined the Auditel network of consultants in September 2008.

How I raised the finance

We were fortunate to have funds available from both Ruth’s redundancy payment and our savings to cover our initial investment.

The training and support I receive from my franchisor

The training we have received has been outstanding and quickly allowed us to develop our skills so we could push our business forward. The benefits I have received from having the support of our mentors and the Auditel network of over 130 consultants available to me has been outstanding – even the most obscure problem I have faced has quickly been explained by somebody in the network who has experienced something similar.

The challenges I have faced

The biggest challenges we have faced are those all new businesses face – establishing a client base, establishing good work practices, building the knowledge we require. It has been hard work but by applying the lessons we have learnt in our training we have always reached the point we want to get to.

My advice to someone thinking of buying their first franchise

Speak to as many people as possible and research, research, research ! To be successful you need to have a high degree of personal motivation and drive. If it you get it right you will have made the best career / life choice ever.

Progress in the marketplace so far

After 7 months we have a fast establishing client base and are ahead of where we hoped to be at this stage. We are becoming established within the marketplace, developing community awareness of Auditel through our networking and already have satisfied clients offering referrals to their contacts.

My plans for the future

We aim to take advantage of all the further training opportunities Auditel have presented to us to ensure our knowledge base is the best it possibly can be. We want to continue to grow the business and develop long-term trusted relationships with our clients. We have even discussed taking on a part-time member of staff to help with our admin and accounting.

Petpal franchise success after redundancy

Wed, 13 May 2009 03:45:45 GMT

Jo Davies

Petpals Franchisee

Salisbury

What I did before taking on a franchise business

Before I established Petpals Salisbury in January 2009, I worked in the financial world as a manager for Abbey for more than seven years. Previously I had been a manager in the car hire industry for 10 years.

Why I chose franchising

I felt a good, strong brand name, such as Petpals, would be recognised by people, and I would benefit from the backing and support a franchise system offers. Another factor was that there are a lot of dog walkers in my area - the feedback I get from my clients is they want to know they have someone they can trust going into their homes.

How I raised the finance

We sold our beloved Mini Cooper!

The training and support

My fellow franchisees, such as Nick who used to run Petpals Crowthorne and particularly Jan at Petpals Winchester have been great. Tracey at Head Office has been a great support too. They have all been there if I have needed them. And, of course, my friends and family have been a huge help also.

Challenges

There are various challenges when you set up a new business. Getting a good name for myself in the area was crucial for me. And actually walking the dogs can be a challenge. I have a lot of big, disobedient guys and I have been pulled over a few times which initially knocked my confidence a little. Now I have learned how to make my life as easy as possible by using correct leads or getting friends to come and help.

Also delivering all 10,000 marketing leaflets door to door within the first three months was no mean feat!

Advice for someone thinking of buying a franchise

It’s a fantastic idea to go down the franchise route. I wouldn’t have done it without the Petpals franchise and having the brand name behind me. I think if you are really serious about making a good living/job out of it, you need to be taken seriously by your clients.

Plans for the future

I would like to employ staff by the end of my first year, to support the growth of the business. I also hope turnover reaches £20K turnover in my first year.

Joining a successful franchise network with ComputerXplorers

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 03:45:45 GMT

Nicola Petty

ComputerXplorers

Cotswolds

Commenced Trading: September 2008

Previous Occupation: Head of Telephony & Web Operations for a major financial services company

I was Head of Telephony & Web Operations for Lloyds TSB Registrars, which recently became a privately-owned company called Equiniti when the division was sold by Lloyds TSB to a private equity firm. My role involved managing a team of around 300 across three call centres in Birmingham, Edinburgh and Worthing. I am a qualified Chartered Accountant but have spent most of my career in Operations and Call Centre Management.

Why you chose to buy into a franchise?

I decided to buy a franchise business because of the many advantages - the business model has already been tested and proven, the time to get the business up and running is much quicker, there is great training and support, and also a network of fellow franchisees sharing knowledge and experience.

Over the last two decades I have worked very long hours and in a number of locations. For a long time I have wanted to start my own business, achieve a much better work-life balance and to put down roots in a local community. I took advantage of the opportunity to take voluntary redundancy and decided that starting a franchise business would be ideal – whilst I have operational, people and financial management skills, I didn't have a specific idea or trade for a business.

Why did you choose ComputerXplorers?

After deciding to look at franchises, I attended a Nat West franchise seminar which showcased a variety of franchises across different industries. I had already decided that I wanted a home-based business and ComputerXplorers was ideal – not only was it home-based, but it sounded like an excellent franchise, relatively new to the UK but well established in the US.

ComputerXplorers was the only franchise I investigated further – I discovered that I would be joining at the latter stages of the pilot phase in the UK. I was also delighted to learn that there is no direct competition in the UK and was extremely reassured knowing that the franchise is run in the UK by Nigel Toplis, who has very significant knowledge and experience of the franchise industry, and who is supported by a great team.

All in all, I decided on a ComputerXplorers franchise because the product offering is superb and it has the benefit of having an excellent track record in the US, with the added advantage of being run in the UK by a team of very experienced franchise professionals.

Why did you choose ComputerXplorers?

All in all, I decided on a ComputerXplorers franchise because the product offering is superb and it has the benefit of having an excellent track record in the US, with the added advantageof being run in the UK by a team of very experienced franchise professionals.

How have you found the training and support given by ComputerXplorers?

I have found the training and support to be absolutely brilliant. I have attended two training courses, three days in the UK and ten days in the US. I believe that both training courses have provided me with all the information and confidence I need for my business to be successful, with the knowledge that support is available at all times for any queries or guidance. Support has been sought on numerous occasions already and I have been so impressed by the willingness of all the ComputerXplorers team to work actively with me to ensure my business succeeds.

How has the business started for you?

I commence trading in September 2008 at the start of the new school year. Focus initially has been on validating the marketing database and selecting the first prospective customers for mailings and calls, as well as recruiting part-time teachers so that there is sufficient time for them to be CRB checked before classes commence in schools.

How do you see the business progressing?

Despite the steep learning curve, I would like the business to grow quickly and establish a good reputation in the Cotswolds. I aim to achieve this by working hard, identifying good teachers and employing a lead-teacher and administration support as soon as this is required, so that I can focus on sales, marketing and relationship management, rather than getting involved in the minutiae of planning and arranging classes.

Do you have any advice to anybody considering ComputerXplorers as a franchise?

If you have general business experience, you believe you will be able to stay focused in a home environment and enjoy working with children, this franchise is an absolute must. The training and support provided have filled in the product, sales, marketing, teaching and othergaps I had and the general support and documentation available is fantastic. As a way to start your own business, a ComputerXplorers franchise makes it as easy as possible for you to succeed.