It’s our Weight-Management Counsellors that make LighterLife different. As a LighterLife Weight-Management Counsellor you will benefit from being part of an expanding company with a nationally recognised brand and a proven business format. LighterLife offers accredited training, the freedom to work flexible hours and high earnings potential.
LighterLife UK Limited Cavendish House Parkway Harlow Business Park Harlow Essex CM19 5QF Tel: 01279 636988 Fax: 01279 636999 businessteam@lighterlife.com www.lighterlife.com
Š LighterLife UK Limited 2009. All rights reserved. All LighterLife materials, literature, videos, DVDs and CDs are the sole property and strictly the copyright of LighterLife and may not be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of LighterLife. Any infringement of copyright will be strongly pursued and legal action will be taken. GL09/01
LighterLife franchise opportunity
www.lighterlife.com
Introduction LighterLife is an ambitious weight-loss and weight-management company that has helped over 100,000 people lose weight and improve their health. Fast, safe and simple, LighterLife is far more than a diet. It helps men and women who are more than one stone overweight (BMI* 25 or above) lose weight then sustain their weight loss, not just for a few months or a year but for life. LighterLife has been trading successfully for over 12 years in the UK and has recently expanded into the Republic of Ireland. LighterLife currently has over 300 Weight-Management Counsellors. They’re men and women from various backgrounds who now run their own business, manage their own time and help other people live lighter, healthier, more active lives. * Body mass index (BMI) is a person’s weight in kilograms divided by their height in metres squared. It’s now a standard for assessing the health risks of a person’s weight. BMI =
weight in kg height in metres x height in metres
Introduction l The Market Place 36% 40% 24%
Healthy/Underweight Obese Overweight
The Market Place It’s no secret that being overweight or obese is becoming a problem for more and more people. The UK adult population is currently around 49 million. 24% are obese and a further 40% are overweight. This gives LighterLife a potential customer base of 31.6 million people with an estimated market value of £423 million per annum. UK obesity rates have doubled in the last 25 years and it is estimated that 60% of men and 50% of women will be obese by 2050. It is also estimated that obesity will soon surpass smoking as the biggest cause of premature death in the UK. According to UK National Audit Office statistics, being clinically obese can reduce people’s lives by a staggering nine years. Over 40 serious health conditions are linked to obesity including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease and some cancers. The good news is that as people start to lose their excess weight their health will improve: •
A 10% decrease in body weight reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer by 50%
•
A 10% decrease in body weight reduces the risk of heart attacks and other cardiac disease by 20 to 25%
The obese market is still growing 70
% of population
60 50 40
Men
30
Women
20 10 0 2004
2015
2025
2050
The Franchise Opportunity Research shows that less than 7% of franchisees fail within the first three years. This compares to over 90% of new business start-ups. According to the British Franchise Association 91% of franchisees claim to be profitable. LighterLife continues to see revenue growth from increased client numbers. It offers a proven business format, low initial investment, positive cash flow and excellent returns.
LighterLife Weight-Management Counsellors It’s our Weight-Management Counsellors that make LighterLife different. In a recent survey 86% of our clients rated their Counsellors as excellent or very good. Support from a group and a Weight-Management Counsellor is one of the most common reasons people recommend LighterLife. The top reason is fast weight loss. LighterLife Weight-Management Counsellors come from many different backgrounds. They’re men and women who’ve chosen this career because they want to run their own business, manage their own time and make a real difference to people's lives. Self-motivated, with commitment and drive, LighterLife Weight-Management Counsellors need to have: •
Excellent communications skills, both written and oral
•
The ability to develop strong relationships
•
Excellent planning and time-management skills
•
Emotional resilience
•
A desire to make a difference to people’s lives
•
Basic computer literacy
•
Previous business experience is beneficial but not essential
The Franchise Opportunity
The rewards As a LighterLife Weight-Management Counsellor, you will benefit from being part of an expanding company with a nationally recognised brand and a proven business format. LighterLife offers: •
Fast start-up
•
The freedom to work flexible hours - minimum 35 hours per week
•
High earnings potential
•
Accredited training programme to diploma level
•
Ongoing training and continuing professional development
•
Dedicated support and advice to help you grow your business
•
A client referral system
•
Experienced in-house marketing team
•
Counsellors’ personal website
•
No management fees
The Programme Depending on a client’s BMI, LighterLife offers two weight-loss programmes.
The LighterLife Foundation Programme Clients take a complete break from conventional foods. It lasts 14 weeks for women and eight weeks for men. Every day clients have four LighterLife foodpacks (including soups, shakes and one bar). After the initial period, if they still have weight to lose, they can continue using four foodpacks a day on the LighterLife Developer Programme.
LighterLife Lite Clients consume three Foodpacks a day and a conventional meal bringing their total daily intake to a minimum of 801 calories. It's nothing complicated, the ingredients can be found in any supermarket.
Foodpacks Foodpacks including soups, shakes and bars are an important part of LighterLife’s safe, simple, sustainable weight-loss programme. They play a vital role in ensuring clients get the nutrients their bodies’ need. Over four decades of research have gone into developing them. They come in a variety of sweet and savoury flavours and are suitable for vegetarians. Tasty and easy to make up, they’re ideal for busy lives.
The Programme
Weekly group meetings Whichever programme they join, clients attend weekly group meetings of up to 12 people. At these meetings, the LighterLife Weight-Management Counsellor uses a combination of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Transactional Analysis techniques to help the group explore the reasons why they overeat and then learn effective ways to deal with problems, feelings and difficult situations without turning to food.
The LighterLife Management Programme Once clients reach their desired healthy weight they join the LighterLife Management Programme. This starts with the Route to Management Programme where they reintroduce a full range of conventional food and have free access to the Management area of the LighterLife website. This is packed with tips, advice and useful tools for successful weight management. At the end of Route to Management clients can continue to benefit from free support and weekly meetings on the LighterLife Management Programme.
Health and medical LighterLife takes the health and wellbeing of all its clients very seriously. Before they can join a LighterLife group, Weight-Management Counsellors will ask clients to complete a health questionnaire. Depending on their health, a client may need their questionnaire filled out by a GP.
In September 2004, Natalie Bellis, aged 31 from Billericay, Essex, decided on a change of career and trained to become a LighterLife Weight-Management Counsellor. Below is a typical week in Natalie’s life as a LighterLife Counsellor:
Monday 10am-2pm – Pop-in session (weighing, ad hoc support, general chat with clients) 2pm-6pm – Free time 6pm-10pm – Foundation group sessions
Tuesday 9am-6pm – Free time 6pm-8pm – Management group session 8pm-9.30pm – Refreshers group session
A week in the life of a Counsellor
Wednesday 10am- 2pm – Prepare for a new group of clients 2pm-3pm – Liaise with Central Office Marketing Department 3pm-5pm – Free time 5pm-8pm – Men’s Group Session 8pm-9.30pm – Foundation Group
Thursday 9am-11am – Free time 11am-2pm – Take client photos 2pm-5pm – Meeting with Business Development Manager 5pm-10pm – Foundation group sessions
Friday 9am-9.30am – Bank the weekly takings 9.30am-5pm – Free time
Saturday 11am-12noon – Pop-in session 12noon-3pm – Information session for new clients 3pm-5pm – Free time
Sunday Free time
Cou nsellors that if you wa nt to work hard, be fina ncially rewa rded a nd wa ke up every day knowing that you’ve made a difference to someone’s life, then LighterLife is for you. Natalie Bellis LighterLife Counsellor, Essex
”
A week in the Life of a Counsellor
job satisfa ction from what I do but it’s “ Inotgetforcontinuous the idle or fainthearted. I’d say to prospective
Counsellor Success
My business is very profita ble. I ta ke home a good salary from “ the business a nd I a m earning more money now tha n I did in my previous corporate career where I worked at a senior level. ” Alexis Boo, LighterLife Counsellor, Middlesex
has been very profita ble a nd has “ Rugradunningally mybuiltbusiness over the past 4 years. I a m very happy with the su ccess I have had with Lighterlife a nd a m pleased with the a nnual profits I ma ke. As the business has grown, I now have 3 people helping me.
”
Gina Bate, LighterLife Counsellor, Hampshire
Counsellor Success l Trained for Success
Trained for Success Both LighterLife programmes are delivered by LighterLife Weight-Management Counsellors, all of whom have undergone intensive training in operating a weight management consultancy and are working towards an Edexcel accredited diploma. Training to be a LighterLife Counsellor is both interesting and challenging. It involves a combination of residential and distance learning. Many trainees manage their training around existing work commitments prior to launching their full time LighterLife business. Training is delivered by specialised trainers and covers everything you need in order to launch your business including: •
Group activity facilitation using counselling techniques
•
Physiology and obesity awareness
•
Business skills
Our specialist trainers provide continuous feedback and support throughout your training journey and work to ensure that your training is always professional and leads the way in industry best practice. Upon successful completion of your training you will receive your Licence to Practise and can launch your business immediately. A programme of Continuing Professional Development is offered to all practising Weight-Management Counsellors at various locations along with an invitation to our annual conference.
Client Success Donna lost weight with LighterLife and discovered a whole new confidence
weight on the LighterLife Progra mme was “ Losing incredible. It’s so much more than a faddy diet.
I joined LighterLife to lose weight but I’ve also learned techniques that have made me a more confident person in all areas of my life. The weekly group meetings and my LighterLife WeightManagement Counsellor meant I felt completely supported at every stage. It never felt like I was making the journey alone. Now I’ve lost the weight I go to the g ym regularly and play tennis too. I’m a different woman.
”
being on Foodpacks easy. During “ Ithefound Route to Management stage, where you
reintroduce conventional food, you are conscious of everything you eat. It was the first time in my life I’d ever felt like that. My Counsellor helped me to understand food, to enjoy it but only when I a m physically hungry and not for other, emotional reasons. The group sessions helped me to look at the emotional triggers that drove my eating in the past. This was a revelation. I saw clearly how my weight was directly related to how I felt a bout myself.
”
Zoe lost weight with LighterLife and loves her new figure
the LighterLife Progra mme, “ myBeforeBMII began was 41.7, making me morbidly obese. With the help of my Weight-Management Counsellor, I started to lose and keep off the pounds. I knew I always had someone there to encourage me. Together we talked through the roots of my snacking ha bits and worked out ways to change them for good. Now I’m happily maintaining a healthy weight and recently I even wore a bikini on holiday for the first time in 20 years.
”
Client Success
Christian changed his entire relationship with food by following the LighterLife Programme
How do I become a LighterLife Weight-Management Counsellor? It takes a special person to become a LighterLife Weight-Management Counsellor. Empathy, excellent communication skills and business flair are just some of the skills needed. What’s absolutely essential is a strong desire to succeed. The LighterLife recruitment process enables candidates to demonstrate that they have the business skills, as well as the more subjective human qualities, needed to succeed as a LighterLife Weight-Management Counsellor. Our aim is to recruit the most suitable and talented people. If you think you have the skills and abilities necessary to run a successful LighterLife franchise, please complete and return the enclosed application form.
1
Upon receipt of your form, we will contact you and conduct a short telephone interview. We will let you know if you have been successful within 24 working hours.
2
If successful, you will be invited to attend an Information Session in your region. Here you will be shown a presentation and have the opportunity to ask any questions.
3
We will contact you within 24 working hours to let you know if you have been successful and if so invite you to attend a Recruitment Day at Central Office.
4
During the Recruitment Day you will take part in group and individual exercises, as well as having a one-to-one interview. We will contact you within 48 working hours to let you know if you have been successful. At this stage, if you are successful, you will be given the opportunity to become a LighterLife Weight-Management Counsellor.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Introduction LighterLife is an ambitious weight-loss and weight-management company that has helped over 100,000 people lose weight and improve their health. Fast, safe and simple, LighterLife is far more than a diet. It helps men and women who are more than one stone overweight (BMI* 25 or above) lose weight then sustain their weight loss, not just for a few months or a year but for life. LighterLife has been trading successfully for over 12 years in the UK and has recently expanded into the Republic of Ireland. LighterLife currently has over 300 Weight-Management Counsellors. They’re men and women from various backgrounds who now run their own business, manage their own time and help other people live lighter, healthier, more active lives. * Body mass index (BMI) is a person’s weight in kilograms divided by their height in metres squared. It’s now a standard for assessing the health risks of a person’s weight. BMI =
weight in kg height in metres x height in metres
It’s our Weight-Management Counsellors that make LighterLife different. As a LighterLife Weight-Management Counsellor you will benefit from being part of an expanding company with a nationally recognised brand and a proven business format. LighterLife offers accredited training, the freedom to work flexible hours and high earnings potential.
LighterLife UK Limited Cavendish House Parkway Harlow Business Park Harlow Essex CM19 5QF Tel: 01279 636988 Fax: 01279 636999 businessteam@lighterlife.com www.lighterlife.com
Š LighterLife UK Limited 2009. All rights reserved. All LighterLife materials, literature, videos, DVDs and CDs are the sole property and strictly the copyright of LighterLife and may not be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of LighterLife. Any infringement of copyright will be strongly pursued and legal action will be taken. GL09/01
LighterLife franchise opportunity
www.lighterlife.com