Elite Franchise Magazine June 2019

elitefranchisemagazine.co.uk

JUNE 2019 ÂŁ4.50

10

demands for your franchisor

HIIT it off F45 franchisee Jocette Coote lives for fitness

974002 772054 9

ISSN 2054-9741

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Growing global

Expectations when taking your franchise overseas

Turn the app on

Co-op

Benefits of giving your franchise a mobile presence

The 175-year-old firm has 2,500 stores but that hasn’t stopped Martin Rogers from leading Co-op into the franchising sector

Tailored marketing strategies

are developed to increase brand awareness and drive sales at both a local and national level. This includes radio, the Muffin Break loyalty program, the Muffin Man mascot, in-store promotions, and tailored local and regional marketing activities

Comprehensive accredited training

programs delivered through the e-learning web portal and Franchise Business Managers

Good Goes in,

Established model that’s unique, established and carries a proud history

at Muffin Break we believe the more good going in, the more good coming out. It is our mission to add a little goodness to people’s every day. We do this by making deliciously good food, baked fresh every day in our kitchen right here in-store

Baked in-store

and prepared on the premises, all of our products guarantee a freshness that helps give the brand a point of difference

Exclusive Muffin Break coffee, which has been sourced from eight different locations around the world. This helps show that we’re serious about offering an exclusive blend to our customers for that perfect Muffin Break coffee and always sourcing only the best Arabica beans

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What does it take to be a successful Muffin Break franchise owner? “ Our Most Successful franchise owners are passionate about promoting what the brand stands for and educating customers about our ‘bake every day and grind every cup’ commitment.”

You’ll also find they have a combination and blend of the following traits: Enthusiasm, ambition, integrity and a strong work ethic Strong communication skills, as well as the ability to create a team Personal day-to-day involvement in the bakery café A passion for work, a positive outlook and an attitude for success A desire to learn A willingness to adhere to the established Muffin Break guidelines and procedures

HERTITAGE an introduction to muffin break

Muffin Break opened it’s first UK cafe bakery in Derby in Nov 2001. There are over 300worldwide franchised cafes. We continue to grow with over 65 stores now trading in the UK. If you would like to own your own café, then Muffin Break may just be the new business venture you are looking for. Reputable, reliable and trusted for nearly 30 years, this is a fantastic opportunity to run your own bakery café business which part of a brand recognised worldwide.

We continue to offer growth, innovation and support to franchisee owners.

OUR MANIFESTO They say A LITTLE GOOD GOES A LONG WAY. That’s why we put it into everything we do.

It’s probably our most important ingredient. ALMOST 30 YEARS AGO we made our first muffin. Turned out it wasn’t too bad so we made more. USING THE BEST INGREDIENTS, taking advantage of the different tastes and flavours that each season brings.

Good news travelled fast. And talk of our muffins spread far and wide. Before long we were PERFECTING SAVOURIES such as pastries and tarts. Becoming KINGS OF MUFFINS. And CONQUERING COFFEE, by sourcing the finest beans. We worked hard. The good old fashioned way.

If you are interested in muffin break franchise, please contact heather in the franchise recruitment team on: adverts.indd 2

E: franchisee@muffinbreak.co.uk M: 07824880273 W: muffinbreak.co.uk 16/05/2019 14:47

Engergie.indd 1

01/02/2019 19:00

Own a gym with the UK’s top fitness franchisor Ranked #2 in the Elite Franchise Top 100 UK Franchises 2019

With over 15 years’ experience in the UK fitness franchise sector, no other fitness franchisor understands the UK health and fitness market like énergie.

No previous experience in the sector required

Dedicated UK based franchise support and world-class business training

Record-breaking fitness club launches

Expert advice and guidance every step of the way

A proven track record of success

To get a full information pack and book your place on our next Franchise Discovery Day, visit: www.energiefranchise.com or call: 0845 363 1020

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Cover star Martin Rogers Martin Rogers is now rolling out Co-op's new franchise model across Britain

6 elitefranchise | JUNE 2019

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contents REGULARS

06.19

9 Welcome & contributors 11 News & events 121 Franchise diaries

COLUMNS 15 Dorian Gonsalves 28 Gemma Tumelty 41 Frank Milner 50 Sarah Kelly 57 Pip Wilkins 69 Chris Roberts

FEATURES 34 Training future athletes

Mini Athletes aims to nurture the next generation of champions

45 Sign language

Signarama UK's new master franchisee is confident about the future

62 App in the face

95

The model franchisee Jocette Coote on balancing motherhood, modelling and her two F45 franchises

How apps can boost your franchise offering

74 The overseas opportunity

91 Safe headspace

81 Shred, shoulders, knees and toes

104 Rising stars

The Shredquarters is giving big UK fitness franchises a run for their money

Terminator director James Cameron isn't the only one who's opening a franchise in the UK

88 I know what you want

108 Five ways to use customer information

The considerations you have to make before going global

Ten things franchisees should want from franchisors

Franchisors must protect their psychological wellbeing or risk ruining their business

45

Big data can optimise your customer service. But that's not all. Find out the rest JUNE 2019 | elitefranchise

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CALL usCALL to talk usto toour talkNational to our National Franchise Franchise Acquistion Acquistion Manager Manager on: 01923 on:381 01923 074381 074 VISIT OUR OUR WEBSITE for National more for information: more information: www.franchise.promedica24.co.uk www.franchise.promedica24.co.uk CALL usVISIT CALL toWEBSITE talk usto toour talk to our National Franchise Franchise Acquistion Acquistion Manager Manager on: 01923 on:381 01923 074381 074 EMAILOUR us EMAIL to get usinto touch: get in franchise@promedica24.co.uk touch: franchise@promedica24.co.uk VISIT VISIT WEBSITE OUR WEBSITE for more for information: more information: www.franchise.promedica24.co.uk www.franchise.promedica24.co.uk EMAIL us EMAIL to get usintotouch: get in franchise@promedica24.co.uk touch: franchise@promedica24.co.uk

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welcome Volume 09 Issue 06 / 2019 EDITORIAL editorial@cemedia.co.uk Zen Terrelonge Editor Eric Johansson Web Editor Varsha Saraogi Feature Writer Angus Shaw Acting Commercial Writer Louisa Cook Editorial Intern

The heat is on

DESIGN/PRODUCTION production@cemedia.co.uk Darren Marriott Head Designer Vrinda Sejpal Designer Lizzie Thurgood Designer Mae Bradshaw Design Intern Dan Lecount Web Development Manager dan@cemedia.co.uk

W

ith the arrival of June, it’s official – summer is here. Thinking back to your school years and the advent of warmer weather, what’s one thing you associate with the two? Sports day. And that’s where Mini Athletics comes in. The athletics teaching franchise from husband and wife founders Kirk and Clare Bowyer trains nippers aged between two and seven – and with the summer holidays approaching they’re in a good position to prosper.

It’s not just kids who can get active now though. The Shredquarters is a functional training business that’s just embarked on a franchise journey, with founders Hannah Khan and Adam Waters charging into a competitive market. Proof of how ripe the workout sector is can be demonstrated with F45 franchisee Jocette Coote, the model-cum-entrepreneur and owner of two London sites who told us just how passionate she is about the fitness market.

Of course, enthusiasm is a prerequisite for a successful career. And Co-op’s head of new channels Martin Rogers is the epitome of that as the zest for his employer is palpable. And that appetite he has for the food retailer’s success will serve him well as the business looks to build on its existing 2,500 stores by franchising with “trusted partners of pedigree”.

SALES & MARKETING Jemma Tonge Acting Sales Manager jemma.tonge@cemedia.co.uk Loretta Smith Sales Account Manager loretta.smith@cemedia.co.uk Zane Zvirbule Marketing Administrator zane@cemedia.co.uk Ellie Savva Marketing Assistant ellie.savva@cemedia.co.uk ACCOUNTS Sally Stoker Finance Manager sally.stoker@cemedia.co.uk

■ ZEN TERRELONGE - EDitor

DIRECTOR Scott English Director scott.english@cemedia.co.uk

Circulation enquiries: Channel Edge Media Call: 0124 567 3700 Elite Franchise is published by Channel Edge Media, 1st Floor, Regency House, 16 Victoria Road, Chelmsford, CM1 1NZ Copyright 2019. All rights reserved.

No part of Elite Franchise may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written consent of the editor. Elite Franchise will make every effort to return picture material, but this is at the owner’s risk. Due to the nature of the printing process, images can be subject to a variation of up to 15%, therefore Channel Edge Media Limited cannot be held responsible for such variation. cemedia.co.uk

Contributors

2

3

4

Sarah Kelly

Chris Oxley

Darren Marriott

Nigel Toplis

Reliving her entry into Stagecoach Performing Arts as CEO, Kelly reflects on her early days of joining the franchise and why she would need to tread carefully with the opportunity

As many people count down the days to their summer holidays, Oxley focuses on another reason to go overseas – business expansion. He details the factors you should be aware of

Our head of design has been busy letting his creative wizardry fly this month – and that’s just the cheesecake he made for the team. Check out his work with our cover star from the Co-op

Unlocking his inner Spice Girl, Toplis reveals he knows what franchisees want, what they really, really want, from their franchisors with a tenpoint checklist to feast their eyes on

1

June 2019 | elitefranchise

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news

Snap and price slash

Snapping pics of food for social media has become somewhat obligatory among millennials. While it can initiate the occasional eye roll, it no doubt provides an excellent marketing opportunity for restaurant franchises like Frankie & Benny’s.

In May, the chain ran a campaign where anyone snapping and sharing a photo of their Frankie & Benny’s dish to Instagram with the tag #FrankieAndBennys would see a 50% price-cut to their main meal. The initiative was launched to promote the chain’s new menu hoping to attract more adults on date nights and cater to the nation’s evolving taste buds.

Although Frankie & Benny’s is gunning for more mature audiences with this strategy, some may argue photographing casual dining doesn’t scream sophistication. The initiative does show the power social media marketing can have, with plenty of potential customers now being aware of the new menu due to savvy cost-cutting friends sharing the dishes on Instagram.

Events bfa Annual Conference 2019 June 27-28

BY ERIC JOHANSSON & ANGUS SHAW

Want your McVisa to go?

The Vox Conference Centre, Birmingham, B40 1PU

AFA Annual Awards 2019 September 19 Jurys Inn Milton Keynes Midsummer Boulevard, Milton Keynes, MK9 2HP

EWIF National Conference 2019 September 19

The Best Western Plus Manor Hotel Main Road, Meriden, Solihull, West Midlands, CV7 7NH

The National Franchise Exhibition October 4 - 5 NEC Birmingham North Ave Marston Green Birmingham, B40 1NT

Women in Business Expo October 16 - 17 Farnborough International Conference and Exhibition Centre, Etps Road, Farnborough, Hampshire, GU14 6FD

FLAsia October 24-26

Marina Bay Sands, 10 Bayfront Ave, Singapore, 018956

200 franchises and counting Home Instead Senior Care UK has certainly made a lasting impression since launching in 2006. The homecare franchise has not only grown to take care of over 14,000 seniors across the country but has done so whilst reaping in numerous prestigious honours like two consecutive number one spots on the EF Top 100 list and awards at bfa HSBC Franchise Awards ceremonies.

Now the franchisor has reached another huge milestone by opening its 200th franchise.

The man to carry it across the threshold is Dorchester franchisee Romesh Dharmasingham who officially opened his new business during a gathering at Chester Cathedral.

The opening highlights just how successful the marriage of franchising and the care industry is.

After all, over the past decade franchises like Caremark, Bluebird Care and Heritage Healthcare have all scored impressive wins across the board. Hopefully, Home Instead Senior Care UK’s 200th franchisee will inspire even more people to take the leap into franchising.

Imagine you’re a US citizen in distress in Austria.

You may’ve lost your passport and have no means of contacting the embassy for help. At least, that used to be the case. As of Wednesday May 15, any American finding themselves in difficulty can simply enter one of McDonald’s 194 Austrian branches and get in touch with the US embassy.

The new 24-hour hotline to the embassy will also include help from the franchise’s employees. The restaurants would still remain Austrian territory.

The US embassy in Vienna announced the agreement on Facebook and was quickly met by some ridicule. Comments like “Introducing the McVisa,” “Would you like to supersize your passport?” and “Can you open a Burger King embassy so we can have it our way?” were rife on the embassy’s social media page.

Whether or not this is a one-off or the start of similar rollouts across the world, helping people in distress is never a bad thing.

June 2019 | elitefranchise

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news Revealing the EWIF NatWest Awards 2019 winners

BY LOUISA COOK

Let yourself be inspired by the female franchisors and franchisees who took home huge awards this year Female-led franchising is on the rise. For instance, the number of new female franchisees jumped to 37% in the last two years, according to the 2018 bfa Natwest Survey. Additionally, more female franchisees than ever are competing for the top gongs at this year’s bfa HSBC Franchise Awards.

However, this is nothing new. After all, Encouraging Women in Franchising (EWIF) has celebrated female franchising for almost a decade. This year was no different with several impressive business women winning prizes at the NatWest EWIF Awards.

Christina Taylor-Chisholm, founder of franchise Popolo Ceramico, the mobile personalised ceramic business that captures baby and child handprints, won the coveted New Woman Franchisor of the Year award. After six years, she now has 11 franchisees and four more in the pipeline.

The New Woman Franchisee of the Year award went to Sarah Johnson, franchisee of It’seeze, the web design company. She impressed the judges by accomplishing something no other franchisee had done in the ten years since It’seeze became a franchise – making 100 sales within one year and three weeks of starting.

Few entrepreneurs can claim to have overcome as many challenges as Jo Stone and Tracey Townend, founders of Puddle Ducks, the baby swimming lesson franchise.

Since launching the company in 2002, they’ve grown the business into a national tour de force by creating a franchise model that truly puts franchisees at its centre.

And that’s despite Townend attracting a serious virus in 2016 that left her bed-ridden and unable to speak. So it’s clear them receiving the Woman Franchisor of the Year Award is well deserved.

The Woman Franchisee of the Year award went to Charlotte Foxley of diddi dance North Essex & South Suffolk, the preschool dance class franchise. Foxley and her team run a whopping 20 classes a week, including those at nurseries and special needs schools.

While franchisors and franchisees are key in running a successful franchise, few would argue against the notion that their employees also play an essential role in ensuring the company’s success. That’s why the Woman Franchise Employee of the Year award celebrates these key workers. This year it went to Helen Garland, registered manager at Right at Home Bournemouth. As part of the homecare franchise, she consistently aims to develop herself and her team. For instance, 51% of the team members have or are studying for a Qualifications and Credit Framework qualification.

Hannah Drury, franchisee of Caremark Sutton, the homecare provider, has impressed the UK franchise sector since taking over the business from her stepfather after he died in 2015. Not only has she picked up prizes at the bfa HSBC Franchise Awards but can now add another Young Woman Franchising of the Year title to her name.

Commenting on her win, Drury said: “To be recognised for my achievements, in a room of incredible business women, was an honour.”

Pregnancy can be tough, especially as a working woman.

However, Suzie McCafferty, CEO of Platinum Wave Franchising, the franchise consultants, managed to juggle pregnancy with working alongside 25 brands in 2018.

She also hosted numerous seminars and even launched Platinum Waves’ sister company, Franchise Moves. diddi dance made another appearance, this time when the Inspirational Woman of the Year award went to the founder Anne-Marie Martin. In 2018, she improved franchisee training and motivation by increasing conversation face-to-face and over technology. She also brought diddi dance to festivals, including Camp Bestival.

It’s empowering to see so many women in franchising overcome the odds and prove that anything is possible.

Indeed, they’ve set the standard for other women to take the franchise sector by storm.

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The mark of excellent care

Sue’s doing it...

Would you like to have a positive impact on people’s lives?

You can become the next Caremark homecare franchise success story. for more information speak to our recruitment team on 01903 266392

www.caremarkfranchises.com caremarkfranchises.com adverts.indd 3

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DORIAN gonsalves CEO Belvoir

Teamwork

makes the dream work Building good relationships within your franchise network is key to achieving business success, says Dorian Gonsalves

F

ranchising is an incredibly successful business model and one of the main reasons for this is because it’s dependent on both the franchisor and the franchisee working together. In simple terms, the more successful the franchisees are within a network, the more successful the franchisor will be and the more investment can be made back into the group.

Working as an independent trader can be quite lonely with nobody to share the stresses and concerns that arise from growing competition within your chosen sector.

Being part of a franchise means franchisees can interact with other franchisees, benefit from the enhanced marketing and IT support the franchisor can offer and take advantage of any opportunities for expansion – perhaps through acquisition or new income streams the franchisor may have negotiated and trialled across the network.

Investing your time into building a good relationship with your franchisor is time well spent. At Belvoir, our franchisees are encouraged to get involved with marketing and IT projects as well as working groups and engaging with business development mentors. Franchising should also enable franchisees to share ideas and concerns and the franchisor should welcome feedback from people who are actually working on the ground. Any successful new

initiatives can then be piloted and shared across the whole network to benefit the entire group.

As well as building a good relationship with your franchisor, it’s also vital to ensure you have the right people around you who are highly motivated to help your business reach its maximum potential. Once you’ve employed the right team, you can ensure that motivation levels remain high by providing a pleasant working environment, good training and attainable promotion opportunities. Some of Belvoir’s franchisees also provide other incentives to team members, either in the form of a bonus, vouchers for spa days or an extra afternoon off and so on, which helps to encourage healthy competition and motivation.

Having a great team of suppliers and contractors is also important as the quality of their work can positively or negatively affect the reputation of your business – something that can be tracked very quickly and easily on social media. The quality of your online reviews can greatly impact your business as well as the national brand of your franchise.

Taking care to create, promote and retain a good team helps to build a win-win situation for everyone.

June 2019 | elitefranchise

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martin rogers

Fly the Co-op 18 elitefranchise | june 2019

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martin rogers

e

With 2,500 of its own stores already up and running, food retail giant Co-op has embarked on a franchising journey under the watchful eye of Martin Rogers, the firm’s head of new channels

BY Zen TErrelonge

june 2019 | elitefranchise

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martin rogers

F

or the past 14 years, Martin Rogers has been a stalwart employee of northern business titan Co-op. But did he expect to be there for so long? The answer is a simple one. “No, absolutely not,” Rogers laughs. “I don’t suppose anyone does [expect to stay with an employer for so long] but I suppose it’s like a footballer who plays for his hometown club – it would have to be a mega transfer to make me move because it’s something I genuinely feel passionate about and I literally wake up every morning trying to think about how to make the Co-op stronger.” And as the firm’s head of new channels, Rogers is able to do just that by spearheading the organisation’s new push into franchising.

Before finding his calling with the food retail group, Rogers begun his career as an investment banker, having studied economics at the University of Birmingham and joined a graduate recruitment scheme with Swiss multinational bank UBS in 1999. “It was very meritocratic,” he says of the market, claiming his comprehensive school education wasn’t an inhibitor in the eyes of his employer. Indeed, as long as you were bright and could do the job well, you were only judged on your capability rather than your background. “I was able to join a global graduate scheme with a bunch of other graduates from across the world – Switzerland, Singapore, France, Germany and the UK,” recalls Rogers. “And being a guy from a comprehensive in South Manchester, it was quite liberating and flattering and I learnt a huge amount.”

Working out of Frankfurt, Rogers became the head of trade support, a role which saw him overseeing stock for the likes of Volkswagen and Bosch.

“It was helping people access the value in those stocks whilst concentrating on what would help make their portfolio stronger or contribute to their value for a pension fund,” he explains. Not entirely unlike his role at the Co-op today, Rogers adds his banking post was “very enjoyable and fast-paced” while there’s a link between the two in terms of the commerciality aspect.

Before returning to the UK though, having found himself in a financially stable position where he was able to pay off his student loan, Rogers wanted to give back. “I decided to do something more aligned to my ethical conscience,” he says. This saw him head to China in 2004 where he started voluntary work teaching English and HIV education.

“That was [supporting] people excluded from the mainstream, [who’d experienced] lots of intravenous drug use and human trafficking, sex workers etcetera,” Rogers says. While it may not seem it on the surface, his banking background proved useful for his stint in Asia. “The pressure of preparing an English language course for 60 native Chinese speakers seven or eight times a day, six days a week was intense and I think I was prepared for that pressure by working on the stock market in a high-paced commercial environment."

With 18 months’ experience as a volunteer under his belt, Rogers realised he wanted his next career move to have a foundation in giving back and doing good, describing the time in China as “hugely enriching”. “That really confirmed to me that I wanted to do something meaningful which then became a pivotal turning point because I wanted to combine that passion for doing something with an ethical conscience with working in the commercial world,” he says. “I felt very passionately about doing something that was making a positive difference and a necessary contribution. So that’s when I seriously started thinking about the Co-op.”

Upon his return to England and with Co-op in his sights, Rogers joined the Manchester-headquartered firm’s graduate scheme in 2005 at the age of 29 as a mature graduate, which he refers to as a “horrible phrase.” “I’m still not very mature,” he laughs.

But what was it about the firm he felt would cater to his desire for ethical employment? “I’m based in the north west, my family are from Manchester, so it was easy to relocate back home after living abroad for five or six years,” Rogers details.

“And I was really passionate about what I saw the Co-op was trying to do, which was to create a place where an ethical retailer could really make a difference to people’s lives.” He points to the fair trade supply chain partnerships with developing markets,

its care of colleagues and customers as well as its cultivated farming processes in the UK and animal welfare standards.

“The Co-op in the past probably didn't always do things right but I think it always tried to do the right thing,” opines Rogers.

“And I believe in recent years we’ve done more things right – and still try to do the right thing.”

Of course, going from investment banking to food retail may not seem like the conventional move but Rogers found a lot of synergy between his first job and the Co-op. Working in operations as a banker, the goal was to satisfy and overachieve on expectations. “My roles within the Co-op and where I rose to seniority was around operations,” he details. “So [reacting] very quickly, to run help desks, to have a feel on what’s going on in that market and the ability to have an external antenna to try and separate the signal from the noise [were all skills I had].” From a retail perspective, that meant appreciating the needs of customers, staff, shopkeepers and store managers as well as the overall business.

“I think what’s really important is that skillset of being able to deal with multiple, sometimes competing, priorities in a fastpaced environment where your actions can have a very significant effect on the bottom line,” says Rogers. “That actually was highly transferable. Running shops is easy but running great shops is really difficult. And I think the same is true in finance – running a bank is easy but running a great bank is difficult.”

Although Co-op had been operating for 160 years at the time of Rogers’ arrival, he felt there was still opportunity in the business for his own career progression but also in terms of what he could deliver to the northern operation. “I saw the opportunity in a brand that has a huge amount of latent affection with the UK population and a special place in people’s hearts and really needed to improve how it operated as a business,” he says. “For me, the Co-op was a sleeping giant and I thought I could help contribute to waking it up.”

Seemingly he’s made quite the contribution over 14 years of service.

From heading up operations for sales,

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martin rogers

services and communications to leading service delivery for food, Rogers today occupies the post of head of new channels, which he’s held for the past three years. “My role is all about extending the Co-op difference to new places, customers and members,” he details. During this time in the position, he’s witnessed convenience store operator McColl’s snap up 300 Co-op branches and subsequently stock Co-op’s own brand goods, a wholesale agreement forged with Costcutter and also the acquisition of Nisa Retail. “It’s been a hugely rewarding experience to learn about the independent retailer market, independent shopkeepers and people who’ve survived the onslaught of the big four,” says Rogers, referring to Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons. Pointing to the strong and vibrant offerings small stores provide the communities, his goal is to build on what the Co-op is doing through wholesale and franchising.

But with 2,500 stores already, why is there a need for the retail behemoth to enter the franchise space? “It’s really been a journey to allow other people, trusted partners of pedigree, to use the Co-op brand to generate mutual value

in places where the Co-op couldn't be itself,” reasons Rogers. “We’re the fastest growing [grocery] retailer in the UK apart from Aldi and Lidl and lots of that has come from the thousands of incremental improvements we’ve made across our shops. My role is about commercialising all of those improvements and then allowing [franchisees] to share in that.”

While the Co-op officially started taking on franchises in February 2019, the concept has been in the pipeline for a long time. “We’ve been talking about franchising for several years,” Rogers reveals. “We’re deliberately cautious because the Co-op brand is a beautiful, fragile, precious thing. And we want to make sure we’re working with people who share our values and principles.” He notes the goal has been to ensure the franchise proposition works for the business itself but also franchisees and that’s taken time to perfect. “The Co-op’s been around 175 years, so we’re in no rush but we also want to seize the opportunity,” Rogers continues. “So a lot of the work we’ve been doing in the background very conscientiously is getting the permission and understanding that there’s no

contradiction between [franchisees and] the Co-op operating model, values and principles.”

In order to achieve that and ensure Co-op doesn’t fall into disrepair before celebrating its 180th birthday because of one bad egg, Rogers has been working with independent retailers of high quality. “We’ve had to do a lot of work on segmenting systems to make them legally compliant around independents,” he explains. “And we’ve also had to do lots of work around ourselves, in trying to understand how we package up 175 years of history into something meaningful [for] people who haven’t grown up with us or haven’t run Co-ops before.” A lot of lessons have been taken from the Nisa acquisition, through which staff have been given broad exposure of wholesale and how independent retailers operate.

While a move like this has the ability to create intrigue from outsiders, Rogers isn’t oblivious to the fact it could cause concern within the walls of Co-op and has been keen to dispel any worries they may have. “I’m making sure colleagues in the Co-op are reassured that this

For me, the Co-op was a sleeping giant and I thought I could help contribute to waking it up

june 2019 | elitefranchise

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Franchising gives us another route to market, an agility and operating model which allows us to partner in a way the company-owned model wouldn’t 22 elitefranchise | june 2019

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Jo Stone and Tracy martin Townend rogers

is additive, that this doesn’t replace our company-owned store opening programme or ambitions in our own estate,” he says. “This is about us deciding together where to put Co-ops down that generate value for communities, partners, customers and members.”

Drilling into the potential of the franchise market for the Co-op, he notes the “well-worn route” it provides retailers to expand their brand. “It’s a faster, cheaper way to get into more places more quickly,” he says. The benefit for a Co-op is that while prospective partners may not want to give up their shop, they could aspire to revitalise their existing presence by “operating under the professional expertise of a Co-op franchise.”

With franchising, Co-op is also able to tackle a problem that’s been in the way of growth, which is the difficulty of locating viable properties. “[It’s] getting harder and harder to find competitive value at the sites we want to operate in because our various successes are acting as a market signal for people to move into the convenience space,” admits Rogers. “That’s not to say we don’t still find and open [new stores] because we have still got enough in the pipeline. But franchising gives us another route to market, an agility and operating model which allows us to partner in a way the company-owned model wouldn’t.”

For example, with four franchise stores open currently, universities look set to become a key stomping ground for Co-op franchises. Leeds University is the home of one such site, prompting Rogers to declare “franchise is the only way that we would have been able to access that location.” “Leeds didn’t want to sell and they would have gone with another franchise operator, someone like SPAR,” he says. “And we felt, why should students and colleagues in that location have to put up with a suboptimal offer when they can have a fairly-traded, ethically-sourced, healthy, reasonablypriced value for money Co-op operating model? We felt we had to develop franchises [to support] people who were asking us and [it] also gives us another option to expand at pace.”

Co-op has sourced three franchise stores through its Costcutter partnership

so far, while a preexisting arrangement with the National Union of Students allowed the Leeds launch. “We’ve also signed Kent University, which is opening two stores in July and August and there’s a number of other universities coming through our pipeline,” says Rogers. “We’re just taking time to ensure we can select the right partners who generate the right amounts of value which we can share.”

With Co-op franchises now officially available for the taking, the Costcutter pilot that got the ball rolling has had its first anniversary this year. “The two other Costcutters are six and nine months [old] and Leeds University opened the end of February,” says Rogers. There’s been a marked effect on the locations too – or “exceptional” in Rogers’ words where Costcutter is concerned. “The sales increase is over 80% and the transaction count has increased by a similar ratio,” he says. “In Leeds University, sales have increased by more than 100% and we’re seeing close to 80% of transactions go through self-service tills.”

There’s a great deal of support provided to franchisees who join the Co-op network, according to Rogers, with the franchisor out to “create a partnership that really marries the best of independent retail with the strength of the Co-op proposition.” That means all technology and branding is taken care of by Co-op, which accounts for around 25% of the total refit cost – depending on the store. “We contribute all of the EPOS, so all of the tills, all of the technology, the handheld terminals, the headsets, the Co-op tablets which all of our stores use and then we also contribute the nature of the Co-op brand and internal and external identity,” Rogers says. “Those are the things that Co-op generally takes ownership of because obviously it makes sense and it’s also a neat way for us to contribute.” Additionally, all training and guiding principles are also taken care of to get everything ready for launch, inclusive of marketing the opening as well as offering a physical presence on site to include post-live support.

Co-op is by no means the only player in the convenience supermarket space

where franchising is concerned, so how exactly does it intend to stand out?

“There’s lots of good operators out there,” admits Rogers, nodding to the "flexibility" of SPAR, for example. “But also we’re unique in the way we’re the only grocer franchising the master brand. So actually if you want to franchise with Tesco, well, Tesco don’t franchise Tesco – they franchise through One Stop. Or if you want to franchise through Morrisons, well you can’t be an independent retailer and franchise through the Morrisons Daily format.” To that end, Rogers wants to stress the Co-op is really putting its money where its mouth is. “We’ve taken the plunge to do something no-one else is doing,” he continues.

Looking outside of that space, however, there’s also room for Co-op to do battle with other retail franchisors, although it won’t necessarily be easy.

“If I were to say the top ten shopping centres in the UK – Bluewater, Lakeside, Trafford Centre, Metrocentre Gateshead, Bullring in Birmingham – we’re not in any of those locations,” Rogers highlights. “Whereas some of our franchise competitors are – Costa, Starbucks, Greggs, Nero – from a food-to-go proposition. So I think franchising allows us to get into those places and I think our challenge will be to satisfy demand to get into those places while not detracting from the core Co-op proposition.”

With his eyes on the future, while growth of the network is on the agenda, it isn’t the be all and end all, according to Rogers – not to the detriment of the overall Co-op business at least.

“Within the next couple of years we’re definitely aiming to have a couple of hundred [franchises],” he says. “And it’s more about the quality of the location rather than an arbitrary number of stores.” Those locations will include universities as previously mentioned but also be near transport links, hospitals and neighbourhoods that aren’t being catered to currently. “[Our franchise growth is] less about numbers and more about quality but certainly we have an enormous ambition in this area and that’s based on the positive results the pilots have got,” Rogers concludes.

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

Food franchises need the best tech Making all its pretzels fresh results in 30-minute shelf lives, meaning this franchise has no time to mess around. Fortunately, its new EPOS system is a miracle worker

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n heavily operations-focused businesses like Auntie Anne’s, which creates and bakes products throughout the day with just a 30-minute shelf life, managing production and wastage is absolutely key to success. This is why Auntie Anne’s recently implemented a brand new Electronic Point of Sale (EPOS) system, which not only has all the usual features you’d expect at a till but so much more.

The built-in Kitchen Management System (KMS) lets the franchise manage sales and wastage with minimal effort and high accuracy.

The system tracks the number of pretzels made and sold, informs staff when the products are getting close to their 30-minute shelf life and prompts them to make replacements.

Eventually, the KMS will begin to know each store’s trading patterns and best-selling products to advise what to make and when, minimising wastage and maximising efficiency.

Auntie Anne’s EPOs also has an integrated stock management system, which monitors the stock levels and inventory and subsequently suggests orders to streamline the process. The system also knows the exact cost of goods per recipe and profit margins of each product, letting the franchisees understand the profit per item in their store.

Moreover, the EPOS also breaks down each product’s nutritional and allergenic information.

Auntie Anne’s believes harnessing technology in such ways gives franchisees the power to run their stores better and more efficiently so they can focus on things like staff retention, operational improvements, customer service and driving sales.

This franchise’s operations can be full on rolling pretzels, baking and serving customers constantly throughout the day.

That’s because everything is freshly made at Auntie Anne’s from scratch, with nothing premade or frozen. So anything the franchise can do to make the day-to-day running of the business easier it wants to take advantage of.

If you’d like to know more about Auntie Anne’s, the world’s largest soft pretzel chain, contact them today at www.auntieannesfranchising. co.uk or email franchising@ auntieannes.co.uk

24 elitefranchise | June 2019

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

From renewable energy to energising businesses Tired of living by other people’s agendas, Laurence Duncan went on to coach business owners feeling the exact same way

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rior to purchasing his ActionCOACH franchise in 2015, Laurence Duncan spent a decade in the renewable energy sector.

In 2005, having seen a gap in the market for renewable energy solutions, he co-founded a business selling wind turbines to farmers and businesses, beginning a decade of specialising in this sector. “I began to realise I was living by other people’s agenda,” Duncan says. “I wanted to take control

of the direction my life was going, not be at the beck and call of others or subject to the fallout from changing government legislation. In short, I wanted to take charge and lead my life rather than just be a hostage to fortune.

“Funnily enough, my clients often feel very similar to how I felt then. Hiring an Action Coach means they are taking control rather than being abused by their businesses. ActionCOACH is a solution for them and, as I saw the renewable energy project coming to an end, I began to look at ActionCOACH as an option for my future.”

Laurence spending quality time with his wife Jo

A supportive system Duncan questioned the benefits of being part of a franchise rather than setting up on his own during his due diligence.

ActionCOACH’s culture appeared supportive and every franchisee he spoke to mentioned several aspects of their 14 Points of Culture.

“The franchise gives you several things – community, training,

innovation and encouragement,” Duncan says. “Community is probably the most important factor and being able to reach out at any time about anything is awesome. The training is fantastic with world-class regular webinars and MasterCLASSes. It gives me confidence to know I’m delivering cutting edge material.

“The ActionCOACH offering keeps on growing with innovations such as the Engage and Grow employee engagement programme and PlanningCLUB. Encouragement is probably the least talked about benefit but, to me, it’s crucial. Everything I have dreamt of doing has been backed up by my peers and colleagues.

“When I began my ActionCOACH business in January 2016 I took on the mantra that the system works, it’s what I’ve paid for, let’s stick to it and have some fun. The first year was a rollercoaster. I went through a massive amount of personal change and development and really had to question my personal attitudes, habits and the way I approached business. I very quickly signed my first client after training, a close friend of mine, which allowed me to make mistakes that were forgiven easily. My confidence improved and I could experiment to become a better business coach in a

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Laurence coaching clients to success shorter period of time. My clients began to show significant improvements in their work-life balance, the performance of their businesses and teams.”

Reenergising his own business In late 2018 ActionCOACH introduced a new senior partner licence, where existing and prospective franchisees could apply to operate within a territory containing 10,000 businesses. “I had taken my foot off the gas and this was the catalyst I needed to get driving forward again,” Duncan says. “To serve such a large area you need to grow a firm of employee business coaches and ActionCOACH support you with additional training.

“I’ve always been told to recruit people who are better than yourself. With my first employee coach, Matt Bull, having several clients, he’s already proving he really is better than I am. Upgrading to the new licence and taking him on has given me the push to take my business to a whole new level. We’ve gone from an £8,000 monthly income in November to £25,000 a month – it’s completely revolutionised my business.”

Looking to the future, Duncan’s plans are ambitious but achievable. After a much-needed move to bigger and better offices, he has his sights set on employing two coaches per year. A far cry from his previous challenges, he states his success is due to him being able to finally discover his own way of business. “I’ve achieved my personal business goals through persistence, following the system, learning to not take myself too seriously and having some fun along the way,” Duncan concludes.

“I invested in ActionCOACH and they invest in me – we really are leaders in our field. My master coach, James Vincent is world class and the community of franchisees is very refreshing. I’m now in charge of my own future and fortune.”

If you want to take charge of your own destiny and you’re the kind of person who loves learning and developing yourself, has enjoyed success in your career or sport and is willing to invest if they see substantial returns can be made, then find out more by watching the overview video at actioncoach.co.uk/overview

Refreshing growth Duncan’s personal best of signing five clients in two weeks is down to the sheer amount of business owners him and Bull can reach in his local area. With 18 clients between the two of them, Duncan hopes he can have a new employee coach signed on by the summer. “The first six months with the licence have gone so well,” he says. “With an additional employee coach on board I can focus on working on, not in the business – something we regularly remind our clients they should be doing.

“Since being awarded the new senior partner status I’m earning more than I’ve ever earned but working at the same pace. I can instantly tell I’m doing the right thing because I don’t feel stress anymore – I can simply move on to the next client without any hassle.”

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Prioritising As a franchisor, it’s important to ensure you have diversity at your core in your network if you want to witness success

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iversity must be prioritised in modern businesses. It’s the offering of opportunity regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical ability, religious belief or political persuasion.

To achieve diversity within an organisation is to recognise, respect and value people’s differences, their ability to contribute and to realise their full potential by promoting an inclusive culture.

Achieving diversity and inclusivity within a franchise organisation is a no-brainer because it makes business sense to open your brand to as wide a target market and customer base as possible. Greater knowledge and cultural richness within your organisation can only help with that.

So how do you make your brand as attractive as possible to a diverse range of franchisees. Firstly, 28 ELITEFRANCHISE | JUNE 2019

understand what might be acting as a barrier to diversity. This may be access to finance or working capital, childcare issues or even the current diversity of your network and your staff how your organisation looks and feels. Is your brand visible to different sectors of society? Think about where and how you advertise.

What qualifications and experience levels are expected?

Is your type of franchise more appealing or accessible to certain groups? At The HR Dept we have more female than male franchisees as you might expect from a femaledominated profession. Business is hard no matter your gender but our offering does appeal to senior HR professionals escaping corporate life in search of something more family-friendly.

In the past, we’ve found it hard to attract prospects from BAME and disabled backgrounds but

we’re delighted about several new franchisees who differ from our traditional franchisee base type and have nevertheless been attracted to our business model.

It’s taken persistence on our part but we’re in this for the long haul.

We now plan to use our minority franchisees’ stories to further increase our inclusivity.

Franchisors should consider what their franchise looks like from the outside. Try and look objectively with fresh eyes from the point of view of a diverse potential customer base at your website, your publications, your social media, your team and your franchisees.

Does it look and feel like an inclusive organisation? Do you need to change your imagery, social content or your website accessibility to be more appealing to a wider audience?

We expect leads for our

GEMMA TUMELTY managing director The HR Dept

diversity franchisees to come to us, so if we aren’t attracting diverse leads we need to change our strategy and go to where our targets are – for example publications, networks, events and websites with diverse audiences – to illustrate that our opportunity is very much open to minorities.

There can be a lack of information and education out there about different business opportunities, including franchising, to all audiences, more so for those which may traditionally be less represented by conventional marketing methods. So, have you promoted your franchise to representative groups and gateway organisations which can access harder to reach audiences?

Given that access to finance can be more challenging for some minority groups, you may also consider changing your financial

model to be more accommodating especially in the early years of business development.

Franchisors should also have a head office team with thorough unconscious bias and inclusion training, so they can play their part in an inclusive franchisee recruitment process. If diversity is inviting people to the party, inclusion is being asked to dance.

Once you have attracted diverse prospects, you must be set up to cater for different needs in the recruitment and induction process.

We recently provided a prayer room during an induction and a room for breast feeding at a recruitment event.

Have you really thought of practical steps to provide for different needs, such as childcare during an induction process, providing materials accessible for people with disabilities and appropriate access to your building? Do you have a loop system?

Even the timing of your events can impact your recruitment efforts – you may be preventing Jewish people from attending Saturday recruitment days and, just like many Westerners wouldn’t work on Christmas Day, don’t hold an event on Eid or Diwali.

Diversity and inclusion isn’t something that can be box ticked and then moved on. Franchisors must recognise that it’s an ongoing process and will be far better and more effective if you involve your diverse staff and franchisees in the programme, seeking their advice and experiences.

If business realised it was excluding 30% of its potential customer base, it would act. The same should be true of franchisee recruitment. I advise franchisors should put marketing plans in place to help progress better diversity throughout our sector.

JUNE 2019 | ELITEFRANCHISE

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

Summer is no time to be office-bound Cruising around in vans for a living, Ovenu’s franchises can’t wait for the warm weather to make the most of the freedom self-employment brings

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here are literally dozens of reasons our franchisees decide to work with Ovenu.

But one of the top ten is the fact they aren’t tied to an office chair, desk or building – and they certainly aren’t muddled in office politics any longer.

That’s because our franchisees are van-based. And what better time of year is there to cruise to clients’ homes, windows down and enjoying a warm breeze, than summer? It’s an absolute joy.

Although clients are happy to see us any time of year, everybody’s spirits are lifted even more when the sun is shining, making it a pleasure to restore and polish cooking

appliances to reflect the sunrays beaming through the windows.

All our franchisees enjoy the flexibility of setting their own appointment schedules so they can take time out whenever they want.

Ovenu’s seen many instances over the years where franchisees have taken a couple of impromptu days simply to enjoy the weather and freedom self-employment brings.

However, there is a flip side to bear in mind: as a self-employed owner or operator you won’t be getting paid while taking time off. But don’t let this dampen your enthusiasm – Ovenu can show many ways to ensure a sensible contingency plan to cover yourself, as well as teach

how to manage cash flow, turnover, tax planning and so on.

We also show all our franchisees throughout the UK how to run and manage profitable territories. Our unique Client Experience Management system works hard to achieve this and gives our franchisees real structure to their businesses.

It’s always vital when researching opportunities to see how many franchisees in any given network actually renew their agreements for a second, third or even fourth year. Ovenu’s delighted to say that at our 25th anniversary celebration in May we acknowledged way over 65% of our franchisees who have done just that. In our eyes, it’s positive proof we must be doing more than one or two things right.

To shine your brightest this summer, give Ovenu a bell on 01189 743911 or register your interest at ovenufranchise.co.uk

30 elitefranchise | jUNE 2019

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CK !

BA TV N O

Ovenu - The UK's favourite network of oven valeting Franchisees.

Why should you consider becoming one of them?

A business where every property is a prospect.

In depth oven valeting and business operation training no experience necessary Exclusive territory Large support network Over 25 years experience Your choice of white van Bespoke cleaning products no one else can deliver our results Complete control of your own work schedule Get involved from £4,995 + VAT

Benefit from 20,000+ client reviews & testimonials for our specialist service

Find out more 01189 743 911 or via ovenufranchise.co.uk

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Be part of a multi award-winning franchise At The Strings Club, we provide award-winning musical experiences for children aged 4-11.

Since 2012, we have grown exponentially from one Holiday Camp of six children, to inspiring over 25,000 in 2018 through our range of programmes that inspire children through music.

Franchising with The Strings Club, you will never be alone. Our successful, tried and tested franchise package gives you the tools to offer a multi award-winning experience while operating an efficient, profitable and highly successful business.

GET IN TOUCH: 0121 296 9204 info@thestringsclub.org thestringsclub.org/elitefranchise

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

Homecare’s

many paths

From disabled individuals to those just looking for extra domestic help, homecare isn’t only for the elderly. And with accessible opportunities like respite care with Heritage Healthcare, just about anyone can change lives

T

here are plenty of franchise opportunities available for anyone looking to launch a business – but why out of them all is homecare the most virtuous investment? Well, the UK homecare sector is worth approximately £15.9bn a year according to the Competition and Markets Authority. It’s also one of the largest growing sectors, with the number of households headed by someone aged 65 or over expected to rocket by 54% by 2041 according to the Office for National Statistics.

What’s more, homes headed by under 65s is projected to grow by just 3% in the same period, meaning more and more are looking for care and support while living independently at home.

However, homecare isn’t just for elderly clients: those living with disabilities are also in need of support with their daily lives. Some are also just looking for extra help around the house, with domestic duties including support with meal preparation, grocery shopping, taking care of pets and regular house cleaning.

Either way, there’s a chance for all kinds of people to change lives.

Respite care, for instance, can give a primary carer short-term, temporary relief and a chance to re-energise their batteries. For attentive support, personal care on the other hand helps clients with dressing, bathing, incontinence and health monitoring, while companionship offers a friendly face to have a chat with or to take on daily visits.

The rising number of individuals in need of these services makes the homecare industry a fantastic opportunity to invest in. There are

a number of well-known franchise homecare brands and Heritage Healthcare is one of the best for good reason.

Business owners have the chance to launch their own homecare service with guidance from an established and knowledgeable support team.

Franchisees don’t need a medical background, just a compassionate and caring outlook, which is helpful when creating a bespoke care package. Many care franchises can cost anywhere between £15,000 and £40,000 in investment, which comes with full support from the franchisor when registering with the Care Quality Commission.

When investing in a Heritage Healthcare franchise you’re doing so in a proven business model and support network, which goes a long way to

your business’ future success. Another added bonus is you already have an established and recognised brand – an invaluable asset.

Being able to provide a much-needed care service to the local community is a rewarding career choice. Heritage Healthcare Franchising has business opportunities in many territories across the UK. To find out how you can join our franchise network and launch your homecare service, visit www. heritagehealthcarefranchising.co.uk/ findoutmore or email michelle@ heritagehealthcare.co.uk

June 2019 | elitefranchise

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Mini Athletics

Training future athletes

By Varsha Saraogi

Former fitness coach Kirk Bowyer and his wife Clare founded Mini Athletics after spotting a massive gap in the market around sport classes for tiny tots

F

rom Serena Williams and Andy Murray to Laura Kenny (nee Trott) and Rebecca Adlington, many successful athletes have proven how essential it is to exercise from earlyon. And whether one has the ambition to be an athlete or not – playing sports and having an active lifestyle has immense advantages. And this is what drove Kirk Bowyer and his wife Clare to launch Mini Athletics, the athletics teaching franchise for children between two and seven years old.

However, it wasn’t always his plan to spearhead a sports training franchise.

The idea came only when Bowyer saw a dearth in children’s classes. Looking back, he was a strength and conditioning coach for teens with experience in training professional football and tennis players for 15 years. After he and Clare had their first child, he noticed there just weren’t any sports classes for his son to join. “[I] was keen to

enhance his athleticism [and] sporting participation and Clare wanted him to build his confidence, social and cognitive skills,” he recalls. That’s when the two had their eureka moment and co-created the franchise in 2016.

“There were many classes in football, rugby and dance etcetera but none in athletics,” he adds. Indeed, with franchises like Mini Professors, Water

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Mini Athletics

This was a new concept so we were unsure whether we would get any success Babies and babyballet among others, the market for children’s learning has seen a slew of companies trying to disrupt the sector. Hence it’s easy to see why Bowyer is bullish about scaling Mini Athletics.

While Bowyer had a unique idea, it was far from easy to get the company off the ground during the infancy stages.

Moreover, it took the couple circa six months to get the training programmes in order, plan the lessons and formulate the branding. “This was a new concept so we were unsure whether we would get any success,” he says. And, Bowyer didn’t stop after improving the business model and the classes. He even started providing after-school clubs and hosting birthday parties which helped build his client base.

However, in terms of scaling the brand, Bowyer knew he wanted to franchise from the get-go so more business owners could work at times suitable to their family life. This is because he personally saw how difficult it was to balance a nine-to-five job with giving enough time to young children.

“When Clare was working full-time as a primary school teacher, the hours were significantly high,” he remembers.

“For example, she would get to school at 8am and return at 5pm. She would then make dinner, put the children to bed and then continue with planning and marking in the evening. I was also working considerable hours and travelling a [lot]. Therefore, we wanted

We wanted to create an ethical franchise model

to create a business that worked for parents. Something that allowed them to work around their family commitments as opposed to fitting their family commitments around their work.”

As a result, he built a franchise model conducive to having a work-life balance.

“We wanted to create an ethical franchise model,” he declares. To ensure he gets fitting franchisees, it was imperative to prove the business first. “To that extent, we ran a pilot franchise in Cambridge and Saffron Walden from 2016 [to] 2017,” he adds. “We wanted to see if the business worked i.e. whether it was profitable, popular and a business that would work for others.” Fortunately, the results surpassed his expectations.

One of the challenges that Bowyer faced after proving the business model was to attract clients. During the initial days, Bowyer capitalised on social media platforms to spread the word about the company. And he was “absolutely inundated with enquiries for our first class.” Furthermore, he invited his friends and family to come for the classes and realised the power of word of mouth. “This was handy for our launch because they told their friends and so JUNE 2019 | elitefranchise

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Mini athletics

We want to inspire children across the world

on,” he says. To add on that, he also used the archetypal method of giving out leaflets and putting up posters. All these efforts helped him spread the word about the classes throughout the UK. Consequently, his franchisees had the opportunity to leverage the brand name.

“We’re now becoming a national brand so franchisees are finding marketing easier and easier,” he says.

Indeed, the franchise is on an uphill trajectory on the scale of success. And the success of the franchise is evident by looking at the escalating number of franchisees. In fact, one of the pilot franchisees who was a former customer continues to be loyal to the brand today.

“Around one year following the launch of our pilot, one of the Mini Athlete’s mothers, Hayley Jackson, came to speak

with me after the class,” Bowyer recalls.

“She said that she was due to return to teaching after maternity leave but didn’t want to go back. She asked [us] whether there were any opportunities.”

And after trialling the Mini Athletics pilot franchise, there was clearly no going back for Jackson.

Inevitably, to be able to cash in on the franchise, potential franchisees are expected to have a few essential qualities before they’re taken on.

While a sports coaching background or business experience isn’t necessary, being passionate about training children is. “The most important quality is being enthusiastic about enhancing athleticism and helping children achieve their early learning goals,” Bowyer says. “Our franchisees are incredibly enthusiastic about [accomplishing that.]”

And, Bowyer clearly takes pride in his current network of franchisees. With 19 franchisees already, the number will increase to 23 in September this year after the launch of four new territories.

His main goal is to expand across the UK and Ireland with ambitions to go global as well.

Looking at the passion he harbours to get children moving and help them to develop physical as well as social skills, the sky is the limit for the Mini Athletics franchise. And Bowyer is set to change lives of children globally.

“We want to inspire children across the world,” he concludes.

36 elitefranchise | June 2019

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

What do credible

franchisors really look for?

Credibility is perhaps the most important quality a franchisor can possess – yet so many fail to tick these fundamental checkboxes

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ou wouldn’t tell someone interviewing you ‘the job’s mine’ – it’s a process of getting to know the individual. Similarly, if you tell a franchisor you’ve ‘picked them’ and they take you on, what does it say about their recruitment methods?

Credible franchisors are looking for people with the skills to build successful businesses. As a result, they’ll be assessing you as much as you’re assessing them – and here’s what’s on their checklist.

Study up A good franchisor wants to know you’ve done research on the industry, their model and their competitors.

After all, they need to know the opportunity will deliver both your visions.

Websites and videos will give you the basics but go further by picking up the phone and getting to know them and their franchisees. If you don’t connect, how are you going to build a business together?

Getting stood up If you’ve agreed to follow up a franchisor on a set date or time, do so. If you don’t, what does this demonstrate about you? Would you do this to customers?

Fire away Asking everything on your mind shows you’re detailed and have the ability to ask intelligent questions – ‘Is it hard work?’ or ‘How much will you earn?’ isn’t enough. A franchisor needs to understand your vision, so they should also questions extensively.

Fortunately, Holiday Franchise Company is one of few with all the answers at their fingertips. For example, if you’re looking for a true partnership with a proven business model in a billion-pound industry, look no further than travel. “We have a lot of interest in our model but we are looking for quality rather than quantity,” says Joanne Aldridge, head of franchise at the Holiday Franchise Company. “We keep our numbers low to ensure we

can fulfil our commitment of one-toone support.”

In fact, Holiday Franchise Company is the first travel franchise to be accredited by both the bfa and Approved Franchise Association, demonstrating its ethical approach to franchising and the support their offer franchisees.

To find out more visit www.holidayfranchisecompany.com to download the free prospectus, or call on 0121 200 5561

JUNE 2019 | elitefranchise

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21/05/2019 11:21

Frank Milner President Tutor Doctor

The importance of remaining relevant Evolving your brand with the times is vital if you want your franchise to be up and running tomorrow too

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ver the past decade, it’s clear that advancements in technology, services and our lifestyles, have forced businesses to evolve.

So, it goes without saying that remaining relevant is important. What that means differs from brand to brand but there are many ways you can keep up with the times, whether it’s rebranding or introducing new services. One thing’s for sure, if you’re not working to remain relevant in the eyes of your customers, your franchisees and employees, getting left behind isn’t a case of if but of when.

One of the most drastic ways of staying relevant is by undergoing a rebrand, with the main purpose being to reexamine the look, feel and sound of your business. It gives you the opportunity to stay connected with your existing customer and franchisee network but also to reposition yourself as a brand leader for a fresh bunch of faces that might be looking your way.

People love to belong and want to feel like they’re part of something bigger than themselves, so focusing on how you’re perceived is vital for not only capturing the hearts and minds of your prospects and customers – but keeping them too. Your customers should be at the centre of your strategies as they want to feel included and because, ultimately, without them, you wouldn’t exist. You’ll be demonstrating your eagerness to listen, evolve and approach the latest trends with their demands at the centre of your business.

Franchisees are at the heart of any good franchise and should be consulted about the rebrand. They’ve invested in the franchise – physically, mentally and

financially – so bring them on the journey with you. It will have an overwhelming effect on their business so having them involved is paramount. As the eyes and ears of the company, they’re also the ones hearing feedback from customers and dealing with any issues that arise.

They can help iron out any creases that occur along the way and provide you with living, breathing case studies.

Remaining relevant isn’t just about how you look either.

Sometimes having to introduce new services or getting rid of out-of-date ones can meet your customers where they want to be. In today’s digital world, it’s become almost a certainty that we want things instantaneously.

This means businesses have had to adapt quickly.

If you’re still not convinced about the importance of remaining relevant, think of it this way: Apple is the largest tech company in the world and the eighth largest company full stop. How has it remained so throughout two decades of seismic change? By remaining the most relevant brand for its audience. Nowadays this allencompassing giant can provide us with pretty much anything we need. And that’s one of the reasons why they’re still one of the biggest names in the business world – what started as computers became mobile phones, then music and TV. And they continue to evolve to where the market is unlike Blockbusters whose last store was still open in Oregon as of April 2019.

Franchisors occupy a position of trust and the responsibility of remaining relevant rests on our shoulders. As I always say, franchising is exceptional business and it’s our duty to demonstrate our resilience to change.

June 2019 | elitefranchise

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27/02/2019 09:56

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Spending Christmas with family again After nearly three decades in a demanding retail career, David Ramm missed enjoying simple pleasures with the wife and kids. Thankfully, ERA change his life for the better

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ince launching his Expense Reduction Analysts (ERA) franchise last November at 49-years old, David Ramm has already achieved the first of his lifestyle goals: Christmas at home with his family. In fact, following a career in retail 2018 marked Ramm’s first full Christmas break in over 27 years. A selfproclaimed people person, he’s now making the most of his natural flair for networking with a diary packed with meetings as his own boss.

In fact, Ramm always harboured a dream to own a business but there was just one problem: he never considered himself the type to go it alone. But in June 2015 he accompanied a friend to The Northern Franchise Exhibition in Manchester where he met ERA. Back then the timing wasn’t right for Ramm, as he just decided to commit to a project presented by his longterm employer Booths, the high-end supermarket chain. However, he kept

in touch with the ERA team over the next few years, during which his lack of work-life balance became increasingly difficult to bear. “The long hours, lack of flexibility and stress of my role left me constantly questioning my future,” Ramm recalls. “I reached a point where I felt that for my own sake and my family’s, I needed to make a change.”

In the summer of 2018 Ramm read about ERA UK’s buyout by its European division and decided it was make or break time. “Yes, it took a long time to make the leap and join ERA but they never pressured me,” Ramm says. “Matt said to me, time and again: ‘Of course we would like you to join us – but only when it’s right for you.’”

After signing his all-important franchise agreement Ramm embarked on ERA’s foundational training and startup programme.

The tailored, three-step course is designed to provide new franchisees with the information and necessary skills to make a success of their new business.

This is followed by an 18-month business startup programme providing ongoing support and motivation to succeed. “The training was good and it was nice to meet other new members of the network from

the UK and Europe,” Ramm describes.

“I have a fortnightly call with my performance development manager and he’s always at the end of an email or text message for anything I need.”

Although Ramm’s now busy and in huge demand, he’s careful to keep his goal of a more balanced lifestyle in mind. His new business allows him the freedom and flexibility to spend more time with his wife and teenage children, whilst still having time to watch football, go walking and be more involved with his local church.

“I felt ERA would be a recession-proof business that would be as rewarding for me personally as it would be professionally. So far, I was right.”

To that end, with the support of the ERA team Ramm is now looking forward to continuously rewarding chapters in his life. “I’m excited for what the future holds. Being in control of your own destiny is very empowering,” he concludes. “One of the big motivators for me was always a better work-life balance so, to be able to have Christmas at home with my wife and children was, quite frankly, a joy. My processdriven mentality is well suited to the franchise – I’ve made the effort to hit the ground running and it’s paying off.

I’ve always liked to achieve more than I set out to.”

June 2019 | elitefranchise

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31/05/2019 11:52

Buy a sandwich franchise.

It’s the humble that sandwich tops the list of Britain’s favourite foods.

The British ‘on the go’ sandwich market is currently valued at £4.4bn.

Brits consume over 11.5 billion sandwiches a year.

Visit FranchiseSales.com to find out more about buying a sandwich franchise – and more! adverts.indd 3

28/05/2019 14:55

Signarama

Sign language By zen terrelonge and Varsha SARAogi

Tired of being ground down by the corporate world, Anas Saltaji visited a franchise show to find his next opportunity, leading him to becoming Signarama’s UK master franchisee

JUNE 2019 | elitefranchise

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signarama

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n today’s hectic modern world, many workers are looking for that hallowed work-life balance and Anas Saltaji was no different when he worked for American home improvement company Lowe’s. “I helped them develop and open a new location in Canada,” he explains, with the firm wanting to scale outside of the US. “My role was early on and I started a management team to help with that expansion.”

However, personal circumstances convinced him to find something more accommodating. “At the time [I had] a young family and then five years into [the job], it reached to a point where it was a little difficult for my family,” Saltaji admits. “For personal reasons, I decided to leave.” This would eventually lead to him becoming the UK master franchisee.

Seeking a new avenue to stroll along, Saltaji visited a franchise show although was completely uncertain what to expect. “I had no idea what I was looking for,” he admits. “The only thing I knew when I went to the show was that I was looking for something that would give me more time at home with an opportunity to grow and have a decent living.”

The walk into the unknown paid off and it was at the show that Saltaji discovered American branding franchise Signarama. “Quite honestly, I never knew Signarama existed until I went to the show,” he confesses. “What attracted me was the fact it was a business-to-business model that wasn’t a Monday to Friday, nine-to-five and its potential. Being part of a $50bn industry was also appealing to me.”

After signing on the dotted line, Saltaji became a Signarama franchisee and has now been part of the network for seven years. He started off with one location in Ontario, then a year later he bought a second site. Six months following that he bought two more locations, all of which paved the way for him to become the master franchisee for Canada in 2015 when the existing master franchisee was looking for an exit.

“The opportunity was there, we just started to think about the possibility of me becoming the master [franchisee],” says Saltaji. “I ended up selling the four locations I had and acquiring the master rights. That was about four years ago.”

Despite the position he’s in today, Saltaji experienced “buyer’s remorse” early on and notes that the transition from corporate employee to entrepreneur wasn’t easy. But that regret has also worked in his favour now he’s master franchisee because he understands where new recruits are coming from and their thought process. “It allows me to emotionally connect with franchisees, especially ones that just started out because I get it,” he says. “And that’s

something that’s often forgotten. You always hear people talk about ‘At the end of the day it’s just business’ – it really isn’t.

At the end of the day it’s relationships. You have to connect with people.”

Another obstacle that Saltaji also had to come to terms with was really getting an understanding of the actual business that Signarama is in. “Yes, we sell signage, yes, we sell vehicle graphics, branding and printing,” he says. “But the reality is we’re just like restaurants and we’re just like cruise ship franchises. We’re just like everybody else. Our actual business is customers. And once I truly understood that I’m in the business of serving customers is when I started seeing success.”

From that point, having transitioned from franchisee to master franchisee, Saltaji needed to realise that his customers were no longer businesses or consumers but those in the network. “Yes, I’m in customer service but my customers are now the franchisees,” he says. “They’re the only revenue stream I have so it’s understanding that for me to be successful, they need to be successful.”

For all of the serendipity involved with Saltaji’s journey to this point, it’s apparent how passionate he is about the organisation. “You sometimes stick onto something and you end up falling in love with it,” he says. “And I think that’s what’s happened with me. I love this industry. I love the fact that it’s unique every day.” Said uniqueness has led him to describe the experience with the company as exciting and fun so far. “And a new milestone has also just been ticked

Quite honestly, I never knew Signarama existed until I went to the show

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signarama

You always hear people talk about ‘At the end of the day it’s just business’ – it really isn’t

off, which Saltaji is happy to shout about. “We’re officially the largest sign franchise in Canada,” he declares. “We’ve seen a lot of success in the market and I’m excited that we’ve actually reached beyond our borders and we’ll also be the [master franchisee] in the UK. So we’re on an exciting journey.”

With that journey in mind, scaling the franchise across Canada was achieved by ensuring existing franchisees were happy and profitable. “When they’re happy about their business and what they’re doing, they’re gonna brag about it,” says Saltaji. “Once they brag about it and tell their friends, the friends become interested. So the leads that we receive from existing franchisees, I’ve had a 100% conversion rate. And that’s where we spend our energy.”

Having conquered Canada, Saltaji was ready for his next challenge, which took shape in the form of crossing the pond as the master franchisee for Britain. “I’m a strong believer that to be consistently growing you have to be consistently in uncomfortable situations,” he opines. He believed that the success in Canada would be able to get repeated in the UK, pointing to the convenience factor and proximity of the market. “There’s a lot of political connection between Canada and the UK,” Saltaji continues.

“Doing business for the Canadians in the UK is fairly easy so logistically it wasn’t a complicated establishment. From Toronto to London for example, it’s a six and a half hour flight. Well for me to go from Halifax to Vancouver it’s seven hours. So it’s much easier for me to come to London.” Put simply, it was a matter of the timing being right.

In terms of the difference between the UK and Canada, Saltaji reasoned that there’s “a much richer history and culture” here. Other than that, he notes there’s not much difference. And the fact both nations speak English was an added benefit. “For us to actually achieve the results one thing we need to focus on is probably behaviours,” he says. “Because we already have the right processes that helped us get to where we are to be globally, we’ll see success in the UK as well. Having said that, the stores across the UK are profitable. We can scale the franchise in the UK by focusing on the things that matter most.”

Looking ahead into the future, Saltaji is keen to grow but while doing everything by the book. “At the end of the day we’re humans,” he concludes. “If I take someone’s money and put it into [the] business, I wanna make sure that I’m able to sleep at night, that I haven’t done them any wrong. You have to do your due diligence to make sure that you do do everything that you can give them that success.”

JUNE 2019 | elitefranchise

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30/05/2019 10:06

With over 20 years of experience in franchising and more than 40 franchised coffee shops in the UK, Puccino’s have developed a business model that ensures our Franchisees achieve their goals.

To further our expansion plans, we are looking for new Franchise Partners who have personality, experience, are not afraid of hard work and have a desire to invest and develop their business with our Brand.

Our shared goal with each Franchise Partner will be to open at least three stores within a five-year period. We will work with you to find locations, prepare for the shop-fit works and see the projects through to opening.

You and your team will receive full training, and we will provide you with ongoing support throughout your franchise term.

Start your journey with us today!

Visit us at www.puccinosworldwide.com/franchising/apply for more information or Call us on: +44 (0) 845 872 4699 adverts.indd 3

10/05/2019 11:55

ADVERTISING FEATURE

chisees Fixing the care

sector’s biggest challenge With over 10,000 global caregivers, Visiting Angels has found a formula to avoid a common obstacle many care providers stumble at

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any care providers admit the biggest challenge facing the sector is the availability of care staff – but how many of them have a solution to the problem? Visiting Angels, the in-home care provider, believes their approach is fundamentally different. Currently employing over 10,000 caregivers across the world, this franchise has championed caregiver recruitment and retention best practice. “When I launched the Sheffield office we took 20 years of best practice from the USA and applied proven systems to the UK,” explains Dan Archer, UK MD of Visiting Angels. “Our business is carer-centric. That means for my office in Sheffield and our franchisees across the UK, our caregivers are the most important people in our business. Our staff turnover rates are less than 13% compared to the industry average of over 40%. We have a number of proven strategies to encourage we can first make a difference to our premises-based management Our mission is toisbecome UK Care Sector’s Employer of Choice by 2022. great caregivers to stay with the caregivers – that being the carer-centric.” franchise awaits, with potential to earn Join ourismission andone change the way care businesses areturnover run. business for the longterm.”

Visiting Angels already of the a six-figure in year one and The biggest benefits of a largest home care providers in the United projected £1m plus turnover by the end At Visiting Angels we understand that 600 to be a franchised successful care offices.Join a worldwide network of 600+ franchisees stable, happy workforce are States with over of year three. you need to put the interests of your at the pilot in A new approach to running a care business reduced recruitment costs and afranchiseeAnd since launching itsstaff British heart of your business. We are one of the UK’s first Carer-Centric addresses theinformation challenge of recruitment consistency of care, to name a few.

2017 and franchise offering in 2018, the SpecificallyFor more visit franchise businesses.

Model proven over 20 years “Most care providers spend time If you wantbusiness has grown to five UK offices with www.visitingangelsfranchise.co.uk or to be successful working in your community, if you Reduced franchise fees for development franchisees178458 finding new staff to replace thosewant to make three more trainingclients in the coming months. call Dan Archer on 07584 a difference to caregivers, and families, Liquid capital required of circa £30,000 to smilethe because you are changing lives ten and being who leave – we spend our time if you wantNow, franchise seeks franchisees successful - call Visiting Angels today. making sure people stay,” Archer commercially during 2019. continues. “Many companies talk Visiting Angels’ franchise fee is £24,995, Learn more about one of the world’s largest care franchises about making a difference in the by speaking with £25,000 to Dan Archer to £30,000 in liquid capital care sector and we agree. But we needed to secure bank funding for the on 0114 433 3000 orincluding 07584 178 458 believe it’s impossible to make a www.visitingangelsfranchise.co.uk total investment, working I darcher@visiting-angels.co.uk difference to our clients unless capital, of up to £100,000. A substantial,

Can you put your carers at the heart of what you do?

JUNE 2019 | elitefranchise

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30/05/2019 17:30

6

tips when you step in as a new franchisor

Sarah Kelly joined Stagecoach Performing Arts as CEO in a time of substantial change. Her insights after taking the role are useful to both franchisors, franchisees and others taking positions of leadership in businesses and large teams

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sarah kelly CEO Stagecoach Performing Arts

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became the CEO of Stagecoach Performing Arts in 2013. Prior to joining I had led weightmanagement company LigherLife for three years and spent my career helping franchises like Wendy’s International and Burger King expand as well as clocking up time with both Warner Bros and LOVEFiLM. The role at Stagecoach was an immense opportunity for me to take a business to the next level but I knew from my interviews I would need to tread carefully, be tactful and take a measured approach. Why? Because the franchise network was hugely loyal to its recently-departed founders after 25 years of their leadership.

Franchisees had been given the chance to build a business, buy a house and support their families – a level of stability not often available to actors and dancers whilst still working in the industry they’re so passionate about. But they were also aware of a large list of things that weren’t delivering the franchise to its full potential – I had the chance to bring change if I did it right.

Here’s my advice to those in a similar position to the one I found myself in nearly six years ago.

Firstly, take time to learn as much as you can. My position as a new leader gave the franchisees a mechanism to vent their frustrations without offending those they felt so loyal towards in the past. There’ll be positives in the past to be proud of, so you can talk about evolution, not revolution. Involving every stakeholder – head office staff, franchisees, suppliers, parents and students – in building a plan for a bright future took me six months and I was able to deliver a solid plan one year later at the next franchise conference.

That plan needs to follow a vision and mission – that really helps to emotionally tie in your stakeholders

into going along with you in the process. This also gives those who don’t want to proceed permission to leave – you can support them to exit with dignity. Stagecoach’s growth had been static for many years prior to this point, so setting a big, hairy audacious goal and sharing it out there was a catalyst, especially for our support team and franchisees.

I wanted to double the size of the business and become renowned as the preferred choice in performing arts education. Whilst I didn’t expect everyone to believe they could achieve this straight away, it instiled a growth mindset and provided a sense of unleashed potential.

Then we went on our search for our why. Even though I could articulate this huge goal, a vision and mission, I also needed to collectively engage everyone in a unifying belief as to why we all did what we did and communicate this in a motivating way to all stakeholders in order to grow the business. So the message had to be simple and meaningful. “Creative courage for life” became our message.

Instead of having 350 different ways of saying our why it was one message – although perhaps with 350 different motivations behind it. This was delivered another year later at my third franchise conference in just over two years as CEO. It was unifying – it reignited franchisees to open new schools, motivated consumers to purchase, head office liked it and it allowed us to grow.

My final piece of advice is to stay aligned to your vision, no matter what. Personally, you need to be strong and resilient to lead a business through periods of change. I had franchisees come up to me at my fourth annual franchise conference admitting they weren’t sure about my plan at the start and were now so pleased I’d stayed true to my plan

and weathered the storm. It wasn’t easy to restructure the head office team, some of the staff had been there a long time but we needed to bring in expertise to create a future for the business. We also had to invest every penny of profit back in to the business in those first four years – so be prepared to make hard financial decisions too.

We invested in additional regional franchise managers to support existing franchisees, a brand-new CRM system, consumer research, marketing materials, new contracts, tailored training for new franchisees and teacher training to up our game for quality of educational provision to name but a few things.

How can I prove it all worked, apart from seeing growth to the bottom line? Our latest franchisee survey showed a huge increase in satisfaction. Not only that, one of the franchisees, Allison Malone, who was the first franchise to give me a long list of requests for improvement, can now tick off every single item and is shortlisted for the 2019 bfa HSBC Lifestyle Franchisee of the Year award.

So, listen, audit, don’t make judgements, be sensitive to the past, shine a light for the future and set a vision and mission. Be prepared to invest and surround yourself with great people – you can’t do it all on your own.

JUNE 2019 | elitefranchise

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

The most valuable lesson learned from franchising After six years working with property service providers, there’s one quality Sam Nash, fleet and procurement manager at Fantastic Services, places even higher than adaptability and business knowledge

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daptability, willingness to learn, patience, team play, some business knowledge – sure, these things are important if you’re about to give franchising a try. By all means, have a good look at the list and think about what each means to you. I’d say such qualities are necessary in pretty much all walks of life.

However, in my years of working from the perspective of a franchisor I’ve gained a few insights I believe are helpful to anyone about to make that special call. And if I had to pick just one to share, it’d be about a certain work ethic I define as mastery over passion.

I mean, following your passion and going with your gut are very romantic ideas but they’re recipes for disaster in the world of business. For every success story reminding you of these phrases there are thousands of unsung heroes who have failed following their passion.

So while I might be painting a bleak reality, I’d go against the grain anyway and tell you to follow your mastery instead of your passion.

In fact, turn your mastery into your passion: find the things you’re really good at. Find that fabled axe and spend ten thousand hours sharpening the blade.

I believe work ethic is the single most important factor that leads to success.

Not just in franchising –in anything. They say 80% of success is showing up but that’s when the homework begins, so you better have a sharp pen – or an axe.

There’s no place more ample with such expertise than Fantastic Services. To find out more visit www.joinfantastic.com or call 020 7846 2703

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Can you put your carers at the heart of what you do?

Our mission is to become the UK Care Sector’s Employer of Choice by 2022.

Join our mission and change the way care businesses are run.

At Visiting Angels we understand that to be a successful care franchisee you need to put the interests of your staff at the heart of your business. We are one of the UK’s first Carer-Centric franchise businesses.

If you want to be successful working in your community, if you want to make a difference to caregivers, clients and families, if you want to smile because you are changing lives and being commercially successful - call Visiting Angels today.

Join a worldwide network of 600+ franchisees A new approach to running a care business Specifically addresses the challenge of recruitment Model proven over 20 years Reduced franchise fees for development franchisees Liquid capital required of circa £30,000

Learn more about one of the world’s largest care franchises by speaking to Dan Archer

on 0114 433 3000 or 07584 178 458 www.visitingangelsfranchise.co.uk I darcher@visiting-angels.co.uk

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

Own a business you can be proud of

Running your own business is great – but doing so while improving people’s lives is even greater

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aking the decision to own and operate your own business is a brave and bold one. That being said, wouldn’t it be good to feel you’re making a difference to people’s wellbeing as a result? Why not choose a business that gives the opportunity to tangibly make a difference to how people feel about themselves, as well as a team you can feel proud of on a daily basis? spa810, the new and unique medispa franchise, is just one of those businesses. It provides female and male customers with best-inclass treatments and an elevated experience in a convenient retail location. Massages, facials and skincare treatments are offered using market-leading, FDA-approved technologies administered by professionals. Included in spa810’s suite of medical technologies are state-of-the-art lasers for hair removal and non-surgical fat reduction equipment.

At spa810 we provide resultsdriven treatments that truly help our

customers’ skin look and feel great, giving them greater confidence in their appearance. Whether it’s stimulating healthy collagen growth through micro-needling with the only FDA-cleared device on the market, a six-step facial leaving guests glowing, providing quick, safe and professionally treated laser hair removal or the latest technique for removing stubborn pockets of fat without invasive surgery by freezing fat cells, spa810 is uniquely placed to offer all kinds of treatments under one roof.

The rewards of this business come in a number of ways. Giving mum the confidence to wear a bikini on a beach holiday for the first time since having children following a course of fat-freezing, letting a bride walk down the aisle with confidence knowing her skin is glowing or improving a teenager’s acne complexion so they feel good again are just some examples where spa810 has helped to date.

Now, for the first time in the UK there’s a model letting you get

involved in this rewarding sector. With the support of a franchise with a business format, your goal of owning and operating your own business can be realised without feeling you’re doing it all alone. After all, it helps having the support of people who’ve already done it and learnt the lessons, enabling you to have a seamless introduction to the medispa sector.

Start your new franchise journey now by contacting www.spa810.co.uk, or call 01423 595810 or email duncanberry@spa810.co.uk

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31/05/2019 14:55

Be

the

boss

Long to wake up and do something you believe in?

We grow the veg, you grow your business!

Partner with an innovative, established brand.

Run an ethical home delivery business to be proud of Share your passion for outstanding organic veg

Want to find out more?

Call 01803 227 380 or email franchise@riverford.co.uk or visit www.riverford.co.uk/franchise

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28/05/2019 09:22

Pip Wilkins chief executive bfa

Why an awards ceremony is hugely beneficial to your franchise With the 2019 bfa HSBC Franchise Awards on the horizon, bfa CEO Pip Wilkins looks into why award ceremonies can be beneficial to businesses

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t’s that time of year again when the bees are buzzing and the flowers are blooming – summer is here and that means it’s almost time for the 2019 bfa HSBC Franchise Awards, held this year at The Vox in Birmingham on Thursday June 27.

Now in its 22nd year, the standards continue to rise and the competition keeps getting tougher.

It’s been fantastic to meet with this year’s finalists, listen to their journey and decide amongst a panel of franchising professionals who should take home the award for each category.

This has made me ponder how awards ceremonies in general, both ones like ours and franchises’ internal ones, can boost the productivity of a company. Awards ceremonies, after all, aren’t uncommon in our industry.

Many franchise systems have designed their own awards which are usually merged with flagship events such as conferences or are

adopted into end-of-the-year mini ceremonies. This gives the company the chance to celebrate with the team and be cheerleaders for each other.

Just like the bfa HSBC Franchise Awards were created to recognise and reward the best of the best in the industry, these internal awards ceremonieshave a similar function.

Having an awards ceremony can set the bar higher for your brand and the wider network. Everyone will begin to set higher standards and expectations for themselves and their business and, ultimately, it gives everyone the opportunity to do their best and be recognised for it.

Not only can it translate to trust to consumers but it will undoubtedly give your network a morale boost as they’ll be appreciated for their hard graft and will be another motivator for the brand to perform stronger.

Franchisees will be proud to show off their achievements and will want to demonstrate why they’ve won to their consumers, resulting in loyalty, exposure and local awareness.

But it’s not just about raising awareness of how good people are in the company. Entering awards, whether local business awards or company awards, is an opportunity to take a step back and assess your business. Seeing the brand through the eyes of judges can give you a whole new perspective and you’ll be able to identify strengths and weaknesses that you might not have seen before.

While you may think your business is the absolute bees knees, it can be tough to see it without the rose-tinted glasses, so be honest with yourself.

Denying yourself the opportunity to see the flaws in your business means there’s no room for improvement and in the end you, your business and your team will miss out on recognition.

It may seem like a laborious task to enter an award and the process can be strenuous but it raises your business’s credibility to get nominated and provides a lot of PR value. If nothing else, it’s an opportunity to celebrate in style with your team and support your industry peers.

June 2019 | elitefranchise

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31/05/2019 12:23

Due to demand for creative activities you can apply for a £2,000 grant towards running your own successful franchise.

Find out about inspiring imaginations through art and crafts classes, parties and events in your community and joining our friendly family of 100+ fabulous franchisees.

Grab a £2,000 grant Gain the flexibility & success you want doing something

Rated 5-Star by customers on Trustpilot and in an independent survey, franchise owners rated the franchise as 5-Star.

As seen on.

Contact Maggie to check if your area is available.

Quote ‘Elite franchise' to apply for the £2000 grant towards the cost of starting your own Creation Station franchise. maggie@thecreationstation.co.uk 01395 239700

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thecreationstation.co.uk

03/06/2019 17:21

Join Home Instead, the UK’s No. 1 homecare franchise company, offering healthy operating profits, award-winning support, and a rewarding opportunity to change the way older people are cared for in the UK.

Try a different type of franchise instead.

Contact Imogen on 01925 730 273, email franchise@homeinstead.co.uk or visit www.homeinstead.co.uk/franchise

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11/03/2019 16:11

X-Press thanks for such a great opportunity

Become a franchisee with the leaders in property searches “I’ve always found the level of support from X-Press to be fantastic. And not just from Head Office, there’s a close network of like-minded franchisees all sharing ideas and experiences.”

Tom Mannion, X-Press Legal Services - London

X-Press Legal Services provides specialist property searches and reports as part of the conveyancing process.

And it could provide the ideal opportunity for you.

Our 25 franchisees are already trusted by over 500 legal practices nationwide. As a franchise that offers the flexibility and constant support you need to run a successful business, even from home, we could be just what you’re searching for!

Although you’ll work with legal professionals, you don’t need legal qualifications – in fact, our franchisees come from all walks of life. You simply need to be ambitious and tech-savvy with meticulous attention to detail.

Why X-Press Legal Services?

• • • • • •

Family-run business established in 1998 Opportunity to build a substantial business which you can start at home We deliver over 400,000 searches and reports every year Nearly 50% of franchisees have been with X-Press since year one No legal experience needed Head office provides full training and on-going support

If you’re looking for independence and a better work/life balance, your search is over. Call today to find out about our seven available territories.

Please contact Dave or Julie, we would love to talk to you.

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02/05/2019 10:46

ADVERTISING FEATURE

A yearon As they couldn’t get enough of each other’s company, this couple chose to ditch their unfulfilled jobs last year and start a Riverford franchise – and a lot has changed since

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ime and again it’s touted franchising provides a great opportunity to partner with a business with a proven model and established, respected brand identity. It’s all well and good saying that but without a relatable example, it’s just words.

So, take a look at the franchisees of Riverford, the organic vegbox franchise. Riverford’s franchisees are their local brand ambassadors, helping tell their story and encourage more

people to shop with the brand. They build relationships with and deliver to thousands of loyal customers across the UK. A year since joining, husband and wife team Liam and Adriana McNally are appreciating the benefits running your own business brings. “We were both feeling very unfulfilled in our jobs and realised we had no faith in the ethos of the organisations we worked for,” Liam says. “We decided there had to be more to life than spending all your time in a role you just didn’t enjoy.”

Then one day, after unpacking his latest Riverford veg box, Liam was reading founder Guy Singh-Watsons’ newsletter and saw he was looking for franchisees. “We looked online and found there was one in the area that Liam grew up in and where we loved spending our free time,” Adriana recalls.

“From that moment on we just knew it could be a great option for us and one that we could be happy doing. It matched our beliefs, our ethics and the way we wanted to live our lives.”

But like anything worthwhile, it was no walk in the park. “It’s challenging being self-employed and takes some getting used to,” Adriana continues.

“You learn to manage your time well and be efficient. It’s somewhat nerve-wracking knowing you have

to make all the decisions. But for us, it’s a massive improvement on being employed. We’re now free to try new and different things and plan our days so that they work for us.”

Of course, this lifestyle didn’t come over night. “Year one has been an incredible learning curve,” Liam says. “We’ve learned we need to make time for ourselves and relax, which is easy to forget when you run your own business. We have needed to be disciplined and switch off in the evenings and at weekends.”

But as the wise Jedi master Yoda once said, failure is the greatest teacher. “We’ve also learnt things will go wrong – don’t leave your event gazebo up overnight in high winds, for example – but you’ll get through them,” Liam says.

Looking back, only good things have come from joining Riverford. “Working together has been great fun,” the pair concludes. “We’ve always enjoyed spending a lot of time together anyway but it’s great being able to talk about our plans for the business and be excited about the things we’re achieving.” franchise@riverford.co.uk 01803 227 380 www.riverford.co.uk/franchise

June 2019 | elitefranchise

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31/05/2019 14:54

Apps

App in the face

By ERIC JOHANSSON

Investing in a bespoke app can help your franchise give customers more value for their money. However, doing it wrong can be a costly mistake

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rom 7-Eleven and Pizza Hut’s loyalty apps to Bluebird Care’s e-learning platform and Spun Candy’s app enabling customers to design their own bespoke sweets, plenty of franchises have created a better service by investing in innovative solutions to be used either via smartphones or tablets. However, the trend isn’t isolated to franchising. “The growth in app usage over the past couple of years has been phenomenal,” says Malcolm Carroll, director at BlueFinity International, the company behind Evoke, the rapid application development platform. The numbers certainly back him up. For instance, by 2020 global mobile app revenues are projected to be worth $188.9bn, according to Statista, the statistics platform. While gaming app publishers like Netmarble and Supercell were the top grossing apps on Google Play Store, non-gaming applications like Tinder and LINE also made a huge profit. The revenues

made were predominantly from app store purchases and inapp advertising. “Consumers love the speed and convenience of buying things via apps on their mobile phones and now expect businesses to have apps,” explains Carroll.

Importantly, even though the top-grossing platforms were consumer-based, he believes it’s vital for franchises to invest in the technology to get an advantage over their rivals.

“It’s even more important when a business is competing with larger or more established companies, where not introducing the right app makes the size of their business more apparent and potentially puts them at a disadvantage,” Carroll continues.

It’s no secret why developing an app for your franchise can be advantageous. “Bespoke apps can help businesses by being tailored to their specific needs and requirements, rather than settling for a packaged software solution that isn’t

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Apps

customisable,” argues Chris Obdam, CEO of Betty Blocks, the company providing an app-building platform.

Indeed, being part of the development of the app means franchisors can ensure it’s perfectly tailored to their business. “When in perfect alignment with the business in this way, bespoke applications can increase results and improve efficiency,” suggests Obdam.

A second advantage is that it can provide huge insights about customers.

“From gathering data in the field to giving clients the ability to buy from you through an app, you can collect invaluable data, which used properly and integrated can really fuel your business growth,” suggests Patrice Archer, CEO of Appy Ventures, the business-tech development company.

Moreover, having an app could also help franchisors retain clients as people always go for convenience.

“Once installed on their device, they can use your app instead of a browser just for expediency,” explains Richard Pilton, managing director at Kayo Digital, the digital agency. That also means avoiding the risk of customers using browsers to search for your services and opting to go with a

competitor instead. Once installed, business leaders can also use the app to send push notifications rather than sending emails.

Despite these huge advantages, investing in the development of an app isn’t a decision to make lightly. “Careful thought needs to be given to what you want the app to achieve,” advises William Charlesworth, associate solicitor at Child & Child, the law firm. This means considering carefully who the audience is, meaning both your customers and franchisees. You should also think about what your app will do differently from your competitors’ services. “Avoid blindly copying what has gone before – if your app isn’t offering anything different to the competition, it’s unlikely to maximise its potential impact,” Charlesworth continues.

However, there are unnecessary pitfalls to avoid when developing an app. “Most companies we work with think in silo when creating an app,” reveals Archer. “It’s an app to do X, instead of being part of a wider solution within your business. By thinking in silo and only about the one [user] case instead of the longer term roadmap of opportunities, this often means not only missing out on opportunities to serve clients but also leads to tech issues down the line when an additional facet needs to be added to the tech, often requiring a costly full rebuild.”

The growth in app usage over the past couple of years has been phenomenal - Malcolm Carroll, BlueFinity International

And while apps may provide huge big data insights about customers, storing people’s personal details the wrong way can prove particularly perilous after the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) snapped into force in 2018. Therefore franchisors looking to develop a mobile service must tread carefully to avoid the wrath of regulators. “Each business and app will process and store data differently,” says Charlesworth. “[So,] before embarking on the development process, bespoke advice from a GDPR specialist is recommended to ensure data and privacy law compliance.”

Given most companies don’t have in-house skills to create apps, many businesses opt to outsource the undertaking of creating the apps.

Understandable as this inclination might be, franchisors are advised to take steps to ensure that the ownership of the copyright won’t end up with the developer.

“When original content is created, the default position in law is that the creator of that work will be the first owner of IP rights,” explains Charlesworth. To avoid a scenario where the developer owns the copyright and can sell the solutions to anyone else, including competitors, franchisors are recommended to enter a contractual agreement with the developer before the job starts to ensure all IP rights are transferred to the business. “This manages the risk of the developer ending up owning and controlling large parts of your app,” explains Charlesworth.

And in the process, it might be worth creating a clause that ensures the developer has all the necessary permissions and consents from third-party content that might be used in the development process. “If the developer doesn’t have permission to use third-party content, you risk being sued by the owner of that content,” advises Charlesworth.

Creating an app for your franchise can certainly give many advantages but it’s also clear that every precaution should be taken before embarking on this journey or risk legal challenges or ending up with an app that doesn’t add value to your business.

JUNE 2019 | elitefranchise

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The UK’s f irst Membership-Based Massage Business A monthly membership fee entitles the client to one massage per month and reduced fees on any additional massages. This promotes the benefits of regular massage and promotes customer retention.

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A simple product offering delivered exceptionally well.

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A business opportunity that mirrors one of the most rapidly growing businesses in the US.

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The UK market is huge with an average single centre in the largest network generating equivalent annual revenues of over £900,000 and Annual Net Profits (EBITDA) in excess of £105,000.

•

“In the Camberley centre, over 80% of members were not previously adhering to a regular massage routine, which means the business is generating a totally fresh market of consumers, both male and female.”

The Massage Company, through its franchise programme, is offering investors in the UK the opportunity to share in this success.

The benefits of regular massage are increasingly understood by its users and health professionals, and one of the driving forces behind the business is to improve the nation’s health by reducing both physical and mental stress.

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The Vision

To bring regular, high quality massage to the mainstream and transform it from the occasional or a treat to a routine and vital part of a better and balanced life.

What makes The Massage Company different?

• •

•

•

•

•

•

Business operates from purpose built premises Highly trained massage therapists deliver a consistently high-quality service Provide good value for money with massage treatments at a reasonable and affordable rate Make it easier for massage to become a routine part of people’s lives rather than simply an irregular and often expensive ‘treat’ Provide their services from locations and at times that were convenient to their customers Their vision was simple: they would bring high-quality massage to the mainstream.

They wanted people to see that massage could become a vital and routine part of a better and balanced quality of life.

Above all else they were determined to make a difference to the nation’s health and well-being.

The Marketing Position

High-quality, good value massage that fits in with the customers’ lives.

The Proposition Regular high-quality massage can help improve mental and physical wellbeing and can now become an essential part of a better and balanced life.

Find out more www.massagecompanyfranchise.co.uk

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31/05/2019 12:35

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Anytime Fitness expands it demographic reach Despite them needing to more than most, many over 55s don’t get active enough – Anytime Fitness offers something new to change that

W

ith the knowledge many aged over 55 are currently inactive and that physical activity can be beneficial for those with long-term health conditions, according to the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, it’s clear maintaining an active lifestyle is vital to both living and ageing well.

With this in mind, Anytime Fitness, the gym franchise, is proving 55 is the new 40 with the launch of Anytime Prime, an exclusive membership for over 55s.

Available across Anytime Fitness’ over 160 UK clubs, the membership provides a number of unique benefits helping over 55s achieve their fitness goals in a fun and social environment.

The addition of this new product lets Anytime Fitness add another string to its bow, appealing to a wider audience that have arguably been historically underrepresented and neglected in the fitness industry.

Membership benefits include free, bespoke Prime group exercise classes focusing on low impact, recovery, balance and flexibility, as well as access to personal trainers specialising in working with over 55s.

In line with the brand’s supportive and welcoming ethos, Anytime Prime also embraces the social side of exercise with perks such as free post-workout hot drinks, social activities for Prime members and discounts at local amenities, including garden centres and physiotherapists. “Over 55s love their fitness and as our most loyal members, we’re delighted to be able to offer them a membership which specifically supports their goals,” said Marvin Burton, Anytime Fitness UK head of product and experienced personal trainer. “More of the older UK population are ensuring they look after themselves by staying active and Anytime Prime has been created with their needs in mind to offer welcoming

environments to work out in and the opportunity to train with like-minded people. “As well as the membership benefits in the gyms, our clubs are establishing key local partnerships so Prime members can enjoy a number of exclusive discounts and opportunities within their local community,” Burton continues. “Anytime Fitness prides

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itself on the community spirit within its clubs and a membership dedicated to over 55s is a unique offering in the UK. The hope is it will encourage members to embrace an active lifestyle and form new friendships.”

The brand’s proposition is everevolving and as such, this new membership offering is one of many recent changes to the brand. Following the launch of its first dedicated fitness app, Anytime Workouts™ in 2017, Anytime Fitness has invested in new technology to bring an enhanced level of personalisation, support and information on-demand to its members. In line with the brand’s enhanced focus on support, Anytime Coaching is a unique arm of the app which acts as a personal trainer in a pocket. While face-to-face personal training can be a great way to stay motivated and keep fit, Anytime Fitness acknowledges gym goers can find it difficult to find the time and resources to make it a regular investment. Anytime Coaching is a smartphone-based, remote personal training service that provides an affordable alternative to traditional personal training options. It lets personal trainers communicate with their clients via a built-in messaging platform to share bespoke workouts, set goals, track their daily steps and generally keep in touch through direct messages – all securely housed in the

Anytime Fitness iOS and Android app.

This level of interaction reduces the need for physical, in-person coaching, allowing personal trainers to coach their clients even when they’re unable to visit the club. It also ensures every individual receives true value for money whatever their fitness goal may be, given members can be trained anytime, anywhere.

In addition, Anytime Fitness is continuing its commitment to supporting franchisees. The brand has grown its network of more than 30 specialists at the support office through several additions to the commercial and property departments and has enhanced the training on offer. Many find the reality of setting up a business complex, so Anytime Fitness has enhanced this process by adding several layers of support. Upon joining the Anytime Fitness family, franchisees are appointed their very own franchise performance coach (FPC) to guide them through every stage of owning a club. These FPCs have years of experience in the field ranging from general to regional managers across both public and private organisations in the fitness industry.

With over 160 clubs in the UK Anytime Fitness has seen substantial global growth over the last 17 years, outpacing McDonald’s and Subway in its global efforts. Now, it

boasts a worldwide presence of over 4,500 clubs across 33 countries. It means Anytime Fitness is a globally recognisable brand with personality at the heart of its business model.

Ranked the number one global franchise for three consecutive years and number one fitness franchise for eight consecutive years by Entrepreneur magazine, Anytime Fitness is an established brand which prides itself on providing a lowstaffing business model that allows a great work-life balance. Prospective franchisees can also benefit from an attractive fixed fee and proven model with a UK success rate of 97%.

With comprehensive training and customised ongoing support from dedicated franchise consultants, it’s easy to see why 60% of franchisees have gone on to own another club.

To find out more about Anytime Fitness and its attractive franchise opportunities, visit anytimefitness.co.uk/elite

june 2019 | elitefranchise

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31/05/2019 10:17

TV As seen on

ver dreamed of Have youyoeur o running your wonw business, of beainnswger is yes, then we thinnk a Pbudodlse Dsu?c If the

ld be perfect for you. franchise wou

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Reasons to take a closer look at Puddle Ducks: The UK’s only 100% child-led baby & child swim school – technically world-class product A team of experts supporting you every step of the way and a fantastic network of franchisees with a wealth of experience for you to draw on Full bfa and EWIF members and multiple award-winners and finalists with both of these bodies Our established franchisees enjoyed profits of over £100,000 in 2017/18 Don’t just take our word for it – hear what our happy franchisees have to say. Scan the QR code to watch our short video.

Get in touch with Claire on claire.mills@puddleducks.com or 01477 410082 for an informal chat or to ask any questions you may have.

Find out all about our Franchise offering at www.puddleducks.com/franchising

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We’ve been awarded 5* Franchisee Satisfaction for 6 years in a row!

31/05/2019 13:59

Chris Roberts head of strategic development HITACHI CAPITAL Franchise Finance

Why do you need a business plan?

Business plans work as a sat nav for your franchise. Essentially, having one helps you get to where you want to be

BB

enjamin Franklin once famously said: “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”

This statement certainly holds true for franchisees and whether you’re a new franchisee, growing, expanding or even looking to sell your franchise, a business plan can help you prepare for your journey or at least the next part of it.

Although many business plans are written with the objective of raising finance, you shouldn’t underestimate the many additional benefits of wellconsidered plans. By monitoring business performance against the specific goals and objectives within your plan, the chances of achieving the desired results will greatly improve. It’s an old cliché but it’s also very true: “What gets measured, gets done.”

At Hitachi Capital Franchise Finance, we often refer to business plans as business sat navs as they help guide you from where you currently are today to where you want to get to in the future.

Why do I need a business plan if I don’t need finance?

The business plan shouldn’t be considered as simply an application for

finance but instead as an important tool which can be used to identify the actions required as in what your strategy should be like to help you achieve your goals and objectives.

The financial projections will help you identify how profitable your actions are likely to be and therefore whether they’re worthwhile. Your cashflow forecast will help you understand whether you’ll have enough money to do everything required i.e. whether you can actually afford to do it.

If you’re planning to invest your own funds or utilise surplus cashflow, it’s worth considering the implications of doing this. It’s often more prudent to borrow at least some of the money rather than leaving little or no contingency because you don’t want to pay interest on a loan. Retaining some of your own funds will help improve your ability to deal with any unforseen emergencies or changing economic conditions and to invest in the business to aid further growth or take advantage of any opportunities that suddenly appear.

The business plan is also an opportunity for you to sanity check

your proposed strategy and to check the viability of your proposal. It gives you the ability to consider the risks, understand the competion and the proposed marketing, in addition to reviewing the potential return on your investment.

A comprehensive plan will therefore help you to stay safe and navigate the way to achieving what you want to do.

It will also make it much easier for a lender or investor to assist you.

Can I prepare my business plan?

The answer will depend upon your own skills and ability. Some people will certainly be able to write a comprehensive plan and prepare detailed financial forecasts. However, some will simply not have the necessary experience and will need help. When running a business it’s important to understand your own strengths and weaknesses and to surround yourself with professional people and advisors who can do or teach you to do the things that you cannot or are struggling with. Business planning is no exception and is the key to your success.

June 2019 | elitefranchise

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30/05/2019 10:22

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Goodbye dodgy sales tactics – hello conversational selling All businesses must sell but in Britain we have a natural aversion to being sold to – so how do you succeed? The increasingly popular conversational selling technique is the answer

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here’s something about Britain’s culture which makes us unwilling to listen to sales people.

Whether it’s a natural suspiciousness or fear of having the wool pulled over our eyes, we dislike being in situations where we feel someone is trying to sell us something we don’t need.

And yet, as a nation we love buying things. Whether it’s a physical product, financial service or service easing our lives in some way, we enjoy spending money. Household spending growing by 1.7% in Q4 2018 compared to Q4 2017 despite Brexit uncertainties underlines the hunger in Britain to buy.

So, how do successful businesses communicate to customers and make them want to choose their goods or services over competitors’?

It’s often an area people interested in franchised businesses feel least confident about. That’s because conversational selling is a technique rapidly increasing in popularity with businesses to engage current and prospective

customers. “Conversational selling is all about changing the nature of sales conversations that take place either face-to-face or via the telephone – away from product pitches and towards meeting customer needs,” explained Tim Aston, founder of iQeQ, the management consultancy.

“Conversational selling is about building relationships and the glue that holds relationships together is trust. People buy from people they trust. The best sales people build this trust naturally.

They listen and use dialogue to focus on the customer’s world – their interests, their needs, their objectives.”

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

The key is fostering a natural conversation with focus on creating a two-way dialogue rather than just making a pitch – listening is essential.

Understanding the customer’s objectives, priorities and decisionmaking processes equips the sales person to relate a product or service to meet those needs. Talking about ways to fulfill the customer’s objectives – not about the product directly – is powerful and lets them feel in charge of the process.

At Promedica24, a leading live-in care provider, a 60% growth in business was achieved in 2018 through franchisees using this approach. Some franchisees come from a sales background but for many it’s a brand new skill to learn and often one they feel apprehensive about.

In fact, during the recruitment process the phrase “I don’t see myself as a sales person” is a regular feature.

However, selling is all about redefining the techniques and priorities in meeting customer’s needs, not being

a hard sales person. That’s why Promedica 24’s initial training courses and ongoing coaching focuses on the use of such a wonderful technique.

Once the needs of families and communities are understood, being able to offer live-in care – which lets elderly and vulnerable adults have one-to-one care in the comfort of their own home, avoiding the need to move into residential homes – is a welcome solution to what’s often a highly stressful and worrying situation for families.

Provision of great service is a privilege and franchisees have the satisfaction of seeing lives change for the better.

The approachable, customerfocussed approach taken by them is an appropriate and appreciated fit for the clients and their families.

And Promedica 24’s business growth is testament to the effectiveness of conversational selling in the industry.

For those considering buying a franchised business, stereo-typed

pictures of a pushy sales person can be dismissed. The world has moved on and the techniques for communicating with educated, savvy UK customers are attractive. It results in satisfaction on both sides, with customers left feeling they’ve received the solution to their needs while the business delivers some exciting growth.

If you’re ready to reap the rewards, visit www.promedica24.co.uk or call 0800 086 8686 for further information

June 2019 | elitefranchise

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31/05/2019 11:43

Franchise yourself into the Italian “Dolce Vita�

We are an authentic Italian wine bar, proud to offer quality wines and spuntini appetisers across the UK. Winners of Best Multiple Operator Best Newcomer Best Deli and Cafe in the 2016 English Italian Awards and with significant franchise interest already registered, Veeno is now actively recruiting franchisees across the UK If you are as passionate about wine, food and customer service as we are, join the family!

Email: franchising@theveenocompany.com or visit theveenocompany.com

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31/05/2019 18:03

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Franchising and fitness are meant for eachother Franchising opens up a variety of otherwise inaccessible industries for hopeful business owners – but franchising and fitness is by far the best combination

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s an aspiring business owner franchise opportunities seem endless, given you can own one in pretty much any market or sector out there. However, by choosing a fitness franchise you know you’re making a difference alongside seeing financial benefits from a booming industry.

According to the latest European Health and Fitness Market Report by professional services network Deloitte and health and fitness organisation EuropeActive, Europe’s fitness sector is continuing to rapidly grow with 4.6% more clubs across the continent in 2018. It’s no wonder therefore that Europe’s total fitness club revenues exceeded €27bn the same year.

It makes fitness an enticing industry for those looking to start their own business and be the boss.

And combined with a strong support network, established business models, ample room for growth and potential for secondary spend on add-on services committed gym goers love, franchising is the perfect model for it.

However, fitness also lets you combine business and passion to make a real difference within a community. With more of society becoming conscious of the dangers of obesity and diseases brought on by sedentary lifestyles, the need for health and fitness provision is only rising. What’s more, everyone from children to the elderly can benefit

from a healthy lifestyle and day by day more are being educated on the benefits of physical activity.

For those looking for something more than your average gym or health club and to make a difference there are plenty of options available.

Boutique-style, small group training facilities; indoor cycling studios and the now prevalent 24-hour gym model are just a handful. “The sector’s growth demonstrates that by owning a fitness franchise you can be extremely profitable while at the same time actively making a difference to people’s lives,” describes Andrew Rayes, international sales and marketing director at HITIO, the health and fitness franchise. “HITIO’s unique, family-focussed concept addresses

a real gap in this market and offers franchisees the chance to engage families in health and fitness to create meaningful experiences that will last across generations, especially in the face of the ever-increasing concern about childhood obesity.”

To find out more contact franchise@hitio.com or visit www.hitiogym.com/franchiseopportunities

June 2019 | elitefranchise

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31/05/2019 09:56

The overseas opportunity Chris Oxley, partner at UHY Hacker Young reveals the key accounting considerations franchisors should make when expanding their brand internationally

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ach year, franchising is becoming an increasingly popular expansion method for business owners. Provided the product or service on offer are suitable and the correct controls and procedures are in place, it can be a low cost and relatively risk-free way to grow. But why stop at the UK? If you have a successful franchise model here, it’s not unreasonable to think that further expansion can be achieved overseas.

There are plenty of guides out there that talk about checking local laws, securing trademarks in different countries and doing your research on brand names and local trends. You don’t want to launch in an international territory only to find out your company name doesn’t translate well or your offering has already been tested and failed.

It goes without saying that proactive marketing to target the country you aim to expand into is essential. Do your research to find out if there’s a market for your product or service because what works in one place might not in another.

Expanding into a new territory where they have a different language and culture can make it difficult to predict whether your venture will be a success.

This makes the initial market research particularly important. Striking the right balance between giving a consistent, recognisable brand experience and tailoring to the market and location can be a real challenge that franchisors have to face.

As well as considering the above, when looking to break into a new territory, there are important accounting areas that must be considered.

Tax treatment Firstly, what structure are you going to use when franchising in another country?

You could take control of selling, onboarding and training new franchisees yourself in a direct arrangement. However, as well as potential language barriers, you would also need to consider your business tax obligations in both the UK and the overseas country. If you set up an office abroad and move your business operations there, it’s possible you could incur double taxation on your worldwide income if control is deemed to have shifted abroad.

Instead, you could offer master franchise licences for purchase in each country for a substantial investment. This would ultimately leave you with less control over the growth in that country as the licence holder will be generating sales rather than you. However, it would be a simpler arrangement for business tax, leaving only VAT to consider.

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CHRIS OXLEY partner UHY Hacker Young

Compliance Another challenge when franchising overseas is it becomes increasingly difficult to know whether an accountant is operating compliantly on behalf of your franchisees, especially if you’re not familiar with that country’s tax laws and accounting policies. As you’re selling your brand name and image, the last thing you want is that to be tarnished through fraudulent activity.

Therefore, working with a compliant accountancy firm here in the UK that also has a presence overseas will provide you with peace of mind that all operations, which are seemingly out of your control, are being dealt with in accordance with local laws.

Many countries have very specific franchise laws which have to be adhered to. Those expanding a franchise business into the US, for example, face some of the most comprehensive disclosure rules in the world. All franchisors looking to offer a franchise have to comply with the franchise

disclosure document, a legal document which informs prospective franchisees of their rights and obligations before they sign a franchise agreement.

On the flip side, in many other countries the franchise laws aren’t as strict and you might be able to take advantage of favourable rules and regulations and lower tax rates. It’s vital to work with advisers with local knowledge so you’re fully prepared.

As well as different franchise rules, different territories will have regulations that could affect every aspect of running a business overseas, from HR to employment rights and even the ingredients you can use to make your produce. Some change tariffs and taxes to bring products into a country which need to be considered when sourcing products and managing the supply chain.

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Reporting and benchmarking The distance between you and your franchisees, potential translation barriers and different countries’ reporting standards will make it difficult to obtain important management data, especially in a format that means something.

The use of cloud technologies will make this much easier so it’s essential that you put these in place from the start. It isn’t just the base cloud accounting platform which needs to be

considered but also reporting add-ons such as Futrli that talk to the likes of Quickbooks and Xero. These will allow you to benchmark in real time on key performance indicators, meaning that you can keep a close eye on whether your proven business model is being followed by your franchisees, or if it isn’t, giving you enough information to provide valuable support and guidance.

Increase revenue There’s no doubt that international franchising can be a positive way to upscale a business and reduce the reliance on domestic demand.

Franchisors choose to expand internationally for many reasons – if the home market is saturated, to take advantage of a gap in an international market for their offering or it could be a natural step to move into a nearby territory.

Set up correctly, it can be a great way to extend a brand globally and increase the number of revenue points feeding into the main franchise.

International expansion will always come with risks and even more so when the new locations are thousands of miles from head office, making brand protection more difficult. When the franchise is operating under a different legal and financial system with language barriers and different cultural norms, doing your research and working with experts with local knowledge is key.

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

Taking

care of business As a vital member of the Sikh community Raspinder Singh was destined to help others – so he made a career of it with Caremark

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aspinder Singh, 29, launched his Caremark franchise, the homecare provider, in his home town of Gravesend, Kent, in February 2018. His franchise is already thriving, with care worker retention and community outreach being at the core of his business and an industry-recognised award already under his belt.

With more in store for 2019, Singh reflects on his first year in franchising. “In all honesty, my first year in business has exceeded my expectations,” he says. “The care industry is probably one of the most challenging sectors to operate a business in, with more demand than suppliers can currently meet. According to the Financial Conduct Authority, it’s estimated that by 2040, one in seven UK citizens will be aged 75 or over – demand for high-quality care is only going to increase.”

Prior to launching his franchise, Singh earnt a degree in management with accounting and finance from Royal Holloway before embarking on a career as a financial analyst. Before long, he came to realise that instead of feeling fulfilled by his career path, he was essentially ticking boxes. “I took a step back and reassessed my priorities,” Singh recalls.

“I’ve always been entrepreneurially minded and take great pride in supporting others – I’m an integral member of the Sikh community and had been a volunteer at my local temple.

“As a member of a large, extended family, I also know how important it is to keep families at home, together, where possible.

This opened my eyes to the support I

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can offer the vulnerable residents in the area. The way I saw it, launching a care business would combine my passion for supporting others with my determination to succeed.”

Singh considered the options available to him and, with the triedand-tested model of an in-home care franchise, opted to invest in a franchise which most suited his values. “A Caremark franchise really appealed to me,” he says. “Obviously, the fact the brand has a level of recognition and is respected within the care community resonated with me but I was more intrigued by the level of support available. I spent time doing my due diligence, researching other providers in the area and speaking with existing franchisees. I was instantly impressed by the collaborative nature of the network – everyone was accommodating and more than happy to exchange best practice.”

Singh’s initial business plan incorporated a projected rate of growth in terms of client hours and care worker retention. Within nine months, he increased client hours from zero

to 500 per week. In addition, and in line with his original estimations, care workers have consistently joined the team. Despite this rapid growth, it’s the quick rate his Caremark franchise was able to support charitable causes that continues to drive Singh to achieve. “My priority as a business owner was to put my standing in the community to good use by regularly contributing to local and national charities,” he says. “Within months of launching the business, we had submitted our first financial grant.

That gave me an immense sense of satisfaction and continues to do so one year in. Our latest charity initiative saw us raising funds for Dementia UK by hosting a coffee morning and hand-delivering freshly baked scones to our house-bound clients. Whilst this obviously benefits those who certainly deserve the support, it also raises the profile of the business and increases the credibility of the brand.”

As testament to Singh’s dedication to his team and clients, he was named the Caremark Rising Star at their annual conference for clearly demonstrating early promise and commitment to the

local community. “I was so proud to have been recognised in a room full of other experienced and respected franchisees,” Singh describes. “I’ve built a great team who are equally dedicated to providing our clients with the compassionate and skilled care they deserve. We’ve come so far in one year and I can say, hand on heart, this is just the beginning.”

If you’re invested in caring for others, Caremark offers the training and support to guide you into successful business ownership. Visit www.caremarkfranchises.com or call 01903 266392 for more information.

June 2019 | elitefranchise

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THE IMPORTANCE OF REPEAT BUSINESS Unique, weekly repeat business Huge customer base Guaranteed national accounts Low overheads and stock

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The Shredquarters

Shred,

shoulders, knees and toes

By Eric JOHANSSON

Hannah Khan and Adam Waters are taking on CrossFit and F45 with their new functional training franchise The Shredquarters

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The Shredquarters

“You never know what you’re walking into” Adam Waters, The Shredquarters

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he Shredquarters gym is just a few minutes walk from Tilehurst station in Reading. Inside, members are sculpting their bodies using barbells, kettlebells, rowing machines and seemingly every other functional fitness tool imaginable. Those physical transformations are only the beginning – the founders are now aiming to challenge incumbent chains by franchising the company.

“There’s absolutely no reason why it can’t stand up against the big boys in the market,” boasts Adam Waters, co-founder of The Shredquarters.

And the original gym by the edge of the River Thames is the epicentre of this planned expansion across the country and, if the new franchisors get what they want, across the world.

However, the story of the functional fitness franchise only happened because Waters’ cofounder Hannah Khan had an accident that could’ve left her without the use of her legs. “I literally forgot something in the house,” Khan remembers. “I ran back, slipped on the grass, landed on the concrete and then that was it. I slipped a disc. So unfortunately it wasn’t a very glamorous injury

but it was what changed the course of my life.”

She’d worked as a makeup artist for films and TV prior to the accident. But the injury changed all that by forcing her to undergo emergency surgery to ensure she’d recover. During her rehabilitation Khan recognised that training shouldn’t be about how you look but about what you can do. “A lot of the current culture and the media is very one-sided and focused more [on visuals],” Khan explains. With The Shredquarters, she and Waters are using a different approach. “Here it’s more about coming down to a community no matter where you’re at in your journey,” she says. Recognising the difference, she made a career pivot and became a personal trainer. And it was through her new job that she met Waters. “He was training in the gym that I was working at,” she explains.

Not only was Waters into his fitness but he also ran his own company.

This combination provided the perfect position to leverage the rising popularity of boutique gyms. Over the past decade, studio franchises like F45, YourZone45 and Bodystreet have offered an alternative to standard gyms. Waters was one of the people eager to try them out. “I fell in love

with this sort of training [that was different from] your old conventional gym where you put yourself on a running machine or focused on the weights,” he recalls.

At the same time, Waters and Khan noticed that these specialised studios created an opportunity for them to tap into the market. “[Most of them are] very specific in what they do,” he continues.

Together, the two realised they could create a functional fitness concept with more variety. And that’s exactly what they’re giving their clients today with The Shredquarters. “We’re incorporating pretty much everything within our workouts and they change daily so you never have the same workout,” Waters explains. “You may have the same format but you will never have the same exercises.”

More importantly, each planned session is kept secret until the workout actually begins. “You never know what you’re walking into,” Waters warns. The reason for this is that he believes it will encourage clients to give it their all and, consequently, get better results.

“Most people when they exercise they’ll – as in most things in life –

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“There’s absolutely no reason why it can’t stand up against the big boys in the market” Adam Waters, The Shredquarters

take the path of least resistance, which means going into a class they know they can do,” Waters explains. “They’re going into a class that they know they will feel comfortable with.”

Another difference is that instead of working out for themselves, each session has the clients divided into different groups competing against each other. “[It] has actually been scientifically proven that it makes you work up to 15% or 20% higher which in turn will give you greater results,” Waters continues.

But to get to this point took a lot of work. Having incorporated the company in 2015, the co-founders spent most of the next year setting up the business. For one thing, they needed to find a facility that met a few requirements and not just in terms of its size. “[It needed to be] in a relatively well-populated area with a demographic [with] expandable income because we aren’t a £20 per month gym,” he explains. “We’re engaging with the people who come in and completely coach them.”

Having found their Reading facility, Khan and Waters began preparing for the September 2016 opening date.

“It was nerve-wracking coming into the new area without having any

ready-made members as such,” she remembers. Despite this trepidation, the founders kept pushing by handing out leaflets, doing local radio interviews and investing in social media marketing. Then the grand opening came. “That was on the Sunday and then on the Monday our first and only member was at the 6am class,” Khan says.

After the first month The Shredquarters had 30 members and after six it had 100. Today the gym has 400 members and that’s about as big as they want it to be. “Any gym can have 1,000 [members] but we want to know everyone by their first name,” Khan explains. This ambition to create a community feeling around The Shredquarters also sees them plan special days with the members. For instance, in the past the gym has taken the members with them to Tough Mudder races and go-carting events.

As the popularity grew, several clients began asking whether or not the gym was part of a franchise.

“After a few times we started [asking ourselves if] this should be a franchiseable model,” Waters recalls.

Deciding to see if there was a chance to use franchising to expand it, the entrepreneurs enlisted the help of

a few franchise consultants. Not only did the consultants investigate how The Shredquarters would stand up against the competition from the likes of CrossFit but also helped create a replicable model for franchisees to tap into. Moreover, the franchisors hired a franchise property acquisition officer to help the inbound franchisees find sites worthy of The Shredquarters brand.

They also created a workout library for new franchisees and trainers to tap into. “We didn’t want to go into it half-baked,” Waters explains.

And The Shredquarters may’ve already found its first franchisees.

“They’re two ex-Olympic swimmers and they’ve been members of the gym for some time,” he says. “We mentioned to them that we were franchising and they were very much saying we would certainly be interested.” At the moment the franchisor is just waiting for the first members of the network to sign the dotted line. “Hopefully we’re looking to open the door in the next six or seven months,” Waters says.

In the next five years the cofounders hope to bulk up the operation to cover the rest of the UK. We can only applaud their ambition.

JUNE 2019 | elitefranchise

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

How franchising helps mental health Mental Health Awareness Week got Cafe2U thinking about why the franchise model can ease mental health problems better than most

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ental Health Awareness Week this May felt like a good opportunity to assess how we’re able to support our franchisees and employees at Cafe2U, ensuring we’re putting their wellbeing at the centre of everything we do. For as we all know, anyone can suffer from mental health issues and the sad truth is nobody is immune from it. From franchisors to franchisees and employees to customers, guaranteeing support is in place to help should it be required is a great place to start.

In fact, it’s essential, as mental health clearly isn’t something people want to open up about. A recent study

by Mind, the mental health charity, highlighted 21% of staff admitted they’ve called in sick when asked how workplace stress affects them, while 42% thought about resigning when faced with the question and 14% actually did. Moreover, 30% of respondents disagreed with the statement ‘I would feel able to talk openly with my line manager if I was feeling stressed.’ Perhaps most tragic of all, 56% of employers expressed they want to improve staff wellbeing but don’t think they have proper training or guidance to do so.

Like any other business owner, franchisees can feel a

whole plethora of strains and stresses from both their working and personal life. However, unlike other business owners being a franchisee comes with the support of the franchisor and fellow franchisees. And Cafe2U’s confident in its model’s ability to remove as many mental health issues as possible.

The old adage a successful franchisee is a happy franchisee is often true. However, happiness can’t just be measured by business success alone. For while the two often go hand in hand, if a franchisor is unhappy a successful business can quickly start to deteriorate.

It’s therefore our responsibility as a franchisor to look beyond performance data and delve deeper with our franchisees on a personal, more human level. We believe our business is only as strong as the people within it, so ensuring they’re happy and comfortable in their daily lives only strengthens our success.

To best achieve this we keep in regular contact with our franchisees. Whether it’s through face-to-face meetings with them and their franchise development managers, visits from the wider head office team, webinars or conferences, we strongly believe open and clear communication channels are the answer. They not

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only help franchisees feel comfortable talking to us but gives us the opportunity to spot any issues before they become a major problem.

This said, dealing with such personal issues as mental health and wellbeing is a two-way conversation. It relies on franchisees being open and receptive towards the franchisor and comfortable to talk about their feelings and concerns.

According to Cascade HR, the HR system, 77% of people believe the support of an effective manager is a huge factor in the management of their stress levels and happiness.

Also, according to the Mental Health Foundation addressing wellbeing at work increases productivity by up to 12%. So making sure your franchisor-franchisee relationship is such that these conversations can happen easily and freely is something that needs to be implemented from day one.

At Cafe2U UK our franchisee happiness is paramount. In the coming months, we’ll be sending out an independent and anonymous survey to all our franchisees to gauge their general happiness and wellbeing – both in the franchise

network and their personal lives. We’ll then use this data to further shape our ongoing franchisee engagement strategy and ensure we continue to be an inclusive franchisor, determined to set new standards for the industry as a whole.

Cafe2U takes premium, espresso-based coffee, hot chocolate and sweet treats directly to the consumer.

Visit www.cafe2u.co.uk/franchise-opportunities or call 01132 320118 for more information on our franchise opportunities.

June 2019 | elitefranchise

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It’s good

to be different

Although Chris and Sarah Mollison have vast business experience, nothing propelled them more to find a gap in the market and launch their own business than having a child

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YCLEme TOTS was born out of necessity – a gap in the market when husband and wife cofounders Chris and Sarah Mollison were looking for a class for their little boy, Oakley. Although there was a vast array of toddler activities in the market, there was little by way of structured activities using balance bikes – and that’s where CYCLEme TOTS was born.

Launched in 2017, the franchise aims to teach children as young as two to ride a bike through engaging classes, ensuring they have fun while learning to cycle. This is on top of being taught the importance of safety, technique and fitness.

Chris and Sarah both have backgrounds in sports coaching and worked for multi-national, household names in sales and marketing. But more than this experience, parenthood provided the catalyst to change the course of the couples’ careers and ultimately convince them to take the leap of faith into launching their own business. “Having children changed everything, our sense of responsibility to provide for them was immense but we also longed for a work-life balance that our sales careers could not accommodate,” explains Chris.“ This business gives us everything we could have hoped for – a rewarding career with flexibility whilst providing a financially stable future for our young family.

“We passionately believe in giving young children the opportunity to learn to ride a bike and gain confidence in a fun and structured way,” Chris continues. “We have taken great care in working alongside Early Years Professionals to develop our cycling activity programme. And since roll-out into Kent-based schools, nurseries and leisure centres, the take-up has been huge.”

The CYCLEme TOTS activity programme provides an innovative, educational and highly effective way to teach children the key life skill of riding a bike and has been recently developed into a rewarding and profitable franchise opportunity.

If you’re interested in finding out more about becoming a franchisee and launching the CYCLEme TOTS programme in your area, please visit www.cyclemetots.com/ franchiseme or email franchise@cyclemetots.com

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27/02/2019 09:35

Franchisor support

I know what you want

BY NIGEL TOPLIS, MANAGING DIRECTOR, THE BARDON GROUP

Franchising can be a daunting undertaking if you’re new to the industry. So here are ten things franchisees should seek from their franchisor 88 elitefranchise | June 2019

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franchisor support

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ifferent franchisors have different support structures but in my 25 years’ of experience there are key ingredients that are paramount in a franchise relationship. Here are the top ten.

Access First and foremost, you need direct access to the most senior management. Running your own business can be lonely and an open channel of communication is vital.

Planning Successful businesses are planned and the franchisor should offer to work with you to create a business plan.

It’s not the role of the franchisor to insist the franchisee prepares a business plan but rather is there to be used as a non-executive director. That can be a huge asset.

Reviews Creating a business plan is a good start but you should take advantage of regular one-to-one reviews with your franchisor. You must look at the business on a frequent basis, review key performance indicators and think about how to make improvements. Franchisees shouldn’t waste the opportunity to capitalise on the experience and intellect of the franchisor.

Communication You should expect regular communication from the franchisor to keep the network up to date on new initiatives, tools, programmes and any changes or upgrades to the system – be it through email, the business intranet or newsletters.

Meetings Getting people together can do more to share best practice than any emails or newsletters. At the Bardon Group we have regular network meetings and encourage franchisees to attend each one to take advantage of new ideas and share experiences amongst colleagues.

Rewards Conferences work in a similar fashion – plus they’re also used to celebrate success. It’s important for the

franchisor to take the lead in ensuring victories are recognised. It’s lonely out there so it’s important franchisee efforts are rewarded and recognised. Many franchisors take a hands-off approach to franchising, believing if the system is sound then personal interaction should be limited. I’m a massive champion of the opposite position. As a small business, there’s no one better to talk to than another small business owner – someone who understands the frustrations, recognises the effort needed and can both celebrate and counsel.

Visits In order to keep the human touch and make myself personable, I go out of my way to make several one-toone franchisee visits, often at least two days every week.

Support Although these personal visits are important, they shouldn’t detract from the essential operational support the franchisor has to provide. The business system remains the cornerstone of every successful franchise and needs constant updating and augmenting.

Marketing While marketing support is part and parcel of the core operational support, it’s worth a special mention.

Most franchisees look to their franchisor to provide the collateral, tools, systems and programmes on an ongoing basis to ensure they have all the mechanisms to market their business. To this end I believe in friction-free marketing – that's provision of tools and programmes requiring minimal involvement from the franchisee, run centrally by the franchisor.

PR One of the key components of friction-free marketing is PR and it’s fitting that this is the tenth aspect of support a best practice franchisor should provide.

So, these are the ten things a franchisee should want – what they should really, really want from their franchisor. A healthy appreciation for the Spice Girls isn’t essential but should also be welcomed.

June 2019 | elitefranchise

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Never underestimate first impressions Franchising is incredibly interwoven and involves many people, which means starting out on the right foot is imperative for franchisees to make a success of the model

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t’s an old cliché but you never get a second chance to make a first impression. And in the competitive world of franchising, first impressions really do count. Your first opportunity to impress will likely be during a visit to head office for a discovery day where you’ll meet the franchise manager and other members of staff. It’s important to remember that while this is primarily an event to learn about the business, it also gives the franchisor insight into how you’re likely to represent the brand out in the field and whether you’ll take care of your business. As a result, there are some key things you must demonstrate.

Engage during training Once you’ve committed to purchasing a franchise the next step of the journey is to complete the franchisor’s onboarding plan. This will often involve a series of both field-based training with an existing franchisee and classroom training with an independent business mentor to give a good foundation for your launch.

Throughout training it’s crucial you listen and engage by asking questions and try to soak up as much information as possible. The independent business mentor will have been paid for by the franchisor, so make the most out of it while they’re available.

you gain the use of a trademark and right to sell the franchisor’s successful products or service, as well as their ongoing support and access to a network of other franchisees. There are also other advantages that are not available when starting a business from scratch.

Arguably, the greatest one is being able to avoid a lot of mistakes independent startups typically make, due to the franchisor honing the business model through previous trial and error. Try not to overcomplicate things and follow the systems you were trained on.

Take care of your people The final top tip for success is another simple message: take care of your people and they’ll take care of your business. In franchising your people includes both members of your staff and customers. By hiring the right employees and taking care of them you’re more likely to build long-term relationships with customers, encouraging repeat business and helping your business grow.

For more info please contact 01788 550100 or visit www.filtafry.co.uk

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Mental wellbeing

Safe headspace

By ERIC JOHANSSON

June 2019 | elitefranchise

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The responsibility of the entire network rests on the franchisor’s shoulders.

Stressful as this might be, these leaders must take care of their own mental health for the welfare of the franchise – and themselves

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unning a franchise isn’t for the faint of heart.

“As a franchisor, [it] can be intense with tight deadlines and sales targets to make the business model work,” says Joel Kern, founder and managing director of children’s performing arts franchise Make Believe. Add to that the pressure of having the entire network depend on you and it’s understandable why some franchisors may feel stressed at times. However, it’s equally important that this stress is managed correctly or franchisors risk it affecting the network as a whole. “We must treat mental health issues in the same way as physical ones,” argues Kern.

“Just because you’re not in hospital doesn’t mean [you’re] physically healthy. Similarly, mental health works on a spectrum too. As we eat well and exercise to manage our physical wellbeing, we need to be more aware of when our mental wellbeing needs attention.”

And there are clear reasons why franchise leaders should take their psychological health seriously. “[A] franchisor should ensure they [take] care of their own mental health as, being the leader of the operation, a mental wellbeing issue at this level can be disastrous for the whole organisation,” argues Matthew Harding, franchisee mentor at BBX UK, the business community.

Indeed, while a little bit of stress can sharpen the senses, too much can have detrimental effects. “People who are stressed over long periods of time are much more likely to make poor and irrational decisions,” says Shaun Thomson, CEO of Sandler Training UK, the business development consultancy franchise.

Indeed, counteractive as it may seem, people experiencing a lot of stress tend to focus too much on potential positive outcomes and ignore the negative risks, according to research published by the Association for Psychological Science. The researchers claim this could be the reason why people who experience a lot of stress often engage in long-term destructive behaviours like taking 92 elitefranchise | June 2019

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We must treat mental health issues in the same way as physical ones Joel Kern, Make Believe

drugs as their impulse control may be impaired. Obviously, a franchisor with poor impulse control and an inability to accurately weigh different options equally is no good for any business.

So how severe can the consequences of a franchisor not taking care of themselves really be? “It can affect businesses in terms of potential lost business, lost revenue, late fees, lost recruitment, admin failures and so on, which is exactly why [a mental health issue] needs to be dealt with as early as possible,” explains Helen Venables, managing director of House of Colour, the stylist franchise.

Sadly, many company leaders fail to take the matter seriously. For instance, 53% of UK small-business owners have experienced burnout, 81% have kept working even when they’ve been sick and a staggering 86% have sacrificed personal care like missing meals or cancelling social plans, according to research from FreeAgent, the cloud accounting company.

Luckily, there are ways for franchisors to prevent this from happening. For starters, they can learn to recognise the signs in themselves. “Stress can show itself in so many ways from emotional to physical symptoms,” states Venables. The Mental Health Foundation, the organisation funding mental health research, lists five signs of depression franchisors can look out for. Franchisors should be concerned if they’re feeling low confidence, losing interest in activities they normally enjoy, having loss of appetite, getting tired easily and possessing a tendency to feel tearful, nervous or irritable. Similarly, people affected by anxiety may have difficulty concentrating, be irritable, try to avoid certain situations, appear pale and tense and be easily startled by everyday sounds.

But recognising the signs is hardly good enough.

Franchisors must also create systems that help them tackle any mental health issue. One of those could be to create a team to talk and delegate work to. “I find a lot of franchisors and business owners get into trouble when they try and do everything and take things far too seriously,” says Kern. “The

art of any business – especially a franchised one – is delegation, so build a team that enhances your business and helps you.”

Similarly, it’s important franchisors establish a culture where everyone, including themselves, should be able to talk about their mental health. “A healthy workplace should mean we can all feel open to talk about our mental health without fear of being penalised,” says Venables.

Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case. For example, 31% of workers wouldn’t feel comfortable about revealing a mental illness at work, according to a survey from ADP, the HR service provider. The same research also revealed that 61% believe their boss doesn’t care about their mental health. And if franchisors want to create a culture where every employee and franchisee feel like they can talk about their mental wellbeing, franchisors must start with themselves. “I believe franchisors who can admit vulnerability are likely to be better leaders, can potentially foster open dialogue amongst workers and reduce stigma, thereby helping the individuals and the bottom line,” Venables continues.

Leading by example is a clearly a good move even when it comes to mental health issues.

But you can also shield yourself from psychological ailments by hitting the gym. While most people feel happier after a workout, engaging in physical exercise for at least one hour per week can help you prevent future depression, according to study published in The American Journal of Psychiatry. And if nothing else, it will get you out of the office. “It’s important to have a balanced life, get plenty of sleep and make time for leisure pursuits, whether that’s exercise, walking the dog or seeing friends,” says Kern.

Similarly, just like taking care of your physical health means eating right, the food you put in your body can also affect how you’re feeling. Eating more fruit and vegetables can help put you in a better state of mind, according to research from the University of Leeds and the University of York This is something Kern already does. “I behave in the week and then eat whatever I want when it comes to the weekend,” says Kern.

Mental health issues aren’t to be taken lightly. So make sure you take care of yourself and, in the process, your franchise.

June 2019 | elitefranchise

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

The action-packed world of decontamination franchises From emergency calls for virus breakouts to administering preventative measures in schools, Sanondaf franchisees find themselves in a variety of exciting situations akin to scenes from Ghostbusters

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roviding a specialist disinfection and decontamination service, it’s needless to say Sanondaf franchisees don’t get bored. In the morning they could be at universities or containment laboratories delivering treatments where there are known viruses and by afternoon, called to care homes to give preventive remedies for communal areas prone to infections. And the buzz doesn’t end there.

Recently, a school took its Infection Prevention and Control procedures to the next level by introducing quarterly Sanondaf treatments on top of their own rigorous daily cleaning.

Emergency callouts are included in the contract so if an outbreak strikes

Sanondaf promise to be on-site same day, even with 24 schools looked after by the same team.

The school has been praised for investing in protecting their children, staff and parents from potential bacteria, viruses and sickness bugs that can thrive in such an environment.

In another contract, one of Sanondaf’s franchisees met a private doctor at an NHS event who needed his treatment room disinfected to the same standards as the NHS. This led to a referral and the franchisee managed to arrange a demo and meeting within a week, resulting in monthly disinfections for their treatment room and the whole facility every six months.

As a franchisee it sometimes feels like you’re working on your own. But at Sanondaf you’re always part of an energised team who really enjoy the diverse projects they tackle.

Sanondaf provides tools, support and training that enables franchisee to build a successful business with great results. To receive a free prospectus contact 01236 702028, or for further information and to complete a request form please visit www.sanondaf.co.uk

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The

model

franchisee

By VARSHA SARAOGI

JUNE 2019 | elitefranchise

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Jocette Coote

Workout addict Jocette Coote began her foray into the fitness industry through her friendship with F45 founder Rob Deutsch and she balances modelling with motherhood while spearheading two F45 franchises

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irst, a confession: I dislike gym cardio. And for many reasons – predictable routines, puffed up fitness aficionados grunting loudly and the huge mirrors which remind me of the numerous doughnuts I devoured through the week. So when I marched into boutique gym F45 at Ravenscourt Park for a group HIIT class, I was inundated with excitement as well as a little nervousness. After all, I was going to do the workout regime which prepared Hugh Jackman for becoming Wolverine.

Enter the studio and there are sledgehammers parked on one side while the rest of the space is taken up by rowing machines, stationary bikes, kettlebells, Swiss balls, TRX bands and free weights – just about every toy you can think of employed in an effort to make even the beefiest of gym addicts sore. Packed with more than 20 invigorated exercise enthusiasts, the Angry Bird workout begins.

While I did expect frenetic, high-intensity bouts of blackout-inducing drills, the fast-paced bootcamp-style class didn’t have a single dull moment and had me breaking a sweat for 45 minutes. From the always-evolving list of exercises that make up the various pods including deadlifts, squats and pull-ups to the motivating trainers, this HIIT class is packed with everything you need. And there’s no fear of being abandoned as the coaches also check on every client for the correct form by giving individual attention to all. But what actually set this gym apart is the clever use of wall-mounted monitors that guide you through every session. Clearly, this isn’t the traditional bootcamp class I anticipated it to be.

All of this is to say that this intense 45 minutes of interval training puts your fitness to the test. I’m not sure if I passed it but I finished on my feet. Well, barely. As I gather

strength to get up after the class, I’m greeted by modelturned-entrepreneur Jocette Coote who looks the picture of health. She is the franchisee for this site as well as the F45 in Farringdon.

Coote who regularly joins the class couldn’t do so this time as she’s busy enrolling and explaining the eight-week challenge which has just commenced to potential clients.

This is proof the passion she harbours for the franchise as well as fitness goes beyond making money and she aims to encourage more people to work out. Her main goal as an F45 franchisee is to “change attitudes of people who have gym memberships but don’t use it.” And she believes keeping a tab on clients by making regular calls is one way to get them to be more frequent. “I don’t know why the fitness industry is letting these people slip through their fingers – we should be making people fit but instead companies aren’t following up [to] make sure they’re happy,” she argues. Additionally, classes must cater to various kinds of bodies and not just those wanting to get ripped. “A lot of women have avoided going to the gyms for a long time because they feel it’s going to be mostly muscly people but we’re not like that,” she states.

Furthermore, she’s determined to play her part in solving the ubiquitous obesity crisis through the F45 franchise.

“This is a fitness club where we’re educating people about how to eat well, how to exercise, how to sleep, how much water to drink,” Coote declares. “People go on diet plans but they get bored and then go back to their old way of life which is why it never really works. And that’s why the obesity crisis hasn’t really been tackled because of these quick fix solutions.”

Coote wasn’t always this passionate about fitness and health. Her education was in classical arts and she played for an orchestra in Australia. She then got an opportunity to try her hand at modelling and never looked back. And for good reason as it entailed better finances and an immense amount of globetrotting. More than two decades of modelling also instilled the love for fitness she has today.

“From diet to sleeping patterns to emotions, a model must be made of steel as fitness levels and stamina must be at elite levels at all times,” she recalls. “There’s nothing worse than – if you’ve ever been in a casting – to stand up in a line of 30 women in a G-string and a bra and you have to turn around and you’re all compared. I don’t think they would do castings like that these days that they used to do to us but that was a motivating factor initially. Now it’s about supporting my children and just being healthy for my kids.”

While Coote was always lean during her modelling days, she realised how different it is to actually being healthy.

“I never really understood fitness, I just knew how to fit

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Jocette Coote

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Jocette Coote

a certain dress size but that’s very different to actually being fit,” she says. “A lot of models didn’t last in the industry because they probably didn’t eat enough food. If you don’t eat enough food, your skin doesn’t look good and depression comes along. If you’re not looking after all the mechanisms in your body, there’s all sorts of horrible after effects.” But Coote continues to model even today.

“I think that’s got a lot to do with the exercises that we do here,” she says adding that it’s her mission to educate more women about “being strong, not skinny.” “And teaching women how to get the body they want the right way and not the wrong way. The wrong way would be to be thin and boney and you wouldn’t be strong.”

Despite her passion for improving people’s health, she wasn’t looking to head a gym franchise. In fact, when her close friend and the godfather to her children, Rob Deutsch, told her of his ambition to launch F45 in Australia, she didn’t think it was the best idea.

“We actually all laughed at him that he was giving up banking, giving up his life here [in the UK] to go back to

Australia,” she remembers. But after meeting his co-founder Luke Istomin, coupled with his passion for fitness, he saw a spike in his franchise and “F45 opened quicker than the McDonald’s in Australia.” And since its launch, Coote has seen the brand make all kinds of gains.

It was Deutsch who planted the idea when he asked Coote to become a franchisee. “I can’t remember the first time he asked us to but we always had this thing of ‘Don’t be silly,’” she says. After giving it a little thought, she was convinced to give it a go. “I asked him the question ‘Who has failed in Australia?’ and he said there was only one gym out of 450 that failed and that’s the first bell that rang in my head,” she continues. “I thought, ‘Okay, that’s interesting, that’s doable.”

And then Coote launched the F45 in Farringdon in 2017 which was also the second F45 studio to open in London and in that first week itself had more than 250 people walk through the door. “It’s absolutely exploded and we couldn’t be happier to be honest,” she adds. She then opened the F45 in Ravenscourt Park a year later.

She didn’t look for any other gym franchise. “It wasn’t about the gym,” she says. “It’s about friendship I guess.

And it’s about just seeing a franchise in its infancy grow.”

As Coote embarked on her entrepreneurial journey, she faced a few challenges before establishing her sites. “So we had a bit of an uphill battle to try and explain to people what F45 was, why you should exercise, what HIIT training is, what this EPOC theory is,” she says, which she did along with managing her children. “It was having a baby on one hip and cooking the meal and talking to someone about why this was going to work.”

Having kids at the same time as launching the franchise meant Coote couldn’t go to the F45 headquarters for the franchisee training. “I had children so I actually didn’t get to do the induction but as I have a special relationship with the company, I guess I got the one-on-one training rather than the group training,” she says.

However, she found the franchise model to be incredibly simple to operate. “You turn the TVs on and you have the exercises all figured out for you, we have personal trainers that we hire, we train them up to deliver the best personal training that they can,” she says. “It was pretty straightforward to be honest.”

While the franchisee was content with the operation, Coote faced challenges with marketing as she was one of the first franchisees in the UK and establishing an international brand like F45 wasn’t easy. This meant the material was less suited for British

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Jocette Coote

Watching people’s faces light up when they hit their personal best, that’s truly inspirational – it’s a wonderful feeling

clientele. “They had all of their marketing for Australians, so all materials had Australian accents and Australian celebrities which didn’t really interpret very well for this market at all initially,” she remembers, noting that she had to use her own content. “I’m going to get in trouble for saying this but we just had to use our own marketing plans but we weren’t supposed to. All of that’s changed now but that was a struggle in the beginning.” Even the language used to promote the brand had to be altered. “So we used to be quite structured where you could only use these people and buzzwords but now they realise that because we’re becoming so global, every single market has a different requirement [and] different fitness words they want to use,” she continues.

Coote continues to create marketing campaigns today, especially on social media to attract future customers.

Given how well-populated her territories in London are, she mainly relies on word of mouth. “Social media still plays a big part in the fitness industry but the main thing is 100% the experience when clients come in here,” she states. “[If] they have a good experience, they get their body transformation, they’re happy [then] they talk to their work colleagues, family and friends [and] they bring people in.

The word of mouth is grossly underestimated.”

Another challenge Coote faced in the UK was finding the right sites which fit the requirements of the franchisor.

“That’s another problem we face in the UK with finding big enough sites with the correct zoning,” she says. “You don’t want to be sharing the wall with residents because gyms can make quite a lot of noise. You’ve got to find a certain square meterage, the right conditions, the right kind of neighbours and then you have to find the right demographic in the area as well. It’s a lot of things like this that can make or break you.” Given how tough it is to find sites in Blighty and then maintain them with sky-rocketing rent prices, the class fee is slightly higher than what it is in Australia.

Despite these challenges, Coote is determined to take the brand to new heights in the UK. With two sites already, Coote has one more in the pipeline which will be opening

soon. “I just wanted to have one for each child,” she says.

“I have thought of the area but cannot say. We’ve sort of tentatively put money into the business structure but not into the actual physical building.”

Coote notes that one of the main reasons F45 is gaining serious mass is the group classes it offers and believes people today undoubtedly prefer these classes as opposed to a solo gym session. “We’ve had a lot of people join because they’re lonely, so it’s a great place to meet people now,” she says. “It’s people trading out their pub lives and coming into the gym and sitting around and talking with people. The team training environment is extremely motivational.”

Apart from making the environment in the studio more encouraging, Coote wants to change the way people perceive fitness and the words associated with it as well.

“Why does the fitness industry use these big hardcore words like ‘Gonna kill you, it’s going to be tough murder’ – all of these really hardcore words are alienating a lot of the market,” she says. “I want to get the 65-year-olds in here.

I do have a handful of older people and they didn’t want to hear words like that. It’s these things, words the fitness industry [has] planted in our heads, when [the] fitness journey shouldn’t really be this hard.”

Coote indeed has healthy living and fitness in her core and that’s for inspiring her children. “I had children late, I had children in my forties, which is what a lot of people do now,” she says. “But in doing that, you’re robbing some years away from the time you have with your children, so you owe it to them to be as fit and healthy and try and live as [long] as you possibly can. And fitness is a way to do that.” She also hopes to play tennis with her toddlers when they get to their twenties and looking at her F45 gym routine, there’s no doubt about it.

Given that the brand has recently got a cash injection from Mark Wahlberg who hailed F45 as “the future of fitness,” it doesn’t take an expert to see how the firm is only set to scale further. And Coote is ambitious to ensure she gets more Britons to work out. “Watching people’s faces light up when they hit their personal best, that’s truly inspirational – it’s a wonderful feeling,” she concludes.

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

Gauging success from existing franchisees Plunging into franchise ownership can feel like a shot in the dark. But if current franchisees have been around for a while, you know you’re onto a winner

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t’s understandable feeling a certain amount of trepidation when considering which franchise to opt for. After all, it’s an important investment and a big change in your life. However, it needn’t be a leap into the unknown. When entering a franchise with a proven track record remember that others have taken the same step before you. And by looking at them, you could be glimpsing into your future.

Successful and satisfied franchisees are easy to identify. They stick with their business year on year, report steady growth and are often happy to share their experiences. For example, at X-Press Legal Services, provider of specialist property searches and reports for the legal sector, nearly 50% of its 25 franchisees have been with the company since year one.

Many of them began with one person working from home and all have grown consistently.

After all, X-Press Legal Services offers a low-risk opportunity to start a business from home and is quick to state franchisees don’t need legal experience to thrive with their model.

Again, looking at one of their existing franchisees proves it. Tom Mannion joined X-Press Legal Services six years ago as a recent graduate with a degree in classics. “Not many people can claim to own a company with an established, respected brand just two years after leaving university but that is exactly what I was able to achieve by becoming a franchisee,” he says.

“Thanks to the training and support of the X-Press Legal network I have

grown my business much more quickly than I could have hoped to do alone.”

Delivering over 400,000 property searches per year, X-Press Legal Services is trusted by more than 500 legal practices to play an essential part in the conveyancing process.

Franchisees hail from all walks of life but are all ambitious, tech-savvy and have meticulous attention to detail. If you share these qualities and feel an X-Press Legal franchise could be for you, you’ll be actively encouraged to speak to existing franchisees before beginning your own journey. “Ours is an open and incredibly supportive

network,” summarises Lynne Lister, managing director of X-Press Legal Services. “We aim to provide the perfect balance between working independently and feeling part of something much bigger.”

If you’re considering a future with X-Press Legal Services, contact Dave or Julie on 01925 393333 or visit xpresslegal.co.uk/become-afranchisee

100 elitefranchise | June 2019

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Use your experience and our expertise to build a successful b2b consulting franchise Expense Reduction Analysts is the world’s number one franchise in overhead cost optimization and supply management; for 25 years our franchise partners have enabled businesses to improve profit and gain greater financial scope by reducing business expenditure.

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

Going cross-country Having consolidated its business in the South East, Puccino’s is now looking for franchisees to grow and expand UK-wide

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ith a 24-year history, Puccino’s is one of the largest and most well-established franchised coffee shops in the UK. Having built a dozens-strong network with individual franchisees and now part of a prominent multi-national group, the brand is ready to embark on a long-term expansion aiming at trebling its store count.

Puccino’s started out in 1995 as an independent British coffee shop chain and expanded through various channels via a franchise model.

In 2009 it faced tough times like so many during the financial crisis but reinvented itself under new management and ownership. In fact, the current MD is a former Puccino’s franchisee and the company is now

a subsidiary of Brodies and owned by Massimo Zanetti Beverage Group.

Puccino’s is small but experienced, with its dedicated management team overseeing about 18 individual franchisees which between them operate over 45 sites in the UK and Ireland. These are located in train stations in the South East of England, mostly in the London commuter belt, operating from platform kiosks and converted waiting rooms.

The company’s franchisees are all individuals who started with one site.

While most remain one-unit operators, some have gradually expanded to own up to five.

Franchisees receive initial training for themselves and their staff at a dedicated facility by an experienced

training team and see ongoing support.

Puccino’s support team is organised around crucial areas including technical support and performance audit, where joint business plans are set and progress is tracked on a regular basis. Franchisees’ performances are then monitored regularly via audits and a mystery shopper programme and rewarded through incentives.

Puccino’s meticulously curated range of drinks, snacks and impulse items is updated regularly and includes both well-known and up-and-coming brands. For example, Puccino’s outlets serve Segafredo coffee-based beverages to customers, seasonal offers and also a wide range of nondairy options.

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While brand awareness has been limited due to its concentration in one geographic territory, brand perception has been positive.

This is thanks to a long-standing collaboration with a British illustrator, who has designed the current logo and writes copy for all brand communications in-store and online.

Puccino’s social media following is currently relatively modest but its loyal customer base regularly generates and posts content on Twitter and Instagram. A recent social mediadriven promotion through Q1 2019 involved a competition to draw on coffee mugs, with a Brompton bike as the main prize. The response it generated surpassed any expectations.

While keeping an open mind and weighing each opportunity on its individual merits, Puccino’s is also closely monitoring current trends and developments affecting traditional retail channels like high streets and shopping malls.

Puccino’s management has refrained from proactively expanding the network in order to consolidate the business in the South East and improve operational standards. Now, however, the team is ready to start expanding across Britain with great confidence, diversifying both in terms of channels and the kinds of franchisees it takes on.

Having built a solid foundation from a strong brand, robust systems, operational expertise and good relations with its franchisees, Puccino’s is ready to take it to the next level.

The team identified investors and multi-unit, multi-brand operators as their new preferred franchisees.

Such partners bring with them the skill sets and wealth of experience and assets necessary to deliver on corporate growth plans. Going forward, the Puccino’s team will be attending various events to showcase the model and introduce it to as many potentially suitable partners as possible.

In the present challenging retail

climate only experienced franchises with an established brand and concept and solid track record in franchisee support are poised to survive and thrive. With a wealth of commercial, operational and training experience behind it, Puccino’s is confident its concept resonates well with consumers. This is particularly true with millennials, who more than ever are seeking consistent quality, value for money, speed, convenience and a wide range of options including a healthy lifestyle.

Ready to get started?

Visit www.puccinosworldwide.com

June 2019 | elitefranchise

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Fresh Faces

Risi s ng stars

By ERIC JOHansson

From filmmaker James Cameron’s company to funeral homes, there is seemingly no lack of diversity among the new franchises setting up in the UK

Few franchises can brag about having an Academy Awards-winning filmmaker as one of its co-founders. But then again, MUSE Global isn’t like most franchises. Founded in 2005 by Avatar creator James Cameron, his wife Suzy Amis Cameron and her sister Rebecca Amis, the franchise offers parents an alternative approach to early childhood education. “MUSE began because I wanted a genuine educational experience for my children that nurtured their passions and truly engaged their curiosities,” says Amis Cameron.

Teaming up with her sister and the Terminator director, the former The Usual Suspects actress-turned-entrepreneur created an educational system offered in sustainable campuses.

In December 2018, the franchisors decided to take the next step.

“We’ve always dreamed of offering this amazing programme to children around the world and now we can through our franchise opportunities,” she continues. One of the places MUSE Global is searching for prospective franchisees is the UK. The company is looking to partner up with people who are passionate about teaching kids core academics whilst also educating them about the environment. “[As] the MUSE family grows, we’ll be able to impact even more children around the world and create positive change for our communities – and the planet – through meaningful and engaging education,” states Amis.

So while Cameron may be famous for dystopian movies like Aliens and Terminator: Judgement Day, the franchise he helped build is envisioning a brighter future and is actively working on making it happen.

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Fresh Faces

From finding clients to spreading the word about the enterprise, running a rural business is filled with challenges. Fortunately, Konzepts was launched to help raise the profile of more remote enterprises. Founded in 2016, the company assists SMEs by boosting their reach across social media platforms. Founder Sue Harbottle-Sear incorporated the company in December 2017 in preparation to become a franchisor. Having launched its franchise at the end of January 2019, Konzepts has the ambition of appointing at least six franchisees this year. But it’s not stopping there. Over the next five years Harbottle-Sear envisions that the franchise will have roughly 40 franchisees across the UK. And once the network has reached between ten and 15 franchisees in the UK, it will start to offer international master franchises across the world.

What’s not to like?

Taking charge of your company’s utility costs can be challenging. And that’s where Utility360 comes in. Having first seen the light of day in 2010, the Cheshire-based enterprise helps businesses of all sizes manage their utility costs in a variety of ways – from helping clients understand their bills to renegotiating new terms with providers. Recognising the opportunity of franchising the company in 2018, the company signed up its first franchisee in March 2019. Now Utility360 aims to grow the network to between 30 and 50 franchisees over the next five years, with an ambition to eventually have 100 franchisees in total. So if you’re looking for a franchise with some huge aspirations, Utility360 fits the bill.

Everybody dies. This fact is the reason why Funerals

by Design can accurately say that “everyone alive needs a funeral service at some point.” The company was launched in 2016 by Lawrence Laidlow.

“I set the company up after my mother decided to buy a [funeral] plan,” he reveals. “She thought it would be a good idea for me to enter into this realm of business.” Since then he’s developed the company to cover the pre-paid funeral plans offered by the entire market. “The big difference is that we are completely independent and offer the plan which best suits the customers needs,” Laidlow argues. “Not trying to shoehorn the customer into a plan which may not be best for them. We will also assist clients in creating the funeral they really desire, this has included plans to use a horse drawn carriage, motorcycle hearse and even burying a man in a vintage Volvo.”

In April 2019, he decided that it was time to franchise the business.

“The reason I wanted to franchise is because the UK is in the depths of a funeral poverty trap and most people cannot afford to bury a loved one at today’s service costs,” Laidlow explains. While the company is just out of the blocks, the new franchisor hopes to create 300 franchisees in the next few years. With 58 million potential customers in the UK alone, Funerals

by Design isn’t going to run out of clients anytime soon. Can you dig it?

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

Camile can’t resist the capital with its first London franchisee Knowing London and Thai restaurants off the back of his hand, Rakesh Gopalakrishnan ticked all the boxes to become Camile’s first London franchisee

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amile Thai is proud to announce Rakesh Gopalakrishnan as the first owner of a Camile Thai franchise in London. With over 19 years experience in the hospitality industry and having been managing this store for over a year, Gopalakrishnan has some seriously intimate knowledge of what he’s getting in to.

Given Gopalakrishnan’s background, joining Camile seemed a natural move.

“My last job before joining Camile was as a multi-site manager at a chain of restaurants based in London,” he says.

But with Gopalakrishnan’s wealth of experience not only with the capital but Thai restaraunts in general, it was more like destiny. “Prior to that, I worked as a general manager in London’s West End with a group of Thai restaurants,” he recalls. “Although I started my career working in hotels, most of my experience comes from managing high-volume restaurants across various parts of the country.”

Needless to say, when an opprtunity with Camile arose not much convincing was needed. “I’ve worked in high-end Thai restaurants before, so I was familiar with the cuisine,”

Gopalakrishnan says. However the pros extended far beyond familairity.

“But what attracted me to Camile was the health-focused, communityoriented, dynamic nature of the role,” Gopalakrishnan continues. “I could see a huge opportunity with a lot of space to grow and experiment. Camile does bring a lot of life and creativity to the concept of management. I decided to take on the franchise opportunity so I could fully realise what I wanted to do with the business.”

Thanks to Camile’s help, it’s safe to say Gopalakrishnan’s journey has even exceeded such expectations. “The support that I have has never been matched by another employer, in terms of one-to-one contact and interaction,” he says. And for those green with envy, he’s never short of advice. “Lots of hard

work, energy, curiosity and eagerness are the key factors,” he says. “You have to be hands-on, lead by example and manage your team from the front.

I always try to bring positive energy and passion and I’m not afraid to ask questions or implement new ideas.”

Camile Thai has over 20 restaurant locations across the UK and Ireland and is known for its healthy Thai food delivered expertly to its customers.

Hungry for more information? See their latest franchising opportunities: https:// www.camile.co.uk/franchising/

June 2019 | elitefranchise

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Dining out on data By jURGEN KETEL, managing director emea, givex

One year after GDPR snapped into action, it’s important you don’t fall into the trap of misusing your customer data. Here are five ways to use their information safely

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f you’re running a business you’ll be well aware that data is a big deal. The more information you have on your customers, your staff and your operations the more productive, profitable and ultimately successful you’ll be.

But knowing where to start can be daunting. After all, most restaurants don’t have the budget for a data scientist.

So how can you determine which information is most relevant to your business and start using it?

Staff information Knowing exactly how many employees you need at a given time can be an enduring challenge for a restaurant business. Too many and you’ll be paying your team for twiddling their thumbs.

Too few and you won’t be able to service all your customers, which can have an adverse effect on your reputation and your bottom line. Labour costs can be one of the most significant expenses an eatery can have.

By using information from EPOS and ordering systems like kiosks and tableside tablets, you can get a clear idea of how busy your restaurant is likely to

be during certain periods or seasons and adjust your staffing schedules accordingly. This means you don’t give staff shifts when you don’t need them and that you can operate with a full roster when you do, avoiding the reputational damage of understaffing and the escalating costs of overstaffing.

you can do it in real-time, meaning every time an order is made, inventory data is kept scrupulously up to date and relevant stakeholders are alerted.

Menu items This one’s reasonably self-explanatory: the more you do to promote the best-selling items and those which Inventory control are cost-efficient enough to offer, the Managing inventory is another crucial better. Gathering data around menu pillar of the restaurant business – item performance can help you deliver a unpopular items held in excess are culinary offering that’s both appealing, likely to spoil and scarce quantities of profitable and in line with evolving popular items will upset customers dietary requirements and preferences. and lose business. Knowing how much Customers with a gluten aversion, for food and drink you need to make your example, will appreciate more celiaccustomers happy is an inexact science friendly options while vegetarians and by nature as customer demand is being vegans simply won’t be able to visit your unpredictable but if you take steps to establishment if you don’t have them. make it more accurate, you can see real benefits.

Deals and promotions Inventory management systems and Let’s say a male student who visits some data-driven ordering systems your restaurant with a group of friends which come built-in, can help you keep routinely orders a round of beer with his real-time visibility over items that are meal. Let’s say you know this already. selling well and poorly. You then know Wouldn’t it make sense to offer him a which stock you need to replenish 20% discount on drinks from time to and which you don’t, thereby avoiding time, either as a reward for his loyalty or overselling and wastage. Best of all, as an inducement to return?

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food franchises

If the margins made sense, you probably would. The question is, how do you know who he is? Capturing data on the people who visit your restaurant will tell you and it will often allow you to develop more tailored offerings and promotions. Mobile ordering apps are especially good at facilitating this. They easily capture information on who’s ordering, what they’ve ordered in the past and what they’re liable to order in the future – automatically personalising offers to help close opportunities. Certain EPOS systems can also make it easy for staff to identify the demographics and likely interests of the people sitting at a particular table, allowing for inrestaurant customisation thus ensuring more clients.

Reporting insights Finally, through capturing different kinds of data, you can develop more intelligent insights and better reporting across teams.

This reporting can be centralised through an app or a dedicated digital reporting system and is particularly advantageous for anyone managing multiple store locations, where trends can be spotted across the franchise and action can be swiftly taken to capitalise on them.

It also saves considerable time that might otherwise be spent manually collecting and trawling through data.

Indeed, it’s worth keeping the how and why of collecting data front of mind. From a legal perspective, there are limits on what personally

identifiable information can be accumulated. The GDPR comes with heavy penalties for using this information improperly. From a commercial perspective, it doesn’t make sense to collect information you don’t need. Working closely with tech partners to establish a data management strategy should be a priority. You need to know which data to collect, how to collect it, how to anonymise it when necessary and, of course, when to centralise it. If information is held in siloed systems, you can’t make the most of it.

Integration, across databases and across the entire franchise, is key to both gathering sophisticated insights and developing them into meaningful action.

JUNE 2019 | elitefranchise

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FRANCHISE FOCUS

FranchiseFocus AUTOMOTIVE Chips Away

Driver Hire

Mac Tools

£: 29,995+VAT

£: n/a

£: 5,000

chipsaway.co.uk

driverhirefranchise.co.uk

mactools-franchise.co.uk

Restore Automotive

Revive!

Snap-on Tools

£: 24,997

£: 27,500

£: 16,037

restorefranchise.com

revivefranchise.com

snaponfranchise.co.uk

Screen Rescue

SuperGlass

£: 19,750 +VAT

£: 15,000

screenrescue.co.uk

superglassukfranchise.com

BUSINESS ActionCOACH

Auditel

Business Doctors

£: 27,000+

£: 37,950 + VAT

£: n/a

actioncoach.co.uk

businessdoctorsfranchise.com

businessdoctorsfranchise.com

Expense Reduction Analysts

Get Ahead VA

How 2 Franchise

£: 39,900

£: n/a

£: n/a

erafranchise.net

getaheadva.com/franchise-opportunity/

how2franchise.co.uk

Jackson Fire & Security

Platinum Business Partners

Regus

£: 39,500+VAT

£: 30,000+VAT

£: n/a

jacksonfire.co.uk/franchise

platinumbusinesspartners.co.uk

regus.co.uk

The HR Dept

X-Press Legal Services

£: n/a

£: POA

hrdept.co.uk

xpresslegal.co.uk/become-a-franchisee

CARE Ableworld

Bluebird Care

Caremark

£:75,000

£: 115,000

£: 100,000

ableworldfranchise.co.uk

bluebirdcarefranchise.co.uk

caremarkfranchises.com

Heritage Healthcare

Home Instead Senior Care

Kare Plus

£: 29,995+VAT

£: 90,000+

£: 40,000

heritagehealthcarefranchising.co.uk

homeinstead.co.uk/franchise

franchising.kareplus.co.uk

Promedica24

Radfield Home Care

Visiting Angels

£:£20,000 + VAT

£: 75,000

£:POA

franchise.promedica24.co.uk/

radfieldhomecarefranchising.co.uk

visiting-angels.co.uk

SPONSORED BY

WWW.FRANCHISESALES.COM

FRANCHISE FOCUS

CLEANING Arising Cleaning Franchise

Betterclean Services

Bright & Beautiful

£: 2,995+

£: 19,600+

£: 17,995+

arisingcleaningfranchise.co.uk

bettercleanfranchise.co.uk

brightandbeautifulhome.com

Clear Brew

Deluxe Window Cleaning

Drain Doctor

£: 15,000+VAT

£: n/a

£: 21,000+VAT

clearbrew.co.uk

deluxewindowcleaningfranchise.co.uk

ukplumbingfranchise.co.uk

Dublcheck

Dyno

Fantastic Services

£: 9,950

£: c250,000

£: n/a

dublcheck.co.uk

dyno.com

joinfantastic.com

FiltaFry

Merry Maids

Metro Rod

£: 14,950+VAT

£: 19,995+VAT

£: 100,000+VAT

filtafryplus.co.uk/franchise

merrymaidsfranchise.co.uk

metrorod.co.uk

Minster

Molly Maid

MouldDoctor

£: 28,225+

£: £16,975+VAT

£: 33,000

minsterfranchise.co.uk

mollymaid.co.uk/franchise

moulddoctor.co.uk

Ovenclean

Ovenu

Sanondaf

£: 14,995

£: 9,995

£: n/a

ovenclean.com/franchise

ovenufranchise.co.uk

sanondaf.co.uk/sanondaf-franchise/

ServiceMaster Clean

techclean

The Beautiful Method

£: 26,150

£: 19,500+VAT

£: n/a

servicemastercleanfranchise.co.uk

techclean.co.uk

thebeautifulmethod.co.uk

Wilkins Chimney Sweep

Zero Dry Time

£: 13,100+VAT

£: 24,950+VAT

franchisechimneysweep.co.uk

zerodrytime.com

COFFEE Cafe2U

Coffee-bike

easyCoffee

£: 26,650+VAT

£: 7,490

£: 15,000

cafe2u.com/uk

coffee-bike.com/en

easy.coffee/franchise

Esquires Coffee

Puccinos

£: 22,500

£: 75,000

esquirescoffee.co.uk

puccinosworldwide.com/franchising

CHILDREN Boogie Beat

ComputerXplorers

CYCLEme Tots

£: 5,995+

£: 29,500

£:POA

www.boogiebeat.co.uk

computerxplorers.co.uk

cyclemetots.com

diddi dance

First Class Learning

Helen O’Grady

£: 4,995+VAT

£: 8,000-16,000 +VAT

£: 15,000

diddidance.com

firstclasslearning.co.uk/own-a-franchise

helenogrady.co.uk

SPONSORED BY

WWW.FRANCHISESALES.COM

FRANCHISE FOCUS

CHILDREN Kiddley Divey

Kumon

Mad Science

£: 5,997+VAT

£: 3,000

£: 23,500

kiddleydivey.co.uk/join-our-team

kumon.co.uk

madscience.org

Magikats Maths and English

Mathnasium

Mini Athletics

£: 10,000+VAT

£:40,000

£:POA

educationalfranchise.co.uk

mathnasium.com/franchise

miniathletics.com

Monkey Music

Puddle Ducks

Sport4Kids

£: 13,975+VAT

£: 18,975

P.O.A

monkeymusic.co.uk

puddleducks.com/franchising

www.s4kfranchising.com

Stagecoach

Sticky Fingers

Swimtime

£: 14,995+VAT

£: 3,000

£: 18,000+VAT

stagecoachfranchise.com

stickyfingerscookeryparties.co.uk

swimtime.org

The Creation Station

The Strings Club

Turtle Tots

£: 7,999+VAT

£: POA

£: 13,000+VAT

thecreationstation.co.uk

thestringsclub.org/become-a-franchisee

turtletots.com

BBX

DNS Accountants

Expense Reduction Analysts

£: n/a

£: 25,000

£: n/a

bbxuk.com

dnsaccountantsfranchise.co.uk

uk.expensereduction.com/

Rosemary Bookkeeping

TaxAssist Accountants

£: 16,970

£: 36,950+VAT

rosemaryfranchise.co.uk

taxassistfranchise.co.uk

Tutor Doctor £: 49,700 franchise.tutordoctor.co.uk

FASHION & CLOTHING Noa Noa £: 40,000 noanoa.com

FINANCE

Fifo Capital £: 25,000 fifocapital.co.uk

rosemary an altogether friendly bookkeeping experience

®

FOOD & DRINK Auntie Anne’s

Camile

Chock Shop

£: n/a

£: 250,000+

£:POA

auntieannesfranchising.co.uk/

camile.co.uk/franchising

chockshop.co.uk

Cup the Cake

Harpers

Harry Ramsden’s

£: 377+

£: POA

cupthecake.com

harpersfranchise.co.uk

SPONSORED BY

£: 150,000 - 250,000 harryramsdens.co.uk/franchise

WWW.FRANCHISESALES.COM

FRANCHISE FOCUS

FOOD & DRINK Maston’s

Muffin Break

Papa John’s

£: 25,000

£: POA

£: 100,000+

marstonscareers.co.uk

muffinbreak.co.uk

papajohns.co.uk/franchise

Riverford

Southern Fried Chicken

Subway

£: n/a

£: 125,000+

£: 86,000 - 222,000

riverford.co.uk/franchise

franchise.southernfriedchicken.com

subwayfranchising.com

Snak Appeal

Veeno

Warrens Bakery

£: n/a

£: n/a

£: 18,500

www.snakappeal.co.uk

theveenocompany.com

warrensbakery.co.uk

HOME IMPROVEMENT & GARDEN BoConcept

Countrywide Grounds Maintenance

Decor Walls & Flooring

£: 100,000

£: 44,950+VAT

£: n/a

boconcept.com

countrywidegrounds.com/franchise

decorcladdingcentre.co.uk

Neighbourly

Refresh Renovations

Schmidt

£: POA

£: POA

£: n/a

neighborlyfranchises.com

refreshrenovationsfranchise.co.uk

www.home-design.schmidt

Shuttercraft

TruGreen

Wonderlawn

£: 25,000

£: 28,000+VAT

POA

shuttercraft-franchise.co.uk

trugreenfranchise.co.uk

wonderlawn.com

Diamond Logistics

InXpress

Mail Boxes Etcs

£: 14,997+VAT

£: n/a

£: 25,000+

diamondlogistics.co.uk

gb.inxpress.com/franchise-opportunities

mbe.co.uk/franchise

Pack & Send

World Options

£: 29,500

£: 29,995+VAT

packsend.co.uk

worldoptions.com

INSURANCE Concept Building Solutions £: 32,995+VAT concept-solutions.co.uk

MAIL & COURIER

MARKETING Signarama

Vibe Marketing

£: 25,000 - 45,000

£: 14,995+VAT

franchise.signarama.co.uk

vibemarketing.co.uk

SPONSORED BY

WWW.FRANCHISESALES.COM

FRANCHISE FOCUS

PET SERVICES Barking Mad

MyWaggyTails

Now Boarding Pet Hotels

£: 10,000+VAT

£: 7,750+VAT

£: n/a

barkingmad.uk.com

mywaggytails.co.uk/grab-a-franchise

nowboardingpethotels.co.uk

OSCAR

Trophy Pet Foods

We Love Pets

£: 8,995+VAT

£: 13,995+VAT

£: 9,999+VAT

oscar.co.uk

trophypetfoods.co.uk

welovepetsfranchise.co.uk

PHOTOGRAPHY De Photo

Photography for Little People

£: 14,950+VAT

£: 15,000

dephoto.biz

photographyforlittlepeoplefranchise.co.uk

PRINT FASTSIGNS

Kall Kwik

Recognition Express

£:POA

£: 50,000 +shop fit +VAT

£: 35,000+VAT

fastsigns.co.uk

kallkwik.co.uk

recognition-express.com

Agency Express

Belvoir

Century 21

£: 24,500+VAT

£: 22,500+VAT

£: 23,500

agencyexpress.co.uk

belvoirfranchise.com

century21franchise.co.uk

HomeXperts

Platinum Property Partners

VeriSmart

£: 19,995+VAT

£: 41,450+

£: 9,000+VAT

home-xperts.co.uk

platinumpropertypartners.co.uk

verismart.biz

Antal

Clark James

Driver Hire Nationwide

£: POA

£: POA

£: 35,000+

antalfranchising.com

clarkjames.co.uk/franchise-opportunities

driverhirefranchise.co.uk

Signs Express £: 40,000+ franchise.signsexpress.co.uk

PROPERTY

RECRUITMENT

Law Staff Legal Recruitment £: n/a law-staff.co.uk

SPONSORED BY

WWW.FRANCHISESALES.COM

FRANCHISE FOCUS

RETAIL CeX

Easy Living Mobility

Everyman Barber

£: 150,000 - £250,000

£: n/a

£: n/a

webuy.com/franchising

easylivingmobility.co.uk

everymanbarbers.co.uk

KG Professional

One Stop

Suit the City

£: n/a

£: 92pw+VAT

£: 19,950 - 22,950

kgsalons.com

openaonestop.co.uk

suitfranchise.com

9Round

Anytime Fitness

Body Street

£: 115,000+

£: 110,000

£: P.O.A

9round.co.uk/own-a-franchise

anytimefitness.co.uk

www.bodystreetuk.co.uk

Energie Fitness

Fitness Space

HITIO UK

£: 95,000

£: 24,950

£:POA

energiefranchise.com

fitnessspace.com

hitiogym.com

One Element

Premier

YourZone45

£: n/a

£: 14,950 ex. VAT

£: 60,000

one-element.co.uk/franchise

makesportyourbusiness.com

yourzone45.co.uk

SPORT & FITNESS

SPA & WELLBEING Spa 810

The Massage Company

£: POA

£: POA

spa810.com/franchise

massagecompany.co.uk

TECHNOLOGY & SOFTWARE Eazi-Apps

Fone Doctor

Trivaeo Cloud Services

£: 7,995

£: 58,000

£: 14,995

eazi-apps-business.co.uk

fonedoctoruk.co.uk

trivaeo.com​

TELECOMMUNICATIONS Challenger Mobile Communications £: n/a challenger-mobile.co.uk

TRAVEL Holiday Franchise Company £: POA holidayfranchisecompany.com

SPONSORED BY

WWW.FRANCHISESALES.COM

DISCOVERY DAYS

Discover more about our Ovenu Franchise with an informative, one to one chat over coffee.

Contact us today and we'll put a date in the diary.

01189 743 911 ovenufranchise.co.uk

Multi-award winning franchise model

UK’S NO.1 FRYER MANAGEMENT SERVICE WEEKLY REPEAT “MAN IN A VAN” FRANCHISE HIGH-DEMAND, EXCLUSIVE TERRITORY VIRTUALLY NO COMPETITORS

Flexible financing assistance Innovative industry Full technical training Personalised operational support

For more information visit: www.fsfastsigns.co.uk

Call us on 01788 550100 to find out more www.filtafryplus.co.uk | dslater@filtagroup.com

Could YOU be the next UK Franchisee?

Try a different type of franchise instead.

Contact Imogen on 01925 730 273, email franchise@homeinstead.co.uk or visit www.homeinstead.co.uk/franchise

118 elitefranchise | June 2019

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DISCOVERY DAYS

Apply for up to ÂŁ2,000 to run your own FLexible fun and rewarding Creation Station franchise Run your own educational, fun and flexible arts & crafts Creation Station franchise.

Choose your hours, have fun and create positive differences within your community with your own successful business.

Discover how to MAKE MONEY and MAKE A DIFFERENCE! With a Mathnasium Learning Centre franchise you have the opportunity to build your own business, be your own boss and make a great living whilst making a difference.

Join us for a discovery day and experience the Mathnasium Method and Model, held in Manchester and Hertfordshire.

Book your place at mathnasium.co.uk or call 0161 791 0686 Standard call charges apply

June 2019 | elitefranchise

Discovery Days June19.indd 2

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

A unique flexible franchise opportunity A

t Cup the Cake we certainly understand that in today’s financial climate it’s important for both mum and dad to work. So what better opportunity than to put in hours at home, have fun and still be with your children? What’s more we don’t breathe over your shoulder or ask for any of your profits you make.

Your earning potential is completely set around your own time management.

Cup the Cake offers a delightful opportunity to start your own business from the comfort of your own home with no traffic, no travelling expenses, no boss to answer to and, best of all, no monthly royalties to pay out. What you earn is yours to keep, you deserve it, you earned it.

An idea inspired with your children in mind. Your business will be set up for you from scratch with your own website, online business portal which will capture your orders, bookings and online payments, Cup the Cake email address, business cards, car magnets, Facebook Page and initial online marketing boost to get you soaring. Included with your startup is a comprehensive kit which will equip you with all the basics needed to get those orders out to your customers.

Comprehensive initial training is included with the option to advance with ongoing training offered.

Cup the Cake is about a challenge where the sky is the limit. We’re all about being different, creating cupcakes with a

unique splendour, whether it’s wedding cupcakes with flair or something quick and simple to take to the office for your birthday, no two designs are the same for your celebration.

Cup the Cake have three business options available depending on your goals and preferred starting price: Fairy, Cherub and Angelic.

Setting aside the fact that you can still be with your family and work from home, you will be in a position to earn a cash income directly corresponding to hours you invest into your venture.

There is nothing stopping you from achieving your dream, life is a journey, it’s all about how we steer forward

The harder you work, the higher your profits will soar. Whether it be part or full time, the choice is up to you. At Cup the Cake, you are not limited to just baking and creating cup cakes the scope of adventure is limitless.

Our unique selling point is that we create cup cakes with unconditional love and enthusiasm for our customers, regardless of the occasion. We thrive on our creative abilities and each and every customer is special to us. It’s this ethos which we pass on to you, with your own Cup the Cake franchise. Cup the Cake would be delighted to assist you further with your journey.

t: 07799 453621 e: hello@cupthecake.com w: cupthecake.com

120 elitefranchise | June 2019

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DAVID GLOVER managing director CAREMARK

£

you

Taking time for

Over the recent Easter break, David Glover of Caremark took time away from the franchise’s West Sussex-based head office to enjoy a holiday with his wife and son – something he prioritises, for the good of the franchise and his family. Here’s why June 2019 | elitefranchise

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E

very year, without fail, I take my family away on two holidays. I always look forward to them. I’m a creature of habit so during the Easter break we fly to Orlando and enjoy some much-needed R&R and in the summer we spend a week enjoying the stunning scenery Austria has to offer. I love my holiday in Austria but I really need the vacation in America as it’s often eight months since I had a good rest.

Maintaining a healthy approach to managing work and family life is something I just won’t compromise on. It’s a component of successful business management that I’ve lived by since the early days of my career and something we’re mindful to stress with our franchisees.

For me, personally, taking time away from the office doesn’t necessarily mean I’m out of reach. After touching down in Orlando, I can often be found on the golf course but I like to check my emails every hour or so. I find this method of checking-in more relaxing than if I were to go off-grid entirely. Although I very rarely action any of the emails that come through, I can signpost them to the right person in the team, feeling safe in the knowledge I can continue to enjoy my break. This approach certainly won’t work for everyone, so I encourage franchisees and business leaders out there to find a balance that suits them, the needs of their business and their team.

The allure of a owning a franchise is often the flexibility they can afford and we discuss this with prospects during the recruitment process at Caremark. Although our franchisees must work the hours required to be able to run a compliant and successful business, they’re welcome to fit their working day around their personal circumstances and life.

For instance, a large proportion of our network are working parents, so many choose to start their day at 9am, leave the office at 3pm for the school run, before carrying on with admin once the kids are in bed. That routine works for their business because the jobs are still getting done but, perhaps more importantly, they’re able to watch their children grow up – a luxury the general working public don’t always have access to. For others, they may want the flexibility for other responsibilities or a sporting passion – plenty of franchises can support variety of work-life balance needs.

Everyone needs a break, there’s no denying that running your own business can take it out of you. Our franchisees build a great team around them who they can rely on when they take time away from the business – just like the team I can rely on at Caremark head office. As a domiciliary care franchise, the care manager role is integral to the success of a franchisee-led business. They’re essentially a franchisee’s second-in-command, eyes and ears and right-hand person, all rolled into one. Whilst the franchisee is ultimately responsible for the operations of the business – whether that be in terms of recruitment, retention, staff management and marketing – the care manager is a trained professional with experience in the sector, who is capable of managing the responsibilities of the business. A care manager who has been developed efficiently is able to step into a franchisee’s shoes with ease.

We all look forward to a holiday, whether that’s on a beach in Florida or walking in the Yorkshire Dales. I’m a firm believer that time out invigorates you. The best franchisees, business owners and leaders have the ability to inspire and motivate their teams – it’s difficult to muster up passion when you’re burnt out. Many of our franchisees take two or three holidays a year once their business is established.

Getting your work-life balance right is an art in itself and can take years for business owners to perfect. It’s worth taking the time to stop and think if you have the best balance for you or how you could tip the scales in your favour.

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