Elite Franchise August 2018 by Elite Business Magazine

elitefranchisemagazine.co.uk

Young franchisee of the year This millennial entrepreneur proves age is just a number when it comes to franchising success

Face the scandal Crisis management skills are a must-have for franchisors

AUGUST 2018 ÂŁ4.50

Chickening out

Having co-founded Chicken Cottage, Tahir Jamil is reprising the success with Selekt Chicken

Beat the heat

Meet the franchises thriving throughout the scolding summer sun

Life lessons Frank Milner is on a mission to boost education around the world with Tutor Doctor

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Anne, operates 6 restaurants in Leeds & Wakefield

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Come and talk to us at one of our Insight Days in 2018:

7th September, Bristol 21st September, Milton Keynes 19th October, Leicester 9th November, York 23rd November, Belfast 7th December, London

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Be your own boss and benefit from the support of a proven brand with more than 25 years experience. Share in our growth as the acclaimed technology and entertainment exchange store with worldwide operations. We’re so confident that you’ll be delighted with your CeX franchise that we offer a Buy Back Guarantee if you’re not. Act now to secure your location.

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COVER STAR

Life lessons For Frank Milner, Tutor Doctor is no mere franchise but a passion project close to his heart enabling him to change lives

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contents 08.18

REGULARS 9 Welcome & contributors 11 News & events 97 Franchise diaries

COLUMNS 13 Pip Wilkins 15 Sussanne Chambers 29 David Glover 33 Nigel Toplis 37 Tony Bowman 57 Chris Roberts

FEATURES 40 Chicken run

Cottage Chicken creator Tahir Jamil details starting over with Selekt Chicken

46 Season's greetings

With Britain experiencing a red-hot summer, how have franchises been impacted?

50 Life on the veg

Crisis? What crisis?

A guilt-free spin on fast food, Salad Box has entered the UK from Romania

Be open if disaster strikes your business

58 Funding your franchise The list of reasons you need money for your franchise is endless

74 Art of recruitment

Don't underestimate the importance of sourcing the best talent

78 Old head, young shoulders Right at Home's franchisee Almas Adam proves age is just a number 82 Maximum effort

Many franchise networks go further than simply monitoring performance

78 August 2018 | elitefranchise

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1 NEW SHOWROOM EVERY WEEK WORLDWIDE

SUCCESS FOR OVER 50 YEARS Schmidt Kitchens are the leading kitchen retail brand in Europe with a turnover of over â&#x201A;Ź472 Million and employ more than 1500 people. Since 1989 we have been developing an exclusive showroom concept and now have more than 700 showrooms spread around 25 countries.

Having been successful in France, Germany and Spain where we have exclusive showrooms, our strategy is now to further develop in the UK. Our aim is to distribute our products through a network of dealers who manage their own showroom in line with our concept while getting ongoing help, assistance and support from us: n

No franchise fee and no royalties.

No stock: Kitchens are delivered directly to the consumer.

No cash flow issues: Monies received before you pay for goods.

Exclusivity in your catchment area. We help with the search of premises, the staff recruitment and support to set up your business plan to finance your project with our bank partners.

8 weeks of theoretical and practical training to contribute to your success.

Monthly regional meetings to share experiences and best practices to improve your showroom performance.

WANT TO LEARN MORE? Request more information and start your very own lucrative career within the kitchen industry. For more information please contact: Rosalyn.hastings@groupe.schmidt Schmidt FP.indd 1

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welcome Volume 06 Issue 08 / 2018 EDITORIAL Zen Terrelonge Acting Editor Eric Johansson Feature Writer Varsha Saraogi Junior Feature Writer Angus Shaw Editorial Intern Yoana Cholteeva Editorial Intern editorial@cemedia.co.uk

School of life

DESIGN/PRODUCTION Darren Marriott Head Designer Dan Humphris Designer Lizzie Thurgood Design Intern production@cemedia.co.uk

ou’d be hard-pushed to find an entrepreneurial story without failure or challenges but they often provide valuable life lessons to learn from. This was true for Tahir Jamil, founder of Selekt Chicken. After tasting business success with Chicken Cottage, he launched a new venture and discovered lightning wouldn’t strike in the same place twice – not immediately anyway – and found himself back to the drawing board. Then there’s Almas Adam. An introvert by nature, he forced himself to travel to China after completing university and his experience in the Far East set him on a new path to become a franchisee when he returned to the UK with new confidence. Even the seasons can teach us in some cases. Unexpected blizzards earlier this year to the long-lasting summer we’ve had, business leaders have needed to be flexible in order to make sure their services still thrive. However, our cover star Frank Milner, president of Tutor Doctor, really knows all about life lessons. A family tragedy at a young age helped shape his outlook on life and career path, which has subsequently grown his tutoring franchise to 300 franchisees across 16 countries.

Dan Lecount Web Development Manager dan@cemedia.co.uk SALES & MARKETING Jemma Tonge Senior Account Manager jemma.tonge@cemedia.co.uk Richard Smith Senior Account Manager richard.smith@cemedia.co.uk Taylor Blayney Account Executive taylor.blayney@cemedia.co.uk Ore Akinniranye Marketing Assistant ore@cemedia.co.uk CIRCULATION Amy Coleman Data Compliance Assistant amy.coleman@cemedia.co.uk ACCOUNTS Sally Stoker Finance Manager sally.stoker@cemedia.co.uk

■ ZEN TERRELONGE - ACTING 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 2018. 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

David Glover

Yoana Cholteeva

Nigel Toplis

Angus Shaw

The acting managing director of Caremark writes this month about the importance of establishing an open and positive culture in your franchise.

Journalists have a bad rep in some circles. But you shouldn’t expect any fowl play with our new intern’s profile of the founder of Selekt Chicken.

Franchising an established business is no mean feat. Luckily, the industry veteran Toplis has a few tricks up his sleeve to make the process smoother.

Shaw may be hot out of uni but has already proven his creative chops. Check out his interview with the Young Franchisee of the Year winner Almas Adam.

elitefranchisemagazine.co.uk august 2018 | elitefranchise

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The mark of excellent care

“…it’s an opportunity to run a successful operation whilst to a high standard.”

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

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news

Spar-Subway sandwich There are huge upsides to forging partnerships with other businesses. And on the franchise scene Subway has already proven this point by opening in nine SPAR stores owned by the franchisee company Gilletts Callington that owns 69 stores in the south-west. Now a further five are in the works for the region. Following their first joint venture in 2012 with Subway opening at SPAR stores in

BY Angus Shaw and Varsha Saraogi

Events bfa September London Southeast Forum September 5 Crowne Plaza Kensington 100 Cromwell Road London SW7 4ER

RDS Merrion Road Ballsbridge Dublin D04 AK83

How to Monitor Franchisee Performance September 20

EWIF Week September 17-21

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

EWIF Conference September 21

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

Restaurant and Takeaway Innovation Expo September 25-26 Royal Victoria Dock 1 Western Gateway London E16 1XL

Lights, camera, franchise Evidently, TV shows influence young people’s career decisions. But undeniably there has been a dearth in the franchise field – until now. The bfa aims to fill this gap with the launch of a current affairs-style programme called The Future is Franchising in collaboration with ITN Productions. From well-known restaurant chains to up-and-coming brands, the programme will teach newbies and established heavy hitters alike the tricks of the trade. The presenters will also interview franchise veterans from influential brands like HSBC, McDonald’s and Bluebird Care as well as presenting exclusive reports from the forefront of franchising. Whether looking to grow your franchise or acquire a new one, your next idea might just be a TV show away. Make sure you tune in.

The Irish Franchise Show Dublin September 7 - 8

bfa Office, Milton Park 85f Park Drive Abingdon OX14 4RY

Bridport and Plymouth North Hill, the partnership will now expand into Pinhoe, Exeter and Bugle, with developments underway already. Looking to the future, Wool and Wareham in Dorset are in sight for the same treatment. Seemingly, this partnership is one of those many cases where two heads are evidently better than one – and this partnership hits the nail on both.

Bad taste

It's no secret racial bias and discrimination are problems many business leaders face. While the ideal solution would be to change their attitude, Papa John’s founder John Schnatter doesn't think so. Schnatter sued his pizza chain at the end of July, demanding internal files and records because of the “unexplained and heavy-handed way” that Papa John’s treated him. The former CEO resigned as the chairman of the company the same month, after he was caught using the N-word on a conference call. In a statement, the Papa John’s board said the company was "saddened and disappointed" as Schnatter had filed a "needless and wasteful lawsuit in an attempt to distract from his own words and actions". Many mistakes and flaws can be forgiven but racim doesn’t make the cut. august 2018 | elitefranchise

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OWN YOUR PART OF ONE OF THE LARGEST ESTATE AGENCY ORGANISATIONS IN THE WORLD. The Century 21 UK franchise package includes: • Dedicated business development manager • Continued professional support & training • Comprehensive online & offline marketing • Being part of a global brand • Market leading technology • Recruitment, strategy & compliance advice • Many additional earning opportunities

If you’re determined to succeed, have exceptional service skills and entrepreneurial flair, then owning a CENTURY 21 UK franchise could be perfect for you.

UNITED KINGDOM

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0115 902 1002 opportunities@century21uk.com www.century21franchise.co.uk

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Pip Wilkins chief executive bfa

The rise of young stars in franchising

Why franchisors should encourage millennial talent to join their network as franchisees

hen you look at highly successful millennial entrepreneurs such as Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook, Joe Wicks of The Body Coach and Ella Woodward of Deliciously Ella, you would think generation Y all have the ambition and startup spirit to be successful. However, there has been a downturn in the number of startup businesses run by younger founders. Many have considered launching their own business but very few are actually taking the plunge. We know starting a business from scratch is no mean feat but using the franchise model to launch a company takes away many of the risks associated with going out on your own. Franchising offers initial training and ongoing support that can help bridge the experience gap and provide young, budding entrepreneurs with a platform into selfemployment. I spoke to two of our established franchisor brands about their approach to millennial and graduate recruitment and what initiatives

they were implementing to support these groups. National franchise manager of Snapon Tools, tools franchise, Lisa Law said: “Supporting and encouraging young talent into the Snap-on network is something we’re passionate about because, quite simply, they’re driven people with a willingness to learn and adapt. A lot of our younger franchisees have come into the network after having worked as an assistant to an existing franchisee, meaning they’ve often witnessed success first-hand and are hoping to replicate that for themselves in their own territory. They also tend to have a great deal in common with their customer base and can build those lasting and professional relationships with their peers. We’ve seen a wealth of talent join the network in their mid-20s. These people work hard, build their reputation and achieve top sales figures before they’ve even reached 30. They can then invest time and resources into developing their franchise, taking on assistants and second territories to help others like themselves.” The WPA Healthcare Practice, the insurance franchise, has taken the decision to work closely with universities to educate students about the benefits of franchising with goals of recruiting graduates into the business. New practice development manager Daniel Wade said: “With programmes

such as The Apprentice and Dragons’ Den, younger people are being encouraged to become entrepreneurs at an early age and we feel franchising can help with this. The skillset graduates possess fits our model. They're often keen to learn new skills, great with technology and work well within a team environment. We fully understand that the biggest barrier for graduates entering franchising is the franchise fee which is why we offer a bespoke funding package for graduates where the cost can be split into monthly payments over a longer period. This is a long-term commitment from us and hopefully the graduates we recruit will stay with us for a number of years and build really successful businesses.” We also see loads of millennial success stories through our annual awards, with rising stars overcoming barriers and finding their own solutions to make franchising their future. Just one example is our recent Young Franchisee for 2018 Almas Adam of Right at Home who took on his franchise at 24 and excelled. This story highlights how young people’s enterprising nature can help the franchisor evolve and the franchisor’s experience, comprehensive training, support and mentoring in management, business and selfdevelopment enable success. It doesn’t matter how old someone is – the values, passion and desire to succeed just need to be aligned.

AUGUST 2018 | elitefranchise

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make their

FUTURE your

BUSINESS

Are you looking for a career with all the rewards of helping children achieve and the independence of running your own business?

Kumon is the UK and Ireland’s largest supplementary education provider. As an independent business owner and the Instructor of your own Kumon Maths and English Study Centre, you will reap the rewards of developing children as you grow your business. We offer: • Thorough and transparent recruitment process • Low cost start-up fee • Support of a dedicated Area Manager • Comprehensive training programmes If you can demonstrate the educational skills and business acumen to succeed, this full-time opportunity could be for you. Apply now to attend an orientation meeting near you:

0800 854 714 www.kumon.co.uk

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Sussanne Chambers founder and managing director HomeXperts

Going for gold During her working life, Sussanne Chambers has been involved in a variety of business sectors. But one area all the businesses she's worked in had in common is they all entered business awards

t HomeXperts we’ve been recognised in various local and national business awards and winning has been an integral part of our strategy. Entering business awards isn't for the fainthearted and shouldn’t be a lastminute decision made a day before entries close. With proper planning and taking the time to complete your entry to the best of your ability, your chances to succeed will increase significantly. There are numerous types of awards your franchise could enter. Firstly, look at your area – the business community, such as the local Chamber of Commerce, often run business of the year awards and winning a local award is great for team morale. Other types of awards are industry-specific and the benefits of your company winning awards and recognition within your sector are huge. When choosing which award to enter, think about your company and what its strengths are, then search for ceremonies accordingly. For me, one of the most important aspects of winning awards is staff recognition and motivation. There’s nothing better than the team you work with getting tangible, third-party recognition for hard work. Some awards could be for individual team members and when you have someone working with you who really is exceptional, recognising their efforts by entering them into an award is a huge boost for their confidence. Furthermore, it’s great to be able to advertise as an award-winning franchise when recruiting new staff. The thirdparty endorsement does so much more

than you or your team telling candidates the company is amazing, particularly if your awards are for best place to work or best team. In many sectors you’ll be operating in a crowded marketplace but being an award winner can give you an edge on competitors, especially if you know they entered the same award category as you but your franchise won. Awards also create great PR opportunities. If you’re

shortlisted you’ll have numerous PR opportunities, so you can send out a press release before the event. Get your social media working for you too – if you win, the PR machine can go into overdrive. These are just some of the many reasons why it’s worth working hard for great award entries. Some of my proudest business moments have been winning awards and seeing the opportunities that being an award winner creates for the company. AUGUST 2018 | elitefranchise

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Low overheads and high margins; achieve financial success through an online business Why an ecommerce business could be the perfect opportunity for you You can start with a low level of start-up capital Work where you want, when you want No need to store or handle products yourself

create a brand

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join a growing market

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CASE STUDY: Nigel & Glenn

Pet Supplies

April ‘16

£3,500

CATEGORY

DATE JOINED

MONTHLY NET PROFIT

“

Brothers, Nigel and Glenn Chilcott, are no strangers to working together. For the past two years, they’ve been building a property business together after leaving their corporate IT careers in London. But they needed another income stream, and joining an online retail franchise seemed the perfect way to do it and keep them away from the typical nine-to-five existence.

Despite not having any direct experience of the ecommerce world, other than from a consumer perspective, Nigel and Glenn believed they had some valuable transferable skills that would benefit their business. In addition, they both had the enthusiasm and determination to make it work. They decided to join Platinum Business Partners in April 2016. Nigel commented: “We realised that you could probably do this on your own, but that it would take a lot longer, not only to get started but to become profitable too. Being taught by mentors who have been there, done it and made the mistakes, as well as being part of a support network, is hugely beneficial. We like the way that Platinum operates with integrity and in the medium to long-term, the franchise fee will become a very cost-effective investment.”

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Our focus now is on increasing our sales to 100+ units per day at a minimum of a 20% net profit margin. We also have plans to sell our current brand by December 2018 and develop another two.

“

Low start-up costs and unlimited potential made this online retail business a ‘no-brainer’

Glenn and Nigel sold their first product on Amazon on18th September 2016. Within nine months of trading, they’ve achieved a six-figure sales revenue and last month’s net profit was more than £3,500.

29/03/2018 15:30

The cure for

common tutoring BY Eric Johansson / photography by emilie sandy

Tutor Doctor’s CEO Frank Milner is on a mission to change students’ lives. And following the study struggles he faced after his father’s death, you can bet it’s personal

espite having already drained a bin’s worth of coffee cups, Frank Milner has poured a fresh one by the time he sits down to speak with us. “It’s been a very intense week,” he explains. “I flew over from India yesterday.” Sipping the hot brew in The Cavendish Hotel in London, the Tutor Doctor president reveals that the trip is part of the franchise’s push to become a global household name. Speaking over the faint sound of the construction work outside the window, Milner can barely contain his excitement about joining India’s fragmented supplemental education market. “I really loved it and, from a business point of view, I had a really great time in India,” he says. “From a personal point of view it was well beyond my expectations. So yeah, it’s been a little hectic but that’s how we like it.” But the push into Asia is hardly the only effort from the Canadian franchisor to reach its goal: over the past two years the company has been on a mission to rejuvenate and reenergise the network. “We went through a rebranding process because we had all these great things happening in the business and lots of success stories from students but I didn’t feel like we were doing a really good job telling that story,” Milner says. Having enlisted the help of the branding agency McKee Wallwork + Co, Tutor Doctor has spent considerable efforts to better showcase franchisees’ passion for improving students’ lives. As a result, the franchise today sports a new logo, a bolder colour palate and has had franchisees collaborate to write the book The Academic Success Formula. It also sports a new tagline: ‘How learning hits home.’ “It really helped us define who we are and what we are all about,” Milner says.

The rebrand also represents Tutor Doctor’s ambition to stand out in an increasingly competitive industry. From app developers spitting out e-learning tools to other tutor franchises, the educational industry is booming. Global Industry Analysts, the research firm, expected the global private tutoring market alone to be worth $100bn in 2018. So showing the ethos was really important for the franchisor. “We care about our students like they’re our own kids,” Milner says. “I think that really sets us apart and it really paves the way towards this bright future that we see for the company and our franchisees.” An outsider may consider his passion to be the just another sales pitch from an executive with a keen eye on the bottom line. However, nothing could be further from the truth as Milner’s teenage years provided ample reason to believe in the model. “I certainly have first hand understanding of the power of tutoring,” he says.

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His recognition of this began when Milner’s family first moved from Johannesburg, South Africa, to Toronto, Canada, in 1977. “It was really challenging,” Milner remembers. “We went from a very comfortable lifestyle where we had a nice house, a swimming pool, a big garden, cars and private school to emigrating to Canada where we had absolutely nothing.” Despite struggling with having to occasionally eat from paper plates, Milner still believes they had good reasons to leave. It had been his brother who first decided to exit South Africa. During his military service, the brother had been stationed close to the Angola border and experienced his fair share of fighting. Once he came back he never wanted to put on the uniform again and decided to depart. “My parents said, ‘wait a second, we are a family and if you are going to move, then we are going to move together as a family,’” Milner recalls. AUGUST 2018 | elitefranchise

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Frank Milner

But good reason or not, the family still faced considerable challenges in the new country. “Shortly after we emigrated to Canada, my father got very ill,” Milner remembers. However, instead of going to the doctor’s, Milner’s dad kept working in order to build up his new business to resemble the one he’d left behind in South Africa. “He waited a lot longer than he should’ve to seek medical attention and I think that he really gave up a huge part of his life, literally, because of that,” says Milner. “It turned out that he had cancer and had he sought treatment earlier, he would’ve lived much longer.” His father passed away in 1981. Looking back, Milner believes the combination of losing his father and living in a new country almost derailed his life. “Dealing with that was extremely challenging,” he says. As a result, his schoolwork started to suffer and he found himself lashing out against the people around him and hanging out with the wrong crowd. “I was angry, I was frustrated and I was sad,” he remembers. The turning point came when his mother pushed him to accept tutoring from a woman living down the street. “I was still very much confused and all those sort of things,” he says. “But it did give me the seeds of belief that I referred back to in my future education.” Not only did it help him regain control of his own life and awaken a passion for lifelong learning but it also had benefits for his future franchise. “My tutor’s daughter is now a franchisee of ours in Toronto and has done very, very well and it’s just interesting that it kind of went full circle,” he says. Having graduated from York University with a degree in business administration, he first worked as a stockbroker for about a year before joining an educational company called ProMaths. “And that’s where I met the original founder of Tutor Doctor – John Hooi,” Milner reveals. For a few years they worked side by side before their individual careers sent them on different paths. “I didn’t see him properly for ten or 15 years,” he says. And when he did, Hooi had a business opportunity too good to miss out on. 20 elitefranchise | AUGUST 2018

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Frank Milner

We care about our students like they’re our own kids In the two decades before they bumped into each other again at a Toronto restaurant, Milner would sharpen his corporate chops in a number of executive roles. “I learned a lot of big lessons during those years,” he says. Milner picked up one particular piece of wisdom when he started butting heads with a senior manager at one of the firms he worked for. At the time, Milner had developed into an awesome salesperson and his ego had grown accordingly. So when his manager tried to keep him grounded, Milner misread it as if he tried to hold him back rather than attempting to nurture his talent. “I was very frustrated and quite angry with him and I remember going to the driving range at the golf course and writing his name on some of the golf balls,” Milner laughs. While they’ve since made peace with each other, the lesson taught him the importance of listening to learn as opposed to just waiting for his turn to speak. By 2004 he found himself having his first brush with franchising working at WSI, the digital marketing franchise that today has franchisees in over 80 countries. “It was a tremendous learning experience for me,” Milner says. “I got my MBA in franchising in my WSI days.” As the vice president of channel development, he acquired marketing skills that, together with his newfound understanding of franchising, would prove very useful in his future franchisor role. Moreover, he also grew close with WSI’s leadership and to this day they still meet up and share ideas from the forefront of franchising. “It was quite exciting and [provided] extremely valuable lessons for me,” Milner says. He’d soon have reason to put his new skills to the test when he happened to bump into Hooi in a restaurant in 2007. “We hadn’t seen each other for many years and it was, you know, claps on the back and that ‘great to see you and what are you doing’ kind of thing,” he says. And as Hooi answered, Milner for the first time heard the story of how Tutor Doctor came to be. After leaving ProMaths back in the 1990s, Hooi’s career had seen him sign up as a franchisee for another tutoring company. “As he was building his learning centres he had no problems attracting customers to his business but he was having a lot of problems making money out of it,” Milner explains. The obstacle preventing Hooi from making a profit was the huge overheads attached to keeping the centres open. Eventually, he had to close shop. However, rather than calling it a day, Hooi began

to send off his tutors to students’ homes. “And that’s how Tutor Doctor was born,” Milner says. By the time of the fortunate happenstance at the restaurant, Hooi had already recruited six franchisees. “But he was really struggling to get this business off the ground because he’d learned that running a franchise system was very different from running a tutoring business,” Milner says. “And that was when I stepped in.” He offered to inject his understanding of the franchising sector into Tutor Doctor and Hooi was happy to oblige. Not one to rest on his laurels, Milner quickly launched an online marketing campaign in October 2007 that was supposed to run for three months. But by November they’d been so inundated with leads they had to close it down. “I remember one morning when John walked into the office, reached into his briefcase and just pulled out a wad of cash a family had paid the night before at one of his consultations,” Milner says. “And we were just laughing. It was then that I knew that we had something special.” However, while Hooi certainly enjoyed the new success, his heart wasn’t in it anymore. “He was very open about it because he had a lot of frustrations and struggles with the franchisees,” Milner remembers. “Quite frankly, he wasn’t having that much fun at all.” Recognising Hooi was a bit fed up with the company, Milner saw an opportunity and offered to buy Tutor Doctor from him. Hooi accepted the offer. “We completed the transaction in December of 2007,” he says. What Milner refers to as the “new 2008 model of Tutor Doctor” was quite different from the one that proceeded it. “It was very looseygoosey at the time in the way of infrastructure,” he explains. “There was very little in the way of tools for franchisees and as a result the franchisees were really frustrated.” Recognising that all franchises are only as good as their structures, Milner’s new team set out to write up an operations and franchising manual. The company also invested in new training and support systems for franchisees to ensure they could become profitable. Although, by then it was already too late for the six existing franchisees. “There was a lot of baggage,” Milner shrugs. In the end, the franchisees agreed to be bought out of the network and Tutor Doctor started afresh with a clean slate. AUGUST 2018 | elitefranchise

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Frank Milner

Eager to repopulate the network with best in class of franchisees, Milner began recruiting new people for the network. “We wanted people who were really passionate about the difference they could make in the life of the kids,” he says. However, the franchisor has learned that being passionate isn’t enough unless it’s combined with soft skills, keen business acumen and an eagerness to put their backs into growing the franchise. “We need people who are willing to work hard, probably harder than they’ve ever worked in their lives before,” he adds. “So that must be a commitment they need to make before they join us. They need to understand that this is not easy money.” But while demonstrating grit is important, he’s also adamant that they must celebrate their victories along the way. “I definitely encourage franchisees to do that throughout the journey because there has to be balance,” he says. “Don’t wait until you’ve achieved great success before you can start rewarding yourself.” A quick glance at Milner’s Instagram account reveals just how seriously he follows his own advice. From riding hot air balloons in Phoenix to casual dining in Portugal, he seems to be living his best life. And it’s hardly a secret why this is so important to him. “My father never allowed himself to enjoy the fruits of his labour,” Milner says. “He was working incredibly hard his entire life and literally worked himself to death in my opinion.” But while Milner encourages franchisees to be happy with their achievements, he also says you should never be too satisfied. “The comfort zone is the enemy of business,” says Milner. This attitude is part of the reason to why Milner has been able to push the company into expanding first to America and then across the pond to the UK in 2009. “It just seemed very natural to us that the UK

would be our first bona fide foray into becoming an international organisation,” he says. Expanding the business abroad was far from easy. “There were lots of challenges” Milner says. To break into not only a new country but also an entirely new continent, Milner had to evolve the model to the nation’s culture and educational system. What made it even more challenging was that the company didn’t have any support systems in place for the people joining the network. “Fortunately, we opened in the UK with a great franchisee, Alex Scotchbrook, who’s still a franchisee today,” Milner says. “She understood that she was a pioneer. When we hired her we didn’t have anything close to the support structure that we have today. We had no one on the ground here in the UK to support her and the franchisees that came after her.” But proving herself to have loads of the kind of grit Tutor Doctor wants from its franchisees, Scotchbrook proved herself able of building the business from scratch and to lead the way for the 56 UK franchisees that would follow in her footsteps. Today the company has 300 franchisees that operate 560 franchise territories in 16 different countries. But as his trip to India demonstrates, this number is sure to grow in the years to come. “Our vision for 2020 is to have 1,500 franchisees operating in 50 different countries around the world,” Milner says. Having recently completed the rebrand and introduced new launch support specialists to help new franchisees get off the launching pad, he is confident and almost giddy about Tutor Doctor’s ability to realise its goals. “I’ve always been excited about the business,” he concludes. “But we’re at that place now where I feel like we are going into the next stage of the journey as a brand.”

The comfort zone is the enemy of business 22 elitefranchise | AUGUST 2018

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03/08/2018 16:36

How can you really

measure the value of your franchise? Price is what you pay, value is what you get For our Franchise Partners, value for money means: Having access to our highly effective, intensive and ongoing training programme for the duration of your franchise that is proven to withstand turbulent markets Owning the assets from day one, so the income keeps coming in long after your commitment to us has expired - unlike all other franchises

Putting you in control of your financial future, generating an attractive longterm income stream that can replace or supplement your salary 94% of our Franchise Partners have met or exceeded their financial expectations within 2 years, demonstrating the real value of the Platinum model.

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01202 652 101

platinumpropertypartners.co.uk

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03/08/2018 17:15

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Celebrating a decade of wins Shweta Jhajharia was keen to start her own business. Who could predict that a decade later, she’d have built a multimillion-pound coaching firm based on helping other businesses grow.

hweta Jhajharia moved to the UK from India in 2007 for a corporate marketing job in London. Despite this new challenge and being kept very busy with her young son, Shweta was keen to start her own business. In the winter of 2008, having recently given up a career in Unilever, Jhajharia launched her ActionCOACH franchise. She had very little experience of working with SMEs and found herself in the midst of an economy in a tailspin. Rewarding business “Fast forward to 2013 and I opened my door to receive a large bouquet of flowers and a thank you note,” she says. “A business owner who I had convinced to become a client back in those first months. Today, his business at £18m is more than three times the size it was in 2008. However, it was the note accompanying the flowers that really surprised me – the note said, ‘In the last few years, my wife has been able to leave her job to take care of our young daughter and we’re finally in a position where I don’t have to worry about providing for my family’s basic needs as the sole breadwinner. Thank you for transforming our business.’ That’s really when the penny dropped for me and I sat down to redefine my business mission – creating better

realities through business re-education.” A decade of success Jhajharia has consistently been in the top three of global franchisees at ActionCOACH for the last few years. Her clients consistently achieve stellar results – with growth rates averaging 41% year on year. And, earlier this year, Jhajharia was named in the Top 30 Coaching Professionals of the world by CoachingGurus, an independent research organisation. “Our success reflects our client successes,” she says. “In the past few years, our business has transformed from £536,000 and 26 clients to £1.4m and 54 clients while maintaining a consistent 50% to 55% margin. Our team in the same period has doubled to eight people and now includes my first employee coach.” This was part of the reason why Jhajharia was named Franchisee of the Year at the NatWest Encouraging Women Into Franchising Awards this year. Her decade of business growth because of her clients’ success has

prompted women and men to join ActionCOACH and follow her example. Mitali Chopra is just one of those inspired by Jhajharia. “In November 2015, I went to the Business Startup Show at ExCel to understand the SME landscape. I wasn’t looking for a franchise but I happened to attend Jhajharia’s seminar on how to build a sales and marketing machine where she also spoke about her journey with ActionCOACH and I felt a real connection with her story. Afterwards, I went over to the ActionCOACH stand to get more information about the franchise opportunity. Two years on, I have a coaching practice with a team

24 elitefranchise | AUGUST 2018

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

of four and my income eclipses my former corporate salary.” Vicki Young is a director at Nalla Designs, a branding and digital agency in London. Her business has benefitted from coaching but it has done much more than improve the financials. “Since working with ActionCOACH not only has my business doubled in turnover, my confidence and clarity in what is achievable has also doubled,” Young says. Karen Howes is the CEO of Taylor Howes Designs and explains the journey she has been on with Jhajharia. “Working with Jhajharia and ActionCOACH has enabled me to grow my business and really sit back and take a bigger, wider view of the business,” Howes explains. “I started the journey as a manager, with coaching I quickly moved on to be a leader and I am now an entrepreneur and investor - something I could not have imagined at the start.” Giving back Now Jhajharia and her clients share their success wider, doing good for

Taylor Howes Design winning Best Overall Company at the Business Excellence Forum

others too. They have committed to a partnership with the Buy1Give1 (B1G1) project. It identifies charities from across the world which small companies can contribute to as part of their ongoing business. “We have chosen a rural education project in India,” Jhajharia says. “Educating children, I believe, is at the route to breaking out of the poverty cycle and changing society. The Mahakavi Bharathiyar School in Kasuava Village, India, provides exactly this opportunity to over 2,000 poor rural children from over 40 villages. So far, we’ve paid for a year of education for 40 children on behalf of our clients. We now consistently pay for free education every time a Shweta Jhajharia celebrating her two Stevie Awards new client joins us.

“I love that what I do gives me an opportunity to work with amazing people and make both their business and personal lives happier. My book ‘Sparks: Ideas to ignite your business growth’ came out in May 2017 with the hope it would help a lot more business owners define their own success and purpose. The book became an international bestseller, averaging 4.9 out of five stars on Amazon.”

All of this whilst maintaining a work-life balance to enjoy time with her husband and 11-yearold son. If Jhajharia’s story has inspired you to think about your future and you get a buzz from helping others succeed, love learning and developing yourself and have enjoyed success in your career or sport, then find out more by watching the overview video at actioncoach.co.uk/overview

AUGUST 2018 | elitefranchise

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03/08/2018 09:06

The Entrepreneurial Franchise Opportunity 10 REASONS TO INVEST IN A CASH GENERATOR FRANCHISE Excellent Return on Investment * Proven business model Established since 1994 58 franchisees operating 120 stores across the UK High growth opportunity, recession proof business model Single store and Multi-site opportunities available Multiple revenue streams including online and in store Exclusive franchise territories awarded for 10 years Ongoing training and support packages tailored to your needs Bespoke EPOS and website ecommerce platforms * More information is available in our franchise prospectus, download from our website now

www.cgfranchising.co.uk

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

Franchising the focus as Cash Generator goes back to its roots Cash Generator has taken the business back to its roots consolidating its position as the UK’s favourite second-hand store

his strategy change means existing Cash Generator franchisees from across the UK could invest further in the business by purchasing companyowned stores. For nearly 25 years, Cash Generator has been a brand trusted by customers with now over 120 franchisee-run stores throughout the UK and more than 500 employees across the country supporting the communities they serve. Cash Generator offers franchisees a unique entrepreneurial opportunity. As a franchise-focused business, Cash Generator offers a flexible business model for buying and selling pre-owned items alongside a range of graded and specialist lines. Throughout 2018, Cash Generator has been showcasing its business opportunity to potential franchisees at exhibitions across the UK. After successfully exhibiting at recent shows in London, Manchester and Glasgow, Cash Generator’s franchise recruitment team will be at the National Franchise Exhibition, NEC, Birmingham on October 5 and 6. Graeme McKinnon, managing director at Cash Generator, said: “This is a really exciting time for Cash Generator. The business has been established since 1994 and we already have 58 Franchisees who operate across the UK. We are really pleased that our existing franchisees are as excited as we are about our new strategy and some took up the opportunity to invest further in the business by purchasing corporate stores.”

The market for buying and selling second hand goods remains strong across many areas of the UK and Cash Generator has plans to expand the business to in excess of 200 stores. Cash Generator remain very optimistic about the growth opportunities that exist in this fast moving, recession proof retail sector. Graeme added: “Cash Generator continues to go from strength to strength and we are really excited to have consolidated our position as the UK’s first choice buying and selling franchise. The business is now fully focused on growing its national network of franchise stores and our business model is built with innovation in mind and customers at the heart. Our growth strategy will allow us to focus solely on the needs of our franchisees and the customers who use our services.” Anyone who is interested in potentially becoming a Cash Generator franchisee can find out more at www.cgfranchising.co.uk

AUGUST 2018 | elitefranchise

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06/08/2018 09:54

David Glover Acting managing director Caremark

Culture club The success of leadership and business depends very much on its culture

aving stepped into the role of acting managing director at Caremark in June, I’ve had time to reflect on the ease of the transition from one leader to another. Granted, I’ve come from within the brand itself but the lack of disruption and willingness of staff and franchisees to embrace such change is cause for contemplation. A good franchisor should have a culture that can facilitate a leadership change without brand damage or disruption. Strong foundations created by genuine teamwork, with everyone working together towards one goal, will provide stability and ensure longevity when changes arise. In today’s relationship-centric marketplace, franchisors must understand culture and values are as important to prospects as return on investment and operations manuals. Franchisees want to feel part of something bigger – to be a member of and contribute to a network of likeminded professionals who share their aspirations and ethics. Our culture at Caremark is everyone matters. From our carers out in the field to our franchisees, our head office staff and support team, even our founder and managing director – we want everyone to feel valued. Creating our culture of togetherness has been meticulously planned and rolled out with military precision. It’s quite a new concept for the care sector but we’re already reaping the benefits. I would encourage any franchisor or business owner to look inwardly at their own vision, values and culture and ask themselves: what would happen if I wasn’t here? This very culture within our brand has enabled our managing director to take a sabbatical and me to step seamlessly into the role. And with the autonomy to drive the business forward to new heights during my time in office. Archaic, managing director-protectionism has no place in a progressive, modern company and I believe it’s why we continue to thrive. For potential franchisees, the structure and culture of any franchisor’s head office team is something that’s

worthy of inspection. Does the brand hinge on one central personality? What would happen if that person needed to step away from the business? What measures are in place and who, if anyone, is earmarked for succession in the event of a planned exit or extended leave? And, if it’s not someone from within the internal team, why not? They may feel like uncomfortable questions to ask and I guarantee they probably aren’t ones that instantly spring to mind when doing your due diligence but they’re worth asking. It’s also worth questioning existing franchisees about this culture before you sign on the dotted line. It’s easy for a franchisor to tell you they have a togetherness culture but successful cultures are lived as well as talked about.

august 2018 | elitefranchise

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

Work when it suits you Break the chains of Monday-to-Friday-nine-to-five captivity with the flexibility of an Ovenu franchise

id you miss out on the time you wanted to take off work this summer because someone else in the office was off at the same time? Especially during the high demand weeks of the summer holidays it can sometimes be a battle negotiating with your boss about which fortnight you have off for your precious family holidays. If a colleague beat you at handing in their holiday request form and you missed out, it can be hugely frustrating for you and your loved ones. Added to that, if your partner can’t get the same time off as you, you’re pretty much stuffed. By investing into an Ovenu franchise, you can put you and your family at the top of your priorities. A desirable work life balance is one of the top reasons our existing franchisees

Ditch the race for the holiday request list top spot

recommend our business model, and it has eased the lives of so many due to it’s flexibility and adaptability. Our self-employed opportunity allows you to be selfish and you are essentially the only person in the office that you need to consider. You have no HR department to report to and no one to ask for permission if you want to take some time off. Not only does an Ovenu franchise allow total control of the diary, you can choose a white van that suits the needs of you as an individual and the local, exclusive territory you operate in. Need a bigger van to drive the kids around in? No problem. Need something compact to get safely down the winding, narrow country lanes? Go for it. Ovenu understand that every franchisee has unique requirements and will honour these in every possible way. Ovenu understand that franchisees are human beings with their own lives and varying circumstances. Because of this, there are multiple investment levels that they offer to prospective franchisees, with the minimum investment just £4,995 plus VAT. This makes the desirable Ovenu franchise accessible to many. So what else is included in this investment? You’ll receive training to the highest possible standard in the two key elements of our model, professionally valeting ovens in client’s homes and successfully running a profitable business. No experience is needed in either to thrive in a career with Ovenu, so what are you waiting for?

If you’d now like to discover more about us and our opportunities, give us a call on 01189 743 911 or visit ovenufranchise.co.uk

30 elitefranchise | AUGUST 2018

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02/08/2018 16:53

K ! C V A T B N O

We’ve done the groundwork. You get to build a business on a solid

foundation.

Our franchise opportunity was built on a solid footing nearly 25 years ago. We’ve since developed the business into the UK’s favourite oven cleaning service. As an Ovenu franchisee you’ll get to manage your lifestyle whilst enjoying an excellent return on your investment. You’ll be working locally in a bespoke, protected territory offering a premium quality service to clients. Our choice of options has expanded so that we have an opportunity that’s as individual as you! Our Foundation Franchise: For under £10,000 you will receive the best tools and equipment to build your business and generate turnover from day one. We will provide you with; • Initial business & valeting training to ISO standard • Unrivalled help and support • Marketing on launch and beyond • Your own choice of van • Use of our comprehensive Client Experience System • The potential to turnover more than £1200 a week

Our Foundation Plus Franchise: Extend on your foundations with a higher investment and gain access to; • Increased exclusive territory • Greater earnings & expansion potential

Invest with the best for less with our innovative ‘InSite ’ opportunity SM

01189 743 911 OvenU Full Page - July.indd 1

www.ovenufranchise.co.uk

29/06/2018 17:06

SEARCHING FOR A CAREER CHANGE WITH A FUTURE? BoConcept is a successful company in design-oriented furniture and are searching nationwide for: Managing Director Retail store-Franchise Partner - Very high average income potential - A strong brand from a well established company - Transparent processes with open communications - High Level Management Support - Extensive marketing support - Extensive training - Support for the store design and furnishings & Opening

Request more information on this franchise system franchise@boconcept.com www.boconcept.com/franchise

Franchise opportunities only available outside the Greater London area

Could you help ﬁx the ‘Catch up Crisis’? Mathnasium Learning Centres use a unique method of assessment and teaching designed to help children catch up, keep up and get ahead in maths. It’s a huge opportunity in a rapidly growing market, and this could be your chance to get involved. Owning your own Mathnasium Learning Centre Franchise could be the most rewarding move you ever make.

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02/08/2018 17:02

Nigel Toplis managing director The Bardon Group

Start your engines Franchising provides a genuine means of expanding a brand and building a capital asset. So how do you get started?

t’s a proven and established method of distributing products and services and with turnover exceeding £15bn per annum, employment over 600,000 and more than 32,000 franchisees in the UK, this is a substantial sector. Moreover, whilst some four out of five independent business startups go bust within two years, research proves year after year that over 90% of franchisees are still trading. Franchising is unquestionably a successful business model but you can’t just simply franchise any company – to succeed there is a process. To start with you need to get a basic understanding of franchising, what it entails, the relationships involved and the commitment required by you, the franchisor. Critically, of course, ask yourself the question: is my business franchisable? It must be repeatable, have a proven business system, appeal to a wide cross-section of people and have access to a large enough market. A robust and proven business system is mandatory – a good product is no guarantee of success but a poor system means almost certain failure. Your method of operation must be fully documented and the franchisee must feel confident about success from following the system and the manuals. You need formal documentation, not least a franchise agreement, to detail responsibilities between franchisor, franchisee, suppliers and customers. If you’re happy you have a robust business that’s franchisable within a large and growing market, which you can professionally write the manuals and other materials for, then the fun really starts.

It should be said though – creating a franchise from scratch is expensive. Funding is critical and, in my experience, you cannot create a proper and ethical franchise on the cheap. Then there’s the hairy issue of recruiting franchisees – no recruitment, no franchise. It’s that simple. You need to invest and you need to be single-minded – don’t accept weak franchisees, don’t change the franchise agreement for individuals and don’t bend your own rules. Franchisees want and need strength, vision, support and a solid business system. If you get this far then take advice, talk to the bfa, visit a specialist franchise lawyer, speak with knowledgeable banks, meet with a good accountant and talk to other long-established franchisors. Finally, remember franchising is all about getting the process right so if you want to be a successful franchisor – follow the process. August 2018 | elitefranchise

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03/08/2018 13:33

ADVERTISING FEATURE

A franchise in recruitment We’re not just selling a standard ‘recruitment package’ – we’re sharing our business with you

aw Staff Legal Recruitment is an award-winning legal recruitment firm with a network of connections spanning local, regional, national and international law firms as well as in-house legal departments. Law Staff acts for legal professionals at all levels, whether they’re climbing the career ladder or looking for a change and works with employers looking to recruit the best people to join their organisations. Law Staff’s aim is to fill each role with the best available candidate in the marketplace. “Recruitment by professionals, for professionals,” as we say. From our head office situated in Cambridgeshire, we currently work with a wide variety of clients from across the UK. Established in 2002, we have provided exceptional recruitment solutions for a wide variety of private practice, in-house and ‘magic circle’ clients. Adapting our proven technique to support all manner of recruitment,

our clients’ needs are at the very heart of our business. As we expand into the future, we’re looking for exceptional people to help build on our success, broadening our brand into new frontiers across the globe. Are you a top-class communicator who thrives in a selfmotivated work environment? Then this could be the perfect opportunity for you. A background in sales, customer services or management isn’t essential but it will be beneficial, although a great personality is the perfect starting block. As a franchisee, you’ll receive invaluable, continual business support, including training, marketing, access to new technology and more. Our franchise management team will assist you in developing your business plan, learning the best ways to hire and manage personnel and how to profitably manage your facility. At Law Staff, we share our success. We ensure that you’re well equipped,

not just to start, but to grow your business. Training, continual business support and a wide range of resources are available when you become a Law Staff Legal Recruitment franchisee. We want to make you part of our journey of success. Our exclusive franchise offer is limited in number, which means you are buying the right to develop your business in a defined geographical area. Each region or territory is sold as a package, meaning that you’re not fighting for vacancies from inside our company for business.

W: www.law-staff.co.uk T: 01954 208062 E: psweeney@law-staff.co.uk

34 elitefranchise | AUGUST 2018

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

Why choose homecare? With a range of opportunities in the franchise sector available for anyone looking to launch a business, why is homecare so appealing?

he UK care industry is currently worth nearly ÂŁ8bn with over 8,500 homecare providers available. Homecare is one of the largest growing sectors in the UK, with around ten million individuals aged over 65 looking for care and support to remain independent at home. Supported living is a movement that is here to stay, backed by many political parties, local authorities and voluntary charities. Growing older will inevitably increase fragility, so everyone will need care and support at some point in their lives and many people are choosing to remain living in the comfort of their own home. However, a busy work life means more families are unable to provide the daily support their loved ones need and having a trusted care provider available is essential. With the advantages of modern medicine, longterm health conditions can easily be taken care of within the home with the right support. Compared to moving into

The rising number of people aged over 65 makes the homecare industry a fantastic opportunity for businesses

a care or nursing home, homecare is the most costeffective choice, allowing clients and/or their families to choose when care is needed. The need for homecare services and the rising number of people aged over 65 makes the homecare industry a fantastic opportunity for businesses. There are a number of well-known brands within the franchise sector, and Heritage Healthcare is one of them. Business owners have the chance to launch their own homecare service with guidance from an established support team. Franchisees donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need a medical background to launch the business, but having a compassionate and caring outlook helps to understand and create bespoke care packages. With employees, specialised training and background checking is essential to become homecare assistants. As part of the Heritage Healthcare franchise package, we supply the Care Certificate eLearning training for staff to kick start their care careers. 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, contact our Franchise Director Michelle Fenwick QFP on 01325 370 707 or email michelle@heritagehealthcare.co.uk

AUGUST 2018 | elitefranchise

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02/08/2018 17:03

We are looking for Training mentors/Trainers for our SW Hair Extensions Training Academy (you do not even need to have a salon!). Licence fee for this is ÂŁ1200. The price covers the following:P Accredited Trainer Certificate oooenabling you to carry out training in oooall 6 Hair Extensions methods

P Ongoing business support to oooestablish your training business and ooomaximise your income

P 2 x Hair Extensions Training Kits ooo(contents are in the Training oooBrochure)

P Full accredited 2 day hair extensions oooSW Hair Trainer course including all 6 ooohair extension methods

Consultation Pads x 20

P Sub Section on our Training website ooolisting P Marketing on all social media oooplatforms. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll also be promoted oooin all our main advertising including oooHair Extensions Training Magazines

P All Marketing Material for your ooouse with your OWN logo incorporated oooincluding on the Hair Extensions oooTraining Packaging. P

Exclusivity for your territory

We offer a full training and support programme to assist with the development of these skills. You do however, need to be prepared to work hard, follow our systems and be fully committed to getting the business off the ground in your local area.

t: 07729 667402

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e: info@swhairextensions.com

03/08/2018 17:48

Tony Bowman managing director etyres

A franchise isn't a ticket to

easy street

While franchisees have a higher success rate than other startups, they still have to work hard to cash in

lmost all the franchisors I’ve known over the years have a common rhetorical question: “Why don't franchisees try harder?” The answer of course is that many franchisees enter the business with the impression that, having paid their joining fee, all they have to do is sit back and wait for the business to be handed to them on a plate and for the money to roll in. For many, no matter how much the franchisor tells them otherwise, this is the view of the business relationship they've entered into. And therein lies the root cause of many failed businesses, including many that are fundamentally sound franchised businesses.

This isn't of course to suggest franchising is high risk, far from it. Franchising has an impressive success rate with over 95% of new franchised businesses still operating profitably after five years compared with only 5% – yes, just 5% – being new non-franchised startups. But back to my narrative: the phenomena I’ve outlined is less of a problem with franchised businesses that require franchisees to generate all their own sales. The trend, however, is going in the opposite direction as the growing importance of online shopping makes it more likely the franchisor will generate sales through a main website and pass the resulting work to the franchisees. Similarly, the same scenario is likely if the franchisor has national contracts executed by the franchisees. All too frequently the result is that the franchisees don't remain hungry for new business. They don't keep searching for sales opportunities or continually try to develop new business contacts –both of which are a vital part of maintaining the growth and vitality of a business. The answer to this perennial problem is for the franchisor to make it clear from the outset – at the initial interview with the prospective franchisee – that the business is not going to be one in which the franchisee can sit back and see the money stack up. The franchisee also needs to realise that starting a new business is going to be far from easy, even with a first class franchise, and that a great deal of personal commitment is going to be needed. Any new business will not be a nine-to-five walk in the park. It’s going to be long hours and require a huge amount of effort. Just as difficult is the task of maintaining the initial enthusiasm and hunger to succeed; the desire to continue growing and develop a bigger, more profitable business and the determination to keep trying really hard. Every franchisor wants to see their franchisees in that situation because success breeds success for all concerned. For franchisees who are willing to make this commitment the rewards are too numerous to count. AUGUST 2018 | elitefranchise

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03/08/2018 13:34

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Restore Automotive,

discover your true potential Restore Automotive offers a turnkey business opportunity for you to start running and building your own profitable company

estore Automotive is the brainchild of Marvyn Robinson and Tom Lusted. When Robinson damaged his hire car and needed to find a repair solution quickly to restore the vehicle back to its preaccident condition, he looked online for help. Robinson came across a mobile repair service company in his local area that seemed to provide the perfect solution: a low cost body repairer offering a mobile repair service with a considerably faster turnaround than most body shops or insurance claims. The mobile repair solution was a company owned and run by Lusted. He attended onsite and repaired the vehicle damage within hours, at a fraction of the cost of a body shop. The vehicle was later returned back to the hire company with no visible signs of damage and a big repair bill was avoided. Robinson was amazed that this repair service existed. With his background in marketing and business development, he contacted Lusted again and proposed working together to grow the online presence for this type of service, to promote and expand Lusted’s service business. After a couple of years working together and tripling the customer base, Robinson and Lusted decided that this was a scalable business model that not only worked locally but could also provide a service to local markets nationwide. So in 2014 Restore Automotive was born. The Restore Automotive Opportunity Restore Automotive is a mobile repair service business that offers an alternative to body shop repairs or insurance quotes and is built around providing an exceptional customer experience. The main focus is on our customers.

We offer a solution to minor cosmetic damage and provide peace of mind to our customers that we can not only solve their problem but also provide our services at their convenience, at their location and at an affordable price. We are now in a position to not only help customers with damaged vehicles but also to help budding entrepreneurs run, own and build on a successful business model. The Restore Automotive franchise package provides all the help and on-going support that is so crucial in the early stages of launching a business – from the initial concept to development and right through to success and prosperity in both your business and domestic life. Restore Automotive really is the complete package with Lusted’s craft skills, high repair standards and desire to consistently provide an exceptional customer experience and Robinson’s experience of business systems,

The Restore Automotive franchise package provides all the help and on-going support that is so crucial in the early stage of business from initial concept, to development, right through to success and prosperity in both your business and domestic life. marketing, creating and maintaining an online presence with brand awareness, reputation and growth. The opportunity to join this team is now here. We would like to welcome you to join us so we can give you all the tools, knowledge and support needed to own, run and grow your own profitable mobile vehicle repair business in your local market.

For more information visit restorefranchise.com

38 elitefranchise | AUGUST 2018

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03/08/2018 12:09

Take control of your future with the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading mobile coffee franchise. CALL 0113 232 0118 FOR MORE INFORMATION.

the best part of your day! @Cafe2ULtd

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facebook.com/Cafe2uUK

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29/06/2018 23/05/2018 17:33 12:14

Chicken run By Yoana Cholteeva

From a part-time kitchen porter role alongside college studies to becoming the founder and brand advisor of Selekt Chicken, Tahir Jamil has climbed up steep hills on his journey across the fast food space

hicken has undoubtedly overtaken the meat market and won Brits’ hearts. Indeed, Kantar Worldpanel, the analysis firm, concluded the UK has consumed as much as 529 million kilograms of poultry over the last year. The insatiable love for chicken is also evident by the popularity of quick service restaurants occupying high streets, with the goldenbrown, crispy, fried coating and the juicy prize beneath it is among the reasons it’s a national favourite.

But for Tahir Jamil, a seasoned entrepreneur and franchisor, his journey in the bird-based fast food market started decades ago having cut his teeth as co-founder spearheading the growth of Chicken Cottage, the fried chicken franchise. Pakistan-born Jamil came to the UK in the early 1980s and worked hard from the outset with a part-time job in tandem with his college studies. “I started working in the food industry in 1984, long ago,” he recalls. “I was working with one of the kitchen factories that used to supply Waitrose.” This “awfully busy period” proved pivotal to develop Jamil’s business acumen and allowed him to gain experience from a few companies on the inside, such as KFC and even an accounting company, the latter of which is where he picked up the nuts and bolts of bookkeeping. But climbing the ladder from kitchen porter to head chef to manager only gave him solid knowledge of the food industry and eventually planted the entrepreneurial seed that resulted in Chicken Cottage. In his time at Chicken Cottage the firm grew to 240 stores worldwide. But he would eventually leave soon

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Selekt Chicken

after it was acquired by Malaysia-based TI Global Food Holdings in March 2014. From there, another idea hatched as he came up with the concept for Selekt Chicken. Although he admits his initial idea to create a fried-free chicken franchise wasn’t very successful. The team had put in a lot of effort with collaboration from a leading UK ingredient company and developed a grilled product with the same taste as a fried one – albeit healthier. “It took about two years to bring the first sampling,” he details. But despite their efforts and the elaborate nature of the task, the healthier version didn’t gain much recognition. “My intention was to start Fried Free because Fried Free was a complete, unique, individual, separate project not available in the market but we ended up with Selekt Chicken because of its higher demand.” With such a transition, Jamil says “ambitions and dreams are often changing” and he doesn’t seem to regret his decision. Selekt Chicken opened its doors in 2017 and currently has eight functioning franchisees, with two under construction and another expected to open doors within the next three months. As a business catering to the varied needs of customers, the rising chain offers the opportunity to eat in or arrange delivery through Uber Eats and Deliveroo. As a franchisor though, the main company focus is to provide quality training to its franchisees and Jamil certainly doesn’t wing it as he keeps self-analysis and constructive criticism among his business priorities. “We are thinking about our problems so we don’t pass them to our franchisees,” he assures. For this reason the franchisor has also put a training team in place and provides supporters “on the move” who are ready to help in any scenario

of franchise difficulty. “Whatever the case, we are there to help each other and we can achieve beyond the written target,” he adds. Jamil remembers the day when he found his first franchisee – a shop owner who was eager to take on a franchise but unfamiliar with the process. Despite the lack of understanding, he seemed like a promising candidate to Jamil because of his motivation. “We called a meeting in our office and I said: ‘Look, this is a perfect person for a franchise, why don’t we give him a chance?’” Jamil recalls. After seeing that franchisee running a successful store with numerous people working for him, the Selekt Chicken founder knew he made the right call. “Because of his commitment I was confident he was the right franchisee,” he adds. Even if the people aren’t particularly wealthy or experienced, it’s no barrier

as far as Jamil is concerned, as the personal qualities he always searches for in prospective franchisees are dedication and passion for development. “Everything can be sorted,” he says. “But you cannot buy the commitment of the person even if [they’re] fully loaded with money.” Jamil also believes customer trust as well as an eagerness to constantly learn new things and development in business are invaluable. As such, he has his own approach to customer service and enjoys interaction with customers as he did in the days when he was the one behind the counter. Given that time at the coalface, it’s hardly surprising he’s eager to listen to the new fresh ideas and constructive feedback coming from the young employees in the stores. “I learn from the youngsters working there because they are the ones who highlight problems so quickly and

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Selekt Chicken

Everything can be sorted, but you cannot buy the commitment of the person even if [they’re] fully loaded with money.”

precisely,” Jamil says. “So rather than putting so much money in just to find out what exactly the problem is, they’ll tell you straight away and that’s the best learning I’ve ever come across.” Having experienced the fall at the first hurdle of Selekt Fried Free, Jamil didn’t lose heart on the innovative approach he had in the beginning. The first Selekt Chicken shop opened in Harrow, Northwest London, is the one to combine the best of both worlds. “We’ve got dual options available,” says Jamil. “You can go for a normal [fried] chicken, which has its own identity, unique colouring scheme and logo or Selekt Fried Free – perfectly accessible to the public.” Since the founder believes in making hay while the sun shines, he’s confident that now more than ever is “the right time” for another franchising model. Because of the growing attention and the amount of interested parties in the non-oil fried chicken, the company is currently preparing to embark on Fried Free franchising as a separate brand in 2019. Jamil is confident “the business is proven for success” and it’s a huge benefit that people are now more ambitious than ever. “They are not in a sit back, relaxed position as they were in the 80s,” he argues, noting they pursue innovation even more, while the market is very open. The growing franchise isn’t only driven to send Selekt Fried Free out to the franchising market but the company has bigger ambitions. Despite the name, their horizons are not limited solely to the idea of chicken. Jamil reveals that currently the team is working on the development of another non-fried product to add to the fried free revolution – grilled fish. The company aims to create fish with the same quality as the not-so-healthy fried alternative from classic fish and chips shops – a revelation he’s very optimistic about. “The success has no destination,” he says confidently. “We cannot limit ourselves.” With a sight eagerly pointed at the future of fast food business, it seems like Selekt Fried Free is destined to contribute to the growing concept of an indulgent but healthy diet.

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I’m fed up with other people taking credit for work I’ve done

I’m not appreciated at all

I want to be my own boss

I put in the hard work but it’s not reflected in what I earn

Running your own business doesn’t have to be a pipe dream With a Techclean franchise you can be up and running in weeks. Techclean are the UK’s leading expert in specialist IT cleaning services. With franchises available in your area, we’re looking for good communicators with an aptitude for sales and marketing to run their own locally based business.

• WORK FROM HOME • TERRITORIES AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT THE UK • NET MARGINS OF OVER 55% • HUGE AND GROWING MARKET • REPEAT BUSINESS • EXTENSIVE ON-GOING BUSINESS SUPPORT

Request a free information pack at techclean.co.uk/contact or email edownes@techclean.co.uk techclean, Unit 2 Cartwright Court, Forest Business Park, Bardon, Leicestershire, LE67 1UE 01530 513300 • edownes@techclean.co.uk

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09/01/2018 16:01

ADVERTISING FEATURE

What attributes do franchisors look for in franchisees? Business owners need a set of skills to sustain and develop their company but what is it franchisors want to see in their franchisees?

he franchise model is unique for any business that decides to choose this type of expansion. So, what kind of person is suitable to represent, establish and develop the brand, inevitably alone and without their constant supervision? Every franchise sets out to find the most on-brand franchisees they can but along with that are a handful of skills all franchisees should possess. These attributes mean that a franchisee can withstand the training, the franchise model and be a longstanding representative of the business. With the help of some franchisors in the process of recruiting franchisees, here are the six most common qualities required in a new franchisee: Diligence Franchisors find success in the fact

they have been able to hone their business model to something wellestablished and recognisable. Along with this, the business offers an efficient work process that can be easily replicated and with a loyal customer base. No matter how well-established a franchise model may be, however, a franchisee must diligently follow the processes, commit themselves to any training provided and take on board franchisor advice. This is ongoing throughout the running of your territory – not just the early stages. Positivity Along with diligence you should also have ongoing high energy, persistence and positivity. Against common assumptions, you

can’t buy a franchise half-heartedly. You must still evoke a love and drive for the business as if it were your own brand. Highly-motivated and positiveminded franchisees who can drive sales are highly valued and have potential for further growth within the franchise. Be positive about what you can achieve for your franchise and have a can-do approach to solving any issues that arise. A successful franchise always offers continuous support, so don’t be afraid to embrace ongoing learning. As an established franchise, Hey Baby 4D, the pregnancy care centre, explains: “Less than 7% of franchises fail within the first three years, compared to 90% of new independent businesses. That’s because we’ve made all the mistakes, so you don’t have to.” Friendliness Excellent people skills build a great reputation, which further strengthens the franchise brand. Once you open the doors of your franchise, your relationship with the franchisor and head office doesn’t end there. A franchisee is a business partner not an employee, so being courteous and happy in all relationships, from monthly meetings to customer complaints, is key. A friendly attitude creates nothing but a positive atmosphere and offers a template to everyone else around you.

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

With this skill, contacts and professional relationships develop and last. Sales In any business, the ability to sell a brand is fundamental to long-term growth and success – so basic sales skills are a must. Much to the surprise of many people, selling isn’t just about getting money in the bank. What’s equally as important is looking after your client base, creating a business that’s the first port-of-call for a customer and building long-standing supplier and clientele relationships. With this comes a natural and genuine form of sales. In today’s society a hard-sale can be nothing but off-putting and arouse suspicion of your authenticity. The way a franchisor has sold their love of the business to you, you too must go on to sell your enthusiasm and love for the brand. Management With sales should come great management skills. If you can manage a team well and deal with staff and accounts, this will be a valuable asset to any franchise.

Whether you’re buying into an established brand or not, it’s your business and your team is an extension of how you want to present yourself. Many who invest in a franchise transfer straight from their regular nine-to-five. So, even if you don’t have any direct experience in management, prove yourself to be a strong individual during your own due diligence of the franchise and the franchisor will be able to see the managerial attributes in your personality. Leadership Whilst good management keeps your staff on the right track, strong leadership is part and parcel with these previous traits and is what drives your team to a brighter future. A franchise model means a certain amount of guaranteed sales but a franchisee must lead the business to really excel. This not only includes managing staff but also striking the balance between being a team player and leading with clear direction.

“You want someone who is fairly driven to be successful and competitive. Because the workers are an integral part of the business, you’ll need to be able to manage and motivate staff,” says Pitman Training, the workplace skills franchise. It’s a bonus to have strong business skills but you should also have a positive approach, realistic and consistent goals for you and your business and, most importantly, the potential to be one of the faces of your chosen franchise. Franchisors want their franchisees to be able to grow and develop alongside their brand. Whichever franchise you choose to invest in, ensure that you can display all of these attributes with confidence and that you can see yourself taking the journey with just as much enthusiasm from the first year to the tenth.

Find your franchise at www.FranchiseSales.co.uk. Browse hundreds of opportunities to suit all interests and passions.

AUGUST 2018 | elitefranchise

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Weather warning

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Weather warning

Season's greetings By Zen Terrelonge

This UK summer has been nothing short of historical. But just how much impact can the weather have on a franchise and how are they adapting to the changing seasons that vary so drastically on this little island we call home?

he British summer is usually cause for despair and disappointment. Even when clear blue skies have been promised, umbrellas are commonly packed by many as a precaution. But 2018 has been a game-changer as we’ve witnessed a seemingly endless summer of red-hot temperatures, the longest and most consistent since 1976. It’s not been without it’s problems though – London firefighters have been called to six times as many grass fires this summer so far versus the entirety of 2017. With business in mind, it’s safe to assume an ice-cream shop will do a roaring trade in such toasty conditions while an underfloor heating specialist is unlikely to be as in demand. But one way or another, as we’ve seen with the fire brigade, it’s clear the weather will certainly have a great impact on operations for better or worse. So how much of a role do the seasons play when it comes to franchising? Il Gusto, the personalised gifting franchise, isn’t directly impacted by the weather as its stalls are found inside shopping centres and department stores but grey or rainy conditions are preferable to blazing sunshine in order to improve footfall. “We find people are more likely to go shopping when the weather is not as sunny as they’d prefer to be outside,” reasons Alexis Quivet, general manager at Il Gusto. Quivet argues the burning heat holds little sway over the franchise’s versatility. “We have a niche business with high quality products, so we don’t get very affected by the heat,” he says. However, weather aside, the summer season itself traditionally brings on spending opportunities as the period is generally filled with weddings, children leaving school and parties, all of which gifts are required for. Helpfully though, the company’s design means winter brings a spike in business too. “With nearly 50% of business undertaken during Christmas annually, Richard Mosconi, the founder of Il Gusto, decided to

create a seasonal approach to his franchise model – the ‘a la carte’ concept,” he continues. “This concept offers franchisees the flexibility to work for a period of three to seven months per annum, mainly during the highly profitable summer and pre-Christmas periods.” Said model comprises a pop-up shop approach, which allows franchisees to minimise costs while maximising profits, according to Quivet. It’s a different story for Greensleeves, the lawn care franchise, which thrives in the great outdoors. And while the scorching summer sun may be undoing the hard work of franchisees by transforming lush greens into extra crispy shades of yellowy-brown, it’s providing opportunity at the same time. “Prime weather conditions for anybody operating in the lawn care business are what you would describe as typical British weather ie changeable with no extremes,” says David Truby, managing director at Greensleeves. “So, nice warm weather without much wind and a good dose of rain during the week. Having said that, whatever weather we have generates opportunities for us, so if we have a long dry period and lawns go brown, there is a lot of renovation required.” Likewise, excessive amounts of rain resulting in mossy lawns can also generate additional business. Given Greensleeves’ gardening work is done outdoors, it’s easy to see why its most hectic periods are actually different from Il Gusto’s. “Spring is definitely the busiest season for us,” Truby reveals. “The first nice weekend we have after winter tends to stimulate a lot of calls from potential new customers and suddenly everybody gets interested in their garden again. Autumn is also a very busy period with lawns usually requiring repair or renovation work after summer.” Seemingly this autumn will be a very busy period for Greensleeves indeed, following the state of lawns up and down the country. August 2018 | elitefranchise

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Weather warning

In Scotland we often joke we can experience four seasons in one day Duncan Ross, operations manager at ClassForKids

And the gardening franchise ensures its franchisees don’t rest on their laurels during quieter spells and go into hibernation, with ongoing dialogue being crucial to achieve this. “We try hard to communicate with our customers throughout the year on the condition of their lawns, to help them understand the need for additional works at various periods through the year,” says Truby. “When demand is very high, we’ll use temporary staff to ensure we can meet customer demand. Generally they’ll be paired with a regular member of the team to ensure our high-quality is maintained.” Meanwhile, winter, the quietest of all the seasons, is used as a time for strategising and planning. Elsewhere, ClassForKids, the online booking platform for children’s activities, is well aware of the extreme variations of British weather thanks to its Glasgow headquarters. “In Scotland we often joke we can experience four seasons in one day but the past six months in particular have been an incredible contrast, from deep snow to scorching sun of late,” laughs Duncan Ross, operations manager at ClassForKids. The nature of the business means the team knows how to have fun. So when The Beast From the East struck and caused commuting carnage, there was an internal contest to see who had the best working from home photos, such as sledge-based emailing or selling to snowmen. And with franchises and other organisers supported by ClassForKids, the blizzard also presented a manic week for sales and customer services due to increased numbers of clients cancelling activities. “There was a spike in people looking for a system that could help them send targeted communications to their

customers,” says Ross, detailing the benefit of the bad weather for generating new business. Comparatively, the heatwave has also generated an uptick in bookings. “With such great weather this summer we’ve also noticed an increase in outdoor camp bookings,” says Ross, adding that football, tennis and cricket, all outdoorsy activities, have grown in demand too. Given the boundless energy that courses through the bodies of children, there’s rarely a quiet moment for ClassForKids as parents continually seek entertainment for their little ones. Having said that, Ross notes summer can provide a chance to refocus as some classes are reduced or paused over the season. “This is the ideal time to take a closer look at our innovation pipeline and to work on the next new features that will help clubs build a better business,” he says. With organisers running fewer classes, ClassForKids generally seeks feedback from clients as it tests fresh designs and features over the period ahead of the new term. The calm before the storm doesn’t last long, usually ending when a new term starts as classes reopen following school breaks, so the coming autumn is a perfect example of when ClassForKids will need to be prepared for its clients. Spikes can be 100% above normal levels during these times, so the business ensures the team members are available with evening and weekend hours assigned.“March in the spring and September in the autumn are when our system is tested and our technical team are on high-alert for any potential issues relating to bookings and payments,” says Ross. Concluding on how a robust, forward-thinking approach is needed for a company that revolves around seasons, Ross shares the ClassForKids approach. “For franchises with large numbers of kids across clubs and classes, last minute changes to classes because of rain, sun or snow can often cause a large amount of disruption,” he says. “We also know when things get a bit quieter and we’re actively working on new features for clubs to increase their own revenue streams and to avoid any dips in cashflow.” So there you have it. In order to battle the British weather as a franchise, your model should have you ready to make hay when the sun is shining – or the snow is falling.

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IMPROVE LIVES, INSPIRE CHANGE, NURTURE SUCCESS The Kare Plus Franchising story continues to develop as we move closer to total coverage of the UK. As one of the longest established healthcare franchises in the country, we have developed a reputation for quality care, outstanding support and sustained growth. Nowhere is this more evident than in our expansion from a single branch to having sold more than two - thirds of our UK territories.

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EDINBURGH

70% 60%

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70%

40%

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of Kare Plus UK territories sold

10%

NOW AVAILABLE

This unique franchise model grants business owners a level of freedom and creativity that is unmatched by other healthcare franchises.

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SHEFFIELD SHEFFIELD

20%

With establishment-based care, homecare and the soon to launch, live-in care service to choose from, our franchisees are able to tailor their service offering based on territorial demand.

After almost 30 years of providing compliant and passionate healthcare staff to establishments across the United Kingdom, the Kare Plus network is expanding faster than ever before.

YORK

50%

EXETER

Other key territories include: Harrogate Peterborough Plymouth Newcastle Upon Tyne North Wales

Get in touch with us today: 01952 783338 www.franchising.kareplus.co.uk franchising@kareplus.co.uk

29/06/2018 17:55

Salad Box

Living

on the veg Kent Mosbech spills the beans about how diverse employees add flavour to his company, which is what got him the UK master franchisee licence for Romanian restaurant Salad Box By Varsha Saraogi

hether it’s the ease of getting a greasy burger and cheesy fries or the convenience of picking up a cheap frozen pizza, it’s no secret more young professionals resort to readymade junk food due to their busy schedules. But many millennials today would rather choose a bowl of fresh salad than those high calorie carbs if they were as ubiquitous as grub from other takeaway spots. “This is the future of fast food,” says Kent Mosbech, UK master franchisee of Salad Box, the Romania-founded healthy restaurant franchise, which comes with the tagline: ‘Food is life. Make it good.’

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Salad Box

This isn’t his entrepreneurial debut though. As the CEO of Impellity, the business consultancy responsible for supporting product growth in any market, Mosbech is always on the go – but the foodie within probed him to enter the culinary industry. “What’s better than healthy food which caters to good taste as well as your fitness routine?” he says. After all, modern entrepreneurs want scrumptious readyto-eat meals that are also conducive to fitness. “Whether you’re a fitness enthusiast or not, Salad Box is a place which can please anyone,” he adds. Given London booms with new eateries every month, one must assume the consumer options are large. After buying Salad Box’s franchise rights for the UK, Ireland and Scandinavia and analysing the market, Mosbech says there was a dearth in salad bars. “There are healthy restaurants but the salads you get are in a plastic bowl and made

hours ago,” he details. “It’s nowhere nearly as nutritious. The condensation that happens inside a plastic wrapping changes the whole structure and taste of the salad. We believe in fresh, locally sourced, organic ingredients.” Salad Box is the first franchise project Mosbech took on and the seed was planted when a Romanian employee spoke of the success experienced by the company in its home market after launching in 2012. Little did Mosbech know he would be tasting similar success just 12 months after his first store opened in Brick Lane in July 2017. “It was all quite sudden, quick and proved to be profitable,” he says. Nestled between cheaper curry shops, it was the local community that acted as a boon to the brand. “As a company which wants to scale across the country, we also wanted to stay focused on the local market,” he adds. “We went to the corporate companies and offered

Whatever drives people through our doors is worth it

catering services.” Apart from that he started delivery services through Deliveroo and Uber Eats and the sales grew exponentially. “You might have a few more walk-ins without delivery but in the long run you win as you get more customers,” he says. Ireland, which saw its first store open in July 2018, follows a similar strategy under the helm of franchisee Mike Kelly. “There is a difference in every place where brand promotion is concerned, especially with social media,” explains Mosbech. “So we prefer bringing in a local marketing team to take charge of that. Whatever drives people through our doors is worth it.” From taking luxury products to household items across Europe with Impellity, Mosbech surely knew his onions when scaling a company. “With a domestic strategy in mind, we hired an operational manager to overlook the franchisees, who [had] cut his teeth while [previously] working for McDonald’s,” he says. “We also had the Romanian staff come and assist the franchisees to train them. [If you] get the right staff and the right manager, you inevitably see an upward curve on your profit scale.” Apart from receiving training from the franchisor, Mosbech took a few pages out of its book about franchise August 2018 | elitefranchise

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Salad Box

operation. “The founders are young and full of beans,” he says. “They want everyone associated to the brand to be profitable.” For instance, the franchisees are given the freedom to choose a supplier of their choice, unlike other franchises. “As long as it’s approved by us,” he adds. “We run a quality check but beyond that we don’t put any restrictions. Our franchise model is very open and unique.” When it comes to recruiting franchisees, Mosbech looks for business acumen instead of hospitality experience. “It’s not rocket science to be a restaurant manager,” he says. “We can train them in the kitchen as long as they have an entrepreneurial spirit.” He received over 2,000 franchisee applications and, upon shortlisting, potential ones were taken to the HQ to be given a crash course of what’s entailed with a tour of the flagship stores in Romania. This was followed by training to make sure they comply with the brand. However, taking the food chain global was bound to unearth a few differences between the Romanian and British stores due to the distinct palettes alone. “We introduced some new ingredients in the UK after our market research,” reveals Mosbech.

I will bring to you what the top restaurants in the city or even Europe can’t offer “For instance, avocado – people love it.” Apart from that, they also decided to make the branch halal-friendly due to the location and clientele around. In addition to recipes, regulations aren’t the same in both countries. For instance, restaurants need to adhere to the health and safety rules in the UK, something that isn’t as strict in Romania, Mosbech says. There are other challenges the master franchisee faced too. While setting up, the company was in a pickle when it came to a potential branch in Kingston upon Thames that was due to launch this year. “There were disagreements with the franchisee but it was our learning curve – it didn’t deter us from scaling further,” recalls Mosbech, adding eight

franchisees are set to launch in Blighty after all the paperwork is completed and a further 20 are in the pipeline. It’s proof that, as Mosbech says: “London presence has a value.” Indeed, despite these problems, the company is above its targeted profits. Having explored over 70 locations worldwide, Mosbech is confident that the UK, Ireland and Scandinavia will see over a 100 franchisees in the next five years. Deep fried, inexpensive joints may be a mountain to scale but he has his climbing kit ready. “If we can get even a part of the niche market who want a healthy lifestyle then we will do fine because I will bring to you what the top restaurants in the city, or even Europe, can’t offer,” he concludes.

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29/06/2018 17:50

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Simple business model with low risk and high profits Enjoy the excitement and success of building your own business in the commercial cleaning sector. Betterclean Services’ franchise package and ongoing support means our business opportunity is simple to run and low risk with high profit margins achievable.

rom the outset, the bedrock of the Betterclean Services way of thinking has always been “Keep it simple.” And this ethos has continued through in to the franchise opportunity and the ongoing support and guidance given by the head office team. Betterclean Services offer franchise opportunities in the commercial cleaning industry, a market currently worth some £6.9bn with almost every business having a requirement for cleaning at their premises. Due to this vast marketplace, the continuous need for the service and the simple yet detailed business package that Betterclean Services have developed this business opportunity is low risk to any investor. The franchise package starts from just £19,600 and the ongoing management fee is one of the lowest in the industry at just 5.75%, so not only is the business low risk but it also has a low entry level investment requirement and a low ongoing management fee meaning higher profits for franchisees. With the lowest management service fee and a continuous increase in head office support, Betterclean Services is possibly the best commercial cleaning franchise available today. In a thriving market, you need the right tools to stay ahead of the competition. That’s exactly what our modern, professional brand and systems, designed by ex-franchisee and Betterclean managing director Dan van Kuyk delivers. A guaranteed business development scheme is available with business guidance from experienced mentors. Along with the in house telemarketing team at head office, tailored business development support and regional and national work are secured by head office. There is minimal admin time thanks to our cloud-based bespoke business management system and a network of like-minded business owners sharing experiences. Everything we do is based around our franchisees and this starts from day one when one of our mentors will sit down with you and map out the growth plan for your business, identify all of the key milestones along the way and the support that you’ll require to build your business. And the

mentoring doesn’t stop there; we’ll continue to have regular telephone and in-territory catch-ups with you to ensure you’re on track to achieving your goals and to identify and remove any potential stumbling blocks before they become a problem. Regular communication is key because people new to business don’t know what gaps they have in their knowledge and it’s our job to guide you through the lifecycle of running and building your franchise. This support and understanding allows our franchisees to grow successful businesses that not only generate a great income but become an attractive asset that can be sold in the future.

Contact Mike our franchise manager on 0800 772 0810 or email franchise@bettercleanservices.co.uk for more details. Investment: from £19,600 plus VAT Dan van Kuyk – managing director and founder

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03/08/2018 12:02

With a Betterclean Services franchise you get an exclusive territory, a large support network to help you run and build your business and one of the lowest MSFs in franchising.

WE HELP YOU SUCCEED Betterclean DPS RIGHT 1

02/08/2018 17:34

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Cafe2U preparing for growth With more than a decade of business success, Cafe2U UK now sits as the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fourth largest coffee business and the largest in mobile coffee. Cafe2U is constantly evolving and, with its new website having just launched, is preparing for further expansion and success in the coming years.

afe2U was launched in the UK by managing director Tom Acland in 2004. He first experienced Cafe2U when he was working in Australia between 2000 and 2004. During this time Acland became a customer of one of the very first Cafe2U vans. The thing that struck him

about his experience as a customer was not only the quality of the coffee that he was able to enjoy every day but also the convenience of having it made fresh outside his office. Cafe2U now takes premium, espresso-based coffee, hot chocolate, and sweet treats directly to the

A commitment to the highest standards in customer service, product and operational standards

consumer at non-traditional locations all across the country, such as places of work, business areas, industrial estates, events and sporting occasions. The business now boasts a network of more than 90 vans and was recently named the fourth largest coffee business in the UK in the Allegra Coffee Portal 2017 report. Through a commitment to the highest standards in customer service, product and operational standards, the business looks to continue its growth in the coming years, keeping customers and franchisees happy along the way. Representing how far the brand has come, the business has recently invested in a brand new website. This has been expertly designed to allow customers to find franchisee information quickly, maximising their potential to earn from new stops and events. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more, the website also contains all the information potential franchisees need to help them decide that their future lies with Cafe2U. Each Cafe2U franchisee also benefits from a bespoke marketing plan, including digital and social media activity, meaning it is a business ready for growth in 2018 and beyond. franchises@uk.cafe2u.com cafe2u.co.uk/franchise-opportunities

56 elitefranchise | AUGUST 2018

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03/08/2018 12:04

Chris Roberts director Franchise Finance

Be objective Making franchise developments happen isn’t a simple matter of clicking your fingers and making vague comments – it’s all about being SMART

ithin the Franchise Finance Business Training Academy, we run business planning workshops for franchisees. At the outset we explain that before making financial projections, franchisees need to be clear on what they’re trying to achieve and then set the numbers around this rather than the other way around. Of course, our emphasis here is on the business objectives but these should be aligned to the owner’s personal goals in order to maximise the chances of success. Also, if there’s more than one owner, it’s necessary for clear communication and alignment between the various parties before they set off on the beginning or next stage of their business journey. However, that leaves us with the question of what makes a good

business objective? Is it a phrase like: “Recruit some more staff so we can increase sales”? No – that’s far too woolly and imprecise. When we set our business objectives they must be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely (SMART). So, the previous example should perhaps read: “Recruit two more sales people by the end of this financial year in order to increase turnover by a further £90,000 per annum in the following year.” This is much more specific because we‘ve said how many staff members and it’s certainly measurable because a target increase has been set. The business owner can use their knowledge of the market and resources to gauge whether it’s achievable, realistic and a time limit has been set for the recruiting.

Having now set our SMART business objectives – and please commit them to paper and share them with your business partners – we now know where we’re trying to get to on our business journey. But what or who is the first thing that’s likely to stop us getting there? Answer: Ourselves. Will we use the right behaviours? Do we have the necessary skills and knowledge? We may need to change some of our habits and develop some new expertise and awareness. We’ll need to invest some time in order to do this. Time is a precious commodity so why not make some set appointments in your diary with yourself, to not only work on the business as opposed to working in the business but also to work on yourself?

august 2018 | elitefranchise

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03/08/2018 13:32

Funding your

franchise

A well-known phrase in business is “cash is king” – and it’s very true. Staff, overheads and suppliers will always need paying but, as any business owner knows, money is vital for many other factors too 58 elitefranchise | August 2018

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Franchise Funding

BY Dave Galvin, operations director, D&T chartered accountants

here are lots of reasons franchises need finance – whether that’s expansion, working capital, starting up, refinancing, asset purchases or unforeseen disasters – the list goes on. Whatever your business, it’s likely you’ll need investment of some level at some point. Sadly, the rumours are true and money doesn’t grow on trees. So what’s a franchisor or franchisee to do? Many business owners believe securing funding is one of the biggest barriers to their business journey. I’m pleased to report, however, that the days of a trembling visit, cap in hand, to your local bank manager are long gone. There are now many options available to those looking to acquire finance and, with a diverse range of funding opportunities for enterprises: if you’re hoping to grow, develop or start your franchise this year, you needn’t let a lack of finance thwart your ambitions. The main thing before you even think about approaching an investor, is to ensure you’re prepared, professional and realistic as this can only go in your favour throughout the process. To succeed with an investment pitch, it’s vital that you know your business and your business plan inside out. There are experts available to help you do this but choose an independent agent or advisor to ensure you get the best deal from across the market, not just from a bank they might be affiliated with. They can also ensure your business plan is as strong as possible so you’re more likely to get the funding, which is well worth doing. As a franchise, you already have a proven business model, so you’re in a good starting place. However, you’ll also need to show any investor you have a solid grasp on the business financials and explain exactly what makes money and any signs of success or potential concerns. You’ll need to be open with them about any weaknesses as transparency and honesty is essential for an investor

to see. If there’s a major Achilles’ heel in your business, for example a strong competitor or a technological advance that you aren’t prepared for, you shouldn’t necessarily shout about it, but don’t try and hide it. Be honest and prepared to explain how you would look to overcome it. Trying to conceal a shortcoming from investors is unlikely to work and will just make you look dishonest. Sensationalist TV shows like Dragons’ Den make the idea of asking for funding seem nerve-wracking. In real life, however, although you must expect your ideas to come under scrutiny, the actual meetings with bank managers or funding organisations will be much more relaxed, without the formal pitches and will be a two-way process. Many business owners believe their personal bank is the only option to fund their business, though this couldn’t be further from the truth. There are far more than just the options below but this should give you a grounding. It’s important to take expert advice from specialists to find the best funding option for you and your personal circumstances. Bank loans Despite the negativity spread across the media, all banks are willing to lend money to businesses – it’s one of the main reasons they’re in business after all. Even though there’s money to lend and a variety of government and bank-led initiatives, it’s important to approach the bank in a professional and knowledgeable fashion. Ensure you can answer any questions confidently and consistently and have a watertight business plan. Take independent expert advice to prepare your application skilfully and also source the best options for you. Remortgaging, personal or family loans This is a valid option but be careful and consider whether you have sufficient

finances to run the business and also maintain a contingency fund should it be required – for example, if the business isn’t as successful as hoped or if your partner is made redundant. For family loans, ensure a properly drafted agreement is prepared, so terms are clear from the outset for both sides. Also consider how the worst case scenario, financially and personally, would be dealt with by both parties. When remortgaging, the interest is usually lower than on a personal or business loan and repayment terms can be far longer. It’s not an easy decision though and it’s vital to ensure that both you and your life partner are happy to put your property up as security for the bank. Another option is an unsecured personal loan where interest rates can be lower than for a business loan. There are also no arrangement fees and potentially other incentives such as gift vouchers or rewards available. Weigh up your options carefully. Leasing or hire purchase arrangements For asset purchases in your franchise, consider whether the item can be purchased using a lease or a hire purchase agreement, which is itself secured against the asset. There are two types of leases. With an operating lease, you’re merely renting the item, whereas with a finance lease you’re purchasing. Banks will watch for you to consider these arrangements when you are looking to fund a franchise with capital assets, as it spreads the funding risk for them. The amount available to a business depends on the type of funding, the type of business and the industry. Ultimately, any funder is simply looking for debt that can be serviced and repaid within their criteria, with an interest rate to match the risk and required return for them. An independent funding expert will be able to ensure you get the best deal. August 2018 | elitefranchise

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Do you dream of owning your own Tearooms? Fulll your dream of owning a Tearooms with a Beatons franchise. Beatons seeks franchisees who are hard-working, dedicated and capable. Do you have the sparkle and passion needed to turn your dream of owning a tearoom into a reality? You’ll relish being part of a group which makes you the hub of your community. If this has aroused your curiosity, and you want to take a cautious rst step, a video and an enquiry form are available at: www.beatonstearooms.co.uk/franchise, give us a call on 01747 871819 opt.2 or email franchise@beatonstearooms.co.uk.

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03/08/2018 15:32

Due to increased demand for arts & crafts classes, parties and events, the award-winning Creation Station are looking for proactive and friendly people to run their own successful franchise.

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Would you love to be your own boss, doing something you love with the backing of an established, tried and trusted brand? Request your free information pack today.

Over 120 people already enjoy running their own rewarding franchise.To check if your area is available and for more info call Maggie today on 01395 29700.

s so pleased my area was still available as The Creation Station really ticks all the boxes for me and my family.â&#x20AC;? Inspiring imaginations in North Watford, Hertfordshire

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As seen on.

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

Helping executives escape the rat race Whilst leading a revolution in children’s sports entertainment, Sport4Kids is on a mission to provide a credible and unique proposition for corporate executives to leave the rat race behind and build a growth business for themselves.

ased in Bagshot, Sport4Kids was founded by CEO Steve Jones and COO Mark Gould in 2012. Sport4Kids acquired ActivKids in 2014, whose founder James Porter joined the Sport4Kids leadership team. Together they’re on a mission to revolutionise children’s sport “The S4K Way”. Key to this drive is the unique way in which Sport4Kids manages its franchisees and its way of building business partnerships. Our approach is very different to anything else that’s out there. The fatal flaws in traditional franchise formats Sport4Kids was built partly by recognising that other similar franchise formats out there didn’t provide franchisees with opportunities to build a decent sized business of their own.

There are several issues with many of the franchise models out there, particularly in the children’s sports, education and entertainment space. In fact, any service-based franchise model will have similar issues. Too many of them are very narrow, single service, activity or sports that are undersized in terms of their offering to market. As a result, the franchisees’ opportunity to scale has been reduced too. We don’t like to call them business opportunities but simply job postcode franchises. To earn a living or any return whatsoever, the franchisee has to work in the business as an operative. They’re about being self-employed, not building a business. Even the so-called management or service franchise models such as consulting, tech services, procurement or tutoring, getting scale is an issue and you have to work in the business delivering the service. We feel this is another job in disguise.

The joy of sport inspires children

Look under the bonnet We were given an opportunity to buy a single competitor’s sport franchise and we were shocked when we looked at the books. The lady was taking £16,000 per annum, working all the hours under the sun and she called it her profit. No wonder she wanted to get out. It was a single sport toddler and preschool format. The business model was fundamentally broken. It was this along with Jones’ experience running franchise networks with the likes of Avis that led us to launch Sport4Kids. He understood the challenges from a franchisee’s perspective as someone that had escaped corporate life

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Product as an asset With Sport4Kids we maximise the market opportunity and have a multi-service line and multi-product business model. This allows our franchisees to address a much bigger share of the market to secure a bigger share of wallet, of the parents, schools and nurseries. We currently have 14 service lines and growing. We continue to invest in the number, depth and quality of our service lines and products. Jones’ background is with the blue chip, world class service industry with the likes of British Airways and Virgin launching service products and managing Colin Jackson is the Sport4Kids ambassador customer experience. We to launch Sport4Kids and we put have utilised these advanced techniques everything in place for someone else to in developing products that can scale. follow that journey. To escape corporate This level of quality hasn’t existed in this life and build a business of their own sector. Only with this level of quality can there needs to be a lot more in the you scale with confidence. business model. Growth focused business system We provide streamlined digital marketing, administration, online coach training and customer services. Franchisees are able to focus on the customer, growing their business and maintain the highest of quality standards. They can build a business of significant size and become true Business Partners driving the Sport4Kids mission forward. We have reviewed the whole value chain of the business and boxed all these growth levers. We free franchisees from the burden of business administration to focus on investing and scaling their business. Coaches as an asset Traditional franchise formats do not recognise the coach as an asset to invest in as they cannot provide enough hours or the ability to have a career. This means that there is little return on the coach as an asset. If you cannot give them full-time work and a career that builds over time then you don’t

have the ability to invest in the key asset of the business. We select the best talent and put them through an extensive training programme and continuous career development paths not available to them elsewhere. Big territories mean bigger market opportunity Many franchisors have been motivated by selling territories. The smaller the territory then the more they can sell, which isn’t in the interest of the franchisee. We only have 90 territories in the UK that represent a significant market share for our franchisees to grow their business in the longer term. Escape the corporate grind and join the revolution A Sport4Kids franchise is an opportunity to build a big business for our franchisees. Our ethos is aimed at helping the franchisees build their business. So if you would like to escape the corporate grind, create a new lifestyle and legacy for you and your family, why not look into Sport4Kids and join the revolution?

T: 0300 303 3866 W: www.s4kfranchising.com

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

Successfully making the transition from corporate life with SuperGlass A good franchise opportunity should present those leaving the corporate world or starting their first company with a proven business model and the most risk averse journey to entrepreneurship

or most, the research and due diligence associated with the right franchise choice can be a journey in itself. Not so for successful SuperGlass franchisee Debbie Cripps. She was a SuperGlass corporate customer long before the decision to join the fastest growing glass repair business in the UK. From her management position in one of the UK’s leading car rental brands, Cripps explained that she had experienced the ultimate in repair quality and outstanding customer service on a daily basis. “Being consistently impressed with every aspect of a brand gave me all the reassurance I needed to make one of the biggest decisions of my life,” she says. Eighteen months since securing the SuperGlass Maidstone franchise and her transition is complete, running a successful, profitable business and her fleet customers love the value she adds as both business owner and technician. “Following my technical training and a successful city set up in Maidstone, I quickly won new fleet customers,” Cripps explains. “My business continues to mature and I have a

strong customer base that I service regularly and I gain new customers monthly. Fleet owners and operators love our style of proactive service and enjoy the benefits and cost savings we bring them.” People making this transition for the first time dream of taking control of their own direction and to finally become their own boss. Naturally most share the same concerns around replacing their corporate salaries. Fortunately, Cripps can put them at ease in this regard. “I earn a good living, make a profit and am constantly adding value to my business,” she concludes. “SuperGlass was an easy choice for me.” If you are looking to make the move of your life or for more details please contact SuperGlass on 03333446606

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02/08/2018 17:26

Join the most recognised brand within the home cleaning industry. At MOLLY MAID youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll always have the support you need from people who are not only experts within the sector, but genuinely care for you and your business. Find out more today 01628 583765 aaron.watson@mollymaid.co.uk www.mollymaid.co.uk/franchise

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

How asset finance can make a big difference in funding a franchise Phil Archer, head of the Leasing Centre at Franchise Finance, examines the benefits of asset finance for franchises

any franchises, whether they’re mobile or premises based, use varying levels of equipment. Some franchisors leave the franchisee to sort this out for themselves, but most provide a standard equipment solution through a selected supplier or suppliers. It’s certainly the latter approach that seems to make sense. It removes ambiguity in costs and equipment capabilities and it’s important to the lending community. Lenders become comfortable with the “typical” set up of a franchise and also take comfort that combined purchasing keeps costs competitive and allows for equipment to be moved around different franchisees if necessary. This helps to contribute to the appetite for the funding and builds

a brands credentials and value, making future applications for finance a more streamlined process. However, how many franchisors consider how the franchisee should fund this equipment? There are numerous of approaches in the market. As earlier stated, some simply leave franchisees to sort it themselves, while others include some or all the equipment costs in their franchise fee. However, there is also a growing number that see the value of franchisees using asset/equipment finance. But let’s take a step back here. Before any franchisee pays their full fee and commits to equipment orders etc. they need to make sure they have a comprehensive business plan. This will detail how the funding will be structured and how they will pay for any equipment needed. The most important element in this plan is the cash flow. Time and time again we see self-produced plans simply ignoring the VAT

element and the period it can take to set up projects and businesses. This is particularly the case with premisesbased franchises where a tenancy may start between 3 or 4 months before any income is received. If we all agree “cash is king” then shouldn’t we all ensure that franchisees have adequate solutions in place that protect cash reserves? This is where asset finance can be of help. Firstly, why would you pay in advance for equipment that you will use in your business for many years? You wouldn’t pay your staff wages five years in advance so why pay for your equipment this way. Better to match the cost and cash flow of the equipment to the income it will help generate. Secondly, there is a significant benefit to start up franchisees as the client does not pay the purchase VAT upfront. On a typical equipment price of, say £25,000, when using leasing

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it will reduce the amount of upfront cash required from the franchisee by ÂŁ5,000. This is because the VAT is paid only on the monthly lease payments and can be the difference between starting a franchise and failing to get past first base. Leasing is also a separate credit line which helps to preserve bank lending facilities. This may be critical in the full funding structure of the project especially as bank lending ratios may already be maxed out before the subject of equipment is considered. There is a similar effect when we look at equipment costs being incorporated into a franchise fee. This effectively takes away the option of leasing and means that the franchisee needs the funds plus VAT in their cash flow.

Maybe there are some reasons for a franchisor to want to do this but there are solutions that can be put in place that would allow lower franchise fees. Reducing start-up capital requirements and bank borrowing and leaving franchisees with a greater capacity to invest in this and subsequent franchises. What equipment can be funded? Lenders will consider an astonishingly wide range of diverse equipment from flooring to light fittings, ovens to fridges, showroom to storage areas and all manner of vehicles and machinery. In some cases, asset finance can be obtained for fit-out works and intangibles alongside equipment in franchisee projects.

The UK has some of the most proactive and forward-thinking lenders in Europe. When properly engaged through professional advisors they offer a great range of real-world solutions. They react well to clients needs and projects and are happy to tailor packages to suit. So, what would the impact of asset finance be on your franchise? Interested in finding out more? Call 01844 355575 or email info@franchisefinance.co.uk By Phil Archer QFP, head of The Leasing Centre, Franchise Finance.

AUGUST 2018 | elitefranchise

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Crisis management

Crisis? What crisis? If you find yourself knee-deep in a crisis, it’s better to face up to it and avoid an even bigger PR backlash. How well you manage the crisis will determine your franchise’s future

By Paul Stafford, head of communications, Chantry

aking the headlines and going viral for all the wrong reasons is the stuff of business nightmares. Unfortunately, in the complex structure of a franchise there’s potentially a greater risk of it happening than in other businesses – it only takes one person to say or do the wrong thing for an entire brand to be tarnished, at least temporarily. In this age of social media, public outrage is visible, vocal and viral. More importantly, it has absolutely no respect of brand reputation or size, as recent highprofile cases have shown. Two of America’s biggest food franchises have experienced crises of significant magnitude in the last few years. In 2015, Jared Fogle, the public face of Subway, pleaded guilty to child pornography charges and more recently Papa John’s founder John Schnatter stepped down from his role at the company following a well-publicised episode concerning the use of

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Communication is key. Put out a press release, post a considered statement on social media. However you do it just ensure you’re responsive and proactive. Accept what’s happened and apologise quickly and sincerely – don’t argue publicly and don’t delay while the story rumbles on. Get ahead of things as best you can and take the hits that are coming, people will respect your brand more than if you try to shy away from things. Subway was praised for swiftly removing everything to do with Fogle from its business – no small matter after 15 years as its spokesperson – but then criticised for only communicating through a few short tweets rather than taking responsibility and engaging with the public. And remember to be human. Saying you’re ‘reviewing your policies’ or ‘looking into it’ are the actions of a corporate entity that people can’t relate to. ‘No comment’ is going to fan the flames like a giant wind tunnel. Apologise first and then discuss what actions you’re taking so that people can see that you genuinely care and are trying to ensure there’s no repeat of the situation. Put yourself in your customers’ shoes: how will your actions and words appear to them? This isn’t a time for spin, it’s a time for an honest human response.

Crisis management professionals all agree that the most important thing you can do is to take responsibility for the situation.

racist language. These are far from the only reputational hits to have happened in the industry – and at best those scandals only resulted in lost leads and customers. So what can you do as a franchisor if a crisis befalls your brand? Take charge, don’t duck for cover Crisis management professionals all agree the most important thing you can do is to take responsibility for the situation. If a bad story breaks, then sticking your head in the sand is going to make things worse. Covering up, staying silent or avoiding what’s happened will only exacerbate things. The story will run and run through other people’s voices and commentaries – regardless of whether they’re fair or accurate – and outrage will build.

Have a strategy With all that said, don’t have every manager or franchisee immediately taking to social media. Yes, you need to act quickly – but not thoughtlessly or haphazardly. Your brand’s future could be at stake, so you need the most senior people in the business taking control of the situation and only them. One person should have overall control of the communications strategy. A centralised voice is essential to manage the situation as best as possible without further stoking the fire. Conflicting messages

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could make the business appear inept at best, so have a media policy in place and be clear about who can speak to the press and who should direct them elsewhere. Ideally, you should have a crisis strategy in place before one hits, so when things start moving at a hundred miles an hour – and they will – rather than panic, there’s a documented process to follow regarding who’s responsible for what. Even if you’re personally going to be responsible for just about everything, thinking about worst-case scenarios from an advanced, detached place with a cool head is going to be better than reacting in a frenzy. Part of that strategy should be to monitor everything you can. Depending on the scale of

Your brand’s future could be at stake, so you need the most senior people in the business taking control

the crisis, social media is likely to be ablaze, whether you’re on it or not. Understand what’s being said and respond appropriately. One of the best-handled PR crises I’ve seen in franchising involved the owners of a small network responding personally to every social media comment they received after the actions of a franchisee on video went viral for all the wrong reasons. It took untold amounts of time, stress and heartache but they diffused an awful situation and actually gained new customers because they showed how much they care. Their franchise is still thriving as a result. Perhaps the best advice if you find yourself dealing with a public-facing calamity is to engage a crisis management professional as quickly as you can. They’re experienced, knowledgeable and will provide a calming influence in the most torrid of situations. PR can be an exciting and dynamic aspect of building your reputation – it’s a specialist field when it comes to protecting it.

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nce e

l b a l i Ava

The UK’s No1 dry carpet, upholstery and hard floor cleaners Earn in excess of £50,000 per year If you’re looking for an exciting career change that will bring you financial security without the constraints of working for someone else, a zerodrytime franchise could be the right choice for you. Our franchisees come from all backgrounds: Armed Forces • Police • Fire • Advertising Printers • Sales People • Carpet Fitters and many more...

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WEEKLY REPEAT BUSINESS WITH VIRTUALLY NO COMPETITION Global leader with over 20 years’ experience Exclusive Territory with huge customer base High demand allowing for multi van operation Last few remaining territories in the UK!

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Award-winning support Over 80 years of experience First class training A bespoke territory CALL MICHELLE FENWICK QFP TODAY ON 01325 370707 OR EMAIL MICHELLE@HERITAGEHEALTHCARE.CO.UK WWW.HERITAGEHEALTHCAREFRANCHISING.CO.UK

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Love fashion, live your passion with Suit the City Join a leading business in a growing market, beating the current trends in retail Supply professional clients with made-to-measure, luxury garments: you will have a high rate of repeat business and referrals Low overheads - no stock, no waste and you can work from a small city centre studio Build your business with the aid of a team of Consultant Tailors all trained by Suit the City Full training and support is given during the first three months and then on an on-going basis For more information please call us or visit our website

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Franchise Opportunity with Exceptional Returns Fifo Capital is a fast growing, global, business-finance franchise. We provide short term, high return cashflow finance solutions for secure small and medium sized businesses. Our USP is to ‘build strong local relationships with network professionals who can refer good quality growing local businesses in need of cashflow support’. The business is enjoying rapid growth and we are in need of new territory franchisees right across the country. The processes are simple to follow so would suit a wide range of business people with varying backgrounds. Talk to us today.

Cup the Cake is about a challenge where the sky is the limit Start your business from the comfort of your own home with no monthly royalties to pay out, what you earn is yours to keep. With three packages to choose from there is something to fit everyone’s needs and skill level! Training and Development

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To learn more about the business options available contact: t: 07799 453621 e: hello@cupthecake.com T: 01344 388 084 E: england@fifocapital.co.uk W: fifocapital.co.uk/join-fifo-capital w: cupthecake.com

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Recruitment masterclass

The art of recruitment By Varsha Saraogi

New franchisees are often unfamiliar with the process of sourcing talent but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s essential to ensure you get the cream of the crop when recruiting employees to scale your business 74 elitefranchise | August 2018

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far reaching vision, a well-planned strategy and a groundbreaking idea are all key essentials of any scaling business. But as Jim Collins wrote in Good to Great, a truly great leader is required to “have the right people on the bus.” The bus, aka the company, can be driven to success only when it’s fuelled with the right people in the roles – a company’s staff is vital for success. Even with the right ideas, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg wouldn’t be as successful without the teams supporting them. “Staff recruitment is the lifeblood of the business,” says Shaun Thomson, CEO of Sandler Training UK, the personnel training franchise. “It doesn’t matter how big your company is, when a customer comes in, the employee represents the brand. Your employee is the company.” Given recruitment is such a fundamental process, many new franchisees are often shockingly unaware of how vital it is. “In franchising, recruiting the best is even more important as one bad employee can do damage to the brand and more importantly to [other franchisees’ businesses],” says Ian Sharland, director and co-founder of Wow World Group, the multi-brand franchisor that owns Baby Foundations, Baby Sensory, Toddler Sense, Mini Professors, KeepaBeat and Reading Fairy. “Whilst we will never have the perfect team, it is possible to create a team with all of the right attitudes. After all, employee quality [directly] affects the company growth.” It’s no secret that hiring the wrong candidate costs UK businesses billions yearly hence franchisees need to be wary of who they take on. Relying just on a visually appealing CV and numerous references can be misleading. “Don’t be bamboozled by the statistics they say,” Thomson advises, adding that his franchise has multiple assessment tests that determine the personality and transferable skills of a job applicant. For instance, qualities such as honesty and sincerity are nonnegotiable. “I could not employ anyone I wouldn’t trust,” Thomson reflects. “Whether it’s a franchisee or franchisor, many get blinded by where a candidate was educated but you need to look beyond that and see the bigger picture. Will they be able to grow and learn with the company?” Talking about university credentials, they can also hide your unconscious bias – a sin for any recruiter. For instance, 80% of Oxford and Cambridge students are from a white middle class background, according to their own figures. Sourcing

Whether it’s a franchisee or franchisor, many get blinded by where a candidate was educated but you need to look beyond that and see the bigger picture Shaun Thomson, Sandler Training

the best talent is so important and franchisees must look past the prejudices of class, racial and gender bias while recruiting. A nationally diverse team encourages potential employees and brings newer ideas. “This is only achieved by seeking personal qualities rather that a particular background, qualification and experience,” Sharland adds. “This makes everyone feel that they can join and thrive in your company.” Indeed, the belief that education is of prime importance is passé — soft skills are more sought after than qualifications. Research done by Indeed, the job site, shows that of 1,000 small-business employers surveyed, 81% would place experience higher than education. “The right person with the right attitude is the most important thing and we don’t all conform to the qualifications society has decided are right,” says Helen Venables, managing director of House of Colour, the personal style franchise. While she’s adamant that most people can learn both hard and soft skills like how to treat people well, Venables argues it won’t matter if they lack a certain joie de vivre which can’t be taught. “Attitude and the willingness to make a difference in the company have more importance.” she says. Moreover, the importance of interpersonal skills go both ways – the recruiter has to actually meet the candidate to get the right impression. This is particularly good to remember in an era where artificial intelligence (AI) is taking over many jobs, including that of the professional recruiter. So while companies like Tesla, Unilever and Accenture are using AI for to source talent, Sharland believes the old ways are still the best. “The danger of using too much technology in the selection process is it will often exclude excellent candidates who don’t conform to the norm,” he says. “I would like to be proved wrong but I still think good recruitment comes down to personal contact.” Another challenge while recruiting is the lack of clarity from the employers who can fail to define the role and attract the wrong people. “Not being crystal clear what they’re looking for can be a problem,” says Thomson. “You’ve gotta write the exact job description.” While many choose to go through a talent recruitment company, Thomson says it’s more economical to use social media when hunting for employees. Not only can clever company chieftains capitalise on traditional social media platforms like LinkedIn or Twitter in their recruitment efforts but new apps such as Shapr and Opportunity are rapidly becoming the Tinders of networking and finding the perfect match to work in your franchise. Taking inspiration from Gareth Southgate, coach for the England football team, one can see how building and nurturing a strong team can make the unexpected happen. Entrepreneurs cannot control the economy at large or the advent of robots in the workplace but they can definitely ensure top quality execs. “Recruitment doesn’t end when you find the person and they turn up for work on a Monday morning. It’s on-boarding your people,” Thomson concludes. “[And] a two-way process that should benefit both the candidate and the company hiring.” August 2018 | elitefranchise

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Today we cleaned 17 homes yet never left our house! Imagine owning your own domestic cleaning franchise, earning over ÂŁ65,000 per year and never doing any cleaning yourself! You can work from home at times that suit you, your children and your lifestyle and your other commitments. AT LAST! A real business that is proven to work and that you can really be proud to say you own.

Ralph and Hazel Watson Franchisees in Fife, Scotland

British Franchise Associationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s advice on picking the right franchise: 1. You should be able to recover your initial franchise fee in the first year 2. You should have a reliable residual income from regular clients 3. You can build an asset that can be sold at a profit 4. Totally free access to the existing franchisee network 5. Well proven systems and procedures with ongoing training and support

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

Run your own hair extension training academy SW Hair Extensions is one of the UK’s leading hair extensions businesses, which sources, imports and distributes high-quality human hair extensions. Our business supplies distributors, salons and hair extensionists throughout the UK

t’s estimated the value of the UK hair extensions market currently stands at over £80m, with a worldwide market value of nearly £500m. Hair extensions now form a crucial part of hairdressing for many women and the key to sustaining this demand is high-quality remy hair. The hair extension sector continues to grow and this offers a great business opportunity to franchisees looking to enter the market. Primarily, you will benefit from the wealth of experience SW Hair Extensions has gained over many years in the sector. Over that time, the franchisor has learnt what works and what doesn’t, so they will pass on all this essential experience to you. Become a training mentor for SW Hair Extension training academy You don’t even need to have a salon, when it comes to running your own training academy – SW Hair Extensions will guide you through every step of the process. At the beginning you will receive all the training and support required to establish and run your own business. Throughout SW Hair Extensions’ initial training you’ll be given an operations manual that covers all the aspects of running your business. Moreover, the franchisor offers constant one-to-one support and guidance throughout your time as a trainer. Unlike many others, the SW Hair Extensions business format has been designed to be as simple and straightforward as possible. It can therefore be managed by most people provided with the right training. SW Hair Extensions operates in

localised territories, which means you can build up your customer base very quickly. Much of the success of a business depends upon the local marketing and awareness-building and it’s up to the individual as to how much or how little is invested in their area. But don’t worry, SW Hair Extensions will guide you through the ins and outs of local marketing, which is easy because they have done it many times before. SW Hair Extensions offers a full training and support programme to assist with the development of these skills. You do, however, need to be prepared to work hard, follow their systems and be fully committed to getting the business off the ground in your local area. SW Hair Extensions provides ongoing support and will promote the business on a regional and national level. You will also receive an accredited trainer certificate enabling

you to carry out training in all six hair extensions methods. Find out more at one of our insight sessions. The primary purpose of an insight session is to provide awareness of the value and importance of the role of the training mentor opportunity with SW Hair Extensions. Our insight sessions are facilitated by Gayle Edwards, a leadership and positioning strategist known for creating leaders and prolific personal brands for entrepreneurs and business owners. The next insight session is 11th September 2018. Find out more about the SW Hair Extensions Licence Opportunity and running your own Hair Extension Training Academy. 07729 667 402 info@swhairextensions.com www.swhairextensions.com

AUGUST 2018 | elitefranchise

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03/08/2018 15:32

Old head, young shoulders Almas Adam

From adventures in China to winning Young Franchisee of the Year, Almas Adam details his push for youthful innovation in the care industry By Angus Shaw

lmas Adam bagged the bfa’s coveted Young Franchisee of the Year award this summer after three stellar years with Right at Home Loughton, the homecare franchise. Although, being one of the youngest franchisees in his network and in an industry outweighed with staff older than his tender age of 27, he’s found his fair share of challenges. It’s fitting since, as a natural introvert, Adam always has to push himself to get stuck into something out of his comfort zone. For instance, straight after a law degree, the exoticism of working in China piqued his interest before franchising. “I never travelled alone,” he says. “Even with uni I stayed at home – I didn’t really live out. So it was the first time I sort of went out on my own. I went to China for about two months and did an internship there with 70 different interns. It was a completely different culture, [with] different people from different countries.” Indeed, Adam witnessed elderly people racing past on roller skates, practicing tai chi and chiming instruments as part of Beijing’s nightlife. Such exciting experiences reaffirmed he wasn’t destined for a desk-bound life. So after landing back in Blighty, franchising took hold when his brother proposed partnering to launch ADAM CEX, a franchisee of CeX, the second-

hand electronics retailer franchise. “We took a leap of faith with franchising because it gives us the structure we need – not having the experience, etcetera,” he says. “You penetrate a sector much quicker because you get an understanding from experiences and learnings.” With the help of the franchising model, Adam and his brother expanded to three stores in the company’s first year and six in the third. After such success, Adam was ready to replicate China’s buzzing senior culture in the UK. However, despite cutting his franchising teeth with CeX, his ambition very much lay in uncharted waters. “[I] came across the care sector and wasn’t aware of homecare at the time whatsoever and didn’t have a clue what it was,” he says.

My brother says all the time; we can’t sell sand to Arabs and we can’t sell ice to Eskimos. We’re not salesmen, we can’t do it.

78 elitefranchise | august 2018

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Almas Adam

While browsing for a franchisor to steer him in the right direction, Adam found that, for many, the world revolved around money. Therefore, upon meeting Ken Deary, founder of Right at Home, it was a no-brainer. “Him being a franchisor and exfranchisee was the icing on the cake,” says Adam. “He understands the frustrations, he’s been through it all himself and is someone we could relate to even more. If you’re in the care sector and if your ideal focus is on the quality of care over money – which [is how] Right at Home came across to us – that, to me, implies there’s a standard.” With his name inked on the paperwork, Adam took his first step with Right at Home – only to find getting customers to take steps of their own presented difficulties. “My brother says all the time: ‘we can’t sell sand to Arabs and we can’t sell ice to Eskimos,’” he admits. “‘We’re not salesmen, we can’t do it.’” However, tackling sales and services was a challenge he couldn’t resist. Although Right at Home’s intense two weeks of training put Adam through the works, he discovered a silver tongue must be grown naturally rather than learned. “The initial training was amazing but in terms of operational structure everyone’s figuring it out, [at least] in the care sector I think anyway,” he says. “Because there’s no set standard [of] ‘this is how you should have it,’ everyone is different and you play to the strengths of the staff that you have.” However, not everyone was initally impressed by the young franchisee. For instance, after only a month in the sector his journey was nearly cut short when an inspector questioned his young age. “It was one of the most unorthodox interviews at Right at Home I’d seen,” he recalls. Adam was quizzed like he was a homecare mastermind. “It was pretty much a power-hungry sort of approach,” he says. “I asked my manager what happened and she goes ‘she was asking me about your age, do I think you’re experienced, etcetera.’” But after a trip to Right at Home’s offices in London, Adam easily secured his registration within two weeks.

I just believe that I’m the same level as everyone else whether you’re 50, 40, 30, 20 or ten, I don’t really care. Your knowledge and experience is what I’m based on.

Playing to his strengths saw Adam secure huge success with digital marketing where traditional networking wasn’t his forte. “And to be honest that reaped me some rewards,” he says. “We started seeing my level of growth was much faster than any other franchisees because I invested heavily into digital marketing.” Moreover, Adam’s tech-savviness fed the success of Right at Home’s new digital careplanning systems, where he led the charge by meeting software companies. And having now won the Young Franchisee of the Year award, he’s laughing. Deary earmarked Adam for the trophy from the start and, following his lead role in implementing the digital careplanning systems, the youngster’s moment came quickly. “It reaffirms everything that I do to be honest,” says Adam. “I don’t believe age is a barrier, I don’t believe that for a second. I

just believe that I’m the same level as everyone else whether you’re 50, 40, 30, 20 or ten, I don’t really care. Your knowledge and experience is what I’m based on.” Looking back, Right at Home cracked Adam’s introverted shell like he always hoped. Indeed, although he used to stew in his car before presenting Right at Home to GPs, he soon found his confidence had changed. “I thought to myself ‘get your arse in there’,” he says. “I forced myself into a lot of the things I didn’t want to do, like speaking in front of people.” Courageous and riding high on his bfa victory, the sky’s the limit. “We want to have multiple brands in franchising,” he aspires. “The only thing missing now is a concept, so becoming a franchisor is probably something that we’re really looking at.” If the last few years are anything to go by, it may happen sooner than he thinks. august 2018 | elitefranchise

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Betterclean Services is one of the lowest cost Business Management Franchises on the market with a hugely successful business system. Enjoy the returns from building your own business in a £6bn marketplace which includes retailers, supermarkets, offices, GP surgeries and much more. • Average net profit margin 20% • Huge potential • Exclusive territory • Investment from just £19,600 + VAT

WE HELP YOU SUCCEED

With a Betterclean Services franchise you get an exclusive territory, a large support network to help you run and build your business. We work with you to define your plan and then support you in enjoying the journey.

If you’re enthusiastic, self-motivated and would like to apply to join our network call today on 0800 772 0810

Betterclean SINGLE PAGE 1

02/08/2018 17:19

v2-Daltons business - full page ad - 196x270 with 3mm bleed CMYK 300dpi.pdf 1 05/10/2017 16:55:02

Buy or sell a business or franchise today...

• Search over 30,000 businesses for sale • Franchise opportunities to suit every budget

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12/01/2018 05/10/2017 17:53 17:14

Minimum performance clauses

Maximum effort

Why minimum performance clauses in franchise agreements are important to ensure high-quality services for the entire network By Kate Legg, CEO, Komerse

ll franchisors ought to monitor the performance of their franchisees. This is one of the basic requirements expected by the British Franchise Association (bfa) and the European Code of Ethics and is fundamental to run a successful franchise network. Without performance monitoring, the franchisor would be oblivious to whether standards and processes are being adhered to and generally, whether the franchisee is developing or damaging the brand. However, many networks go further than simply monitoring performance and also include minimum performance clauses in the franchise agreement. Reason for minimum performance clauses The general logic is that if a franchisor grants an exclusive area to a franchisee, the franchisor wants to ensure they fully

develop the area â&#x20AC;&#x201C; otherwise the franchisor may be losing out on valuable clients because the exclusivity provision stops the franchisor from putting anyone else in the territory. There is also an argument that in granting the franchise, the franchisor assumes that the franchisee will attain at least a certain level and if they fail to achieve the minimum standard, then it wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be economic to operate that business. In a worst case scenario, failure to achieve basic, minimum standards could be harmful to the brand and the wider network, So itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important that the franchisor is able to take action in those circumstances. Types of clause Although minimum performance clauses are common, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to determining what should be covered or the target level that should be set.

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Minimum performance clauses

Most clauses focus on quantitative measures – such as turnover, royalties or growth rates. But it’s possible to include qualitative measures such as customer satisfaction or adherence to operational standards. A starting point is to consider what are the essential elements needed to operate the business successfully and then set targets based on those elements. Having decided what to measure, the next question is where to set the bar. The basic principle here is that the target should genuinely be set at the minimum acceptable performance level and not at an aspirational level. For example, the targets set in a business plan should be significantly higher than minimum performance targets because the business plan targets ought to stretch the franchisee but still be achievable. Many networks assess minimum performance against the performance of other franchisees in the network. Although, this is not always advisable as there may be important differences between different franchisees that skew the figures. For example, a new business would be expected to have low turnover but high growth rate,

compared to an established business which is likely to have high turnover and low growth. In relatively young networks, there may not be enough franchisees to make comparisons within the network meaningful. It can be tempting to set minimum targets based on average performances across the network. This helps to account for local variations between individual franchisees. If this method is used, it’s important the target is set at a level well below the average. By definition, at any given time there is likely to be around half of all franchisees in the network performing at or below the average level, so the average is not an appropriate target as a minimum. Instead, a lower proportion could be used, for example a target which is, say, 50% of the average performance or a level that comprises the bottom 10% of all franchisees in the network. Quantitative measures are easy to judge objectively. Qualitative measures are, by nature, more difficult to assess and likely to be subjective. As a result, qualitative measures require careful planning to ensure there is a system for measuring performance across the network in a fair and consistent way. This could include, for example, scoring franchisees on a range of performance measures and then comparing average scores. Failure to achieve minimium targets Once minimum targets have been set, it’s

important to consider what the consequences of failing to achieve then should be. Ideally, failure to achieve a target should be used to trigger an improvement process in which both franchisor and franchisee work together to improve the performance of the business. Some networks contain clauses that allow the franchisor to withdraw exclusivity in the event of failing to achieve minimum targets. This means the franchisor doesn’t lose out on potential new business in the area by enabling the franchisor to introduce a new franchisee to operate that area. However, it also means that an already under-performing franchisee now has to contend with the extra pressure of competition from the new franchisee, which may not be the best approach. There is also a risk that competition between franchisees in the same area may damage the brand. An alternative to removing exclusivity would be to reduce the size of the territory. However, this may also add further pressure to the under-performing franchisee. In a worst case scenario, failure to achieve the target may result in termination. However, the nuclear option should always be an absolute last resort. In any event, the franchisee ought to be given a reasonable opportunity to improve with support from the franchisor before any serious, adverse consequences apply. Occasionally, networks give the franchisee the right to terminate if minimum targets are not being achieved, although this is rare. Given the franchisee will have invested heavily when starting the business and termination means the franchisee loses the opportunity to recover their investment I would still prefer to see a process where the franchisee and franchisor work together to improve performance before termination arises. AUGUST 2018 | elitefranchise

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03/08/2018 17:39

Franchise Resales

Buy an existing franchise

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an altogether friendly bookkeeping experience

Merry Maids has been one of the most successful home cleaning franchise operations in the world for the past 37 years, with almost 100 franchises in the UK. If you’d like to hit the ground running, perhaps one of our existing Merry Maids businesses is for you.

Northampton

Investment: £60,000 Established: 2005 Turnover: £140,000

Wigan

SOLD

Investment: £35,000 Established: 2015 Turnover: £40,000

Grantham & Newark Investment: £75,000 Established: 2004 Turnover: £130,000

Bromley & Orpington Investment: £195,000 Established: 2002 Turnover: £340,000

TruGreen is the world’s largest lawn care company. The journey began as a small private company in 1973 which was acquired by ServiceMaster in 1990 and we now serve more than 3.4 million residential and commercial customers throughout the UK and the USA. Be a part of the world’s largest lawn care company with one of our rare resale opportunities. We may also have other areas available for resale as our franchise owners’ circumstances can change at short notice so if you don’t see an area that you might be interested in listed, please still get in contact as we may not have had chance to update our resales information.

South Oxfordshire Investment: £54,000 Established: 2010 Turnover: £54,000

ServiceMaster Clean Contract Services deliver office cleaning, commercial cleaning and contract cleaning services to businesses across the UK. Our rare resale opportunities benefit from employees, equipment and customers, so that you can continue to grow a profitable business. We also have vacant territory available in Scotland, Yorkshire, the Midlands, Norfolk & Kent.

Bournemouth & Poole Investment: £80,000 Established: 2014 Turnover: £120,000

Glasgow & East Strathcylde Investment: £300,000 Established: 2003 Turnover: £478,000

Over 4 million businesses in the UK require a bookkeeping service and you can be a partner in supplying it! Whether you are a qualified or an experienced bookkeeper we have a route to suit you. As a Rosemary Bookkeeping franchise, you can benefit from the following: • Recurring income with average 50% net profit margins • Excellent growth opportunities to build into a management style business • Flexible hours – work from home – keeping costs down • Dedicated support in Bookkeeping, Operations, Sales & Marketing Although we don’t currently have any resale opportunities on the market, we do have vacant territories throughout the UK.

Contact ServiceMaster Ltd today on 0116 275 9005 or email franchisesales@servicemaster.co.uk for more information