elitefranchisemagazine.co.uk
Big Mac no more
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MAY 2019 ÂŁ4.50
vital funding hacks
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ISSN 2054-9741
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How McDonald’s lost its iconic trademark
Inspiring young minds
Mini Professors is transforming children into future scientists
Seal the deal Is your sales team bringing in enough money?
Tracey Townend and Jo Stone reveal the secret to making a big splash
Good goes in
By joining the Muffin Break franchise family you can benefit from being your own boss, alongside the expertise and reputation of an established bakery cafe business. We have over 17 years of experience in the UK market under our belt, not to mention our international successes, we’ve done this before! We have an expert team of people in place to support you.
WELL CONNECTED: Strong relationships with landlords to aquire prime retail sites. MAKING YOUR STORE A REALITY: We design each store to make best use of your site. We manage theconstruction programme for you. We supervise the fit out, ensuring you get the perfect environment with equipment of the highest quality.
THERE FOR YOU: We give you advice and full intensive online and in-store training on everything from baking to business planning, marketing to product presentation.
FANTASTIC FOOD: We love good food and constantly develop fresh and delicious recipes within our dedicated product team.
THE BEST COFFEE: You’re going to love making and selling our coffee. It’s second to none, with beans sourced from eight of the world’s best coffee growing regions.
THERE WHEN YOU NEED US: We’re there when you need us and we step back when you don’t. We under stand that our franchisee’s businesses are their own. We support and nurture your business, we don’t run it for you.
If you are interested in investing in a Muffin Break Franchise, please contact Heather in the Franchise Recruitment Team on:
E: franchisee@muffinbreak.co.uk M: 07824 880273 W: muffinbreak.co.uk Muffin Break DPS 1
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THERE ’ S PLENTY TO GAIN BY OWNING YOUR OWN MUFFIN BREAK BAKERY CAFÉ . SOME OF THE BENEFITS INCLUDE : The opportunity to share in the success of an instantly recognisable and highly successful global brand with a proven track record throughout the UK, Australia and New Zealand
The flexibility to set your own work hours, make your business work for you and your family. With your own Franchise, you can pick the hours of work that suits most to your family needs.
The security of joining a network of experienced industry professionals who offer exceptional training and operational support whenever you need it
The advantage of having a fully integrated marketing program to actively promote your business to existing and potential customers
The excitement of being part of a well-established and trusted wholesome brand that offers a large range of freshly baked sweet and savoury products, which are continually being evolved and extended
Joining a franchise is truly an attractive way to create your own business path, allowing you to reach your goals and fulfil your lifestyle dreams. Muffin Break DPS 2
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At the deep end Jo Stone and Tracey Townend haven’t let disease or fear hold them back from making Puddle Ducks a success
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contents 05.19
REGULARS 9 Welcome & contributors 11 News & events 129 Franchise diaries
COLUMNS 12 Pip Wilkins 15 Dorian Gonsalves 28 Frank Milner 33 Chris Aston 36 Gemma Tumelty
FEATURES 42 Mother knows best Mother-daughter duo Jo and Emily Bull are making childbirth enjoyable
64 Big Mac battle
McDonald’s has been stripped of its Big Mac trademark. How will this affect your franchise?
71 Voulez-vous parler Français?
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Science is golden
Sophie Allnut and Emily Whyte’s Mini Professors prove kids can enjoy science
Mandie Davis is teaching French to kids with Les Puces
80 Put the wind in your sales Supercharge your sales process
90 Franchisee borrowing pitfalls
Avoid the six biggest funding mistakes
96 UK and US food
franchises aren't the same Revealing the differences between British and American food franchises and what can be learnt from them
104 How to end the relationship
Franchisors must tread carefully when breaking up with franchisees
108 How to avoid logistical nightmares at all costs
Although same day delivery has been delayed in the UK, here’s how it can become the standar
42 MAY 2019 | ELITEFRANCHISE
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Join Home Instead, the UK’s No. 1 homecare franchise company, offering healthy operating profits, award-winning support, and a rewarding opportunity to change the way older people are cared for in the UK.
Try a different type of franchise instead. Contact Imogen on 01925 730 273, email franchise@homeinstead.co.uk or visit www.homeinstead.co.uk/franchise
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welcome Volume 08 Issue 05 / 2019 EDITORIAL editorial@cemedia.co.uk Zen Terrelonge Editor Eric Johansson Web Editor Varsha Saraogi Feature Writer Angus Shaw Acting Commercial Writer Louisa Cook Editorial Intern
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DESIGN/PRODUCTION production@cemedia.co.uk Darren Marriott Head Designer Vrinda Sejpal Designer Lizzie Thurgood Designer Mae Bradshaw Design Intern Dan Lecount Web Development Manager dan@cemedia.co.uk
ust a few months ago the bfa NatWest Franchise Survey 2018 revealed the proportion of females in franchising was on the rise, with women accounting for 37% of new franchisees over the past two years. And now, it just so happens the majority of franchisors we’ve spoken with this month are women – with one dream team even marking our first duo on a front cover. I can honestly say this wasn’t an intentional move at all. And, if anything, it reinforces the opportunity that franchising presents regardless of gender, demonstrating initiatives like EWIF are working. For us, it was simply a matter of looking for interesting franchise professionals and it was serendipitous that many turned out to be female. Jo and Emily Bull are the mother-daughter duo on the rise with pregnancy care franchise Babies in Waiting. After entering the franchise arena in 2016, they’re now growing at pace with 14 franchisees – a network they hope to scale from the south to the north. Elsewhere, we’ve spoken with Mini Professors founders Sophie Allnut and Emily Whyte, who spotted a gap in the market for a science lessons group for children when taking their own little ones to toddler classes. And the franchise is certainly creating the right chemical reaction. Finally, our cover stars this month are Tracy Townend and Jo Stone, the creators of swimming lessons franchise Puddle Ducks. Having been spurred on to change their lifestyles by motherhood, their journey has come a long way as the network serves 21,000 customers each week.
SALES & MARKETING Jemma Tonge Acting Sales Manager jemma.tonge@cemedia.co.uk Loretta Smith Sales Account Manager loretta.smith@cemedia.co.uk Zane Zvirbule Marketing Administrator zane@cemedia.co.uk Ellie Savva Marketing Assistant ellie.savva@cemedia.co.uk ACCOUNTS Sally Stoker Finance Manager sally.stoker@cemedia.co.uk DIRECTOR Scott English Director scott.english@cemedia.co.uk
Circulation enquiries: Channel Edge Media Call: 0124 567 3700 Elite Franchise is published by Channel Edge Media, 1st Floor, Regency House, 16 Victoria Road, Chelmsford, CM1 1NZ Copyright 2019. All rights reserved. No part of Elite Franchise may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written consent of the editor. Elite Franchise will make every effort to return picture material, but this is at the owner’s risk. Due to the nature of the printing process, images can be subject to a variation of up to 15%, therefore Channel Edge Media Limited cannot be held responsible for such variation. cemedia.co.uk
Mum's the word
■ ZEN TERRELONGE - EDitor
Contributors
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Fiona Boswell
Jon White
Dorian Gonsalves
Jack Doran
Head of franchising at Fraser Brown Solicitors, Boswell talks about how you can have a smooth breakup with franchisees
The InXpress managing director delves into getting same-day delivery right and how you can avoid the problems it entails
Apart from spearheading Belvoir, Gonsalves stays on the move. He believes getting out of the office can be rather beneficial for you
Cash is king. And that's why the business development manager at Portman Asset Finance unveils the funding hacks you must know
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Would Would you you like like to make to make a real a real difference difference to people to people in your in your Would Would you you like like to make to make a real a real difference difference to people to people in your in your community community andand benefit benefit fromfrom significant significant financial financial rewards? rewards? community community andand benefit benefit fromfrom significant significant financial financial rewards? rewards? Do both Dowith bothawith Promedica24 a Promedica24 Live-InLive-In Care franchise Care franchise Do both Dowith bothawith Promedica24 a Promedica24 Live-InLive-In Care franchise Care franchise If you want If yoube want yourbe own your boss own and boss take and advantage take advantage of the fast of the growing fast growing need for need elderly for elderly care, Promedica24, care, Promedica24, If want If you be want your be own your boss own and boss take and advantage take advantage of a the fast of a the growing fastexciting growing need for need elderly for elderly care, care, Promedica24, a you leading a leading specialist specialist provider provider of live-in of care, live-in offers care, you offers unique you unique and and exciting opportunity opportunity to doPromedica24, just to do that. just that. a leading a leading specialist specialist provider provider of live-in of care, live-inoffers care,you offers a unique you a unique and exciting and exciting opportunity opportunity to do just to do that. just that. You can You focus canon focus finding on finding new clients, new clients, while we while have weall have the all responsibility the responsibility of delivering of delivering excellent excellent care tocare to You can You focus can on focus finding on finding newall clients, newcontinuous clients, while we while have we all have the all responsibility the responsibility ofwith delivering of delivering excellent excellent tocare to them. This them. takes This away takes all away the continuous the effort and effort worry and you worry have you with have most care most franchises care franchises of care recruiting of recruiting them. This them. takes This away takes all away the continuous the effort and effort worry and you worry have youwith have most withcare mostfranchises care franchises of recruiting of recruiting and retaining and retaining staff, and staff, meeting andall meeting thecontinuous regulator’s the regulator’s quality quality standards. standards. and retaining and retaining staff, and staff, meeting and meeting the regulator’s the regulator’s qualityquality standards. standards. Our franchise Our franchise model model is a truly is a people-focussed truly people-focussed business, business, appealing appealing to individuals to individuals from allfrom walks allof walks life. of life. Our franchise Our franchise model model is a truly is a people-focussed truly people-focussed business, business, appealing appealing to individuals to individuals from allfrom walks allof walks life. of life. SoundsSounds like you? likeIf you? so, then If so, we then want wetowant hearto from hearyou from you SoundsSounds like you? likeIf you? so, then If so, we then want wetowant hearto from hearyou from you
CALL usCALL to talk usto toour talkNational to our National Franchise Franchise Acquistion Acquistion Manager Manager on: 01923 on:381 01923 074381 074 VISIT OUR OUR WEBSITE for National more for information: more information: www.franchise.promedica24.co.uk www.franchise.promedica24.co.uk CALL usVISIT CALL toWEBSITE talk usto toour talk to our National Franchise Franchise Acquistion Acquistion Manager Manager on: 01923 on:381 01923 074381 074 EMAILOUR us EMAIL to get usinto touch: get in franchise@promedica24.co.uk touch: franchise@promedica24.co.uk VISIT VISIT WEBSITE OUR WEBSITE for more for information: more information: www.franchise.promedica24.co.uk www.franchise.promedica24.co.uk EMAIL us EMAIL to get usintotouch: get in franchise@promedica24.co.uk touch: franchise@promedica24.co.uk
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Stagecoach awarded Franchisees’ Choice Designation in Canada Stagecoach is one franchisor that understands the importance of valuing its franchisees. And now it’s got an award to prove it. Stagecoach has received the Franchisees’ Choice for Designation from the Canadian Franchise Association. The award is given to franchisors whose Canadian franchisees rate them highly in a satisfaction survey. Other winners include PropertyGuys.com, Global Pet Foods and FASTSIGNS, whose CEO Catherine Morrison featured on a previous Elite Franchise cover. With Stagecoach having officially claimed a Guinness World Record this year as well as this sought-after title, the curtain certainly won’t be falling for this franchisor any time soon.
Events bfa Prospective Franchisor Seminar May 21 EMW Law Gatwick, St John's House, West Crawley, RH10 1HS
How to Market your Franchise & Recruit for Network Growth May 29-30 bfa Office, 85f Park Drive, Abingdon, OX14 4RY
Global Infrastructure Investors Summit June 3 22-28 Broadway, Westminster, London, SW1H 0BH
How to Monitor Franchisee Performance June 13 bfa Office, 85f Park Drive, Abingdon, OX14 4RY
The Northern Franchise Exhibition June 21-22 EventCity Manchester, Barton Dock Rd, Manchester, M41 7TB
bfa Annual Conference 2019 June 27-28
The Vox Conference Centre, Birmingham, B40 1PU
By Varsha Saraogi and Louisa Cook
Chapati Man expands to New York with new master franchisee Chapati Man has taken Britain’s festival scene by storm with its spicy wraps, having previously visited music festivals such as Glastonbury and Lovebox. After becoming a UK success story, the food franchise is about to expand to the Big Apple. It’s announced the sale of New York master franchise rights to The Chaat is Safe Inc. The master franchisee will open Chapati Man fixed food-to-go sites across the state of New York. Biting into the Big Apple comes after Chapati Man sold a master franchise in Sri Lanka in 2018. Upon reaching New York, a thriving hub of street food, it’s likely Chapati Man’s offerings will be something city goers will gladly sink their teeth into and then, hopefully, the rest of the red, white and blue nation will follow suit.
McDonald’s in the midst of a straw war as customers prefer plastic over paper As the war on plastic continues and supermarkets, bars and restaurants are doing their bit to cut down on waste, McDonald’s too rolled out paper straws in June 2018 across all its 1,361 outlets in the UK and Ireland. However, it hasn't received encouraging feedback as detractors are urging Mickey D’s to switch back to plastic. While it’s essential for companies to become more environment-friendly, petitions have been signed to bring back the plastic straws in McDonald’s as the paper straws dissolve in the milkshakes and don’t taste the same, according to some customers. In fact, the plastic ones are being sold on eBay for £1,000. Despite the criticism, franchises must opt out of single-use plastic products. And it seems like McDonald’s will stick to its decision of paper straws. Customers will just have to suck it up. MAY 2019 | elitefranchise
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Pip Wilkins chief executive bfa
Considerations when recruiting franchisees Pip Wilkins, CEO at the British Franchise Association, delves into how you can find your franchisee match
AA
supported franchisee network is the backbone of any good franchise. So recruiting the right franchisees should be the most important aspect when growing your business. When the British Franchise Association (bfa) recently spoke to its members we found many franchisors didn’t struggle with sourcing interested candidates. No, instead they faced difficulties finding the right ones – a match that would work best for both parties concerned. There are many channels to find prospective franchisees. According to the 2018 bfa NatWest Franchise Survey, the most useful methods are website enquiries, word of mouth, social media and exhibitions. The survey also revealed the main reason for not granting a franchise is due to insufficient capital. Of course, if they don’t have enough
money either up front and in regards to ongoing fees, this is a waste of everybody’s time. Although banks can loan up to 70% of the franchise fee, they’ll only do so if they see a watertight business proposal. However, don’t simply grant a licence to a prospect because they have the capital, as this doesn’t automatically make them someone you want in your network. Perhaps their motives for taking on the franchise aren’t aligned with your core values. It can be hard to turn down offers from someone who’s willing to hand over the money. But even with the funds, the prospect could turn out to be far more costly if not properly vetted. Keep the goal of your business front and centre. If your goal is to recruit as many franchisees as possible, then your strategy is flawed and will inevitably lead to having a network of franchisees who don’t have aligned
goals or ambition. A franchiseefranchisor relationship is a long-term commitment and one that needs to be built on trust and shared vision. Many of the franchise systems in bfa membership don’t have specific recruitment targets as it’s all about finding the right profile of franchisees. While this is admirable, other systems will put targets up as something to work to. There’s no right or wrong answer. Nevertheless, you shouldn’t find yourself in the position of accepting a franchisee purely for a short monetary injection. You should know who your ideal franchisee is. Be scrupulous about who you want in your network and consider what should drive them, preferred character traits and experience. When it comes to franchisees, one disgruntled franchisee can disrupt an entire network. So pick wisely.
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The mark of excellent care
Sue’s doing it... Would you like to have a positive impact on people’s lives?
You can become the next Caremark homecare franchise success story. for more information speak to our recruitment team on 01903 266392
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DORIAN gonsalves CEO BELVOIR
Out and about In a world with seemingly never-ending deadlines and workloads, Dorian Gonsalves, CEO of Belvoir, wants to remind franchisees to get out of the office
H
ere at Belvoir, we’ve just enjoyed our annual national conference and awards. These events aren’t just opportunities for everyone to let their hair down, enjoy a dinner and celebrate the achievements of the network – although they’re are all wonderful things to do too. Events like these also provide the chance to discuss any challenges that may be facing the market in the coming year and listen to keynote talks from industry professionals and valued suppliers. And capitalising on these moments is crucial because these are people who are well placed to help franchisees overcome obstacles and develop businesses to their maximum potential. The very nature of a franchise is to provide the ability to share ideas, as well as marketing and IT support – all of the things that can be difficult for an independent trader to access and maintain. It’s important to remember that any franchisor’s success is totally dependent on the success of its franchisees. Therefore the amount of effort and commitment that both parties put into business development is a key factor to success.
In today’s busy world, everyone is chasing leads, developing new income streams and cutting back on expenses whilst still trying to provide outstanding customer service. So it’s understandable that attending events such as national conferences, annual awards, network group meetings or training seminars can seem like a bit of headache and you may think your time could be better spent on other things. But my advice is to take advantage of every opportunity your franchisor offers to meet up with other franchisees and members of your franchise support team. Franchisees have the ultimate advantage over independent traders of not competing against each other and so they’re able to share their thoughts and listen to the experiences of others, which can undoubtedly save time and money in the long run. Take a few minutes each day to read any newsletters or group emails that have been circulated as these will keep you in the loop with legal updates, new industry regulations and important changes within your chosen franchise. Ultimately, you’ll already be paying for everything that your franchisor is offering, so grab every opportunity and make sure you get your money’s worth.
MAY 2019 | elitefranchise
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Jo Stone and Tracy Townend
At the
deep end BY Eric johansson / photography by jon parker lee
Almost dying from a rare virus and facing the fear of failure didn’t prevent Tracy Townend and Jo Stone from leading Puddle Ducks’ network of franchisees to make a big splash across the UK
“W
e had something to prove,” Tracy Townend declares. Her voice carries surprisingly well and not just because of the somewhat unreliable telephone line. The Puddle Ducks co-founder is still recovering from a rare virus that left her in intensive care for months in 2016, unable to speak, feed herself or see. Still, being confined to a hospital bed didn’t stop her from leading the pre-natal and children’s swimming franchise, communicating with light hand squeezes. Over the years since, those small signs have turned into speech and she’s now up on her own two feet. “Tracy had sheer determination, drive and tenacity to recover,” says Jo Stone, the co-founder. Townend says her friend’s support and that from the network of 32 UK franchisees they’ve built up together has certainly helped her recover. After all, it’s the duo’s baby, almost as young as their actual daughters. And that’s what Townend is talking about when she says Stone and herself had something to prove – not overcoming the disease but demonstrating they could make a success of the launch of Puddle Ducks in 2002. After all, leaving an established career for the unknown path of entrepreneurialism is a huge undertaking. “It was easy being an employee,” Townend explains.
“And we wanted to prove we could do it without the backdrop of being an employee. We wanted to prove it could work.” Their prior careers had seen them gain vital experience for their future endeavour – Townend had previously worked as a supply manager at Shell Chemicals and Stone had been an IT project manager at Barclays. Although, while they’d enjoyed their jobs, they felt the pull to create something of their own. And for Stone, this wasn’t a new experience. “I always wanted to be my own boss and start my own company when I was back in school but I didn’t know what that business might look like,” she reveals. “I certainly didn’t have the confidence of going at it alone and doing something entrepreneurial.” Her previous hesitations washed away when she met Townend at an antenatal class when they were both pregnant with their first children. Not only were their daughters born on the same day, weighing seven pounds each but the two friends also found they had a lot more in common. As they kept meeting after the birth of their children, this fact became even clearer. “We talked lots and lots about what we wanted to do in the future because we realised that perhaps the corporate career wasn’t what we wanted to do next,” says Stone.
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Jo Stone and Tracy Townend
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telling Townend and trying the name on a few friends, the founders eventually christened their business after that boat. And there was clearly a demand for their services. “We did a little bit of local advertising but it wasn’t long before we didn’t need to advertise,” Stone says. “We had filled up all our classes and we really didn’t need to get anymore [customers].” Things seemed to be going well for the entrepreneurial duo – they had plenty of clients and a pool to hold their lessons in. “And then suddenly, out of the blue, one day we weren’t allowed to teach in it anymore,” Stone says. As it turned out, the pool caretaker had grown unhappy with the health and safety demands attached to hosting Puddle Ducks’ classes and decided to end the partnership. For the the two founders, this meant they had to quickly find a new place to teach or be forced to refund the parents who’d signed up for their classes. Stressful as this might’ve been, Stone and Townend pushed through to save their enterprise. “Giving up wasn’t an option,” Stone states. “In less than a few weeks we found a much better pool that had opportunities for more days, [meaning] we could have lots more classes. So actually, it was a blessing in disguise.” That pool was soon joined by a few more. “We’d learned our lesson – not to put all our eggs in one basket,” Stone declares. This is a lesson they’re communicating to their network to this day. Having secured pools, the business thrived. Although, it was only the beginning of their entrepreneurial adventure. “At the time we thought we had a proper business when we only had 100 customers,” Stone jests. “We didn’t.” Even from the start, they aspired to make Puddle Ducks grow out of its Cheshire origins and become a countrywide tour de force. “While we weren’t thinking about franchising from the very beginning we always had the vision it would grow into something that would replace our corporate salaries,” Stone continues. No matter what form this expansion would take, the founders knew they had to keep track of everything they did. “Whether it had to do with the business side or the lesson side, we documented and constantly improved it,” Stone explains. This certainly helped them when they decided in 2005 that franchising was the way forward. “For us it was franchising that won because we realised all the relationships with the pool owners and the customers were all things that a local franchisee could offer,” Stone
Puddle Ducks sounds like a fluffy fun place to work in but at the end of the day we and our franchisees are business people Jo Stone, Puddle Ducks
They found the answer to what their next step would be during their weekly swimming sessions with their daughters. Having found a book about baby swimming, they played around in a pool with their babies. And they loved it – not least of all because it helped them bond with their tiny tots. “In the water you’re on the same level,” Townend explains. “In the water your eyes are on the same level whereas on the land you’re towering above your baby.” And why did they do it themselves instead of going to a baby swimming lesson? “There was just nothing around,” Stone answers. Indeed, today there may be several UK-based franchises operating in this sector – from Water Babies and Turtle Tots to Mini Swimming and SwimKidz – but back in 2002 these opportunities were few and far between. Recognising this reality inspired them to launch Puddle Ducks. “We were definitely one of the first,” Stone claims. Fortunately, they had some time to make the transition from corporate workers to entrepreneurs. “We had the luxury of doing it while we were on maternity leave,” Stone recalls. “We could take the time out to ensure we did things properly.” This by no means meant they rested on their laurels. Instead, they dived headfirst into the task of setting up their business. This meant searching and finding a swimming pool to have their classes in as well as attending leadership and swimming courses to prepare them for their venture. “It was full time from the beginning,” Stone says. “It was never a little part-time job, [it was] always intended to be something bigger.” Even though they had buckets of tenacity, their venture still lacked a name. “The first few classes were literally called Baby Swimming,” laughs Stone. The inspiration for the brand came when she was on vacation with her husband. “And then one day we went on a trip and I saw a boat called Puddle Ducks and that immediately struck a chord,” she recalls. “It was appealing and quite nurturing and I thought it was perfect for young swimmers.” After
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explains. “That alongside all the documents from the [first few] years meant franchising was the natural option for us.” Endeavouring to get it right off the bat, the franchisorsto-be enlisted the services of a franchise consultant to help them formulate their franchise model. “We spent about two years working with the consultants to help us get the training, manual and everything else in place,” Stone recalls. They also recruited a woman from one of their classes to run a pilot franchise. “She sold the business after a couple of years but she was really useful for testing out our ideas and processes,” Stone says. All these efforts paid off in 2007 when Puddle Ducks recruited its first two real franchisees. “They came from an advert we made and that advert got one person involved and she told a friend about it and they started at pretty much the same time,” Stone remembers. Both franchisees are still members of the network. Today, Puddle Ducks has 32 franchisees operating across 50 territories, teaching more than 21,000 customers each week. “We have several franchisees that are earning profits of over £100,000 per year,” Stone says. However, getting to this point wasn’t easy. “Mistakes were made,” acknowledges Stone. That’s despite the franchisors taking special care to be in constant contact with the people in their network, ensuring franchisees know everything they need to do, teach the lessons the way they’re supposed to be taught and follow the model to a tee. “The network realises that their success is our success, that we know that for us to be successful we need them to be successful,” explains Stone. “And that means working together. So if a franchisee isn’t doing what they’re supposed to be doing, the franchise network knows we’ll try to talk to the person and make them work in a way that’s beneficial for the rest of the network. If not, then they won’t be a franchisee anymore.”
Giving up wasn’t an option Jo Stone, Puddle Ducks
Despite always trying to work things out, the franchisors are unafraid of taking the nuclear option if franchisees fail to conform to expectations despite several nudges from the leadership. “Puddle Ducks sounds like a fluffy fun place to work in but at the end of the day we and our franchisees are business people,” says Stone. While it may sound tough, there are reasons for the excommunication of franchisees unwilling to follow the model. “Because if a franchisee isn’t paying their invoices, [then it’s] damaging the brand [and is] going to damage everybody’s reputation,” explains Stone. Having failed in their recruitment in the past, Puddle Ducks is particular about the talent sourced to the network these days. “We’ve learned that it’s far better to say no than recruiting somebody you aren’t sure about,” says Stone. The franchisors have also learned more about what they look for in successful members of their teams. “Drive and determination are really important,” Stone declares. Moreover, they must be self-starters, follow the model and get their heads down to push on with the business no matter how challenging it might seem. “If they don’t have any tenacity and ambition, then they won’t get anywhere,” she explains. Additionally, to be a successful candidate, prospective franchisees must believe in Puddle Ducks’ mission of making every British
child adore swimming and respect the water. “All the franchisees absolutely love what they do and having that passion has to be there in the beginning to get the babies able to swim,” summarises Stone. But what exactly do franchisees get for their investment? “They get all the training and all of the equipment to run the first lot of classes,” explains Stone. This means they get all the marketing material, equipment, clothing, financial tools and software that they could possibly need. Moreover, Puddle Ducks also offers franchisees its bespoke training, both in person and via its huge range of e-learning tools covering everything from how to teach classes and keep the children in their care safe to business and financial training. Additionally, each franchisee has access to the head office team, which can offer business health checks and guidance. “I don’t think there’s anyone more experienced in the UK than our team,” says Stone. Equally important as what the franchisor can teach its franchisees is what the network can teach the franchisors. More specifically, they listen to suggestions the franchisees have on how to improve the business. “We get lots of good ideas by allowing franchisees a little bit of innovation,” says Stone. “The best ones get rolled out across the network. The bad ones don’t.” Case in point from 2015, husband and wife team Gary and Suzanne Horton had grown tired with pool
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Jo Stone and Tracy Townend
owners in their areas not giving them enough time slots to meet the demand of their customers. After talking with the franchisors, the franchisees decided to buy an old pub. The idea was that they would convert the bottom floor to their own pool and then live on the top floor. The initiative proved so successful that the couple received the bfa HSBC Franchisee Innovation Award in 2017. Following the stellar performance of the trial, the franchisor has taken steps to help other franchisees create their own similar pools. “We’ve now got someone in the head office who’s a real expert in pool build,” Stone reveals. Moreover, they’ve found dedicated suppliers and contractors to streamline the creation of similar swimming facilities across the network. Several franchisees are already interested in taking the franchisor up on this offer and the founders hope new franchisees may be interested in building their own pools as part of them joining the network. “It’s that evolution again,” says Stone. “It’s a different type of person that’s putting that investment into different investors.” And if they want to see how it works in reality, they soon won’t have to look too far. “We’re well into the conversations of having an HQ pool built in Cheshire,” explains Stone. “So fingers crossed we’ll have something by the end of this year.” In the almost two decades since Puddle Ducks launched, the company has acquired an impressive collection of awards. The list includes several wins and nominations at the annual bfa HSBC Franchise Awards and the NatWest EWIF Awards, picking up multiple Smith & Henderson 5-Star Franchisee Satisfaction Awards and being among the UK’s 100 best franchises in the EF Top 100 2018 list. And Stone is certain picking up prestigious gongs like these will only be good for the company. “It gives us credibility and recognition,” she says. With breathtaking accolades such as these underneath its belt, one has to ask what’s next for Puddle Ducks. “Our aim is to continue to make sure [our services are] available to as many people as possible, to make it as inclusive as we can,” concludes Stone. With such a focused outlook, we’re certain the franchisors will continue to make a splash for years to come. may 2019 | elitefranchise
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From one business adventure to the next After using an Action Coach for his own business, Matt Ewer saw first-hand the work-life balance of being a franchisee
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lready well-established in his local community, Matt Ewer’s transition into business coaching was smooth. He used an Action Coach for his Premier Sport franchise which allowed him to exit and seamlessly launch his ActionCOACH franchise in Rugby in May 2015. Ewer was ready for a new adventure. “From October 2014 to April 2015 I worked with [an] Action Coach, Mark Jennings, to reach a point where I was able to sell my franchise and move on to something new,” he recalls. “I’d already made my mind up that ActionCOACH would be my next challenge so, once I got to the stage where my previous business was in good shape, I was ready to get started. I went on the discovery day, grew smitten with its values and made a conscious decision I wouldn’t need to look at any alternatives.”
Embarking on a new adventure
Ewer was then fully prepared to embark on his latest adventure into business coaching, so flew over to Las Vegas to complete his training at ActionCOACH University. “You’re completely immersed in the ActionCOACH culture during the training – I loved every second,” he says. “Having been coached before
and as a business owner, I could see how [many] of the learnings could be applied. I’d been looking for a new challenge and I was more motivated than ever before. “When you start an ActionCOACH franchise you’re given a master coach until you reach a good level of income – luckily, mine was Mark Jennings. After just two years he helped me achieve a monthly client income of £21,000 through a mixture of two-day coaching events, group coaching and one-to-one coaching. My year two turnover was similar to what I was achieving with my previous franchise but the profit margin was significantly higher with ActionCOACH. “It wasn’t just my business that was growing, my family was too. In June 2016 my wife gave birth to twin boys, Ralph and William. The importance of creating a business that would allow more flexibility for work-life balance increased by 200% that day. I knew I’d need to develop my business to continue to increase income without relying on constantly being in the office.”
Adventuring further than ever before
In October 2018, ActionCOACH introduced an exclusive territory Firm Builder licence, letting franchisees build a firm of employee coaches in
an area of 10,000 business owners. Ewer’s dream of building a team of coaches was quickly about to become a reality. “When I heard about the new licence, I had to get involved straight away,” he explains. “Ever since my twins arrived it’s been my vision to build a firm and have a business that works in my absence, so it just made complete sense. Establishing my team of employee coaches will mean I can depend on them to keep the business running when I’m out, so I can enjoy spending precious time with my family. “Ralph and William are now approaching three and I want to be with them throughout the most crucial parts of their childhood. With my employee coaches, I can reach a new level of consistent income which can be reinvested into marketing to generate more leads. And, with a new team in place, I’ll become a lot more flexible. It’s a win-win situation.” Matt currently coaches 19 one-to-one clients, four group coaching clients and has a projected turnover of £350,000 by the end of his fourth year. And with the launch of his latest ActionCLUB, his first employee coach will be ready to take the reins and lead the session right from the start. “After their training I’ll focus on shadowing and working with them to reach a point where they can run it themselves,” Ewer says. “I
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Matt guiding a client to success
always think the best way to learn is by getting in and doing it – and there’s no better time than in a group coaching environment. But, of course, I’ll be there with them every step of the way. It will also be great to see how they work in that situation to assess the dynamic between them and the clients. It will be a huge learning curve for me as much as it is for them. “Growing the team will make the transition from being a coach to just focusing on running the business much simpler. I can be working on the operation side of things while my team delivers the results. It will be a true collaborative effort and I’m very excited to see what the future holds.”
Not just my adventure
becoming a reality and I know my business is about to explode – in a good way.”
“Ever since my twins arrived, it’s been my vision to build a firm and have a business that works in my absence, so it just made complete sense.” If you would like to build a strong team to make a difference to business owners in your community and you’re the kind of person who loves learning and developing yourself, has enjoyed success in your career or sport and is willing to invest if they see substantial returns can be made, then find out more by watching the overview video at actioncoach.co.uk/overview
“The rewards aren’t solely financial either,” Ewer says. “I get a real boost every time one of my clients makes progress. Trinity Accountants increased their turnover by 125% in the first 12 months of coaching with a 400% upturn in profits.” Ewer actively enjoys the events ActionCOACH manages as part of over 70 days of support a year. With events such as the Business Excellence Forum and franchise conferences, he benefits from the nationwide collaborative network whilst also building upon his own knowledge as a business owner. “Going into business can be lonely but we have a community that I expect many other franchises would envy. The support given from ActionCOACH is extraordinary. There’s a constant endeavour to make it better for us – it’s obvious they want us to win. “Two years ago, I vowed to myself to grow my business to a firm with multiple coaches. Now that’s May 2019 | elitefranchise
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Opening the doors for the first time Seizing the initiative for the UK market brings a range of benefits, as this unique medispa franchise has discovered
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rawing from over 15 years of experience leading franchise brands with combined networks of over 500 franchisees, Duncan Berry believes he is well placed to ensure franchisees’ onboarding and ongoing support requirements are well met. spa810 is the brand he and his wife, Tania, identified as being ideal for this and have invested in acquiring the master franchise rights for the UK and Ireland. spa810 – pronounced spa eight ten – offers a selection of carefully curated spa and non-invasive medical treatments. The brand offers body sculpting, advanced facials, laser hair removal and a variety of massages, all given by a
highly trained and qualified team of aesthetic therapists. The spa810 brand fills a muchneeded service offering with experience in five-star spa hotels with high-end pricing, compared to the independent, fragmented and inconsistent offerings provided at a local level. spa810 provides both female and male customers with top of the line treatments and an elevated experience in a convenient retail location. Massages, facials and skincare treatments are offered using market-leading, FDA approved technologies administered by professionals. Included in spa810’s suite of medical technologies are state of the art lasers for hair removal and non-surgical fat reduction equipment. Berry’s also discerning about the qualities he believes are necessary for prospective franchisees. “The ability to provide leadership, set the right tone and culture in the business, be solutionorientated and understand the interdependent partnership that exists between franchisee and master franchisee all help contribute to a successful and
profitable outcome for a franchisee,” he explains. Experience of managing teams and-or individuals and exposure to business are an ideal prerequisite for spa810 franchisees. Although, given it’s a management franchise Berry is confident in providing the necessary support. After all, he and Tania had no experience of the business sector they launched in but it didn’t stop them making a success of the pilot spa in Harrogate, North Yorkshire. Berry has twice been elected to the BFA Board of Directors. His professional experience includes managing numerous high-quality franchise businesses, including Cartridge World, Choice Hotels Europe and, most recently, Bluebird Care, the BFA’s 2017 Franchisor of the Year. Berry will use their significant experience and deep understanding of franchising to further build upon spa810’s success. “We’re thrilled to be launching spa810 in the UK,” he comments. “We believe the brand meets a significant demand in the market. The fundamentals of the sectors I’ve previously been involved with of merchandising, driving occupancy, revenue per room, along with recruitment and retention, are all highly relevant and can be applied to this sector.” To join the exciting new journey visit www.spa810.co.uk, call 01423 595810 or email duncanberry@spa810.co.uk
May 2019 | elitefranchise
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Frank Milner CEO Tutor Doctor
Demystifying the financial jargon Money makes the world go round and if you’re a franchisee eager to jump on its merry-go-round you better learn the money talk
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things like ongoing and ever-evolving support for the life of your franchise as well as innovation in products and the service to keep the brand at the forefront of the market. After all, franchising is a two-way-street. Some brands also have a marketing fee and, just like royalties, they’re usually a percentage of turnover. This money is put into a metaphorical pot and used for national marketing purposes for the benefit of the whole network, not just certain individuals. What it can do is fund things like specifically themed marketing campaigns, investment into external specialists and network-wide activity. Money is one of the hardest things to talk about. But there are many experts and professionals you can turn to for advice and support. The big takeaway here is, if you’re unsure – ask. With most high street banks offering business loans to cover up to 70% of your franchise costs, you can rest assured that you won’t be battling the money monster alone.
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inance is one of the biggest concerns for prospective franchisees. And it doesn’t help since the franchise industry quite often has its own jargon. Fear not, if you’re trying to weigh up your options but have blurred financial vision, I’ve picked some of the most common terms in franchising to demystify. First up is the franchise fee. Simply put, this is the initial fee that’s paid to the franchisor to become a franchisee. Depending on the brand, this will include things like your initial training, a dedicated, protected territory and starting stock or materials needed to launch. It’s usually the same for everyone although the exact figure can be subject to change based on territory size and location. Working capital is another term that might confuse some franchisees. This is the amount of money needed to get your franchise off the ground – from rent and rates to staff, product and technology costs. But working capital doesn’t just relate to the business. You still have a personal life that needs paying for, including rainy day and emergency funds, so calculating your working capital requirement is an important part of your decisionmaking process. Money doesn’t come in straightaway from any new business, so it’s crucial to have sufficient working capital to rely on in the meantime. Next we have cashflow, which doesn’t just pertain to money going in and out of your company. Your cashflow forms an essential part of your business plan – meaning a working document acting as a viability check and helps to secure funding in the first place as well as a vital monthly management tool when your franchise is up and running. If regularly consulted, your business plan and cashflow can be amended to reflect what’s really going on so both franchisee and franchisor can react appropriately. Royalty fees and management service fees (MSF) means the same thing – a percentage of gross sales, though some brands operate on a fixed fee basis. The MSF covers 28 elitefranchise | MAy 2019
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The Right Fit for you • Over 4,500+ clubs in 33 countries worldwide • 97% UK success rate with proven business model • No industry experience required • Fixed Franchise fee Invest today and become a Franchisee in the fastest growing Fitness Franchise in the world!
Visit anytimefitness.co.uk/elite or call 0330 3322 361 for more
TAKE THE NEXT STEP
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ADVERTISING FEATURE
Affording the ambition Deciding to join a franchise is exciting but sometimes, your wallet stops you. But with Ovenu’s Insite programme, no one gets left behind
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here’s a good chance many avid readers of this publication over the years will have seen our full-page advert adjacent to this article. It’s equally fair to suggest a good few will have wondered how on Earth we’ve made it possible to become involved with us for such a low initial investment with our Insite opportunity. Some might even be thinking it’s too good to be true. Simply put, we know there are lots of quality prospective franchisees who would thrive in our network but haven’t been able – often through no fault of their own – to invest in our full-blown franchise opportunity. This is thanks in part to lending institutions somewhat tightening their criteria.
There are also many who appreciate it’s always a good idea to have some cash reserves when starting a business for those awkward just in case moments that can crop up unexpectedly. So what’s not to like about a version of the Ovenu franchise that offers all of the package components, including induction training, van sign-writing, unique products, corporate online branding and so on, for under £5,000 plus VAT? It’s what we call a common sense and practical approach to a very common problem. It leaves our new network members with that all-important cash in the bank to support the business if needs be. “I chose the Ovenu Insite opportunity because it allows you to get into the Ovenu franchise at a much lower start cost but you get all the big brand benefits of the full-fat option,” says Paul Bernard, franchisee of Ovenu Cheshunt. “[This] includes the training, clothing, tools, your choice of van signwritten and fitted out with the outstanding Ovenu process equipment, plus the full backup from Rik Hellwell
and the team. If you’re thinking of joining the Ovenu network then Insite is a no-brainer.” High praise indeed. And we’re pleased to say Bernard left his Induction training week back in March with enquiries already coming in. To learn more about the Insite, Foundation and Foundation Plus opportunities we have on offer, why not give us a call on 01189 743911 or register your Interest at ovenufranchise.co.uk
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Ovenu - The UK's favourite network of oven valeting Franchisees. Why should you consider becoming one of them? A business where every property is a prospect. In depth oven valeting and business operation training no experience necessary Exclusive territory Large support network Over 25 years experience Your choice of white van Bespoke cleaning products no one else can deliver our results Complete control of your own work schedule Get involved from £4,995 + VAT
Benefit from 20,000+ client reviews & testimonials for our specialist service
Find out more 01189 743 911 or via ovenufranchise.co.uk
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WORK FOR YOURSELF, PROFIT WITH US Camile is a group of healthy online Thai delivery restaurants, growing strongly in London, serving food made with the freshest ingredients. Every dish is cooked to order and delivered to our guests within 30 minutes. We’re looking for some London based entrepreneurs with a keen interest in this market and are looking to start their own business. • minimum personal investment £100k (total £200k+) • best restaurant turnover €35k+ in Ireland, £20k in UK • hands on ope rators who are keen to grow • relevant management experience
Joe Canning - Camile Franchisee
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email us today at franchise@camile.co.uk or visit camile.co.uk/franchising
02/05/2019 14:04
CHRIS AstoN marketing director Auditel UK
Going digital Adapting to the digital world of today will ensure the franchising success of tomorrow
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hen is the right time to push the button on a full-scale brand transformation project? Do you wait until market pressures force you to react or do you take a more forward-thinking approach to revitalise your brand ahead of the sea change? At Auditel, we chose the latter. Why? Because it’s the only way for even well-established brands to secure their position as pioneers and leaders in a transformed business landscape. Digital transformation is the fourth industrial revolution. It’s quite literally the way of the world now and isn’t something any brand can ignore. Digitisation is impacting every element of every business. If you disagree, you’re not looking in the right places. For those operating in any market, not just the B2B space, it’s no longer about ensuring future solutions are likefor-like. It’s about understanding the requirements of the future: technology, sustainability and longevity are intrinsically linked. For our franchisees at Auditel, this means identifying which suppliers are offering greatly enhanced digital platforms as solutions so our clients can make a step-change in their business. Savvy franchisors should be working to anticipate and embrace changes in their own industry and the wider business landscape. Those that do are futureproofing not just their own businesses but those of their franchisees and clients as well. But it’s not too late for other brands to transform. In fact, it’s essential if they’re to survive. I would encourage prospects to ensure questions around a franchisor’s digital strategy – and we’re not talking social media here – form an important part of their due diligence process. The challenges faced during any brand evolution – be it rebranding, introducing a new product or services or redefining service offerings and client relationships – is keeping everyone happy. In my experience, happy franchisees are those with franchisors delivering the right level of support and leadership. Franchisees tend to be delivering the solution of the day and the franchisor’s job is to make sure that product or service has longevity. By doing that, they're protecting the model and the businesses of all franchisees.
Of course, some franchisees are always reluctant to embrace change – and there’s a serious potential barrier from those who are reluctant to do so. As franchisors, we’re increasingly welcoming millennials into the network. People who’ve grown up with technology at their fingertips and inherently recognise the need for technological integrations, both internally and externally, in our models. The bottom line is, existing franchisees will be left behind if they don’t adapt. That’s where communication becomes the most powerful tool in a franchisor’s arsenal. It’s vital to remember that alongside the R&D and the go-to-market strategy, marketing is so important because you’re then trying to articulate your new vision. This means aiming to educate franchisees in new terminology, how they promote and talk about those new products and services. Sales and marketing have to quickly follow the innovation and be effectively communicated throughout the business. It’s a mistake to think an established brand enjoys a privileged position. All organisations are at risk of a competitor innovating quicker than they do or new entrants coming into the market with advanced offerings. Managed well, innovation and evolution can reinvigorate even the most established of brands.
May 2019 | elitefranchise
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Buy a coffee franchise. Coffee is big business: 2.2 billion coffee cups are consumed every year in coffee shops. It makes lots of money: Industry turnover is approx. £7.9 billion and sales have increased 10% since 2015. And it’s growing: Analysts predict the coffee shop sector will exceed 30,000 outlets and produce £15 billion turnover by 2025.
Visit FranchiseSales.com to find out more about buying a coffee franchise – and more! Untitled-1 1
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A N I D E T S E R E INT Y? T I N U T R O P P O E S I H C N A R F TASTY Artisan chocolate brownies served at festivals and events near you!
Low Investment • Great Returns • Brownies Supplied (you just sell!) Areas available: Somerset • Devon • Wiltshire • Oxfordshire • Hampshire • Other areas available soon!
100% SENSATIONAL!
Handmade & baked
E: greg@chockshop.co.uk T: 07885 697139
www.ChockShop.co.uk
FIND OUT MORE...
Employment risks for franchisors It’s easy to get confused between the status of employed, worker and self-employed when franchisors are dealing with their staff or franchisees. But it’s important to know the difference
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here are many different franchise models with a matching diverse array of frameworks for engaging staff. How a franchisee engages people to work will depend on the business and its individual requirements. Many will be conventional in their needs and how they take on full or part-time staff, with consultants or external companies when needed. However, in the franchise sector – especially in service-based industries such as cleaning, hospitality, leisure and care – it’s common to require greater workforce flexibility. As a result, franchise staff are often engaged as workers or under selfemployed contracts. As working habits and society in general continue to change and flexible working and the gig economy 36 ELITEFRANCHISE | MAY 2019
become more prominent, employment pitfalls grow in proportion. Franchisees must ensure their employment risks – and there are many – are minimised. These considerations don’t only affect franchisees. Franchisors should be under no illusion of the impact mistakes by franchisees can have on the business as a whole. So, what are the three categories currently? Firstly, and most conventionally, is the employed status. They have full employment rights from fixed hours of work and wages to holiday pay, sick leave entitlement, notice period, disciplinary processes and parental leave among others. The self-employed have none of these rights apart from health and safety protection with no national insurance contribution from the contracting company.
Finally, workers have some employment rights but not all – it isn’t an ideal situation and The HR Dept has long been campaigning for simplification. We’ve submitted recommendations to the government that worker status be abolished in favour of improved rights and a revision of self-employment status. Getting these employment statuses wrong, intentionally or otherwise, can mean claims and backdated financial settlements to the great detriment of franchisees and franchisors. Think Uber, Deliveroo and Pimlico Plumbers for the most high-profile cases of the employment status battle that’s raging through the courts and impacting resources and reputations. Franchises could be particularly vulnerable to people, originally engaged on a self-employed basis,
GEMMA TUMELTY managing director The HR Dept
claiming they are in fact workers and therefore entitled to holiday pay and other employment rights. For franchisors, what happens in an individual franchise can mean significant reputation damage across the network and for the national brand as well as necessary changes to your model due to higher operational costs. Nor are the risks solely around employment statuses. Correct payment of staff, as well as discrimination, are also issues to consider. Witness the 7-Eleven franchisees in Australia who were found to be systematically underpaying their staff, largely due to an unworkable franchise system and lack of support. The damage to the 7-Eleven brand and, by association, the whole of the franchise industry has been massive, with ongoing
ramifications. The problems in Australia aren’t something we want to fall foul of in the UK, so it’s time to get our franchising industry in order. New legislation is on the horizon with regards to employment status or good work. As a result of a review into the gig economy in 2018 – we hope and expect this will clarify the current system. As HR experts, our recommendations to franchisors are that you should, first off, undertake an audit to see how your services are delivered and what types of employment are used in your central office and your franchised units. However you and your franchisees are working, it’s crucial your contracts are a true reflection of the situation and not a sham. Flexibility with zero hour contracts is fine, for example. Pretending staff are self-
employed to save tax and National Insurance contributions is not – it’s morally wrong and places great risk on your business. The second step should be to review what the financial impact would be of any recommended employment status changes within your franchise model. Finally, provide good HR guidelines and resources to franchisees to minimise risk and stop them getting it wrong. This should include, as a minimum, guidance and training on correct pay rates and discrimination legislation. Franchisors should also seek to protect their own liability by ensuring the requirements of employing people correctly are detailed in the franchise agreement. MAY 2019 | ELITEFRANCHISE
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Are you dreaming of owning your own photographic business? take that exciting step now!
0800 622 6008 For more information about joining Photography for Little People Franchise: Jan Massey 01207 299500 OR 07826841224 jan@photographyforlittlepeople.com
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Like riding
a bike
Considering one in five parents have a child who can’t grasp cycling, franchisees of CYCLEme TOTS are desperately needed to teach the crucial life skill
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he children’s activities market is vast. In fact, it’s ripe with a whole host of fantastic learning opportunities for parents to get their little ones involved in such as yoga, swimming, cooking, coding and everything in between. However, there’s very little in the current market to help parents teach their children to ride a bike – undoubtedly a key life skill and a great way to keep children active and healthy. Indeed, with a YouGov survey estimating one in five parents in Britain have a child who can’t ride a bike, it’s CYCLEme TOTS’ mission to change things with a network of passionate and ambitious franchisees. CYCLEme TOTS is a new and innovative franchise opportunity that provides a rewarding and profitable business. But not only this, it also offers the flexibility to maximise earning potential around your personal commitments or family life. Our activity programme has been carefully created alongside Early Years professionals to let children learn the importance of cycling and road safety while developing their balance and co-ordination skills. This is achieved through a fun and engaging class structure of imaginary play for those aged two and upwards. A CYCLEme TOTS franchise offers a great earning potential through a number of revenue opportunities.
These include parent and child classes run locally from key venues such as soft play centres, David Lloyd leisure clubs and after school and lunchtime clubs currently running across a number of schools, holiday clubs and flexible one-to-one coaching sessions. If you’re interested in finding out more about our activity franchise opportunity, please register your details on our website to receive our franchise prospectus. Once complete, one of our team members will be in contact to give some more information and start your CYCLEme TOTS journey. Visit www.cyclemetots.com/pages/franchise-me or give us a call on 07739 389281.
May 2019 | elitefranchise
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There are only two kinds of recruitment franchises While the recruitment sector works with everything from catering to sales there are really just two paths its franchisees can take – and they both demand the same skills
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y joining the recruitment sector you’ll be in a business that handles everything from finance to catering, engineering to sales and temporary work to permanent boardroom positions. But as far as franchising goes, there are broadly two kinds of recruitment on offer. At the commercial recruitment end of the scale you’ll likely come into frequent contact with recognisable high street names. They cover a market handling work placements in a low to mid-range pay bracket for both temporary and permanent contracts. The other side of the coin is executive search, otherwise known as headhunting, which can span vast distances. Global brands like Antal International, for instance, have networks from the UK to China and beyond. Such companies aren’t necessarily a household name and you won’t find them on the high street because in an executive search franchise, potential employees don’t walk in off the street. Instead, you work within a sector, such as IT or finance, and actively seek out people through research, networking and picking up the phone to people you think may be good candidates. But whether it’s commercial recruitment or headhunting, the same things are demanded of franchises. For example, a
willingness to pick up the phone is a major requirement across the sector – but that’s not all at play. It isn’t enough to just want to enter the recruitment sector, you have to believe in the job. It’s extremely people-based and you’ll be hands-on in the office on a day-to-day basis. As a result, you must be prepared for what might come as a bit of a culture shock to the work. If you can’t imagine yourself working in this way, then don’t. You must also closely follow your franchisor’s brand and the methodology that’s been successful. Upon becoming a franchisee you’re acknowledging you want to be your own boss but are also building on the established reputation of the franchisor. And having a franchisor behind
you isn’t like being employed again. You are running your own business and accordingly, can’t expect to be treated like an employee. That means things will be more flexible with a greater degree of self-satisfaction and freedom. And if you look to join the Antal family of entrepreneurs, the financial triumphs will be wholly yours as well. To find out more, give our franchise team a call on 0207 467 2528.
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Could you inspire children by becoming a First Class Learning Tutor? Joining the UK’s fastest growing after school tuition franchise includes: • • • • • •
Comprehensive Training and ongoing support Low start - up costs Your own protected online space Proven automated marketing A proven and profitable business model Quality, tried and tested learning materials
We are the fastest growing UK-based tuition franchise with over 270 centres nationwide. At First Class Learning, we believe that no child should be left behind.
hello@firstclasslearning.co.uk www.firstclasslearning.co.uk
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We aim to develop a child’s knowledge and understanding, providing them with a solid foundation in maths and English, relevant to their current studies and future goals. Whatever a child’s ability - whether they’re aiming high or need a little bit of extra help we want to make sure that THEY COUNT. We know that in today’s increasingly competitive world, a winning mindset can make all the difference. Unlike many other after-school tuition centres, our courses have been designed to align with the current National Curriculum. With an increasing number of schools using our materials, you can be confident your student’s work is relevant to their studies and their learning needs.
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BABIEs IN WAITING
Mother knows best By ZEN TERRELONGE
With Babies in Waiting, Emily and Jo Bull are determined to change the perception of pregnancy to make expectant mothers aware giving birth is something to celebrate, not fear
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hen I first meet people, they think ‘What, you can actually enjoy giving birth?’ which is such a shock to them,” explains Emily Bull, the co-founder of Babies in Waiting, the pregnancy care franchise. Being fearful is easily done though – have you ever seen a film or TV show portray a calm and relaxed birth? The dad is usually clueless and the mum is generally having a meltdown. Of course, this needn’t be the case, which is something Bull and her mother Jo are eagerly trying to make clear. “Sometimes we revert back to our subconscious conditioning of what we’ve seen in the media about birth, which is quite traumatic, like what we’ve seen on Eastenders, which is just entertainment,” says Bull.
“There’s going to be shock and horror [on those programmes] and actually it doesn’t have to be like that.” Before going into business with her mother though, she was arguably as dubious as some of the mums-to-be she speaks with today. While her mother had worked in pregnancy care over her career as a doula while also championing natural remedies as a homeopath, Bull’s work life started as an English teacher at a secondary school. “I was working in a comprehensive high school locally and then I discovered I was pregnant,” she says. “I had a mum who’s a hypnobirthing practitioner and she opened my eyes to the idea or prospect of a really calm, beautiful birth, which at the time I was a little bit sceptical of. I was thinking ‘Really? For all of those
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people you’ve been telling me have had such great experiences, did that really work?’ But I thought ‘No, actually, I want to find out more about this.’” And find out more she did. Even though her mother’s work had shaped her outlook as a child growing up, she still wanted to do her own research on the birthing front. “I think I’ve always been around a more holistic outlook to things,” she says. “As a family, we’ve always questioned medicines and looked at different ways of treating things and complementary things to support conventional medicines. That’s definitely had an impact on my line of thinking.” Still, with many of her mum’s clients reporting amazing births, Bull proceeded to learn the hypnobirthing technique despite her doubts. “It wasn’t until I learnt this stuff for myself and sat on the course and had that first birth that I thought ‘Wow, this does [work],’” she laughs, adding it was “an amazing birthing experience” with a son born at home through a water birth. “Weighing 10lb 6oz, he was quite a large baby,” Bull recalls. “There was no pain relief or intervention, it wasn’t dramatic, it was a very calm, relaxed birth.” From that point, Bull has continued to adopt the method to the extent that the three children she’s had since were all born at home. The birth of her daughter was actually filmed and can be found on YouTube, where it’s attracted over 620,000 views. Entering motherhood, especially with this newfound birthing knowledge, opened Bull’s eyes to a new opportunity within her reach. “I was at a crossroads in my life where I wanted to be able to teach people this stuff,” she says. “If you can give birth calmly and confidently without any intervention, just by using the power of your mind and education, what else can you do with it?” Excited by the concept of embracing new visualisation techniques to support other women, Bull didn’t want to return to life as a schoolteacher. “I felt a real sense of passion that I wanted
to develop my skills, so I trained to be a clinical hypnotherapist and hypnobirthing practitioner.” Through hypnotherapy, she learnt how to support people with goal achievement, motivation, overcoming fears and phobias, although it was applying it to birthing that really compelled her. And this paved the way for Bull to join forces with her mum to put the family in family business. With Babies in Waiting, the pair have created an educational pregnancy course of their own design. “It’s a very practical, common sense and comprehensive antenatal course,” Bull details of the hypnobirthing teachings. “We write birth plans and help birth partners with how they can best support their partners but the real unique part of the course is the focus on the mindset as well.” She reasons that the female body is designed to grow and nurture a baby, which means mums-to-be are generally able to go about their daily lives – assuming there aren’t any special medical circumstances – but things become confused when the baby is due to arrive. “When it comes to labour, society fears birth,” Bull claims. “There’s lots of drama and horror
stories surrounding it. So women are almost bracing themselves going into this event which should be a really normal, natural, amazing experience in their lives [because] it’s their baby’s first birthday.” Based on that, the focus for the duo is to dispel myths and negativity to make way for confidence and belief. Indeed, there’s an almost sporting approach to the big day with the support of Babies in Waiting in terms of where that visualisation element is concerned. It’s not uncommon to hear analogies about playing football or running a marathon on the course – you wouldn’t have a sportsperson participate in one or the other without training, would you? And that’s what Bull is trying to foster with the business – mental encouragement and performance in the same way a coach would get their athletes to succeed. “I could tell someone consciously ‘Just relax and have a good birth’ but it wouldn’t go past the surface of where I need it to go to,” says Bull. “Whereas with hypnosis you can bypass what’s called the conscious critical faculty and you can get into the powerhouse, which is their subconscious mind, and you can really make massive changes
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to their belief system about their body, self-esteem and confidence.” In addition to hypnobirthing, the duo also hosts pregnancy relaxation classes. While hypnobirthing focuses on getting the expectant mother and their birthing partner up to speed ahead of the labour, pregnancy relaxation is something of a safe space for mums in the making to unwind. “The pregnancy relaxation sessions are open to anyone at any stage of their pregnancy and they’re an opportunity to have that continuity of a place where they can come and offload any concerns, worries or fears, any anxieties, stresses or negative thinking,” says Bull. With a guided relaxation that includes creature comforts like blankets and pillows alongside eye masks and soothing music, each week has a specific theme for the stage of pregnancy. “If a woman is feeling endorphins and oxytocin regularly then that has a huge impact on the baby’s wellbeing,” she details. Pointing to the modern always-on lifestyles many lead today, from long working days and emails to phones and social media, Bull encourages mums to have some alone time. “It’s so important she takes time out to relax,” she continues. “To think ‘Right, this is the place where I come and, even if I can only do one hour of this class a week, that’s the time I can let go and focus on the baby.’” It was several years after opening their doors in 2009 that Bull and her mother came to the conclusion they were onto a winner and franchising was thrown into the mix. “The majority of the people we’ve met and been teaching over the past ten years or so have had mind-blowing birthing experiences,” says Bull. “And it was in 2016 that we realised ‘Actually, we can franchise this business we’ve got’ and that’s when we got quite excited about that whole prospect.” For the years leading up to 2016, it was just the mother and daughter team that were teaching in their town of
It’s more than a business. It’s pretty much like a way of life for us, it’s what we love, it’s a passion Billericay, Essex. Although franchising would be a transition from a team of two with the emergence of a franchise network, they had many of the tools required at their disposal already. “We’d created our own course, our own scripts, had our own music composed, everything was trademarked and protected and we thought ‘You know what, we can roll this out,’” Bull says matter of factly. Another burst of encouragement came from the customers themselves, many of whom had begun saying how much they’d like to be part of Babies in Waiting. “So that gave us the inspiration to think ‘Well actually, why don’t we look into training people to teach this? Why don’t we expand our team?’” she adds. With enquiries rolling in from places they physically couldn’t operate in alone, their minds were made up.
With no real experience of franchising before entering the sector first-hand, female-centric franchise body Encouraging Women Into Franchising (EWIF) was a big helping hand to get the Babies in Waiting founders up to speed. “We got a lot of support with EWIF,” recalls Bull. “I spoke to some really lovely ladies, like Anne-Marie, the franchisor from diddi dance. We’ve also got quite a close relationship with Sounds Right Phonics, so we’ve spoken to EWIF and other people who were doing it at the same time and was pretty [much] guided through the process.” Having received a crash course in franchising, Bull and her mother were ready for action. In terms of their own method of communication with interested parties, upon receiving an enquiry, they speak a few times before
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meeting and interviewing potential franchisees. Those who make it through to training are then given time with Bull herself for hypnotherapy, access to a midwife and practice runs teaching the sessions. Noting that the franchise incorporates continuous professional development, franchisees needn’t worry they’ll be left alone once committing either. “We have ongoing meetings with them, we observe their classes – that’s the whole benefit of a franchise isn’t it?” opines Bull. Detailing just how accessible they are at HQ, she says: “We’re in constant communication with them, so if they’ve got any questions, need additional support or just want to clarify something, they can reach us immediately. And it’s worked really well.” Bull has received a series of positive reviews about the growing network, which has 14 franchises currently, and it’s seen mums want to stay in contact with their teachers to maintain
a relationship even after the course is complete. “We received a bunch of flowers from a woman whose baby was having her first birthday and it was like ‘Wow, you know what, that’s amazing,’” Bull says, painting a vivid picture of just how happy some customers are. “Her baby’s first birthday and she sent us flowers to say thank you. So it’s more than a business. It’s pretty much a way of life for us, it’s what we love, it’s a passion. So we branch that out and spread that to the franchisees. We see them as an extension of our family basically.” It’s unsurprising given many of the initial franchisees were already familiar with the brand, having taken part in the courses themselves. In terms of challenges along the way, it doesn’t appear Babies in Waiting has experienced any – although Bull confesses she’s probably not the best person to ask about downsides. “I’m probably programmed to always see the positive in every situation,” she laughs.
“If I saw a challenge, I’d think ‘What have I learnt from it? How can I flip it?’ If there was something a bit trickier or harder, I’d see it as a learning process. I think we were just really lucky.” Part of the reason things have been so smooth is down to the business running on its own steam for the better part of ten years. And in addition to hypnotherapy knowledge, Bull has also studied things like babywearing, breastfeeding and so on, combined with her own knowledge of being a mother. “For us, [franchising] was the perfect fit of what works well and what doesn’t work so well from our own business,” Bull says. “We’re always growing and learning and developing and changing. But it’s quite an exciting process really.” One of the developments was introducing the mother and baby club part of the business to the franchise opportunities at Babies in Waiting where it joined hypnobirthing and pregnancy relaxation. These
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When it comes to labour, society fears birth. There’s lots of drama and horror stories surrounding it take the shape of groups where new mums with babies up to three months old can meet others in their shoes and find new friends. “We notice there generally isn’t a lot of support out there in the world for a postnatal mum,” says Bull. “They can sometimes feel a bit isolated and vulnerable and don’t often have someone they can ask questions.” She notes that other cultures can be learnt from as they’ll really support new mums, whether that’s family and friends taking food around, helping with chores or otherwise, while dads overseas will receive more time off to bond with their new baby and support their partners than they do in the UK. “Here you only get two weeks [of paternity leave] off [but you] have to get up and then get on with it and that’s just so wrong,” Bull stresses. “This is the foundation of our society: pregnancy, birth, new parenthood. These are going to be the future adults in our society making decisions. If we get this time right, if we respect and nurture and support a family, they’re going to have less problems, stress and issues in the future.” And with the future in mind, Babies in Waiting is looking to expand from the Essex region and go nationwide with its offering. “The first few people we trained had done our course,” says Bull. Like herself, they were professional mums who became converted through “really good birth experiences”. “Obviously that’s now changing because we’ve got a [franchisee] in Ireland – and she wasn’t our client,” laughs Bull
of the logistical notion of hopping between the Emerald Isle and Essex once a week for the pregnancy group. “Our lady in Ireland is a midwife, she’s a nurse and has six children, so she’s very, very qualified for the role,” she continues, chuckling. In terms of other markets, the Midlands and north of England are appealing areas for the franchise. “Now it’s really our goal to look at Manchester, we want to go to Birmingham and Sheffield, we want to try to get further afield,” says Bull. Offering more perspective, straight from the heart, she adds: “That love of wanting to talk about the mind, birth and babies, that’s the key really. And that’s what shines through our team, which is this really is something they love. And when you do something you love that’s what makes a success.” Of course, while the franchisees are of real importance, so too is her mother. “Obviously I’ve learnt about birth from her and she learnt about birth from me and the critical process of birthing,” Bull laughs. “She’s had four natural births herself and she’s got six grandchildren, I’ve had four natural births, so we’re literally embodying what we’re telling people about.” Adding how supportive they are of one another is what she thinks adds for a great working relationship. “The only reason we’ve been able to make Babies in Waiting such a success is because of that relationship, I believe. So we’re really excited about the future and how we’re going to develop it further.”
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WE ARE DIFFERENT - No franchise fee or any other fees at all - Supporting Local Childrens Charities - We boast that ourproducts are better than others in this field - Our packaging has been designed to attract and sell
Snak Appeal has full time franchise opportunities available in several areas of the UK and Europe. This would suit either a single person or a couple wishing to build their own successful business with minimum initial outlay and NO FRANCHISE FEE. The area allocated is large enough to create two separate good sized rounds. You will be working in an exclusive area LOCAL TO YOU and supporting LOCAL children with an achievable gross income of at least £30k in the UK, more for Europe due to the Euro. There are very few expenses incurred with this franchise.
Benefits include: • No Franchise fee. You pay for stock and display boxes only. • We invite you to visit the charity before you start so you can see the great work they do and to verify for yourself the donations we give them. • UK investment needed is less than £3,000 inclusive of VAT (for stock and display boxes). • No minimum contract, quit any time you want. • Your sales will be boosted by the appeal of supporting LOCAL children.
0800 1699 077 Email: info@snakappeal.com Website: www.snakappeal.co.uk/Franchise
ADVERTISING FEATURE
The biggest benefits of being a global name When your logo is spread across the world like Auntie Anne’s is, certain doors open that otherwise remain closed
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oining the Auntie Anne’s franchise isn’t a small deal – you’re joining a global brand of nearly 2,000 stores in over 25 countries. And there are some major benefits in joining a global brand. Unlimited room for ideas Having stores across so many different nations means Auntie Anne’s can truly explore everything a brand can offer. For example, some things that may work well in one country won’t necessarily fly in another. As a result, we’re able to see how one nation performs with certain elements to help steer our choices back home in the UK and Ireland. This can come in the form of product innovation among others. At Auntie Anne’s, markets are free to create new and wonderful products from our original pretzel mix that suit their local customers. Some of these products do so well they’re then introduced globally to become an even greater success. For example, Thailand’s produced some fascinating products like cheese and egg pretzel pops and kiwi cream cheese pockets, to name a couple. We can also learn from overseas markets about interesting events to promote and new concepts to investigate. For instance, the US has a big focus on catering events, especially around sport as shown with their basketball nuggets and football selection. Support in every corner of the world Auntie Anne’s has the full support of Focus Brands, the owner of other big global names like Cinnabon, the bakery company. Focus Brands is constantly testing and trialling new ideas and models around the world and share their resulting best practices. This gives
us direct contact with other markets to understand how they’re performing on various aspects of business, such as social media practices. Whenever, wherever Another fantastic benefit of being a global brand is recognition. We have customers visit us from all over the world because they’ve seen us in their home country, holidays or travels. Such exposure makes us very memorable and seeing our brand can transport customers right back to the country they originally saw us in. After all, they want to see if our pretzels are as good as they remember which, of course, they always are. If you would like more information, please visit www.auntieannesfranchising.co.uk or email franchising@auntieannes.co.uk
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Can you put your carers at the heart of what you do? Our mission is to become the UK Care Sector’s Employer of Choice by 2022. Join our mission and change the way care businesses are run. At Visiting Angels we understand that to be a successful care franchisee you need to put the interests of your staff at the heart of your business. We are one of the UK’s first Carer-Centric franchise businesses. If you want to be successful working in your community, if you want to make a difference to caregivers, clients and families, if you want to smile because you are changing lives and being commercially successful - call Visiting Angels today.
Join a worldwide network of 600+ franchisees A new approach to running a care business Specifically addresses the challenge of recruitment Model proven over 20 years Reduced franchise fees for development franchisees Liquid capital required of circa £30,000
Learn more about one of the world’s largest care franchises by speaking to Dan Archer
on 0114 433 3000 or 07584 178 458 www.visitingangelsfranchise.co.uk I darcher@visiting-angels.co.uk
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ADVERTISING FEATURE
Aiming to fail? John Morgan, director of Harper’s British Classics, takes a look at the reasons why some franchisees fail despite the odds being in their favour
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efore embarking on becoming a franchisor, my father and I put much thought into why some franchisees fail while others succeed. We knew the failure rate within the franchising sector was minimal but nevertheless, some do, regrettably, fail. Obviously, we wanted to try as much as possible to understand why this was the case and, of course, minimise failure within our franchise. Unsurprisingly, the first indication of success or failure starts with the recruitment of the franchisee. Some interview well but then go on to underperform as franchise owners. The interview may merely have been a performance, where they displayed the traits they knew you were looking for. This is why it’s the norm for employers to take out references when looking to offer someone a job. But how many franchisors take out references on prospective franchisees to verify their work history and achievements on their CV are genuine? Perhaps some franchisors are more swayed by the ability of the prospect to pay the initial fee. Are any forms of psychometric testing undertaken? While only a tool
in the decision-making process, such tests may help franchisors better understand whether or not the prospect will be suited to this type of industry. Most employment jobs have an in-built trial period often lasting around three months, which is not the case in franchising. If the prospect pays the initial fee and signs the agreement, they’re committed. But franchisors should instead consider arranging work experience by having the prospective franchisee spend some time working within the business to see the reality of the role. However, a word of caution: there’s a danger that prospectives working in the business before committing as franchisees may gain valuable knowledge for their own ventures. You should therefore limit the amount of information available to stop them thinking they can go off and start a similar business without you. A significant factor at the beginning of a franchisee’s journey is their finances. Many people don’t like talking about money but as a franchisor you need to. Owning a Harper’s quick-service restaurant, for example, involves a significant investment. Franchisors need to verify not only whether the incoming franchisee has sufficient capital to fund the initial purchase and required working capital but that they also have the financial ability to meet their outgoings, such as mortgage payments, food bills, utilities and such, until the business has grown enough to provide the franchisee with income. The initial underfunding of the business can be a significant factor in franchisees failing to develop. After assuming all of the above is factored in and the franchisee then begins to trade, some, albeit a tiny proportion, still fail. Again, we thought about why this was the case to try and further reduce the possibility of it happening within our franchise. Failing to follow the system is generally regarded as one of the most common causes for underachievement. Despite paying money for a successful system, some franchisees immediately want to change it. But having faith in the system
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that has brought the franchisor success is paramount. Having the mindset that owning business means you don’t have to work as hard is also a factor, which is utterly farcical in the beginning stages of building a business. Ultimately, it may turn out to be true once you develop a successful franchise with a team you’ve trained and nurtured and established the internal infrastructure of the business. However, in the beginning you will almost certainly work harder and spend more time in the work environment than you did when employed. This hard work is inevitable in the industry we operate in – trading is seven days per week and days can be long but the payback is extremely rewarding. If the business is underachieving in the early days, the attitude of the franchisee becomes crucial. No matter how much training and support you give them, if they lack a positive attitude and are looking for reasons to walk away, eventually failure will be the likely outcome. Ultimately, it’s up to each franchisee to take responsibility for the success of their business. We have concentrated on why franchisees fail in this article but let’s end on a positive. Adopting a franchise model to start a business dramatically enhances your chances of success versus independent startups. The NatWest and British Franchise Association Survey 2018 showed out of nearly 49,000 franchise units operating within the UK, the commercial failure rate was just 0.9%. Compare this to the fact that around 50% of non-franchised businesses fail within five years and you can see why we believe owning a Harper’s British Classics franchise, and indeed franchising in general, is the sensible choice. To find out more about joining a new and exciting quickservice restaurant franchise, visit www.harpersfranchise.co.uk or call Bill Hendrie on 07733 590 706. mAY 2019 | elitefranchise
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Science is g lden By VARSHA SARAOGI
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Sophie Allnut and Emily Whyte launched Mini Professors aiming to embed science in every child’s life. And they took the franchise to another level after partnering with Wow World Group
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ith scientific and technological advancements becoming increasingly ubiquitous, it’s imperative for children to have a strong foundation in the subject early on. And when two friends, Emily Whyte and Sophie Allnut, had their respective children and took them to baby classes, they saw a gap in the educational industry. “That’s when we started thinking maybe we could do something science-based because no one had ever done it for children as young as two,” Whyte remembers. And hence the two science professionals launched Mini Professors, the science lessons franchise for preschoolers, in January 2013. “It was kind of ideal for children because they’re naturally curious and like experimenting,” she adds. The duo’s entrepreneurial journey began after they were made redundant by pharmaceutical company Lilly, as it shifted its Basingstoke-based manufacturing unit abroad. This forced the pair to explore new ideas – ones which would allow them to work sans the long hours. “So it was kind of having children and the lack of opportunities and not wanting to go back to quite an intense corporate atmosphere,” Allnut states, shedding light on their thought process. The underlying reason for Allnut and Whyte to start the company was because they realised how important it is for children to develop an appreciation of science. Moreover, they wanted to encourage girls to study STEM subjects. “When we first started, we had a little girl who said ‘Am I allowed to be a scientist because I’m a girl?’ and it made [us] realise that media portrays scientists as MAY 2019 | elitefranchise
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male a lot of the time,” Allnut argues. “So in our classes we tend to have girls and boys in equal measure in the videos and everything we show.” Along with having equal representation in their study material, the children see the female founders as role models as they’re the ones teaching. “It puts it in their mind that it’s normal to be a scientist if you’re a woman and it really helped with trying to bridge the gender divide,” Allnut adds. Interestingly, having a venture which encourages children impacted their own families too. “I’ve got three girls myself and it’s been really inspirational for them to see their mum [create] something like this,” Whyte says, adding that her personal experience was another reason she’s
persistent on changing the imbalance prevalent in the science sector. “We faced sexism in the industry ourselves and it was very male-dominated. We’re very determined to try and balance it out.” During the infancy stages, sourcing money was tough. And Allnut and Whyte chose to keep their investment down to reduce potential risks, so they used household items which didn’t require much money. Additionally, they received a council grant of £1,500 which equipped them with the necessary essentials like laptops. They also saved on expensive rent as they secured a space in the local library for a minimal price thanks to its manager. “He was more interested in getting children into the library than making money out of us and we’re very lucky to get someone like that behind
us,” Allnut remembers. “It’s getting these lucky breaks and people who appreciate what you’re trying to do.” And after the classes started attracting more children, it meant they had more money to reinvest into the company. However, funding wasn’t the only stumbling block. Persuading parents to sign up for the classes was an uphill trek. “We also had to convince the customer that children as young as two can get involved with science,” Whyte says. “Most people assume they’re too young but then they come to the lessons and see how interesting it is. We’ve had feedback that kids go back home [from our classes] and repeat things they [have] learnt to their parents which means they’re taking it in.”
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Despite these obstacles, the two were ambitious to see children across the UK and the world attend these classes. Consequently, they realised franchising would be ideal. They started by thinking about investing into a franchise mentor but quickly saw the drawbacks. “We saw how it would take longer and we didn’t want anyone to copy our idea,” Allnut says. “We felt once it was out there, people might – with more money – try to do this sort of thing.” As a result, they decided to approach preschool franchise Baby Sensory for advice and impressed the franchise manager with their idea. And after a meeting with Ian Sharland, co-founder of the Wow World Group, the multi-brand franchisor which owns Baby Sensory, they signed a partnership with the company in 2014 where Sharland and his co-founder Lin Day joined the Mini Professors board as directors. While having an umbrella brand which took care of the franchise contracts and the franchise model sounds ideal, Allnut and Whyte faced a fair share of challenges when the partnership began. “Some of them [were] very friendly, some of them more reluctant,” Allnut admits. “They were very divided as to where they wanted to go with the company.” And since Mini Professors was the first business the franchisor was buying into, they were inevitably cautious – as were Allnut and Whyte. “We were very worried whether to set up on our own or whether to go with a company that’s already established,” Allnut adds. “But then once we made a decision to go with them we realised, in hindsight, it was much better to go with someone who is already established.” Indeed, the partnership proved to be a profitable decision as Allnut and Whyte were able to tap into numerous territories thanks to the Wow World Group’s global franchise network. “They started advertising it to their franchisors with bargains to begin with like ‘If you took up this programme, the training would be free,’” Whyte says. “They pitched it in
“When we first started, we had a little girl who said ‘Am I allowed to be a scientist because I’m a girl?’” Emily Whyte a way that got people on board and in the beginning everyone wanted to do it. And we wanted to get it out there really quickly and that’s what we did. That was our main aim – to beat the market.” Since then, Allnut and Whyte have learnt what it entails to be a franchisor and that “franchising isn’t easy.” “Even though [the franchisees run] quite autonomous businesses, they still need to know you’re there for them and they need that support – you [must] build your relationships with them,” opines Allnut. Clearly, the franchisors are doing their part by providing an extensive training programme. And they ensure they tell franchisees their main aim, which is to get more girls in the classes. “That’s a part of our training course, we do a whole section on it,” Whyte says. “Without being too in your face about it, the message is there and we want all our franchisees to go out, be aware and expose young girls to science and make it a norm to them that it’s something they can do.” The founders’ passion for spreading science is evident as they’re continuously looking into newer opportunities. For instance, the franchisors started pitching their classes to schools so they can tap into more customers. “We’ve had to really look at developing the offering for the franchisees over the last few years to make it more appealing and give people new areas of creating revenue,” Allnut says. “Which is why we pushed into nurseries and primary schools and gave them party plans to make it more of an attractive business to buy.” Indeed, Allnut and Whyte have the right chemistry for a growing franchise.
However, even though they were fuelled with a desire to increase their network size quickly, they learnt the importance of going slow and steady. “We cover a lot of equipment in our lessons and by launching quickly we didn’t realise how big it was going to go and it was having to figure out what equipment was needed by everyone and getting it to people,” Whyte states. “Had it been only one person locally we worked with, we probably would’ve realised all the ins and outs before we went to a whole host of areas.” Despite the challenges, today Mini Professors has around 45 franchisees scattered across the UK, Europe, Asia and Australia, with plans to add ten more by the end of this year. With a training programme coming up in June, the two are confident about getting a good number of potential franchisees for it. As such, apart from the business idea, Whyte notes that being a British company was an advantage when going overseas. “International businesses tend to think of British education as quite a superior product if you like,” she affirms. “That’s how they often sell it, [as] ‘This is from Britain.’” Looking at the way the franchise is escalating its presence, it’s easy to see why the founders are confident about its success. “Our aim would be to match Baby Sensory and get a few hundred [franchisees] out there, spread science nationwide and beyond,” Whyte concludes. “It’s definitely heading in the right direction. It’s all very positive.” MAY 2019 | elitefranchise
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Master Franchise owners Master Franchise owners sell thousands of pounds Master owners sell thousands of pounds worth ofFranchise services every day sell thousands of pounds worth of services every day worth of services every Vanya and Hristo Yankovi told goodbye to theirday small restaurant business in favour of running a high-end property services business. Starting with just 3 teams a few years Vanya and Hristo Yankovi told goodbye to their small restaurant business in favour of ago, today the franchise family boast a staff of 60 highly qualified technicians who running a high-end property services business. Starting with just 3 teams a few years provide hundreds of households in Oxfordshire with Professional Cleaning, Gardening, Vanya and Hristo Yankovi family told goodbye their restaurant business in favour of ago, today the franchise boast ato staff ofsmall 60 highly qualified technicians who Handyman and more. running a high-end services business.with Starting with justCleaning, 3 teams aGardening, few years provide hundreds ofproperty households in Oxfordshire Professional ago, today the family boast a staff of 60 highly qualified technicians who Handyman and franchise more. Working, managing and Master franchise opportunities available. provide hundreds of households in Oxfordshire with Professional Cleaning, Gardening, Handyman and more. Working, managing and Master franchise Learn more about the tech-driven property franchise atopportunities available. joinfantastic.com/master-franchise Learn more about the tech-driven property franchise atopportunities Working, managing and Master franchise joinfantastic.com/master-franchise Learn Or givemore us a about call at the tech-driven property franchise at joinfantastic.com/master-franchise Or give us a call at
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With over 20 years of experience in franchising and more than 40 puccino’s branded coffee shops in the UK, we have developed a business model that ensures our Franchisees achieve their goals. We are looking for new Franchise Partners who have personality, are not afraid of hard work and have a desire to develop their business with our Brand. Our shared goal with each of them will be to open at least three stores within a five-year period. We will work with you to find locations, prepare for the shop-fit works and see the projects through to opening. We ensure full training is given to you and your team, and we provide you with ongoing support throughout your franchise term.
Start your journey with us today! Visit us at www.puccinosworldwide.com/franchising/apply for more information or Call us on: +44 (0) 845 872 4699 adverts.indd 3
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ADVERTISING FEATURE
Where do you see yourself in ten years time? It’s the question etched on every interviewer’s notepad when quizzing potential recruits and often a tough one to answer – because not everyone can answer
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here do you see yourself in ten years time?’ This question still remains one of the most common asked in interviews – but have you actually ever asked this question to yourself and answered truthfully? “Until you’re in total control of your own operation, I genuinely don’t think you can answer this question realistically because your future is in the hands of so many other people and not just yours,” says Paul Hulance, managing director of Clark James, the recruitment group. Hulance would know as, having worked at a senior level in a FTSE 100 company before launching Clark James, he’s seen how a ten-year plan in a traditional employed position just doesn’t materialise. Working within a franchise group however lets you build a successful business by utilising the brand, knowledge, culture and experience of others needed. At Clark James we’ve developed a successful recruitment
franchise that offers genuine and dedicated support, enabling you to build the business you want so you can ultimately answer the most common question still asked at interviews. To discuss your ten-year plan with Paul Hulance, please call him at the Clark James head office on 01673 847140 or email paul@clarkjames.co.uk to arrange a call back. A copy of the Clark James franchise brochure is available to download at www.clarkjames.co.uk
TM
Recruitment
Specialists
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Supermac’s vs McDonald’s
By Eric Johansson
Battle of the Big Mac Supermac’s took McDonald’s to the EUIPO and successfully stripped the fast food giant of its Big Mac trademark in a case that will affect franchises in the UK and beyond
64 elitefranchise | MAY 2019
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This case is a wake-up call to franchisors Jo Pritchard, TLT
“T
his is the end of the McBully,” said Patrick McDonagh, founder of Supermac’s, after the franchise won a huge trademark battle against McDonald’s in January 2019. The Irish fast food chain had successfully convinced the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) to strip the home of the Golden Arches of its Big Mac trademark. The fight had begun years earlier after Supermac’s European expansion efforts had been halted due to McDonald’s claiming the Irish chain’s name was too similar to its Big Mac trademark. The 116-franchisee strong network from the Emerald Isle didn’t let this slide. It took action against the Yankee rival in 2017 by submitting a request to the EUIPO, imploring it to cancel the Big Mac and Mc trademarks. The company, launched in 1978 in Ballinasloe near Galway, accused McDonald’s of engaging “in trademark bullying by registering brand names which [have] nothing to do with them, they do not use and which are simply stored away in order to pulverise some future [competitor.]” To drive its point home, Supermac’s submitted a list of McDonald’s trademarks, which included McKids, McCountry, McInternet, McImagination and Snack Box. The last one was suspiciously close to the name of Supermac’s long-standing chicken and fries offering called Snackbox. In fact, McDonagh stated that registering this particular trademark was “a step too far” by McDonald’s. Despite McDonald’s providing the EUIPO with posters, packaging and affidavits demonstrating how the trademark was in use, the EU body went along with Supermac’s argument and cancelled the Big Mac trademark. “To most people, Supermac’s claim that McDonald’s had not put Big Mac to genuine use in the EU and that
their registration should therefore be cancelled might seem ridiculous,” says Nathalie John, associate at intellectual property law firm Gill Jennings and Every. “Walk into almost any McDonald’s on the continent and you’re sure to find those burgers on offer. However, McDonald’s failed to show this, seemingly for one major reason: the evidence they filed did not objectively show that Big Macs were actually offered for sale or on what sort of volume.” After the EUIPO’s decision, McDonald’s issued a statement saying: “We are disappointed in the EUIPO’s decision and believe this decision did not take into account the substantial evidence submitted by McDonald’s proving use of our Big Mac mark throughout Europe.” The chain has since appealed the ruling to cancel the trademark. In response to the appeal, McDonagh accused McDonald’s of using delaying tactics to keep Supermac’s from entering the European market. But in a characteristically bullish manner, he added: “We are at this for four years so one more year doesn’t bother us. I am very confident that we will get the decision on the Supermac’s trademark.” However, given the strength of McDonald’s Big Mac brand, it’s in no way clear that Supermac’s will win. “During the appeal McDonald’s may be able to rectify the shortfalls in their evidence, providing them with an opportunity to reinstate their Big Mac EU trademark,” suggests Richard Parsons, associate for IP litigation and dispute resolution at Maucher Jenkins, the intellectual property law firm. Both Supermac’s and McDonald’s were repeatedly asked by Elite Franchise to comment on what the ongoing battle might mean for the companies. Neither responded to our requests. Still, the experts we spoke to agree that the EUIPO’s January decision will have both short and long-lasting consequences. “In
the short term, this is an embarrassment to McDonald’s and highlights the importance of seeking legal advice from competent IP lawyers should your business face similar trademark disputes,” argues Parsons. Indeed, the fast food giant’s arch nemesis Burger King has already jumped on the opportunity to taunt McDonald’s loss. In a Swedish ad, a new menu trolled its competitor by advertising items like Big Mac-ish But Flame-Grilled of Course, Burger Big Mac Wished It Was and Like a Big Mac, But Actually Big. Commenting on this latest in a long list of cheeky taunts against the contender, Iwo Zakowski, Burger King’s general manager of Sweden and Denmark, quipped: “McDonald’s just lost its trademark for the Big Mac for suing a much smaller player [and it’s] too much fun for us to stay away.” This was hardly the first time McDonald’s faced legal disputes with businesses with similar trade names. In 1993, McDonald’s won a court order blocking a dentist in New York from selling services under the name McDental. Three years later, a Scottish woman named Mary Blair found herself in McDonald’s crosshairs because her sandwich shop was named McMunchies. More recently, McDonald’s blocked a Singaporean company from registering the name MacCoffee as an EU trademark in 2016. And those are just some of the many intellectual property battles the company has fought over the years. But even though it’s hardly the first time McDonald’s has been embroiled in trademark battles and this one is yet to see its conclusion, it can still have huge ramifications for UK franchises. “Whilst the trademark decision is part of a much wider battle between McDonald’s and the Irish brand Supermac’s, this particular victory for Supermac’s highlights that it’s the registered owner’s duty, when faced with MAY 2019 | elitefranchise
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McDonald’s just lost its trademark for the Big Mac for suing a much smaller player [and it’s] too much fun for us to stay away Iwo Zakowski, Burger King defending an action for non-use of a trademark, to be able to prove that they have been genuinely using the mark,” explains Jacqueline Watts, senior associate solicitor at A City Law Firm. And that might be something more firms should prepare for. “As a clear David vs Goliath decision it will help give other smaller brands confidence to challenge registered brand owners that claim monopoly rights that may not in fact be valid,” says Fiona Boswell, partner and head of franchising at law firm Fraser Brown Solicitors. “I anticipate it [will open] the floodgates to other challengers and pushback on cease and desist claims.” And when that happens, franchises of all sizes must make sure their trademarks are strong and up
to date. “The value attributed to a franchise derives from the strength of the brand and its associated trademarks,” argues Parsons. “Therefore, [franchisors] need to ensure that their trademarks are kept up to date and are used.” To do this, Parsons advises franchisors to keep records on how they use the brand to better prove the usage if the trademark is challenged. “This should include third-party evidence and information to support claimed sales and turnover figures, as materials produced internally by brand owners may have low probative value in nonuse proceedings,” he continues. Of course, it’s not just about protecting the trademarks but also
about taking steps for when you might lose them. "This case is a wake-up call to franchisors,” says Jo Pritchard, legal director at law firm TLT. “It’s really important to invest in your [trademarks] but it’s critical that your franchise agreement deals with all contingencies.” For instance, she argues a franchisor should retain the rights to alter the brand and to make the change at the franchisee's own expense. “If the rights were lost and the franchisee is forced to make a change then there’s potential for a damages claim against the franchisor but a simple right of brand substitution will manage this risk," Pritchard explains. While the last haymaker has hardly been hurled between Supermac’s and McDonald’s, the legal battle should highlight the importance of franchises taking trademarks seriously.
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ADVERTISING FEATURE
Embracing
smartphones to workout anywhere, anytime Given they occupy just about everybody’s pockets, offering personal training through smartphones is the next logical step for Anytime Fitness
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or many, the most important piece of equipment in a gym isn’t just the treadmill or weights – it’s their smartphone. The nation is apparently addicted to these devices, given 85% of adults in the UK owned at least one in 2017 according to advisory platform Consultancy.uk, topping 78% of laptop users in second place. Staying ahead of the curve, Anytime Fitness has invested in new technology to bring an enhanced level of on-demand personalisation, support and information to its members. Anticipating the needs and preferences of members, Anytime Fitness launched its first dedicated fitness app, Anytime Workouts™, in 2017. Now, it boasts close to 100,000 downloads – an uptake of more than 60%. Free to members, Anytime Workouts™ provides access to more than 1,100 workouts and 2,700 exercises. It also includes MapMyFitness® MVP access, saving members at least £113 a year in associated costs. Available as a free download on iOS and Android devices, Anytime Workouts™ empowers members with a new workout option every day depending on their personal fitness level, goals and accessible equipment. The app also tracks body stats, provides recommended multi-month fitness plans and allows users to set their own goals while tracking progress
through a visual dashboard covering club visits, completed workouts, calories burned, steps taken, minutes active and other trackable milestones. Ever-evolving, the brand recently launched a new arm of the app called Anytime Coaching, which acts as a personal trainer in a pocket. While face-to-face personal training can be a great way to keep motivated, Anytime Fitness acknowledges gym goers can find it difficult to find the time and resources to make it a regular investment.
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Anytime Coaching is a smartphone-based, remote and personal training service that provides an affordable alternative to traditional personal training options. While continuing to utilise traditional face-to-face methods, Anytime Coaching allows personal trainers to communicate with their clients via a built-in messaging platform to share bespoke workouts, set goals, track daily steps and generally keep in touch via direct messages – all securely housed within the Anytime Fitness iOS and Android app. This level of interaction reduces the need for physical, in-person coaching, letting personal trainers coach their clients even when they’re unable to visit the club. This ensures every member receives true value for money whatever their fitness goal may be and enables them to be trained anytime, anywhere. Marvin Burton, head of product at Anytime Fitness and an experienced personal trainer, says: “Anytime Coaching is an exciting addition to the digital revolution sweeping the fitness industry. Even regular gym visitors who go upwards of three times a week are only spending 5% of their weekly time in the gym, so this provides a way for our clubs and personal trainers to impact our members’ lives in the remaining 95%. “As a personal trainer myself, I understand the barriers that prevent people from getting one and I believe Anytime Coaching is a great update to the personal training model in the UK. It provides an affordable and accessible way to receive expert tuition and get the guidance you need to achieve your goals.” After receiving a workout from their personal trainer, clients can log their session in the Anytime Workouts app for the trainer to review and appraise. And if the client isn’t hitting their targets or progressing as expected, Anytime Coaching lets the trainer review their goals and even send them messages of encouragement.
the world according to data from The International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association. Indeed, the brand has seen substantial global growth over the last 17 years, outpacing McDonald’s and Subway in its global efforts and now boasting a worldwide presence of over 4,500 clubs across 33 countries. As a result, Anytime Fitness is a globally recognisable brand with personality at the heart of its business model. Ranked the number one global franchise for three consecutive years and number one fitness franchise for eight by Entrepreneur magazine, Anytime Fitness is an established brand which prides itself on providing a low-staffing business model that allows a great work-life balance. Prospective franchisees can also benefit from an attractive fixed franchise fee and proven model with a UK success rate of 97%. A background in health and fitness is not required. Anytime Fitness provides support and guidance for all levels of experience – living up to its promise of Let’s Make Healthy Happen. With comprehensive training and customised ongoing support from dedicated franchise consultants, it’s easy to see why 60% of franchisees have gone on to own another club. To find out more about Anytime Fitness and its attractive franchise opportunities, visit anytimefitness.co.uk/elite
Joining the Anytime Fitness family With over 160 clubs now open in the UK, Anytime Fitness is staying true to form as the fastest growing franchise in MAY 2019 | elitefranchise
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Be
the
boss
Long to wake up and do something you believe in?
We grow the veg, you grow your business! Partner with an innovative, established brand. Run an ethical home delivery business to be proud of Share your passion for outstanding organic veg
Want to find out more?
Call 01803 227 380 or email franchise@riverford.co.uk or visit www.riverford.co.uk/franchise
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21/12/2018 10:35
Les Puces
Voulez-vous parler Français?
Mandie Davis is changing the way children learn languages through song and dance with her franchise Les Puces
By Varsha Saraogi
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andie Davis, founder of Les Puces, the french teaching franchise, has just returned from Morocco. The British embassy there is hoping to help her create partnerships with schools to expand the company’s services to the country and introduced her to the nation’s minister of education. This is the first foreign opportunity for Les Puces since its conception and Davis couldn’t be more chuffed. “It was a hectic few days,” she says, adding that she’s now fuelled with renewed enthusiasm to capitalise on her new contacts. “This visit was a breakthrough because it was really well-received and I’ve got five or six contacts who, including the minister of education, all seemed really keen.” Davis knows networking is important as she has spearheaded many companies. Her entrepreneurial journey began in the 1980s when she used to train women to use computers. She’s also launched a non-profit organisation in Germany helping German and British families connect. Davis even had a vegan catering business and taught English to French children during her time in France between 2008 and 2012. However, she never nourished these ideas enough to turn them into fullfledged businesses. “Les Puces is like my first grown-up company and the first limited company, [so] I’m a bit more serious now,” she admits. Having launched the company in January 2015, it wasn’t an easy ride for Davis despite her business background. When she was toying with the idea to launch Les Puces, she didn’t get the feedback she expected. “People thought I was absolutely crazy when I gave up a pretty good job may 2019 | elitefranchise
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Les Puces
to do this,” she recalls. “But in the early days there were things that were important to me which meant spending time with my children and having a bit of freedom in my life but I suppose those things can come across as being quite selfish.” However, she persevered. “I think it’s inevitable in the early days that people will always try and put you down,” she says. “So you have to really hold on to that one day when you’ll become a well-known and established brand, then nobody will say ‘That’s not a good idea.’” And that wasn’t the only obstacle she had to deal with. The struggle was in everything – from finding funding to ensuring a strong cashflow.
imperative to be persistent. “I remember giving a leaflet out to one lady and she said ‘I’ve seen this on Facebook and have had a leaflet through my door too,’” Davis states, noting it was this meeting which finally made the woman sign up. “It’s just keeping at it. People have got to see what you’re offering three, four, five times.” And the company has grown since then. But looking ahead, she needed Having used her savings, Davis didn’t a sustainable way to scale Les Puces. have a lot of money to spend and that “I’ve grown it as much as I can on proved heavy on the pocket. “When we my own and I can’t get my turnover first started we had empty halls and any bigger because there physically sometimes just one or two children aren’t enough hours in the day,” in each class,” she remembers. “That she says. That’s when she started in itself is an expense because you’re regarding franchising as a potential paying for venues. Even if you get one option. “I realised that franchising, child who signs up, you’re paying for although it gives away a lot of the the venue and the teacher and that one profit to a franchisee, means we can child isn’t covering either of the costs.” grow the business faster. You take less As a result, it got difficult to plan ahead profit but you get more franchisees and allocate budgets. and then we all grow together and Due to financial hurdles, Davis hopefully we all profit.” leveraged social media and gave out However, Davis took her time leaflets to attract more clients. And before starting to franchise as she she believes while it might seem initially considered franchising to unproductive in the beginning, it’s be “unethical.” “I was quite anti [franchise] to start with and I looked at a lot of different ways of growing the business,” she says. “I thought some of the contracts were very severe. And just the sort of control the franchisor can have over a franchisee at first glance – I wouldn’t want to put myself in that position.” And this is why she wanted to ensure both herself and potential franchisees won from signing up to the franchise model. “I tried to create a business model that’s good for everyone,” she adds. “We’re not here to get maximum profit from our franchisees.” And she then started franchising in January 2018. To get franchising right, Davis believes finding the right franchisees is crucial. While many applied, she’s picky when recruiting. “For me personally, it’s quite difficult to find the right person so I’m very aware that you
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I think it’s inevitable in the early days that people will always try and put you down
don’t want to say yes to everybody and so you have to really think even though somebody might want to be a franchisee with you,” she advises. “For a small company, that’s a massive boost to your ego and financially. But if you’re not really sure in your heart that you can work with that person, then that’s quite a difficult decision to make.” Potential Les Puces franchisees must have a few characteristics. While speaking French isn’t important, possessing business know-how is. “They’ve got to have a drive and energy and understand running a business is exhausting,” Davis says. “They’ve got to be autonomous because although there will be the support, just getting up in the morning and making yourself go out and contact schools is really important.” Once recruited, the franchisee receives a lot of help. It starts with a four-day training course about everything from running a business to ensuring they can attract more clients. Davis even includes a wardrobe styling session for the franchisees to help them “grow as a person.” “Because I’m sure for many people it might be the first time they’d become a director of a company,” she says. “It’s all about the person as well so the training day isn’t just like ‘We do it like this,’ it’s about helping them grow into that role.” Knowing how important it is to invest time and resources, Davis prefers to go slow and steady. And that’s why with one franchisee at the moment, she’s looking to grow the network by adding only two more in 2019. Since launching, Davis claims Les Puces’ turnover has increased by 100% each year and she’s also bullish about doing so this year. Apart from these financial goals, she aims to take the company to more international locations and spread the joy of learning languages. Davis’ main goal is to fulfil the company’s raison d’être which is honing children’s language skills around the world. “Eventually I would like children in France to be able to video link with children in the UK or children in Morocco and they can sing the versions of the songs in the language that they have learnt,” she concludes. “I want it to be open and easy for children to communicate because, for me, communication is the bottom line to building bridges and links and to making the world just a nicer place to be in.” may 2019 | elitefranchise
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Welcome to the Neighbourhood 3,700 Franchisees
22 Franchise Brands
01295 983412 |
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5 Countries
ukfranchise@nbly.com |
nbly.co.uk
29/04/2019 11:25
ADVERTISING FEATURE
Countering
the inactivity epidemic Kirk and Clare Bowyer were already pros at sports education. But when their son arrived, they took things up a notch with Mini Athletics
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hen founding Mini Athletics, Kirk and Clare Bowyer were above all looking for a class that met their goals for their two year old son, Caolan. However, they were yet to realise the impact they would go on to have on thousands of children across the UK and Ireland. Before co-founding Mini Athletics Kirk was a strength and conditioning coach for elite athletes and teams for 15 years. He worked in professional football, tennis on the WTA tour and motor racing, to name a few. At the same time, Clare was working
as a primary school teacher with a particular interest in physical education. When the pair had their first child Kirk was keen to enhance his athleticism and sporting participation and Clare wanted to build his confidence, social and cognitive skills. As a result, Mini Athletics was born. The couple also wanted to find out why there was such an epidemic with inactivity – not just in this country but across the world. “Clare and I spent weeks of research and actually the answer was quite simple,” Kirk
explains. “First and foremost, a child’s initial experience of sport should be something they remember for the rest of their lives. A positive start will increase the chance of them continuing that trait forever. “However, it’s also important to teach a child how to move. That includes how to run, jump and throw. If a child is a competent mover it will increase their performance in all sports. Then, you have a competent and confident child who simply loves sport and physical activity. This is what Mini Athletics is all about”. Mini Athletics is now one of the fastest growing children’s activity programs in the UK. Three years since its formation, the franchise now has over 60 locations across the UK and Ireland, all of which are changing the way parents think about physical activity for their children. If you’re interested in finding out more about becoming a franchisee and making a change in your area then visit www.miniathletics.com or email info@miniathletics.com.
MAY 2019 | elitefranchise
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ADVERTISING FEATURE
Working for yourself but not by yourself – the true power of franchising Owning a business is something many dream of but it’s one risky endeavour. However, being backed by an experienced team and proven model prevents all the classic pitfalls
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sk adults what their life goals are and you don’t have to wait long to hear ‘I want to work for myself,’ ‘My boss makes my life miserable – I want to build my own business’ and ‘My dream is to be in charge.’ There’s something in many of us which longs to run the show, to make a difference and not dance to someone else’s tune but instead the beat of our own drum. After all, pursuing the perfect work-life balance is important and a huge driver for most deciding to open their own business. And choosing to lose the certainty of a monthly pay packet is recompensed by the ability to have flexibility and be the masters of our destinies. Yet, running a small business can be a lonely affair. When the internet fails, there isn’t an IT department to rely on. When the client delays payment beyond their due date, the option of picking up the phone to the accounts department to chase it isn’t there. If the product being sold is imperfect, there isn’t a team to take care of it. The responsibility sits firmly on the shoulders of the business owner, who needs to put in the hours and do whatever it takes to keep the business functioning and thriving – or at the very least, surviving. This is one of the key reasons thousands choose to run franchised businesses in the UK. Franchising allows motivated individuals to run the show with crucial backup from the franchise’s proven business model. Initial training, an operations manual, ongoing professional development, support from a dedicated 76 elitefranchise | May 2019
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franchise manager for the duration of the franchise term, comradeship from fellow franchisees, branding and publicity already developed and invested in, national advertising – the list of advantages from joining a reputable network is long. Some franchises go even further. At Promedica24, a leading provider of live-in care for elderly and vulnerable adults, for instance, the vast majority of service provisions are taken care of for franchisees. The CQC Registration – the industry’s main regulator – the recruitment and management of care staff and the finance functions are provided by head office. This frees franchisees to focus on finding new customers and growing their business by using the tried and tested techniques taught in training. Such a close partnership between franchisor and franchisee facilitates quick business growth and makes the business very accessible to individuals from all walks of life. Franchisees are working for themselves and building their own businesses but with huge operational backup, which takes away many of the challenges of running a small business. Although they’re working for themselves, they’re certainly not by themselves. Working for yourself can indeed deliver the benefits of being in charge and achieving that feeling as a franchisee gives you the best of both worlds. So, who’s beat do you want to dance to?
Working closely with the franchisees to understand their drivers and challenge them to grow is an important responsibility of any franchisor.
May 2019 | elitefranchise
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THE IMPORTANCE OF REPEAT BUSINESS Unique, weekly repeat business Huge customer base Guaranteed national accounts Low overheads and stock
JOIN OVER 350 FILTAFRY FRANCHISE OWNERS
Franchising since 1996
01788 550100 www.filtafry.co.uk | dslater@filtagroup.com
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02/05/2019 15:06
LOOKING AFTER PEOPLE. TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS. YOUR PERFECT PARTNER FOR SUCCESS. Proven Franchise Model Bespoken Territories Ongoing Award-winning Support
OUR INVESTMENT IN YOU. Finance & Business Consultancy Training & Development Recruitment & Business Operations Marketing & Support
At Heritage Healthcare, we focus on providing the highest level of care and support to our clients. Homecare is one of the UK’s fastest growing sectors with over 6.5 million elderly people requiring daily assistance. With an expanding population and ever increasing life expectancy, growth is set to continue.
For more information, contact us on
01325 370 707
Visit us at www.heritagehealthcarefranchising.co.uk/findoutmore to download a brochure or/and read our case studies adverts.indd 3 Full Page Ad_080319_v2.indd 1
24/04/2019 15:56 11/03/2019 16:58:19
The sales process
Put the wind You need customers to generate income. So implementing a tried and tested sales process is critical to franchise growth
I
believe there are six primary stages in the sales process. And at each stage you must look for signs of commitment from the customer to advance the sale to the next step in the plan to seal the deal. Stage one is about managing rapport and building a relationship. Ideally you’re looking for a face-toface meeting but if the customer is responsive on the telephone then this first stage can work equally well remotely. Just play it by ear. Open the meeting by setting the agenda and be friendly but not overfamiliar. It’s at this stage the new customer will decide quickly whether you’re somebody they would like to do business with, so ask low risk questions and set out your objectives for the meeting. There are four rules I recommend following – explain the agenda, check they’re happy with it, ask if they have any agenda items of their own and finally determine how much time you have for the meeting. Now you’re in control.
Once you’ve set the ground rules, stage two is all about asking questions. You’ll want to gather information to determine attitudes, issues and needs to enable you to think about how their problems can be solved. Open questions work best and listening is essential. Never interrupt or talk over a customer – it’s irritating and, worse still, you might lose critical information from them in doing so. Asking questions leads us to the critical third stage of the sales process – identifying needs. Generally, where customers see problems, we see needs and solutions. Every time you hear a problem you have identified a need. People have their own buying criteria but generally buy on two levels – logically and emotionally. Their logical buying behaviour wants to know if the
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The sales process
in your sales By nigel toplis, Managing Director, the bardon group
solution they’re choosing is technically correct, whilst their emotional side is asking for reassurance that their decision is a good one and that they aren’t making a mistake. By asking questions you should be able to determine whether your products or services can solve the customer’s problems and satisfy their needs. The next step, stage four, is to empathise. Now is the time to show you’ve listened and play back your understanding of what’s been said. For example, you can say: “From what you’ve told me so far, you’re concerned about getting a proof in good time to ensure the job can be done on schedule.” Once the customer knows you understand their problem you can offer help. Now you can move onto stage five and present the solution by recommending your products and services with something like: “Could we look at ways to make that process more productive?” However, you still need to gain commitment and establish how serious the client is about moving forward and you need to test their genuine intent to buy. Now is the time for a straightforward question. “If I can offer a solution that totally meets your needs, can we go ahead?” A yes means you
know that you’re in a good position to present your products and services, which of course is the position you want to be in. If they say no then you need to identify what else the customer might need to know or do before a decision can be made. The sixth and final stage is all about gaining commitment. Be confident and don’t worry about rejections – keep control and stick to the sales process. You may have to make more than one sales visit before the actual sale takes place. But when you have commitment, your final act is to agree an action plan with your customer and it’s now that you should explain what you will deliver. Customers are always more at ease once they understand the process you will be using. These six stages of the sales process will give you a framework for customer and prospect meetings. But whatever your personality and style, the approach to the process can be adapted to help you successfully negotiate and gain more business.
MAY 2019 | elitefranchise
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LOOKING FOR A
UNIQUE OFFERING IN THE QUICK-SERVICE RESTAURANT MARKET?
AN ESTABLISHED BUSINESS MODEL UNIQUE WITHIN THE INDUSTRY
SERVING PREMIUM QUALITY BRITISH FOOD
TERRITORIES NOW AVAILABLE WITH LARGE GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES
To find out more visit harpersfranchise.co.uk template.indd 3
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Be part of a multi award-winning franchise At The Strings Club, we provide award-winning musical experiences for children aged 4-11. Since 2012, we have grown exponentially from one Holiday Camp of six children, to inspiring over 25,000 in 2018 through our range of programmes that inspire children through music. Franchising with The Strings Club, you will never be alone. Our successful, tried and tested franchise package gives you the tools to offer a multi award-winning experience while operating an efficient, profitable and highly successful business.
GET IN TOUCH: 0121 296 9204 info@thestringsclub.org thestringsclub.org/elitefranchise
IT’S ALL ABOUT
The Results Our guests benefit from results-driven treatments delivered by market-leading technology for an elevated experience. Let us show you what that can mean for your spa810 franchise business.
Bring our experience to your market
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spa810.co.uk/franchise duncanberry@spa810.co.uk | 01423 595810
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ADVERTISING FEATURE
Always dig deeper with franchisors Not all franchise models will meet everyone’s specific needs – take the time to look beneath the gloss
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hen looking for a mobile phone contract, it’s fair to say you’d consider the phone type, data limit, price and number of minutes and texts above all. You’d then search online, call different companies, gather the facts and buy the best deal having identified what’s most important to you – ultimately picking the best mix of value and quality. Then, you quickly come to realise the other shiny, newest phones without the data, minutes or SMS you need were never the best deals for you. Purchases are based on gathering information and making an educated decision. Would you walk into a garage and buy a car just because it has the best valet service? Or buy a house purely because the outside’s had great rendering done? No, you’d scratch beneath the surface and want to know every detail. So why would you invest in a franchise without really understanding the numbers and model?
For those with a passion for travel but without industry experience, franchising is a fantastic option. It will give you the freedom to work from home and build a business around your lifestyle. However, there are various models available, so it’s important to delve beneath the initial shine. The Holiday Franchise Company, part of the Holidaysplease group, offers every new franchisee five days of bespoke one-to-one training with direct ongoing support from head office – perfect for those new to franchising. “We believe when investing in a franchise you deserve the individual attention of the franchisor to give your business the best possible start,” says Luke Western, business development manager of The Holiday Franchise Company. “That’s why our training is all one-to-one and tailored to the individual business.” As part of its onboarding process, The Holiday Franchise Company takes every potential franchisee through a
business planning meeting. Here, the franchise team and a director produce a forecast of the first 12 months in business, ensuring each franchisee knows what it’ll take to be successful. Ultimately, the best advice for researching franchising companies is to make sure you pick up the phone and talk. After all, these are potentially the people you’ll be working with for years to come. To find out more visit www.holidayfranchisecompany.com and download the free prospectus, or call 0121 200 5561.
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ADVERTISING FEATURE
Franchisors don’t need to charge franchisee fees The average franchise demands a £40,000 fee to join – and that’s without mentioning renewal fees. However, if a franchisor works with franchisees every step of the way, there’s no reason it shouldn’t be free
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or most thinking of joining a franchise coughing up initial fees is expected. In fact, the British Franchise Association estimates the average franchise demands £40,000 from the get-go. It makes sense: franchisors need assurance you won’t back out easily and that you’ve got the capital to run indefinitely. However, rather than tying your hands with cost right out the gate, some franchisors get such assurances in other ways. Take Snak Appeal, the franchise that supports local children’s hospices with over £2.5m raised with its 60-plus
franchisees. It not only demands zero set-up fees from franchisees but also no renewal fees. Franchisees need just £3,000 for stock and display boxes and they’re good to go. “Basically our profit comes from your success and not from taking your money before you have had a chance to make any,” reasons John Huxtable, founder of Snak Appeal. Being on hand to help franchisees wherever possible is paramount to maintaining this attitude. “We only make money if you do, which is why we have to help you in every way possible and not just make promises,” Huxtable continues. It makes for one popular network – but how does Snak Appeal guarantee franchisees won’t lack the financial capability or even bottle it in the first few months? Quite simply, it shows potentials every corner of the network before even putting pen to paper. “We invite you to visit the charity before you start so you can see the great work they do and verify for yourself the donations we give them,” Huxtable explains. With a huge emphasis on getting to know those working under the Snak Appeal banner, there’s little room for error and little need for fees. In fact, Snak Appeal is so confident in the success of its easy-access model that should a franchisee quit for any reason, it will buy back all the franchisee’s stock for the same price it was purchased. It’s certainly a fair
principle more franchisors should consider adopting. To become a Snak Appeal franchisee with potential annual earnings of up to £50,000, visit www.snakappeal.co.uk, phone 0800 1699 077 or email info@snakappeal.com
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ADVERTISING FEATURE
The franchise
that’s tough to leave When becoming a franchisee of Puccino’s, Asad Razvi wasn’t planning on sticking around long. Now, 14 years later, he can’t keep count of the number of reasons there are to stay
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o be totally honest, I wasn’t initially interested in becoming a franchisee of any particular brand. I just set out to have a business within the coffee industry as I was looking for a fast-paced, customerfacing and revenue-earning retail opportunity. Simple. Well, not quite. Back then I didn’t know anything
about the coffee industry and neither did I have great experience of running a business. What I did have was a natural inclination towards customer service and of course an appetite to build a healthy revenue stream. With this in mind a franchise operation was the obvious choice, as I learnt through research I would
get significant benefits from teaming up with a demonstrable proven successful model. But what made me choose this particular branded concept called Puccino’s? For starters, it’s important to define what success is. Again, through research I established franchisors’ views about success
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vary. In Puccino’s, for example, for the partnership to be successful both the franchisee and franchisor have a part to play to achieve the satisfaction of building a solid, financially-rewarding business. There are a number of reasons why, despite now having enough knowledge and experience to move on, I choose to stay and grow my business with my franchisor. Firstly, there’s a full breadth of systems and training support – Puccino’s team are experienced, accessible, approachable and ready to assist. Secondly, it has a chosen market and profile in which to operate, having established itself as one of the preferred go-to franchisors for commercial agents by offering new locations and renewals of existing opportunities. My franchisor also recognises standing still is not an option, with regular introductions of new products developed in conjunction with a trusted supplier base keeping the offering fresh and relevant. Furthermore, I find
Puccino’s celebrates their franchisees’ successes and regularly recognises the achievements of both franchisees and individual team members. Finally, there’s the humour. Seriously, the artwork and humour has its own following, a cut above everything and everyone else. I joined some years ago with the intention of staying for a short while before moving on. Well, that plan went to the wall as I’m still here enjoying the challenge and continuing to grow my business, with my biggest frustration being I can’t get another unit quick enough. This is another factor for anyone considering this franchisor: they don’t open units for the sake of it. All the sites are carefully chosen following extensive research. I’m far from the only success story with this business. A fellow franchisee started out as a barista a few years back and now proudly operates five units. The important point is our franchisor is supportive of our ambitions yet realistic in assessing the capabilities of each
individual franchisee. You can expect any wellestablished, reputable franchisor like Puccino’s to offer comprehensive processes with procedures in place so their franchisees need not worry about the basics. But what sets Puccino’s apart is a defined market niche and strong and long-standing relations with high-profile suppliers. Also, while it’s well-established and respected in the coffee industry, Puccino’s is small and personable enough to work closely with both new and existing franchisees. This complements their loyal customer following, great product offering, fantastic branding and business model that continues to grow.
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funding fails averted
Franchisee borrowing pitfalls No matter your experience, chances are you’ll need to borrow money to launch your franchise. And by avoiding these six common pitfalls you’re closer to making your business a success By Jack Doran, business development manager, Portman Asset Finance
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funding fails averted
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egardless of whether capital is coming from the franchisor, the banks or alternative lenders, there are certain considerations to best secure cash injections and get a new franchise off the ground. Lenders are concerned with one thing: balancing risk against opportunity for return on investment. Franchisees don’t always have their business brains engaged. The result? Hidden or unsuspected difficulties which crop up time and time again. Franchise ownership can be very profitable and satisfying. While securing finance can seem like rocket science, there are ways to increase your chances of success and, avoid the common mistakes that have been the bane of many franchises of the past.
➀ Don’t underestimate the cash requirements
Franchisees often forget about the upfront cash they’ll need. There are a host of costs that must be paid before any finance is available, meaning you must have a significant amount at hand. It can’t all be wrapped into a finance deal and paid for by the loan itself. Lenders will typically want 10% of the value of any loan upfront and banks are unlikely to settle for anything less than 30%. Additionally, there’s the franchise fee which often stretches into the tens of thousands of pounds and beyond. For example, let’s imagine a new gym will cost £350,000 to establish. Excluding franchise fees of around £15,000 there will probably be a need for at least £50,000 in order for a lender to consider the risk acceptable. Franchisees that don’t take this into account are unlikely to secure the funds they require.
as too great. This seems both unfair and hard to rectify if you’re a tenant – especially in parts of the world where property prices are prohibitive – but it’s a fact of life. Property owners are viewed favourably. Getting a personal guarantee can offset this and increase the chance of success.
➂ Have a track record
Similarly, if the applicant has no track record of running a business or zero experience in the sector they’re planning to operate a franchise in, then the investment will be seen as a riskier prospect. This is the case even when the applicant has a large amount to invest in the venture. Getting out there and gathering experience can show dedication and bolster the chances of securing funds during the application stage.
➃ Do your research
Failing to have a full business plan with detailed projections is one of the single biggest pitfalls. Franchises are just like any other new business and while they come with a lot of support, they’re still susceptible to market stresses and strains. Any lender will be aware of the latest trends and will understand, for instance, that gyms are doing well right now, while the burger market is somewhat saturated. Both macro and micro economic factors are likely to be taken into account when applying for funding. Just because it’s always been your dream to own a bagel shop doesn’t mean now is the right time
to open one and perhaps it won’t work in the location planned. Visiting actual locations, looking at competitors both in the franchise world and out of it, talking to franchisees, going to annual general meetings and researching a franchise thoroughly will showcase dedication and lay the groundwork for success.
➄ Don’t jump on the bandwagon
While the pay-off for getting involved in a trending franchise early can be great, securing finance for these ventures can become more difficult either because you’re getting involved before the business model is proven or later when they’ve become enormously successful and overly abundant. Picking the right time and franchise will be instrumental.
➅ Always opt for realism over optimism
Prospective franchisees are often presented with figures that showcase the potential profitability of their new venture in a perfect world. These figures can be overly optimistic and don’t factor in important realworld variables, including the cost of borrowing money. It’s possible to understand the cost of borrowing and factor this into any projections by talking to a finance expert early in the process. If these details are identified too late, then it has the potential to throw the whole business plan out of whack, reduce the likelihood of lending and throw a spanner in the works.
➁ Own a house
A generally accepted principle is that 75% of a lender’s decision is based on factors related to the personal circumstances of the individual making the application, assuming it’s a new limited company. Not owning a property can be a huge stumbling block as lenders will see this as a sign of instability, even if the sum borrowed isn’t secured against the property. That’s why home ownership is almost a pre-requisite for many applicants, otherwise the risk is seen
Jack Doran
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X-Press thanks for such a great opportunity
Become a franchisee with the leaders in property searches “I’ve always found the level of support from X-Press to be fantastic. And not just from Head Office, there’s a close network of like-minded franchisees all sharing ideas and experiences.” Tom Mannion, X-Press Legal Services - London
X-Press Legal Services provides specialist property searches and reports as part of the conveyancing process. And it could provide the ideal opportunity for you. Our 25 franchisees are already trusted by over 500 legal practices nationwide. As a franchise that offers the flexibility and constant support you need to run a successful business, even from home, we could be just what you’re searching for! Although you’ll work with legal professionals, you don’t need legal qualifications – in fact, our franchisees come from all walks of life. You simply need to be ambitious and tech-savvy with meticulous attention to detail.
Why X-Press Legal Services? • • • • • •
Family-run business established in 1998 Opportunity to build a substantial business which you can start at home We deliver over 400,000 searches and reports every year Nearly 50% of franchisees have been with X-Press since year one No legal experience needed Head office provides full training and on-going support
If you’re looking for independence and a better work/life balance, your search is over. Call today to find out about our seven available territories. Please contact Dave or Julie, we would love to talk to you.
xpresslegal.co.uk/become-a-franchisee | 01925 393 333 adverts.indd 3
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ADVERTISING FEATURE
chisees Three reasons to
consider a private duty care franchise Amid limited home care funding from local authorities, private duty care franchises are getting more and more popular for good reason
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he funding of home care through local authorities is a problem area and many families are recognising it. They’re voting with their feet and deciding that if they want better care for their mum or dad, they’re going to have a pay a little towards the cost of their care. “Our clients choose Visiting Angels because we look after our carers and they in turn are able to look after our clients,” says Dan Archer, managing director of Visiting Angels, the leading private duty care provider. “Our model would not be successful if we depended on council-funded care.” That’s because client-only providers like Visiting Angels aren’t dependent on funding from local authorities that have been squeezed by austerity. In fact, by focusing on private client work franchisees can charge more for their service. marketplace and even fewer have to £100,000.There’s a substantial, Ourmarketing mission is to knowledge become the UK Sector’s Employer of Choice by management 2022. Moreover, Visiting Angels can the toCare attract premises-based our mission andVisiting change the way carefranchise businesses are run. with potential to afford to make caregivers the most privateJoin paying clients. waiting important people in the business Angels, on the other hand, has 20 earn a six figure turnover in year one we understand that to be a successful careprivate Join a worldwide of 600+ franchisees with better pay, conditions and At Visiting Angels years of experience in the and a network projected £1m plus by the end to put the interests of your staff at the A new approach to running a care business rewards for loyalty. This in turn franchisee you need duty care market. of year three. heart of your business. We are one of the UK’s first Carer-Centric Specifically addresses the challenge of recruitment delivers stability, consistency and If you’re interested by such franchise businesses. Model proven over 20 years a continuity of care. success, know that Visiting Angels For more information visit www. If you want to be successful working in your community, if you franchise fees for development franchisees difference to caregivers, clients and families, The private care model also want to make ais seeking ten franchisees to join Reducedvisitingangelsfranchise.co.uk or call of circa changing lives and beingcould fitLiquid capital encourages new carers into the if you want to smile its because ranksyou inare 2019 – and you Dan required Archer on £30,000 07584 178458. commercially successful - call Visiting Angels today. industry who aren’t prepared to the bill. work in a traditional care business. The franchise fee is £24,995 Learn more about one of the world’s largest care franchises One reason being the market by speaking towith £25,000 to £30,000 of liquid Dan Archer for private duty care is far less needed to secure bank on 0114capital 433 3000 or 07584 178 458 competitive. In fact, very few care funding for the total investment, www.visitingangelsfranchise.co.uk I darcher@visiting-angels.co.uk providers focus on the private pay including working capital of up
Can you put your carers at the heart of what you do?
MAY 2019 | elitefranchise
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Could you bring Value Through Insight? Use your experience and our expertise to build a successful b2b consulting franchise Expense Reduction Analysts is the world’s number one franchise in overhead cost optimization and supply management; for 25 years our franchise partners have enabled businesses to improve profit and gain greater financial scope by reducing business expenditure. Together our Franchise Partners save UK businesses millions of pounds per year – come and share in our success!
Discovery Day Dates: 9th May – Canary Wharf 6th June – Newbury 18th July – Canary Wharf 1st August – Manchester 22nd August – Newbury
To reserve your place or for more information, please contact: Matt O’Neil Head of Franchise Recruitment 07753 966651 moneil@expensereduction.com
erafranchise.co.uk
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ADVERTISING FEATURE
Don’t underestimate the importance of business planning Nothing happens without creating a business plan but it can be a daunting task to approach. Fortunately, franchising makes the whole process easier
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t the heart of any successful business is a strategy that contains clear objectives, specific measures and a timeline. It’s essential to understand this business plan and set out objectives from the outset – including the questions of how, who, when and what. But it’s not just that simple. Of course, your plan needs to be realistic. While it can be aspirational, it also needs to be achievable. When considering running your own business it’s vital you spend time really looking at the numbers and gaining an appreciation of what you’re investing in. You need to consider all the elements such as the associated costs and potential income and produce some stress tests to model scenarios where, say, costs could be higher and income lower. There are other key questions to ask yourself too, such as ‘Have I got the skills needed to execute the plan’s actions?’ and ‘Have I got the time and all-important willingness?’ Someone once said if it’s not written down, it’s not real. And as far as business planning is concerned this is certainly true. But setting up your own business from scratch can still be daunting and relatively high risk. Fortunately, franchising significantly reduces the risk as you’ll be following a proven business model and provided
with comprehensive support. It’s also essential to take your time choosing a business. Have a good look under the bonnet and ensure all your question boxes are ticked. At Riverford, for example, we can’t stress enough how much time applicants should put aside to research the business. We encourage them to spend time on everything from a delivery round to customer-facing events. It’s so important to see first-hand how the business operates, so gaining experience and knowledge from the existing network is invaluable. Most franchisors will also actively encourage you to speak with their existing franchisees so make sure you take every opportunity to do so. And while you’re there, don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions. From our experience, existing franchisees are generous with their time and honest with their feedback. After all, they were once in the position you are in now. Franchisees can offer a different perspective on how the business operates than the franchisor. Find out what their previous career was, what skills they have, what they have learnt along the way, what challenges they’ve faced and what their highlights and frustrations have been. A franchisor will supply all the business data required and offer advice
but you should also consider your personal lifestyle, expected income, time allocation, location, skills and more. Assessing both yourself and the business will help guide you to choose the right business and provide the best platform for success. franchise@riverford.co.uk 01803 227 380 www.riverford.co.uk/franchise
may 2019 | elitefranchise
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food franchises
Differences between UK and US food franchises British and Amercian food franchises have much in common but also very distinct differences. Here are the important dissimilarities you should know By jURGEN KETEL, managing director emea, givex
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he UK and the US share history and culture. Both are wealthy, developed economies sharing a common tongue, strong restaurant sectors and welcome new technology. But
there are clear differences too. When it comes to restaurant franchising, the US generally – but not always – tends to be further ahead of the UK in terms of adopting new innovations and providing a more satisfying customer experience and it’s worth thinking about why. Here are five key differences to consider.
Order customisations
Customers worldwide are becoming more aware of their dietary requirements and preferences. A celiac might require gluten-free foods, a vegan will want their meal prepared with no dairy or meat products and someone who doesn’t like onions will obviously want the onions taken out of their burger. In
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the US, there are fewer restrictions against tailoring your meal order to your individual requirements. In the UK, however, there’s still in some cases an unspoken assumption that voicing your preferences, customising your order and getting the food you want is an embarrassing hassle. Of course, this attitude means the experience for many customers isn't optimal since they’re being presented with an imperfect order because they can’t have their meal with the ingredients they want. For instance, a regular, middle-of-the-road cheeseburger can become something transcendent if you just add bacon. Here, the UK should take inspiration from the US and make customisation easier wherever possible. Technology can help destigmatise the process of tailoring customer orders through self-service kiosks and EPOS systems that support conversational ordering. This feature makes taking complex orders much easier. Of course, customisation isn’t everything and for restaurants with simpler offerings, the ghost kitchen model can also drive efficiency.
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food franchises
Restaurant chains can set up outposts in car parks and other quiet areas to serve regions where it’s unprofitable to open a physical location – using pre-made meal setups for maximum efficiency. One of the areas where the US has a clear lead on the UK is simply giving customers what they want. Franchises in the UK would benefit from following its example.
Customer service
The US’ tipping culture is pervasive. In the UK, it’s not quite the same and though tips are becoming more commonplace, they’re far from assured. Now, this is balanced somewhat by the fact that servers in the US can be paid less than their UK counterparts and tips therefore become a necessary supplement to wages. But they’re also more inclined to provide superior service because of it. UK restaurants should pay all staff a living wage but they must also think about how to create similar motivation for their team. After all, if they can build a more positive and rewarding working environment for their employees, they can boost service levels at the same time. This might even result in staff earning more tips.
Staffing
US and UK restaurant franchises can find it very difficult to attract experienced staff. In the UK, it’s commonplace to rely on cheaper labour from abroad. These can be workers from countries with underdeveloped economies, for example. One can find the higher wages of Britain’s restaurant industry quite attractive compared to their home nation. In the US, the low wages associated with this work tends to put people off. This means getting experienced
staff can be challenging in both countries – particularly in the UK, where Brexit has made an uncertain destination for foreign workers. If the talent is unwilling to come, UK franchises will need to explore alternative ways to optimise their staffing costs using restaurant technology. Self-order kiosks and other customer-led ordering tablets can help this, while kitchen display systems (KDS) can drive efficiency with clearer instructions and cook times and make it more practical to hire less experienced – and less expensive – chefs.
Technology
Again, the UK has been very good about technology adoption in restaurants, particularly in areas such as home delivery, where Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat have cornered a growing market. But delivery is just one dimension of restaurant technology. In the US, far more work has been done in areas such as self-ordering through mobile apps, kiosks and tableside tablets. McDonald’s is a leading example of this with plans to roll out selforder kiosks across its 14,000 plus US stores already well underway. Comparatively, the UK remains in the early stages of adoption. Tableside ordering tablets which is much more commonly found in the US than the UK, can be particularly helpful. The process of getting a server to come by a table multiple times can be frustrating for employees too, so it can simplify ordering for customers and get buy-in from serving staff with ease.
Payments
In this area, the UK is definitely ahead, mostly thanks to its thriving fintech scene. Modern payments technology is used with far more consistency and regularity – where in the US, even chip and pin cards aren't widespread and cash remains king. If it seems a little inexplicable to be ahead on ordering but behind on payments, it's only because it is. After all, modern consumers want to pay with their card, phone, an app and via their preferred gateways. No restaurant is at a disadvantage for allowing them to do so. Clearly, restaurants can benefit from modernising their offerings. Customers of 2019 expect more and food franchises both in the US and UK should work harder to give it to them.
MAY 2019 | elitefranchise
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ADVERTISING FEATURE
The importance of running things ethically While franchising is thriving like never before, it’s vital to not lose sight of what’s most important – your ethics
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o the benefit of us all, franchising has evolved and developed tremendously over the past decade. It’s now an extremely diverse sector, encompassing a wide array of business types and consumer markets. And we interact with franchised businesses every single day – sometimes without even realising. However, as the industry expands and more businesses come on board across increasingly diverse sectors, it’s of paramount importance that the ethics of franchising are protected. Franchising is a business model that can deliver established ways of working in combination with entrepreneurial, motivated people. So it’s perhaps unsurprising the industry’s a rising star in the UK economy. However, it’s the responsibility of franchisors to ensure it operates ethically and for the benefit of franchisees, customers and other franchisors alike. Sitting as we do as the UK’s fourth largest coffee brand – as well as the UK’s number one mobile coffee franchise – the responsibility of the coffee industry shapes and influences a lot of what Cafe2U does as a business. We recently took part in National Coffee Week, an initiative which ran from April 29 to May 5 and is the nation’s largest celebration of coffee. During it, thousands of participating coffee shops, retailers and foodservice outlets including Cafe2U raised funds for Project Waterfall, a charitable initiative bringing clean water, sanitation and education to coffee-growing communities across the world. Since 2011 Project Waterfall has raised over £1m, changing more than 37,000 lives in countries key to coffee production including Nicaragua, Tanzania, Rwanda, Vietnam, Uganda, Kenya and Ethiopia.
As part of the initiative we encouraged our franchisees to join in with the fundraising fun, holding competitions and designing and selling speciality drinks with a share of proceeds being donated. At Cafe2U we’re lucky to have a franchise network always keen to get involved with campaigns like this and we’re proud of the work they do in supporting a wide range of charities, causes, initiatives and campaigns. In 2018, we ran our first Green Coffee Month with our UK network of over 90 vans, highlighting the changes Cafe2U has been making to help the environment and challenging other coffee businesses to do the same. The month comprised Reusable Cup Week, coffee grounds recycling initiatives and a scheme designed to solve the problem of plastic film coffee cups being difficult to recycle. We will be looking to tailor the campaign and run it again later this year. Our recent partnership with the Department of Coffee and Social Affairs, the speciality coffee company, will only strengthen this type of activity. The business places great emphasis on acting as a responsible company, with social affairs forming a key part of the business. Not only does it supply award-winning single origin coffee – it’s also involved with a wide range of initiatives across the world. As part of its latest Social Impact Report, this included embarking on projects with the charities Pump Aid, Afri-CAN Children’s Charity, Girls United and supporting the Central London Rough Sleepers Committee. Being an ethical franchise is also very important to Cafe2U. While running a successful business is key to us, we equally value being responsible in our operations. And keeping ethics front of mind brings a plethora of other benefits for
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businesses or franchises. For example, as well as attracting customers to engage with a business to boost sales and profits, being ethical can make employees want to stay with a business too. Subsequently, this reduces labour turnover and therefore increases productivity. Being ethically-minded can also boost the chance of more franchisees and employees wanting to join the business, reduce potential recruitment costs and let the company get the most talented people possible. Moreover, a company that sets out to work within its own ethical guidelines is less at risk of being reprimanded, or even fined, for poor behaviour or actions. Businesses not following any kind of ethical rules or carrying out their social responsibility can lead to wider consequences. Unethical behaviour can damage the reputation of a business and make it less appealing to stakeholders and customers. This may also mean profits could fall as a result. Decisions should always be moral. So while it’s important to run a successful business, it is equally important to be responsible and ethical.
Cafe2U takes premium, espresso-based coffee, hot chocolate and sweet treats directly to the consumer. Visit www.cafe2u.co.uk/franchise-opportunities or call 01132 320118 for more information on our franchise opportunities
MAY 2019 | elitefranchise
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ADVERTISING FEATURE
Dissecting what makes McDonald’s successful McDonald’s has long been touted as the crème de la crème of franchising. But what makes it work? Let’s take a look under the hood
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t’s a common perception that McDonald’s is the pinnacle of franchising. Well, it is famous for being highly sought after by prospective franchisees and has a reputation for almost bankable returns – not quite the right to print money but the nearest thing in franchising. However, there’s a rub. McDonald’s can be very choosy with hopeful franchisees and its selection process is lengthy and rigorous, without any guarentee candidates will make the cut. Even if they do, they need a significant capital lump to claim a place at the table. It begs a question: is there an alternative option? Is there something more accessible yet just as successful – and potentially even bigger? To answer that let’s look a little deeper under the bonnet of what the McDonald’s model is. It turns out McDonald’s has some very important elements that are difficult to emulate. With a global brand and vast economies of scale, it outperforms many booming fast-food franchises with a much greater success rate. It’s truly a franchising icon and it seems few can
match it unless they’re in the restauraunt industry too. However, the numbers paint a slightly different picture. When you consider a McDonald’s franchise investment ranges between $1m and $2m in the US, it’s arguably more difficult to generate ground-breaking returns on investment. The old saying is you get what you pay for and a certain investment rather than spectacular one is the name of the game here. Moreover, fast-food and retail franchises are tough businesses and margins are generally slim. Although McDonald’s stands atop this tree, with Forbes predicting its net income margin to rise to 30.2% in 2019, traffic for chain restauraunts fell by 3.3% across the US in 2019’s first quarter according to Technomic, the foodservice research company. Finally, in the restauraunt industry there’s a big slug of fixed capital and a crowded marketplace, with a static point of delivery for each unit and little flexibility to move. In short, it’s a tough market. So looking for an accessible McDonald’s-esque model in its own sector may not be the best solution. But where else can you turn? The children’s sports, entertainment and education sector is one to look at. It has a burgeoning market with increasing disposable income being spent by parents on their children. In fact, there are several routes to reach the parental wallet, either directly or through nurseries and schools. Gross margins are also much stronger with a wide variety of services and products on offer. For example, recent momentum to tackle obesity and the fight on sedentary screen-based lifestyles are reaching a crescendo and all look
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to this growth-focused and profitable sector, with little mature competition, for help. The children’s sports model that Sport4Kids (S4K) has established in the UK has an even shorter route to profits and a reduced capital outlay. Compared to food retail models, capital outlay can be ten times less and with reduced risk wrapped into incremental growth over time. The S4K offering has 15 service lines with several products in each, providing multiple opportunities for
revenue growth. And S4K’s commitment to ongoing product development means this base of assets will grow even further over time. It’s certainly unique in the sector and helps build economies of scale. And of course, the advantage of scaling is it lets the franchisee focus on growing the business and working on it, not in it. If you own a single fast-food outlet, on the otherhand, you most certainly will be required to work in the business. Having a cutting-edge product like McDonald’s does is also vital to emulate its successful model. So at S4K we use a secret formula for constructing child-centric, parent-focused sports programmes that combine child psychology, worldclass technical skills and fun-based entertainment that can’t be found elsewhere. For example, there’s a big tick in the box for meeting an unmet need with our innovative new Player Pathway System, providing competitive advantage in the marketplace. If you don’t have a cool £1m lying around in change and don’t fancy the world of food retail models, why not take a look at a compelling alternative? If you’re passionate about sport and would like to build a large, scalable children’s business, reach out to see how compelling a S4K franchise can be. Call Bev Regan QFP, head of franchising, now for more information: 07384 543107
May 2019 | elitefranchise
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ADVERTISING FEATURE
Pick a franchisor that gets its hands dirty Not enough can be said for joining a franchisor who’s actually ran the opportunity they’re offering
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hen trying to decide what type of franchise you wish to enter, you’ll undoubtedly be filled with questions and a certain amount of hesitance. Do you need to stay in an industry you’re familiar with? What ongoing support will you receive – if any? It helps when the franchisor has also run the business and experienced just how it’s model works and what’s involved and can support their franchisees with answers. X-Press Legal Services, the legal services franchise, for example, was established in 1998 by Lynne Lister, a former franchise journalist; her husband Dave Lister, who has a financial services background and their son Christian. When the trio set up X-Press Legal Services franchising was actually the last thing on their minds. It started by providing property searches and reports to the conveyancing sector but it soon became clear to the founders they had a success on their hands. So to let the business grow and to reach wider audiences, they made the decision to become a franchise in 2005. Lynne was only too aware of the responsibility involved. “You’re dealing with people’s life savings and inheritances and you’ve got to be absolutely sure what you’re offering will give them a return”, she says. “We understand the business, the sector and franchising, so we are able to advise and support not only those considering a franchise with X-Press but our existing franchisees too.” Delivering over 400,000 property searches and reports per year, X-Press Legal Services is trusted by more
than 500 legal practices nationwide to perform an essential role in the property buying process. And although the franchise works with legal professionals, franchisees don’t need legal qualifications. Dave and Lynne are extremely proud to have over 50% of their original franchisees to this day. They attribute this to the fact that by still operating their own office they see first-hand and in real-time any issues their franchisees may experience on a day-to-day basis. Ongoing sales support, mentoring and the X-Press Academy training programme create a nurturing environment where franchisees can maintain their independence while still feeling part of a larger network. And
whatever your background, you can create a substantial business with an X-Press Legal Services franchise – even from home. If you’re ambitious, tech-savvy and pay meticulous attention to detail, this could be just what you’ve been searching for. But be quick – there are only seven territories still available. Please call Dave or Julie to find out more on 01925 393333 or visit xpresslegal.co.uk/become-a-franchisee
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BRILLIANT AMAZING INSPIRING EXCITING A child’s first experience of sport should be something they remember for the rest of their lives. Mini Athletics is the first of its kind. First and foremost, it is so much fun! However, Mini Athletics is so much more than that. Through 3 progressive classes, children go on a fantastic journey in athletic movement. They are introduced to the basics of athletic movement skills (running, jumping, throwing) in a super fun environment. Mini Athletics is rapidly expanding across the UK and Ireland, providing profitable and rewarding businesses for individuals and teams.
FOR MORE DETAILS ON BECOMING A FRANCHISEE GO TO:
www.miniathletics.com Mini Athletics has developed a
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breakups
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breakups
end How to
the relationship By Fiona Boswell, partner and head of franchising, Fraser Brown Solicitors
All relationships end sooner or later. However, a franchisor must take extra care when breaking up with franchisees
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he nemesis of many franchisors is the subject of terminating franchises. It’s ideally the thing you try best to avoid. Unfortunately, sometimes it has to happen for the sake of the company as a whole. When you do have to call it quits with someone in your network, you better get it right or the fallout of the breakup could end up wreaking havoc on your bottom line. So here are our top tips for how best to navigate the minefield of ending a relationship. (1) Establish grounds, warn, repeat Ask yourself if the franchisee’s actions constitute grounds to terminate the partnership. Look to your franchise agreements and list carefully the breaches in question. Consider not only those listed but lack of adherence to aspects outlined in the operations manual. If there are any complex areas or uncertainty seek legal advice to support your actions. It’s important the process is transparent - the franchisee shouldn’t be surprised that their franchise is coming to an end. On the lead up to taking this step you should have served a series of default notices clearly stating concerns and giving your franchisee the opportunity to rectify the
problem and to engage in dialogue with you. This helps establish clear grounds to take more drastic action. (2) Get your ducks in a row Termination is a messy business. There will be customer contracts, supplier contracts and other ongoing relationships that you will want to preserve. Do what you can to ensure a smooth transition to neighbouring franchisees or if you’re able to exercise your stepin rights with care. (3) Tell them where and when Once deadlines have passed without the franchisee rectifying defects, confirm termination of their agreement and the necessary next steps. Specify a date to meet in person and address practicalities such as the handover of materials, stock and uniforms. Unhappy franchisees may not be compliant in this process so be prepared for any lack of cooperation and to rely on what is hopefully robust contractual protection to recover what you need. (4) Nurture stakeholders Banks, suppliers, national accounts and other key stakeholders have a natural aversion to failing franchises as they’re likely to leave them out of pocket. So you should, where
possible, take care to keep them in the picture so as not to prejudice future relations with these supporters for your network. (5) Manage unsettled networks Franchisee engagement is key to the success of your network – get ahead of the newswire with a carefully worded statement which ultimately allays the concerns of the network. Other franchisees are as invested in the brand as you are and equally intolerant of those that may be bringing it into disrepute. It’s therefore vital you’re one step ahead of the rumour mongers to manage this process. (6) Learn lessons From any failure there are key lessons to be learnt for the future operation of your network. Adjust franchisee profiles, vetting policies and operational processes and restructure systems that hindered the process of facilitating an amicable separation. Revise franchise agreements that proved ineffective or prohibited more robust intervention. Build in engagement programmes across the network that identify problems earlier. Franchise failures in any network are an inevitable part of the journey in franchising. Accepting this and having a strategy to manage the process is the smart way forward. may 2019 | elitefranchise
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same day delivery
How to avoid logistical nightmares at all costs By JON WHITE, UK Managing Director, Inxpress
Many factors have impacted the delay on nationwide, accessible same day delivery. However, looking ahead, same day can eventually become the standard without causing company headaches. Here’s how
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ame day delivery is still a relatively recent and rare trend for retailers. In the UK, it’s being rolled out by giants such as Royal Mail, Amazon and Waitrose but we’re still limited to certain areas of the country, restricted product offerings and it’s often expensive. Last mile concerns One of the biggest drawbacks of nationwide same day delivery is the 9.3 million people currently living in rural areas of the UK. Delivery luxuries like click and collect, pick-up lockers and fast delivery aren’t as feasible for those living out in the countryside because of the length of time and distance between them and city-dwellers. While drivers have regular stops in urban areas to boost their profits, if there’s only one drop-off point in a ten mile radius, it can be difficult to justify the need to deliver there without hefty fees to the customer. That said, people are willing to pay more for same day delivery, you just
have to ensure the quality of the delivery is high and the customers can communicate with the driver or the customer service centre with ease. The fastest growth rate of e-commerce and parcel deliveries over the next five years is expected to occur in rural areas, so it’s wise to start planning your same day strategy to avoid falling behind. Make sure the courier service has a good reputation and that its drivers have good quality connection to their HQ so they can be aware of any incidents which might cause barriers to their delivery. Just ensure any surcharges aren’t hidden - the Advertising Standards Agency recently announced new legislation to make this explicitly known from the start. Time sensitive, work intensive Chances are, people ordering same day delivery are doing so for a reason. That means you need to get it to them in time. Ensure you have the inventory, regularly replenished
stock, the right courier service, the products and all the information ready. Also, have a social media assistant to help with any issues and choose your courier service wisely. For small businesses that want to get on top of the e-commerce game but don’t always have the resources or staff to get the orders out fast, it can be difficult to build a same day business model without stress. They want to attract new customers but without spending a fortune or sacrificing the quality. But by partnering with courier services they can get access to a dedicated shipping expert which can find the preferred rates ideal for small businesses, give advice and also partner with the best global carriers to bring the best shipping solutions and save time and money. Also be wary of setting cut-off times too late just to appeal to customers. A safer cut-off time at the start of your roll out, such as 11am, will allow delivery firms to have more capacity to wager it into their route.
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same day delivery
Value added appeal Don’t just assume people will be happy because you’re offering same day. Recipients want value added services. They don’t want their product thrown over the fence or delivered crumpled. Miserable delivery drivers and difficult systems to track their parcels are also undesirable. There is little point offering a service to please your customers if the product has been ruined mid-transit or arrives so late they’re sleeping. If a customer associates your brand with damaged goods it might be an uphill struggle to turn them into a loyal customer, especially if they weren’t before. Again, do your research on the courier firm you use and, if there are complaints from your customers, address these, no matter the deal you’re getting. Happy
customers equal loyal customers, which ultimately means success. Connect the data dots We’ve all heard that data is king and it’s true. In the digital age, we can use data to really take advantage of personalities, shopper behaviours and the most efficient way to do processes. Couriers can now merge data from the cloud with historical statistics to give them insight into traffic patterns, enabling them to plan well on the day and avoid high congestion. Analytical tools can gain fast insights into reports, what products are most soughtafter, common popular order dates and customer satisfaction rates. You can also use data to issue immediate responses to urgent customer requests, especially if they have ordered something specifically for
same day but haven’t received it in time. Apps also enable the courier service to plan ahead and devise the most efficient route, analyse driver behaviour and continue to communicate with drivers back and forth. Take full advantage of the massive amount of data you have access to. If you have the data but aren’t connecting the dots to gain insight, your operations are likely not as efficient as they can be. 2019 is a transformative year for retailers, with same day deliveries joining the likes of drones and virtual reality in boosting the customer experience. Same day doesn’t have to be logistically problematic and, if you offer it well, you can massively improve the customer loyalty and the retention rate. Do it wrong or rushed and it can affect not just current customers but potential ones too.
XXXX 2018 | elitefranchise
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Checkout Your Dream Franchise At the One-Stop-Shop for Franchise Recruitment, Profiles, Latest News, Success Stories, Upcoming Exhibitions and Dates for Your Diary.
www.franchisesupermarket.net DPS.indd 3
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ADVERTISING FEATURE
Why First Class Learning? If a race is worth running, it’s worth running well. This is the kind of attitude it takes to bloom as an after-school tuition franchisee
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icture yourself preparing for the ultra-marathon team race. You fasten your laces and doublecheck your pack. In the distance, some of your team mates are already disappearing into the mist. You know the road you’re all on won’t be easy – filled with highs and potential lows. But you are impatient to join them because you know ahead lies great adventures and the kind of rewards that only this journey can bring: the fulfilment of both achieving and helping others achieve their goals. If this is your mindset, then this is your franchise. You can make a difference First Class Learning is the UK’s fastest growing after-school tuition franchise
with 270 centres and counting. We are looking for people like you to join us. People who are passionate about enabling others to achieve success, who are driven to succeed and who are ready to pick up the baton and run with it. A growing number of schools are already using First Class Learning yearon-year as part of their daily routine. This is a tremendous endorsement of the quality and effectiveness of the First Class Learning materials. Pupils improve their maths skills, develop good study habits and gain in confidence and a love to learn. Currently, the market for after-school education in the UK is worth in excess of £6bn and rapidly growing. Working
as one of our franchisees you can meet this demand with a professional product providing a good income and attractive long-term prospects. The next step If you think you have what it takes to carry the baton of our commitment to education and bring something special to our network of franchisees, please contact us by completing the form on our website. Once done, we’ll get in touch with you to continue the conversation about your journey. Visit https://www.firstclasslearning. co.uk/own-a-franchise or call us on 0800 458 3739
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ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITY IN IRELAND OR SCOTLAND? Our recruitment franchise could be what you’re looking for Law Staff Legal Recruitment is an award-winning legal recruitment company situated in Cambridgeshire. Established in 2002 by Marcus Stevens, our Company Director, the business has grown over 16 years and now employs over 25 members of staff, ranging from experienced Recruitment Consultants to our exceptional Recruitment Assistants and Marketing Executives, including an excellent accounts team. We operate from our own bespoke database system, with over 25,000 registered candidates actively seeking new employment opportunities in the UK alone. We pride ourselves on our strong brand and commitment to excellent service, working with top tier ‘Magic Circle’ firms, through regional heavyweights to the smallest niche practices. Each one is awarded the same level of specialist attention to ensure we are recruiting the right person for the vacancy. Working collectively we ensure that we produce tailored campaigns catering for individual client’s needs. As we expand in 2018 we are looking for exceptional people to help build on our success, expanding our brand into Ireland and Scotland. Get in touch if you are ready for that next step in owning your own piece of this incredible business.
Why choose a Law Staff franchise? Low set up cost
Continual support
Fantastic earning potential
Experienced Training given
Start working from home!
Flexible working
W: www.law-staff.co.uk T: 01954 208062 E: psweeney@law-staff.co.uk template.indd 3
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ADVERTISING FEATURE
A franchise with a forward focus The continued approach to innovation from énergie Fitness has been one of the key factors behind its recent success in winning some impressive franchise awards
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ith a second place ranking in the Elite Franchise Top 100 franchises for 2019, and a nomination as a finalist for the Brand Awareness and Innovation Award at the 2019 bfa HSBC Franchisor of the Year Awards, énergie Fitness continues to sit at the forefront in fitness franchising. It’s made for some roaring success, given health and fitness is a booming industry with more gyms, members and a greater market value than ever before. The 2018 State of the UK Fitness Industry Report, compiled by Leisure DB, the databse company, reveals over the 12-month period to the end of March 2018 the industry saw 4.6% more fitness facilities, 2% more members and a 2.9% market value increase. With the report saying one in every seven people in the UK are gym members, it’s more important than ever for gym operators to demonstrate how they’re staying ahead of the game. Through the creation of its new brand and service proposition, énergie has sought to occupy a unique space in the competitive health and fitness market. This has firmly positioned the franchise as the leading high-service, low-cost operator. Central to this market positioning are a number of strategic innovations that allow énergie franchisees to build stronger connections with their members. As part of a global brand refresh, énergie has introduced a new signature training concept– thé YARD – into its gyms. Since its debut in August 2017, thé YARD has become a huge hit with members and now features in thirty clubs across the network, with plans to be in every new club that opens. Constructed by énergie’s very own fitness training and development team, thé YARD offers all-inclusive, high-
intensity boutique classes which transform the way members train. In turn, this significantly diversifies the complete gym experience for members. Designed as group sessions, thé YARD Club Edition classes have been built perfectly to offer a style of workout that you simply won’t find in other large budget or 24-hour gyms. This development has meant we have been able to bring a boutique-style experience which has seen such high demand across the UK directly into our gyms to offer an all-inclusive health and fitness package. The introduction of thé YARD is just one component of a new membership offer that truly drives énergie’s differentiation
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in the health and fitness market. The creation of flexible membership options has allowed our franchisees to offer their members a way to experience fitness on their terms. A low-cost classic gym membership offer has also been retained, providing competitive, affordable and great value membership. This is supplemented by a WOW! membership, which offers an array of additional benefits for a further monthly fee. In some clubs across the network, 60% of members are opting for WOW! membership, further driving our differentiation in the market and providing franchisees with an additional revenue stream. In addition to thé YARD, our brand’s innovation has included the introduction of dedicated in-club hosts. This followed Mintel’s 2017 industry report which highlighted half of gym goers experienced a lack of communication from gym staff during their time in clubs. By introducing club hosts to cater to the missing ingredient that stems from the unstaffed structures of today’s large budget and 24-hour gyms, we’re able to ensure every member is welcomed on arrival, let them know they have a point of contact and provide them with a VIP member experience every visit. This level of service is engrained across the network through our signature training course, Take the Stage, which is designed to arm franchisees and their staff teams with the hospitality skills needed to deliver world-class service the énergie way. With a dedicated training team delivering and implementing the programme in all its fun, quirky and innovative glory, every club is encouraged to Take the Stage on a daily basis, putting a unique spin on customer service for members. A continued approach to innovation is just one of several factors that sets énergie apart in the franchise sector. With a comprehensive franchise support package and robust training
framework, franchisees are armed with all the tools to help them thrive in this fast-paced industry. When you franchise with énergie Fitness, you’re partnering with a brand that has been empowering people to transform their lives since 2003. From business planning and property acquisition to ongoing marketing and operational support, we pride ourselves on offering a comprehensive gym franchise package that gives our franchisees all the tools they need for success. Best of all, you don’t need a previous interest in health and fitness to be a success with énergie. To find out more about joining a forward-thinking franchise at the cutting-edge of the industry, visit www.energiefranchise. com or call 0845 363 1020.
May 2019 | elitefranchise
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Franchise Resales
Buy an existing franchise
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Search 100s of franchise resales now Visit bfsale.co.uk/eliteresales
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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
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01/03/2019 14:54
FRANCHISE RESALES
Call us today for a confidential chat: 0800 0188 297 or visit us at www.taxassistfranchise.co.uk
North West
Investment: TBC Established: 2003 Turnover: £324,000
I really appreciate all of the support that I have had over the last 6 years. I feel financially secure and that is all down to running the business as per the TaxAssist model, it really has worked for me, thank you.
A resale opportunity has arisen in one of our Franchises based in the North West. The franchisee started in 2003 and operates from two prominent shop front locations in the area. The business services around 608 clients and enjoys gross annual recurring fees of circa £307K. With established shops, complete with furniture, IT and telephone systems and experienced staff, any purchaser would be walking into a ready-made business. This represents an excellent opportunity where a new franchisee can further develop an already substantial business. The business has enjoyed regular organic growth with the majority of new clients coming from recommendations, walk-in business and inbound leads generated from the support centre. The business is offered as a successful going concern within the TaxAssist Network and the purchaser will become part of that network of accountancy practices.
Tess Blayton - Franchisee
Call us today for a confidential chat: 0800 0188 297 or visit us at www.taxassistfranchise.co.uk
Kent
Investment: TBC Established: 2000 Turnover: £229,000
It’s been great and has exceeded expectations! I love the variety of clients that I get to meet and work with, ranging from new startups through to established businesses and also landlords and retirees. John Biggs - Franchisee
sponsored by Resales.indd 2
A resale opportunity has arisen in one of our Franchises based in Kent. The franchisee started in 2000 and operates from a shop front location. The business services around 430 clients and enjoys gross annual recurring fees of circa £260K. With an established shop, complete with staff, furniture, IT and telephone systems, any purchaser would be walking into a ready-made business. The business has enjoyed regular organic growth with the majority of new clients coming from recommendations, walk-in business and inbound leads generated from the support centre. The Franchisee is selling the business because they are retiring. The business is offered as a successful going concern within the TaxAssist Accountants network and the purchaser will become part of that network of accountancy practices.
www.franchisesales.com
01/03/2019 14:44
FRANCHISE FOCUS
FranchiseFocus AUTOMOTIVE Chips Away
Driver Hire
Mac Tools
£: 29,995+VAT
£: n/a
£: 5,000
chipsaway.co.uk
driverhirefranchise.co.uk
mactools-franchise.co.uk
Restore Automotive
Revive!
Snap-on Tools
£: 24,997
£: 27,500
£: 16,037
restorefranchise.com
revivefranchise.com
snaponfranchise.co.uk
Screen Rescue
SuperGlass
£: 19,750 +VAT
£: 15,000
screenrescue.co.uk
superglassukfranchise.com
BUSINESS ActionCOACH
Auditel
Business Doctors
£: 27,000+
£: 37,950 + VAT
£: n/a
actioncoach.co.uk
businessdoctorsfranchise.com
businessdoctorsfranchise.com
Expense Reduction Analysts
Get Ahead VA
How 2 Franchise
£: 39,900
£: n/a
£: n/a
erafranchise.net
getaheadva.com/franchise-opportunity/
how2franchise.co.uk
Jackson Fire & Security
Platinum Business Partners
Regus
£: 39,500+VAT
£: 30,000+VAT
£: n/a
jacksonfire.co.uk/franchise
platinumbusinesspartners.co.uk
regus.co.uk
The HR Dept
X-Press Legal Services
£: n/a
£: POA
hrdept.co.uk
xpresslegal.co.uk/become-a-franchisee
CARE Ableworld
Bluebird Care
Caremark
£:75,000
£: 115,000
£: 100,000
ableworldfranchise.co.uk
bluebirdcarefranchise.co.uk
caremarkfranchises.com
Heritage Healthcare
Home Instead Senior Care
Kare Plus
£: 29,995+VAT
£: 90,000+
£: 40,000
heritagehealthcarefranchising.co.uk
homeinstead.co.uk/franchise
franchising.kareplus.co.uk
Promedica24
Radfield Home Care
Visiting Angels
£:£20,000 + VAT
£: 75,000
£:POA
franchise.promedica24.co.uk/
radfieldhomecarefranchising.co.uk
visiting-angels.co.uk
SPONSORED BY
WWW.FRANCHISESALES.COM
FRANCHISE FOCUS
CLEANING Arising Cleaning Franchise
Betterclean Services
Bright & Beautiful
£: 2,995+
£: 19,600+
£: 17,995+
arisingcleaningfranchise.co.uk
bettercleanfranchise.co.uk
brightandbeautifulhome.com
Clear Brew
Deluxe Window Cleaning
Drain Doctor
£: 15,000+VAT
£: n/a
£: 21,000+VAT
clearbrew.co.uk
deluxewindowcleaningfranchise.co.uk
ukplumbingfranchise.co.uk
Dublcheck
Dyno
Fantastic Services
£: 9,950
£: c250,000
£: n/a
dublcheck.co.uk
dyno.com
joinfantastic.com
FiltaFry
Merry Maids
Metro Rod
£: 14,950+VAT
£: 19,995+VAT
£: 100,000+VAT
filtafryplus.co.uk/franchise
merrymaidsfranchise.co.uk
metrorod.co.uk
Minster
Molly Maid
MouldDoctor
£: 28,225+
£: £16,975+VAT
£: 33,000
minsterfranchise.co.uk
mollymaid.co.uk/franchise
moulddoctor.co.uk
Ovenclean
Ovenu
Sanondaf
£: 14,995
£: 9,995
£: n/a
ovenclean.com/franchise
ovenufranchise.co.uk
sanondaf.co.uk/sanondaf-franchise/
ServiceMaster Clean
techclean
Wilkins Chimney Sweep
£: 26,150
£: 19,500+VAT
£: 13,100+VAT
servicemastercleanfranchise.co.uk
techclean.co.uk
franchisechimneysweep.co.uk
Cafe2U
Coffee-bike
easyCoffee
£: 26,650+VAT
£: 7,490
£: 15,000
cafe2u.com/uk
coffee-bike.com/en
easy.coffee/franchise
Esquires Coffee
Puccinos
£: 22,500
£: 75,000
esquirescoffee.co.uk
puccinosworldwide.com/franchising
Zero Dry Time £: 24,950+VAT zerodrytime.com
COFFEE
CHILDREN Boogie Beat
ComputerXplorers
CYCLEme Tots
£: 5,995+
£: 29,500
£:POA
www.boogiebeat.co.uk
computerxplorers.co.uk
cyclemetots.com
diddi dance
First Class Learning
Helen O’Grady
£: 4,995+VAT
£: 8,000-16,000 +VAT
£: 15,000
diddidance.com
firstclasslearning.co.uk/own-a-franchise
helenogrady.co.uk
SPONSORED BY
WWW.FRANCHISESALES.COM
FRANCHISE FOCUS
CHILDREN Kiddley Divey
Kumon
Mad Science
£: 5,997+VAT
£: 3,000
£: 23,500
kiddleydivey.co.uk/join-our-team
kumon.co.uk
madscience.org
Magikats Maths and English
Mathnasium
Mini Athletics
£: 10,000+VAT
£:40,000
£:POA
educationalfranchise.co.uk
mathnasium.com/franchise
miniathletics.com
Monkey Music
Puddle Ducks
Sport4Kids
£: 13,975+VAT
£: 18,975
P.O.A
monkeymusic.co.uk
puddleducks.com/franchising
www.s4kfranchising.com
Stagecoach
Sticky Fingers
Swimtime
£: 14,995+VAT
£: 3,000
£: 18,000+VAT
stagecoachfranchise.com
stickyfingerscookeryparties.co.uk
swimtime.org
The Creation Station
The Strings Club
Turtle Tots
£: 7,999+VAT
£: POA
£: 13,000+VAT
thecreationstation.co.uk
thestringsclub.org/become-a-franchisee
turtletots.com
BBX
DNS Accountants
Expense Reduction Analysts
£: n/a
£: 25,000
£: n/a
bbxuk.com
dnsaccountantsfranchise.co.uk
uk.expensereduction.com/
Rosemary Bookkeeping
TaxAssist Accountants
£: 16,970
£: 36,950+VAT
rosemaryfranchise.co.uk
taxassistfranchise.co.uk
Tutor Doctor £: 49,700 franchise.tutordoctor.co.uk
FASHION & CLOTHING Noa Noa £: 40,000 noanoa.com
FINANCE
Fifo Capital £: 25,000 fifocapital.co.uk
rosemary an altogether friendly bookkeeping experience
®
FOOD & DRINK Auntie Anne’s
Camile
Chock Shop
£: n/a
£: 250,000+
£:POA
auntieannesfranchising.co.uk/
camile.co.uk/franchising
chockshop.co.uk
Cup the Cake
Harpers
Harry Ramsden’s
£: 377+
£: POA
cupthecake.com
harpersfranchise.co.uk
SPONSORED BY
£: 150,000 - 250,000 harryramsdens.co.uk/franchise
WWW.FRANCHISESALES.COM
FRANCHISE FOCUS
FOOD & DRINK Maston’s
Muffin Break
Papa John’s
£: 25,000
£: POA
£: 100,000+
marstonscareers.co.uk
muffinbreak.co.uk
papajohns.co.uk/franchise
Riverford
Southern Fried Chicken
Subway
£: n/a
£: 125,000+
£: 86,000 - 222,000
riverford.co.uk/franchise
franchise.southernfriedchicken.com
subwayfranchising.com
Snak Appeal
Warrens Bakery
£: n/a
£: 18,500
www.snakappeal.co.uk
warrensbakery.co.uk
HOME IMPROVEMENT & GARDEN BoConcept
Countrywide Grounds Maintenance
Decor Walls & Flooring
£: 100,000
£: 44,950+VAT
£: n/a
boconcept.com
countrywidegrounds.com/franchise
decorcladdingcentre.co.uk
Neighbourly
Refresh Renovations
Schmidt
£: POA
£: POA
£: n/a
neighborlyfranchises.com
refreshrenovationsfranchise.co.uk
www.home-design.schmidt
Shuttercraft
TruGreen
Wonderlawn
£: 25,000
£: 28,000+VAT
POA
shuttercraft-franchise.co.uk
trugreenfranchise.co.uk
wonderlawn.com
Diamond Logistics
InXpress
Mail Boxes Etcs
£: 14,997+VAT
£: n/a
£: 25,000+
diamondlogistics.co.uk
gb.inxpress.com/franchise-opportunities
mbe.co.uk/franchise
Pack & Send
World Options
£: 29,500
£: 29,995+VAT
packsend.co.uk
worldoptions.com
INSURANCE Concept Building Solutions £: 32,995+VAT concept-solutions.co.uk
MAIL & COURIER
MARKETING Signarama
Vibe Marketing
£: 25,000 - 45,000
£: 14,995+VAT
franchise.signarama.co.uk
vibemarketing.co.uk
SPONSORED BY
WWW.FRANCHISESALES.COM
FRANCHISE FOCUS
PET SERVICES Barking Mad
MyWaggyTails
Now Boarding Pet Hotels
£: 10,000+VAT
£: 7,750+VAT
£: n/a
barkingmad.uk.com
mywaggytails.co.uk/grab-a-franchise
nowboardingpethotels.co.uk
OSCAR
Trophy Pet Foods
We Love Pets
£: 8,995+VAT
£: 13,995+VAT
£: 9,999+VAT
oscar.co.uk
trophypetfoods.co.uk
welovepetsfranchise.co.uk
PHOTOGRAPHY De Photo
Photography for Little People
£: 14,950+VAT
£: 15,000
dephoto.biz
photographyforlittlepeoplefranchise.co.uk
PRINT FASTSIGNS
Kall Kwik
Recognition Express
£:POA
£: 50,000 +shop fit +VAT
£: 35,000+VAT
fastsigns.co.uk
kallkwik.co.uk
recognition-express.com
Agency Express
Belvoir
Century 21
£: 24,500+VAT
£: 22,500+VAT
£: 23,500
agencyexpress.co.uk
belvoirfranchise.com
century21franchise.co.uk
HomeXperts
Platinum Property Partners
VeriSmart
£: 19,995+VAT
£: 41,450+
£: 9,000+VAT
home-xperts.co.uk
platinumpropertypartners.co.uk
verismart.biz
Antal
Clark James
Driver Hire Nationwide
£: POA
£: POA
£: 35,000+
antalfranchising.com
clarkjames.co.uk/franchise-opportunities
driverhirefranchise.co.uk
Signs Express £: 40,000+ franchise.signsexpress.co.uk
PROPERTY
RECRUITMENT
Law Staff Legal Recruitment £: n/a law-staff.co.uk
SPONSORED BY
WWW.FRANCHISESALES.COM
FRANCHISE FOCUS
RETAIL CeX
Everyman Barber
KG Professional
£: 150,000 - £250,000
£: n/a
£: n/a
webuy.com/franchising
everymanbarbers.co.uk
kgsalons.com
One Stop
Suit the City
£: 92pw+VAT
£: 19,950 - 22,950
openaonestop.co.uk
suitfranchise.com
SPORT & FITNESS 9Round
Anytime Fitness
Body Street
£: 115,000+
£: 110,000
£: P.O.A
9round.co.uk/own-a-franchise
anytimefitness.co.uk
www.bodystreetuk.co.uk
Energie Fitness
Fitness Space
HITIO UK
£: 95,000
£: 24,950
£:POA
energiefranchise.com
fitnessspace.com
hitiogym.com
One Element
Premier
YourZone45
£: n/a
£: 14,950 ex. VAT
£: 60,000
one-element.co.uk/franchise
makesportyourbusiness.com
yourzone45.co.uk
Eazi-Apps
Fone Doctor
Trivaeo Cloud Services
£: 7,995
£: 58,000
£: 14,995
eazi-apps-business.co.uk
fonedoctoruk.co.uk
trivaeo.com
SPA & WELLBEING Spa 810 £: POA spa810.com/franchise
TECHNOLOGY & SOFTWARE
TELECOMMUNICATIONS Challenger Mobile Communications £: n/a challenger-mobile.co.uk
TRAVEL Holiday Franchise Company £: POA holidayfranchisecompany.com
SPONSORED BY
WWW.FRANCHISESALES.COM
DISCOVERY DAYS
CREATE THE WORK/LIFE BALANCE YOU WANT Dynamic, ÂŁ3bn marketplace Six lucrative income streams Home-working potential Excellent support and training Robust marketing framework
t: 01530 513300 e: franchise@thebardongroup.co.uk w: recognition-express.com Please contact us for more information regarding available territories
PREPARING CHILDREN FOR THE FUTURE Home-based, management franchise Flexible, family-friendly commitment Generous territories with at least 600 prospects Dynamic support programme Rewarding and fulfilling
t: 01530 513308 e: franchise@thebardongroup.co.uk w: computerxplorers.co.uk
Try a different type of franchise instead. Contact Imogen on 01925 730 273, email franchise@homeinstead.co.uk or visit www.homeinstead.co.uk/franchise
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DISCOVERY DAYS
Do you dream of being your own boss? To find out more about our business opportunity visit www.monkeymusicfranchise.co.uk email jointheteam@monkeymusic.co.uk or call 01582 766464.
Discover more about our Ovenu Franchise with an informative, one to one chat over coffee. Contact us today and we'll put a date in the diary.
Franchise with us Shops, kiosks, drive thru and vending Proven success in busy high street locations Great arabica blend coffee at great prices Quality food options and great service Innovative equipment and smart technology Support and training from committed team Join the orange coffee revolution
Visit www.easy.coffee/franchise or call us on
0333 433 0311
Discover how to MAKE MONEY and MAKE A DIFFERENCE! With a Mathnasium Learning Centre franchise you have the opportunity to build your own business, be your own boss and make a great living whilst making a difference. Join us for a discovery day and experience the Mathnasium Method and Model, held in Manchester and Hertfordshire.
Book your place at mathnasium.co.uk or call 0161 791 0686 Standard call charges apply
01189 743 911 ovenufranchise.co.uk
Apply for up to ÂŁ2,000 to run your own FLexible fun and rewarding Creation Station franchise Run your own educational, fun and flexible arts & crafts Creation Station franchise. Choose your hours, have fun and create positive differences within your community with your own successful business.
May 2019 | elitefranchise
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DISCOVERY DAYS
RELAUNCHED FOR THE DIGITAL AGE
Franchise Opportunities with Driver Hire
STRICTLY B2B
- ‘Franchisor of the Year’ award winner - five times - Average franchise turnover of £1,180,450 in 2017/18 (3 x franchise industry average) - Average net profit more than £130,000 - Franchising successfully since 1987
EXCELLENT SUPPORT AND TRAINING
CELEBRATING 40 YEARS IN BUSINESS
Robust marketing framework
ROBUST MARKETING FRAMEWORK
t: 01530 513300 e: franchise@thebardongroup.co.uk w: kallkwik.co.uk
driverhirefranchise.co.uk
Multi-award winning franchise model Flexible financing assistance Innovative industry Full technical training Personalised operational support
For more information visit: www.fsfastsigns.co.uk Your Discovery Day Invitation
Book a discovery meeting with us by emailing: opportunities@century21uk.com or call 0115 902 1002 A meeting is a chance for you to find out more about the CENTURY 21 UK team and whether it is the right fit for you.
To join us on our next webinar or find out more about Platinum Business Partners go to:
http://bit.ly/PBPDiscovery
It’s important that you see the systems & support we offer and get the opportunity to speak to our Business Development Managers who would help you grow your business. We hold these meetings across the country on a monthly basis.
Register your interest:
01202 652 103
platinumbusinesspartners.co.uk info@platinumbusinesspartners.co.uk
United Kingdom
0115 902 1002 opportunities@century21uk.com www.century21franchise.co.uk
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DISCOVERY DAYS
make their
FUTURE your
Call us now on 0800 854 714 or visit kumon.co.uk
BUSINESS • the UK’s largest supplementary education provider • proven business model • marketing support • comprehensive training
Butcher, baker and cabinet maker... our franchisees come from all works of life! But they all have one thing in common. They all wanted to take control of their own destiny and become their own boss.
“The teams that perform the cleaning tasks are always very thorough, professional and quick. I would certainly recommend using them”
Call us to learn about our Discovery Days
Fund Management group
Love fashion, live your passion with Suit the City Join a leading business in a booming market, beating the current trends in retail. Work from a small studio and build your business with the aid of a team of Consultant Tailors all trained by Suit the City.
Why choose Techclean? + Experience and credibility + Work from a home environment + Low cost, high margins + Operate in an ever growing market
www.suitfranchise.com
UK’S NO.1 FRYER MANAGEMENT SERVICE WEEKLY REPEAT “MAN IN A VAN” FRANCHISE HIGH-DEMAND, EXCLUSIVE TERRITORY VIRTUALLY NO COMPETITORS
Call us on 01788 550100 to find out more www.filtafryplus.co.uk | dslater@filtagroup.com
Could YOU be the next UK Franchisee?
SEARCHING FOR A CAREER CHANGE WITH A FUTURE?
Arrange a meeting with us today and find out if we are right for you!
Request more information enquiries.uk@boconcept.com
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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...
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• Search over 30,000 businesses for sale • Franchise opportunities to suit every budget
Y
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MY
CY
MY
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• The UK’s favourite place to buy or sell a business
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DAVID GLOVER managing director CAREMARK
Encouraging ideas from the network and finding the golden nugget
All business leaders should draw inspiration from the people at the coalface. David Glover, managing director at Caremark, reveals how the franchisor has benefitted by listenening to the ideas of his franchise network May 2019 | elitefranchise
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“We’ve often found that the best ideas come from our network because they’re learning from their own experiences”
A
t Caremark, we have regional franchisee meetings twice a year. Quite simply, these meetings offer our franchisees the opportunity to meet, share best practises, discuss developments within the social care industry and generally spend time networking with their peers. Last year, we asked how we could make these meetings more productive. After some consideration, the franchisees came up with the idea of electing a franchisee to chair each meeting. I thought it was a great idea and, in all honesty, I was a little disappointed that I hadn’t thought of it myself. Traditionally, our regional development managers (RDMs) would lead the meetings, plan the agenda and organise a venue. The franchisees were now proposing that, each month, the network elects a franchisee to lead the meeting. That franchisee would chair the meeting, just once, and then pass the baton onto another elected franchisee. At Caremark, we like to encourage a culture of thought leadership. We’ve often found that the best ideas come from our network because they’re learning from their own experiences in a demanding sector. For me, the best thing about being part of the Caremark network is we all have so much we can learn from one another. Some of our franchisees come with decades of experience in the health and social care field, whilst others come with business acumen and, therefore, a more analytical approach. These life experiences are shared during times of collaboration and discussion, so encouraging these business leaders to manage the regional meetings could only lead to good things. We formally introduced the idea, alongside other innovative processes we would be rolling out across the network, at our annual conference in January. The response was very positive. A buzz quickly filled the room with franchisees discussing who would chair the first meeting. Once that person was elected, we spoke with them about the responsibilities of the role – planning the agenda, the talking points and maintaining the timing of the meeting. To ensure franchisees get as much as possible out of the meetings – and to also make sure the responsibility of leading didn’t take
too much time out of the daily operations of their own franchise – managing the logistical aspects of location, timings and refreshments would remain with our RDMs. We have recently completed our first round of franchisee-led meetings, which went phenomenally well. Attendance has increased significantly, as franchisees felt intrigued by this new process and were looking forward to sharing insight with their fellow business owners. They were engaged, which encouraged a wonderful atmosphere for breeding innovation. I’m confident this initiative will stand the test of time because our franchisees work best when they’re collaborating – after all, isn’t that why they bought into the franchise system in the first place? It’s important to note that not all suggestions from our franchisees make the cut. Whilst we always consider, test and evaluate every idea from within the network, nine out of ten ideas just aren’t suitable. As a franchisor, we’re looking for that golden nugget – that one idea or concept that, when put into practise, will improve process, procedure and productivity for all. We understand why franchisees might suggest an idea which hasn’t yet been implemented but, more often than not, they’re ideas we’ve already thought of and ruled out. Whilst this might be the case, we always explain why an idea won’t work, so as not to dampen the franchisees enthusiasm. Their next idea could just be that golden nugget – the answer to a problem we didn’t even know existed. The same consideration and process applies when we get a great idea from our franchisees – like the franchisee chairs for regional meetings. As a franchisor, we take time to consider all possible outcomes from the idea, before going back to the franchisee and explaining how we think it might work in practise. Also – and quite rightly so – they deserve the recognition for the idea they’ve brought to the table. It’s a real pleasure to acknowledge innovation within our team and it exemplifies our values and culture: one team, one goal.
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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.
Rated 5-Star by customers on Trustpilot and in an independent survey, franchise owners rated the franchise as 5-Star.
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.� Inspiring imaginations in North Watford, Hertfordshire
thecreationstation.co.uk/run-your-own-franchise Creation Station FP.indd 1 new tcs ad.indd 1 Untitled-1 1 Untitled-2
As seen on.
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