Elite Franchise Magazine January 2018

elitefranchisemagazine.co.uk

Flip Out

The Australian trampoline franchise is reaching new heights in Britain

JANUARY 2018 ÂŁ4.50

New beginnings

Franchisors reveal their proudest accomplishments in 2017 and biggest challenges for 2018

Lingotot

The language franchise helping kids fall in love with languages

Striking a chord An overture as an aspiring opera singer inspired Jane Maudsley to launch Little Voices, the performing arts franchise that has proven a hit with kids and parents alike Cover Final.indd 1

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Come and talk to us at one of our Insight Days in 2018: 19th January, Elstree 2nd February, Bristol 2nd March, Manchester 23rd March, York 20th April. Cranfield Management Centre 11th May, Edinburgh 25th May, Aston Business School 22nd June, Manchester 7th September, Bristol 21st September, Milton Keynes 19th October, Leicester 9th November, York

Register your attendance at www.mcdonalds.co.uk/franchising

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Be your own boss and benefit from the support of a proven brand with more than 25 years experience.

Share in our growth as the acclaimed technology and entertainment exchange store with worldwide operations. We’re so confident that you’ll be delighted with your CeX franchise that we offer a Buy Back Guarantee if you’re not. Act now to secure your location.

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cover star

Finding their voice 18

From choosing to study opera and classical music to launching a franchise, Jane Maudsley is certainly not afraid of following her dreams. Now she’s teaching tykes to do the same with Little Voices, her performing arts franchise

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

COLUMNS 13 Pip Wilkins 15 Sussanne Chambers 29 Frank Milner 33 Nigel Toplis 37 Tony Bowman

FEATURES 40 Lingua franca

A new generation is sharing Angela Sterling's passion for languages with Lingotot

46 New beginnings

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Digital dilemma Deciphering the ins and outs of online marketing

The challenges franchisors face in 2018

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50 Spring in his step

With Flip Out, Jon Inwards is getting the jump on the competition

58 Tackling money troubles

Who can you turn to for financial advice?

74 Nurturing the next generation How to encourage more people to become franchisees

82 Breaking down boilerplate

Deconstructing the jargon around these contract terms

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Backing your ambition We’re committed to supporting British business. We have local relationship managers and sector specialists who are backed by a full range of products and services and will work closely with you, offering guidance that’s focused on your business vision. We’ve also been voted Business Bank of the Year for the 13th year running. It all adds up to experience you can trust.

Find out how we can help.

Suki Dehal, Franchise Development Manager on 07780338656 or at Franchising@lloydsbanking.com

lloydsbank.com/business

For your next step Calls may be monitored or recorded. Please note that any data sent via e-mail is not secure and could be read by others. FDs’ Excellence Awards supported by Real Business. For more information visit lloydsbank.com/bankoftheyear

LLOY001

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welcome Volume 06 Issue 01 / 2018 EDITORIAL Josh Russell – Editor josh.russell@cemedia.co.uk Eric Johansson - Feature Writer eric.johansson@cemedia.co.uk

Looking forward

DESIGN/PRODUCTION Leona Connor – Head Designer leona.connor@cemedia.co.uk Jenny Allen – Designer jenny.allen@cemedia.co.uk Dan Lecount – Web Development Manager dan@cemedia.co.uk

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SALES & MARKETING Gemma Campion – Head of Sales & Marketing gemma.campion@cemedia.co.uk Jemma Tonge – Senior Account Manager jemma.tonge@cemedia.co.uk Jordan Banes Account Manager jordan.banes@cemedia.co.uk Taylor Blayney – Account Executive taylor.blayney@cemedia.co.uk Natalie Mawdsley – Media Assistant natalie.mawdsley@cemedia.co.uk

ith Christmas decorations and spent party poppers long cleared away, 2018 is well under way. If you’re anything like me, this will have got you thinking about the future. And that’s why this issue, we’ve been looking to what’s coming up ahead.

Certainly it’s not a stretch to predict serious success for some up and coming franchise brands: Lingotot is proving a smash at teaching tykes to speak foreign languages, while trampoline franchise Flip Out’s ambitious expansion plans are sure to see it leap to the top of the league table. Meanwhile, we’ve also been giving franchisors a chance to chime in on how they expect 2018 to shape up, whether it’s asking for their new year’s resolutions or looking at how we can prime the franchisee talent pump and bring new blood into the industry.

Finally, this month’s cover star Jane Maudsley is investing heavily in the next generation, helping to impart invaluable confidence and skills to kids with her performance arts franchise Little Voices. Music to our ears.

CIRCULATION Paul Kirby – Circulation & Data Manager paul.kirby@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 2017. 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

elitefranchisemagazine.co.uk

■ Josh Russell - Editor

Contributors

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3

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Tony Bowman

Dave Galvin

Rachel Grey

Frank Milner

Going from worker to selfemployed business owner can be tricky. Fortunately, franchisors can help with the transition. The trick?

Franchisees have to ask for assistance.

The head of franchising and senior business advisor at Dennis & Turnbull reveals this month why financial advice is never far away for franchisees.

In this issue, Little Voices Preston’s franchisee reveals how she pulled herself back from a setback in her professional life and how you can do the same.

What does James Cameron’s 1984 cult classic The Terminator have to do with franchising? Quite a lot if you ask the founder of Tutor Doctor.

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JANUARY 2018 | elitefranchise

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make their

FUTURE your

BUSINESS

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

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

0800 854 714 www.kumon.co.uk

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news Events Franchise Now Sheffield January 17 Ponds Forge ISC, Sheaf Street, Sheffield, S1 1AA bfa Prospective Franchisor Seminar Oxford January 18 bfa Office, 85f Park Drive, Milton Park, Abingdon, OX14 4RY EWIF South Regional Meeting January 24 Canon (UK) Ltd, Woodhatch, Reigate, Surrey, RH2 8BF bfa January Scottish Forum January 24 Harper Macleod, 65 Haymarket Terrace, Edinburgh, EH12 5HD The Franchise Show 2018 February 16 - 17 ExCel London, London Borough of Newham, London, E16 1XL The National Franchise Exhibition February 16 - 17 NEC, Halls, Marston Green, Birmingham, B40 1NT The British & International Franchise Exhibition March 8 - 10 Olympia, Hammersmith Road London, W14 8UX

Serving up the Christmas cheer Few franchises have made as much of a mark on American culture as Denny’s. And soon Britons can also enjoy the dinner franchise’s iconic pancakes and rashers of bacon as the chain will open ten restaurants in Blighty. However, when the first restaurant’s doors swung open in Swansea on Christmas Day it

was only for the homeless living in the community.

While we are absolutely thrilled to soon be able to enjoy the same savoury snacks that have become famous across the pond, we can only applaud Denny’s commitment to spreading Christmas cheer to those that needed it the most.

BY ERIC JOHANSSON

bfa announces new board members The bfa is without a doubt the UK’s most important body. Needless to say then that the leadership of the association is some of the most powerful people within the industry. And three heavy hitters just joined the board.

The people joining the board for the next 12 months as newly elected board members are truly champions of franchising. They are Stephen Watson, founder and managing director of Agency Express, the estate-agency board operator; Paul Thompson, co-founder of Water Babies, the baby-swimming franchise; and Abel Campos, director of franchising at McDonald’s Restaurants UK. It seems as if the future of franchising is in very competent hands indeed.

Franchising to the rescue Marks & Spencer is changing. The quintessential British retailer has underperformed in comparison to its competitors in recent times. However, the company is undergoing a massive overhaul and is now franchising a lot of its international operations in a bid to turn the numbers around. The latest part of this was announced in the new year when the retailer sold its franchising operations in Hong Kong and Macau to Al-Futtaim, the retail operator.

Given that Al-Futtaim has been a proud partner of Marks & Spencer since the retailer first set up shop in Dubai in 1998, it’s safe to say that the 27 previously company-owned stores included in the deal are now in safe hands.

And we have every faith that more franchising will help the company get back on top.

JANUARY 2018 | elitefranchise

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1452 Franchise advert for Elite FM aw.qxp_Layout 1 04/01/2018 11:38 Page 1

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Pip Wilkins chief executive bfa

Use ambition to your advantage If you’re hungry for more than being someone else’s employee, franchising offers a plate full of opportunities

hen you speak to successful business people, you will often find that their journey began with a spark of inspiration. That spark may have sprung from the desire to reap the rewards of their own hard work, rather than working for someone else’s profit. Alternatively, some new business owners see a gap in the market for products or services and use their own initiative to cater to that need.

An appetite for success is just as crucial in franchising as it is in business generally.

Ambition and drive are very desirable traits when a franchisor is considering a prospective franchisee. An individual with their own passion for building a successful business, will be motivated to work hard and maximise their chances for success.

You may have built a considerable reputation or proven to be very successful in one area of business through employment. Unless your previous sector is something you are passionate about, you don’t have to stick to this industry moving forward. Franchisors offer initial training and ongoing support to assist franchisees in running their business

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according to the franchisor's model. This means that many franchisors will look favourably on business experience and skill and therefore do not require you to have previous sector experience.

For example, you may have worked in a very corporate environment in the past but are interested in running a van-based business within your local area with the intention of growing into a management franchise. This could be entirely possible, as long as you can prove your experience and proudly display your strength to the franchisor during the enquiry and application process. The franchisor will quiz you on your past experience; they may also wish to meet your partner or spouse to ensure that you have a solid support structure at home in the early days of growing your business.

So embrace your ambition but make sure you dedicate proper thought before making any big decisions. It’s important to take the time to complete in-depth due diligence into franchising and the brand. Get advice from specialist professional advisors before you invest any funds or sign any legally binding documents. Don’t forget: you are interviewing the franchisor as much as they are interviewing you.

So if you are an ambitious individual, don’t let being humble stand in the way of showing your true potential when you are taking your first steps into business.

JANUARY 2018 | elitefranchise

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Helping organisations improve their bottom lines Use your experience and our expertise to build a successful b2b consulting franchise ERA UK Franchise Partners work together to provide clients with a range of advice and business strategy to help them streamline overhead costs and generate financial financial savings.

Working withcolleagues colleaguesand andclient clientstakeholders, stakeholders, you Working with you provide consultancyand andgenerate generatelong-term long-termadded added value provide consultancy value by leveraging leveragingyour yourown ownexperience experience– and – and that a unique that ofof a unique network of colleagues – on behalf of your clients.

Our franchise model works for people from many walks of life; it’s not necessarily limited to those with a background in business. What they typically have in common is hunger and a motivation to gain control of their lives by being their own boss. Most are looking for flexibility and control after many years of corporate life; wanting to work for themselves and earn what they deserve, rather than have their hard work benefit someone else.

Together our Franchise Partners save UK businesses millions of pounds per year – come and share in our success!

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Sussanne Chambers founder and managing director HomeXperts

In with the new With a fresh year ahead, many are considering a change of career.

But while franchising can offer the perfect opportunity, it’s worth asking yourself some questions before jumping in with both feet ew year, new start. You may have heard these words many times since the start of the year.

But have you done anything yet to act on them? For many people, a new start for the year is losing weight or getting fitter; for others, it will be starting their own business and becoming their own boss.

By definition, the new year is a time to take stock and evaluate, consider options and make a plan for change. It is at this time of the year that people start to question whether they want to continue working for someone else or whether it’s time for them to make a fresh start and work for themselves.

One way that many people choose to enter self-employment is by joining the ranks of franchisees across the UK, which is why franchisors like HomeXperts receive a glut of enquiries in January. For some, joining an established proven franchise can be a safer way to launch a new business.

According to the bfa/NatWest Franchise Survey 2015, over 600,000 people are employed within franchise businesses and franchising delivers over £15bn in terms of GDP each year.

By now most people will have gone back to work if they are working and may be thinking: “Is this it? Do I want to

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The new year is a time to take stock and evaluate, consider options and make a plan for change continue earning money for someone else or start fresh and earn money for myself?” Well working for yourself is rewarding but also challenging. Giving up the security of a regular pay cheque for the uncertainty of self-employment is not a decision to be taken lightly. It's important to think through the different scenarios you could potentially find yourself in.

Five basic questions to ask yourself are: how will you support yourself and your family financially during the early days of your new business? What are your skills and what type of franchise would be suitable for you? Do you want to work alone in your business or work in a business building a team? Would an ideal franchise be creating products such as a food franchise or delivering a service offering to your clients? Could you motivate yourself when times are

tough and the business is challenging?

It’s only when you have the answers to these questions that you are ready to start considering a franchise. This is a crucial time in your new businesses development: the research stage.

Having cut down your options as a result of asking yourself the previous questions, now is the time to start to identify potential franchisors to work with. Steer clear of any franchisors that try to put pressure on you to make a decision because you need to take your time and be sure you choose the right business partner.

But while it pays to be cautious when choosing a franchise, don’t let this temper your new year’s resolve: statistically your chances of making a success of your new business are higher when franchising than going it alone.

Remember fortune favours the brave.

JANUARY 2018 | elitefranchise

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A GREAT PLACE TO START YOUR OWN BUSINESS We are looking to expand and share the goodness and quality of SFC through a select group of new Franchisees.

WHY HAS SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN BEEN SO SUCCESSFUL? COULD IT BE:

The attention to detail that ensures only the very best is acceptable? Using succulent real fresh chicken, marinated to give flavour the whole way through, coated in breading made from a unique blend of herbs and spices and our exclusive Lemon Pepper Flavour, pressure-fried to perfection, giving a deliciously crisp and moist product.

COULD IT BE:

That seasonings and packaging are purchased through SFC ensuring uniformity worldwide? Giving the same great SFC taste across the world.

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COULD IT BE:

The menu that satisfies all tastes and palates? Offering five flavours ranging from mild to wild. Our extensive menu includes real fresh chicken, succulent burgers, buckets and wraps, prepared in our signature fried method or grilled to juicy perfection.

OR IS IT JUST:

That we offer one of the most comprehensive packages in global franchising, with ongoing design, essential support, flexible local supply options and, of course, training- with nearly 40 years’ experience.

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“Real fresh chicken, prepared in a good, honest way, producing the best-tasting chicken every time.�

Our franchised restaurants work as independent businesses under the SFC brand all over the world. We support and help our franchisees develop with autonomy to make decisions on lots of day to day activities and are always there to advise them.

If you register on the intelligence level as genius, have the heart of a lion, strength of a bull and you can live by our values - then we would love to hear from you if you think that our franchise might just be the right one for you.

Contact: Andrew McNair +44 (0) 7887 663552 Email: franchising@ffsbrands.co.uk Website: www.southernfriedchicken.com

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Finding

their voices BY josh russell / photography by emilie sandy

By focusing on imparting confidence and soft skills, Jane Maudsley is helping kids become stars with Little Voices

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f it weren’t for a casual conversation over a cup of coffee, Little Voices may never have come to be. Jane Maudsley was sitting a Blackburn coffee shop and a chance comment from Holly Hammond, her former head of drama at school and future co-founder, provided the cue for the idea for Little Voices, the kids drama and singing lesson franchise, to emerge from the wings.

“She said: ‘We offer so much to children that as a teacher, even though I’m teaching these big classes, they still want more’,” Maudsley recalls. “Within six or seven weeks of having that conversation, we had opened Little Voices.”

Growing up as a child in Blackburn, Maudsley certainly had enough exposure to entrepreneurs building their own companies: both her father and grandfather had been business

people and this definitely had an impact upon her. “I was really inspired by their journey,” she says. “Business was always in my blood.” However, even then, Maudsley wasn’t one to dance to somebody else’s tune: rather than following in the footsteps of her father and grandfather, from a very young age she demonstrated a predilection for performance and music. “I demanded to have piano lessons from the age of three: I was one of the youngest that had ever taken them,” she says. “I had tiny little hands and had to stack books up to be able to even sit on the stool.”

But while the young Maudsley evidently had a huge appetite for learning about performing arts, she was underwhelmed by the experience of studying it at school. “I was quite disengaged from music and drama academically: it didn’t inspire me,” she says. “I had

fantastic teachers but it was more the people surrounding me that weren’t really interested in music and drama: they viewed it as a doss lesson.” However, it was outside of the school curriculum that Maudsley’s passion for performance was allowed to take centre stage.

Not only did her additional tuition give her a chance to master her melodies and hone her harmonies but appearing in productions like Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat with Phillip Schofield whet her appetite for appearing in the limelight. “The extra singing lessons I had, the performances that I did outside of normal school hours were what engaged me,” she says. “They gave me the hunger to do more.”

Having grown up around working professionals and yet having developed real prowess as a performer, when Maudsley

I demanded to have piano lessons from the age of three: I was one of the youngest that had ever taken them

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came to make her decision about what to study at university, she found herself in two minds. “I had to decide whether I was going down the academic route and going to Durham University to study to become a lawyer or going to follow the music route,” she says. And while Maudsley feels her father would have preferred her to choose the former, it was her mother’s advice that finally encouraged her to pursue her passion for music. “She told me I should follow my heart and that was really important,” Maudsley says. “She said: ‘do what you’re passionate about, do what you know will make you want to jump out of bed every day.’”

While Maudsley had been excited by the prospect of studying music at the University of Sheffield, the reality fell a little flat. “My

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Jane Maudsley

first degree wasn’t what I thought it was going to be,” she said. “Once again I was a little bit disillusioned and thinking ‘have I made the right choice?’” With just four hours of contact time a week, Maudsley felt the course failed to engage her and while a module in her final year to create and manage a musical or performance event allowed her to stretch her wings a little, she had grand ambitions she felt unable to fulfil within the course. “I was still headstrong in wanting to be an opera singer and sing professionally,” she says. “I’d done loads of performances outside of university and that’s what I wanted to do really: put on my dress and perform.”

Fortunately, after graduating and spending a year working at her family’s business, Maudsley finally got her shot to do just that when she went to study for a master’s degree in performance at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. “I loved that I was in college every single day; the hours were full on and you learned a lot,” she says. “It gave me a much better understanding of opera, classical music, myself and my own strengths and weaknesses.” The fact that the course gave Maudsley the chance to find her voice as a singer and build up a broader perspective of the industry was invaluable, although she did begin to notice that she and other people on her course weren’t always singing from the same hymn sheet. “They were very much happy to sing the Messiah on a Saturday and do choral societies, which is the bread and butter of the industry,” she says. “I preferred the commercial side but you wouldn’t speak about that publicly: in the culture of classical music and opera it wasn’t considered fitting.”

While Maudsley was still eager to pursue a career in opera once she had her master’s, the budding performer also realised she had to find

a way to make ends meet while she did so. Given she’d already done quite a lot of teaching during her time at university, that seemed like the obvious choice. “I wrote to my old school, as well as all of the schools in the area and music schools across the county,” says Maudsley. “Basically I went for every interview that I could and ended up with four or five different jobs working as a singing teacher.”

Coming back and teaching singing at her old school was an opportunity Maudsley relished, particularly as there hadn’t been much provision for singing lessons in the local school system when she had been growing up. But the way music tuition was viewed in the wider education system began to bother her. “The way you were viewed by the greater school community was quite harsh,” Maudsley says. “The value it gave a child wasn’t really appreciated and that was highly frustrating to me.”

And as the curriculum has become increasingly fixated with STEM skills and training kids solely for their future careers, this is an attitude that has only become more prevalent among politicians and schools boards. “They only see performing arts as use for someone who is maybe aiming to go on the West

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Jane Maudsley

End stage, end up on television or be a famous actor,” says Maudsley “It’s not about that. It’s about the confidence and life skills that it gives to a child.” While it’s unlikely that every tyke who treads the boards will end up in The Book of the Mormon or appear on the BBC, performance can prove invaluable in allowing them to practice all manner of skills. “It’s not about the performance element really,” Maudsley says. “It’s about the things that children learn that they can transfer into other areas: life skills like eye contact, posture, breathing, handling anxiety and nerves, effectively communicating with the spoken word, good diction and pronunciation.”

And this is the insight that lead to Maudsley's conversation in the coffee shop, kickstarting her and Hammond's consideration of how they could create a model that would help deliver some of these overlooked elements. “It’s absolutely about the fully rounded development of children,” Maudsley

says. “Every child’s got something really special and amazing to share and it’s about giving them the confidence to hook into that to the best of their ability.” And while this focus on softer skills may sound a little philosophical, Little Voices also offers much more concrete benefits for kids. “You’re building a child’s CV from a very young age so they’ve got something to show for all their years of commitment to singing and drama,” says Maudsley. “Every child goes through the exam syllabus with the London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art; children who are 15, 16, 17 or 18 get extra UCAS points from the exams they take so it helps them to get into university and college.”

As Maudsley and Hammond were already experiencing so much demand for extra-curricular performing arts tuition, getting the word out about Little Voices didn’t require a huge marketing spend. “It wasn’t about marketing strategies and plans at that point,” Maudsley says. “It was

Every child’s got something really special and amazing to share and it’s about giving them the confidence to hook into that completely organic from the work that we were already doing.” Even once the entrepreneurs began to cast their net wider and draw in more children, they found that a more human approach served them best. “No matter how the digital world is working and how much we say that things are shifting, people trust other people,” says Maudsley. “Word of mouth and offering trials – saying ‘come and have a go, see what you think’ – were key to our growth.”

However, even as they added staff Maudsley and her co-founder soon began to find that they were unable to make their service available to as many kids as they wanted. “We wanted to teach more and more children but I couldn’t physically teach more modules myself,” Maudsley says.

“Additionally, there were only so many tutors that worked with me within the local area and they could only service so many children.” In Maudsley’s eyes, the solution to this was obvious: franchise Little Voices. But Hammond wasn’t so sure, leading her to eventually part from the business.

“She didn’t feel the whole country would embrace it or that people would want to share in our culture, values and behaviours and become a part of our brand,” says Maudsley. “Our visions for the future were just very different and she decided to stay in the teaching profession. But while we went through a business divorce – if you JANUARY 2018 | elitefranchise

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Jane Maudsley

“We’re there for them as much or as little as they need us through those early years.” From here the process becomes more of a partnership, with Little Voices developing and working with them as children’s needs and the market changes. “They’ve obviously got everything they need to be captain of their own ship but with us always there with them,” Maudsley says.

Certainly this approach seems to be working: Little Voices recently celebrated its tenth birthday and the kids its franchisees taught a decade ago have grown into highly successful, well-rounded adults. “We’ve had children who are now performing in the West End,” says Maudsley.

“We’ve got individuals who are working at Sky Sports as broadcasters. We’ve got lawyers, doctors and marketing consultants.” And while not all of the children that have attended Little Voices over the years have ended up finding jobs in the public eye, the franchise has still clearly impacted their lives in other ways. Maudsley recalls a recent encounter with a parent who told her that her daughter has gone into the beauty industry. “And she absolutely puts down her confidence in an interview, her ability to speak to other people and put herself forward to the skills she learnt at Little Voices,” says Maudsley. “So she’s not chosen the arts as a career but the skills have certainly set her apart.”

But the last ten years haven’t just seen kids’ performance skills will – we are still incredibly and confidence come on in leaps good friends.” and bounds: Little Voices has also Once Little Voices grown in presence over the years. had started down the “We’ve currently got 22 franchisees,” franchising route, the next Maudsley says. “Most franchisees run step for Maudsley was multiple centres and the majority bringing on board some of them run three, four, five or six franchisees. “It takes some centres.” And Little Voices is already time for us to recruit a thinking about the next decade: not franchisee because we only is the franchise aiming to up want to make sure that its franchisees to around 60 to 80 in we’re getting the right the next few years, it’s also eyeing up person,” says Maudsley. opportunities further afield. “There is “So it's absolutely not about talk of going into master franchising selling and stacking up across into Ireland as we had some fast.” As well as a passion enquiries in Australia and Canada,” for the performing arts says Maudsley. “The world’s our and excellent organisation, the perfect person to take on a Little oyster really.”

Voices franchise needs to meet a variety of criteria. “They need to be Without a doubt, Maudsley is going effective communicators, good with people, good at inspiring a good to be leading Little Voices for years to team to be a brilliant team and want to see children inspired and come with a song in her heart. “I love growing,” Maudsley says. the business, I love the people I work But as long as franchisees have these core competencies, Little with, on the whole I love what I do and Voices’ training programme can help them get up to speed. “We I’m privileged to do it,” says Maudsley. give them five days worth of training initially but that’s literally “Down the line, we just want to help just an induction: we then hold their hand through the launch and more children and keep helping them right through year one, year two and year three,” says Maudsley. to achieve their dreams.”

We’ve had children who are now performing in the west end; we’ve got individuals who are working at Sky Sports as broadcasters

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12/01/2018 18:05

The mark of excellent care

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

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

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08/01/2018 10:42

ADVERTISING FEATURE

ERA UK’s leading ladies

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s there such a thing as a male-dominated industry anymore? At Expense Reduction Analysts UK (ERA UK), three leading ladies are proving that the B2Bprocurement consultancy sector certainly isn’t one of them.

These three top-performing franchisees are passionate about sharing their stories and encouraging more women into a business which has brought them a lot of personal and professional rewards.

Harsha Patel, Tracy Follows and Zoe Willis all come from very different backgrounds and have varied skill sets and experiences: from a career in mortgage brokerage to prior business ownership and board level SME roles. One thing they do all share is a determination to succeed and a commitment to the ERA UK franchise model.

Over the last ten years, Patel and her husband, Pritesh, have built their franchise into a highly profitable and rewarding business. The couple have three full time members of staff and, having just renewed their ten-year franchise agreement, have no plans to slow down their growth.

“I’m thankful for being able to work from home and be around for my kids,” Patel says. “It’s allowed me to have flexibility and retain the bond that so often is lost when a choice has to be made between career and family life.”

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12/01/2018 11:48

ADVERTISING FEATURE

The only thing holding women back is a confidence in their own abilities “I think being a franchisee, in general, can be more appealing to women because it’s less of a risk than starting a business from scratch, where you might not have the background or the support. A franchise network gives you a tried and tested option, with processes already in place and support behind the scenes. But at the end of the day, success isn’t down to whether you’re a man or a woman, it’s down to your drive and hard work.”

Follows couldn’t agree more. She has been running her franchise since 2007, growing her business year-on-year.

Given her success, it’s hardly surprising that she has become a highly respected and valued member of

the ERA UK community and, with her sights set on more of the same for the future, recently renewed her franchise agreement for another ten years.

“I thought about starting my own business,” she says. “But when it comes to starting a business from scratch, there are always gaps in what you know, no matter how multifaceted you are. I looked at the failure rates of a go-it-alone startup versus a franchise business – 80% compared to 4% – and that really convinced me to go down the franchising route.”

“Re-signing was a no-brainer. There was never a question that I wouldn’t re-sign, I’m not ready to retire and I don’t want to do anything else. I know that I can slow the pace down a little if I ever decide that I want to but for now, expect more of the same! The business has grown year-on-year, and the last two years have been exceptional. The work is varied, the people diverse and I thoroughly enjoy what I do.”

Despite being a relative new-comer to the franchise, WIllis certainly isn’t taking things slowly. Together with her husband, Nick, she’s built a substantial

business with over £1.3m of spend under review for prestigious national clients such as the Sue Ryder charity and Paul Smith.

A passionate advocate for women in business, Willis believes that franchising can be a great route to business ownership and says that often, the only thing holding women back is a confidence in their own abilities.

“Women can sometimes be over cautious and have a tendency to doubt themselves if they don’t have 100% of the skills they feel they need,” she says. “We forget that in business, as with anything in life, some skills you learn as you go along. My biggest advice would be, if you are considering it, go for it! I have no regrets.”

“I think one of the best things about ERA UK, aside from the obvious benefits of a proven model and the fantastic support from head office, is that it allows so much flexibility.

That’s important for a lot of women.

Take Harsha, who has young family to consider but still wanted to forge ahead. You can build and run a hugely successful business on your own, like Tracy, or you can work with a business partner or as a husband and wife team like myself and Nick – there really is nothing holding you back.”

For more information, why not get in touch: T: 023 8082 9737 E: franchiseteam@erauk.net W: http://erafranchise.net

JANUARY 2018 | elitefranchise

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12/01/2018 11:49

ADVERTISING FEATURE

No need to reinvent the triangle Cleaning ovens is only one of three sides

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t goes without saying that most franchises will provide their franchisees with practical training before they start trading. For Ovenu, comprehensive oven-cleaning training is provided as part of starting up the franchise to ensure their franchisees deliver astonishing results to their clients time after time. Ovenu’s market leading valeting practices have developed and enhanced over time to become the best in the business. Over 4,500 five-star delighted client reviews from across the UK can’t be wrong..

But what’s not emphasised enough sometimes in franchise media is the attention to how important the other two sides of the business triangle are. Providing a first class service to clients is one side of it, but to do this is impossible without getting work in and looking after what you’ve got.

That’s why Ovenu spend time with new franchisees to run through and break down how to run the Ovenu business in the most efficient way possible. They use proven methods and strategies to ensure franchisees know how to generate turnover and make profits from the start and throughout their Ovenu journey. This is done in a unique way for each territory in the UK as one size doesn’t fit all.

Advertising, marketing, promotion and client retention are just a few of the areas covered.

Ovenu’s business model is in operation in over 150 worldwide locations and it’s been replicated by many since 1994. It’s stood the test of time and has been tried, tested and trusted by hundreds of satisfied franchisees globally. It’s strong, safe, dependable and profitable.

The best bit? You don’t need to have experience in any of these aspects

at all. From start to finish, Ovenu’s support team will teach you everything you need to know to successfully operate an Ovenu Franchise in your exclusive territory. Ovenu urges its network to take full advantage of the experienced support team and exploit the knowledge they have gained over 25 years in this unique industry.

Even though experience isn’t key, to be successful you need ambition, will, discipline and drive to follow Ovenu’s proven plan and implement its methods.

You can trust that you will be replicating what so many others have already done and are doing, and making serious money from. Do this and you will thrive. Whilst you’re being guided by Ovenu, you will still be running and be in control of your own business. Ovenu’ll just give you the best methods on the market to do it successfully.

Tried, tested and trusted by hundereds

If you can picture yourself working alongside us and building a solid local business, controlling your own working hours and achieving great client and job satisfaction under the security of our reliable Ovenu brand then don’t hesitate to get in touch.

You can email us on enquiries@ovenufranchise.co.uk or give us a call on 01189 743 911.

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12/01/2018 17:43

Benefit from our trusted, proven model in the UK’s £1billion signage market!

• Recognised as a top UK Franchise • World-class training and support • Enviable buying power and instant brand recognition

With over 900 centres in 60 countries, Signarama is the largest sign and graphics franchise in the world. We’re looking for ambitious professionals to join our network here in the UK – is that you?

If you’re looking to join an award-winning brand with real vision, then we’d love to hear from you!

Call 0208 930 9047 or visit franchise.signarama.co.uk.

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05/01/2018 16:45

We want YOU to join the UK’s No1 Dry carpet, upholstery

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lab Avai

A Zerodrytime franchise gives hard working franchisees the opportunity to earn in excess of £50,000 per year

4 great earning solutions

If you’re looking for an exciting career change

Online videos & information

the constraints of working for someone else, a zerodrytime franchise could be the right choice for you.

Dedicated area

Franchise areas available near you

Call: 0191 270 9202 zerodrytime.com/franchise Untitled-11 ZeroDry FP.indd 2 Untitled-7 11

Full training & support On job training in customers homes

Domestics & commercial Man in a van or management roles Great earning potential Repeat customers

TM

ZERO001 05/12/2017 11:58 18/07/2017 10:51 14:17 08/01/2018

Frank Milner CEO Tutor Doctor

Hasta la vista, baby: When should a franchisor become the Terminator?

Just like Arnold Schwarzenegger in his iconic role, franchisors should only opt for the nuclear option to protect the future of their franchise ranchising is a partnership. But, crucially, it is not an equal partnership. The rights and responsibilities of each party are different and, to the uninitiated, the controls provided by a franchise agreement appear to be weighted in favour of the franchisor. Far from being unfair, it’s actually for your benefit as a franchisee and it’s important to know that your franchisor will take action and enforce the franchise agreement for the greater good. However, sometimes that means going full T-1000 and opting for termination.

It’s important to stress that ending the partnership is the last line of action open to a franchisor and the statistics from the bfa/NatWest Franchise Survey 2015 show that it’s a rare occurrence. The figure for forced franchise withdrawals is under 5% and this figure includes franchisee financial failures as well as terminations. The reason for this is because the majority of franchisors will manage compliance within their networks before things get as far as termination. Usually franchisors will notify franchisees who are in breach of one or more of their obligations, allowing them a chance to correct the issue.

This is one of the main reasons that the franchise agreement is weighted in the franchisor’s favour. They have to protect the integrity of the network and their own business interests but also the investment made by every other franchisee. If one of your neighbouring franchisees is not performing, it has a detrimental effect on your business. If they are not promoting their business, the regional brand awareness of the trading name – which you share – will be diminished. Not to mention that they will be contributing less to the franchise system by way of management services fees or paying less into the national marketing

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fund. If, on the other hand, they are doing something that could damage the reputation of the brand, your business could be harmed by association. What if, for example, a rogue franchisee is not paying their suppliers or delivering a high level of customer service to their customers? If the quality of the goods or service that they provide is substandard, the customers in your area will not differentiate between your business and the non-compliant franchisee because, in their eyes, the brand is the same.

In other words, a franchisor will only channel their inner Arnold Schwarzenegger in circumstances where the actions of a franchisee constitute a serious breach of the franchise agreement and when notified of the breach the franchisee is not prepared to rectify it. This also extends to the period after a franchisee leaves a network.

Another key part of the franchise agreement are the post-termination restrictions that stop an ex-franchisee continuing to trade. Many believe this sort of restriction to be unenforceable in employment contracts - but the franchise agreement is not an employment contract.

These clauses are regularly upheld to protect the knowledge and Intellectual Property in a franchise system and, most importantly, to protect the remaining franchisees from the competitive threat of an ex-franchisee.

You should ask any franchisor that you’re thinking of investing with what action they will take to enforce their agreement. If they don’t take any, then how do you know that they will protect your investment?

The last thing that you want is to be exposed to any poor performers or rule breakers in the network. If they are also relaxed about their ex-franchisees then you could find yourself challenged by a previous franchisee who thinks “I’ll be back”.

JANUARY 2018 | elitefranchise

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12/01/2018 15:39

ADVERTISING FEATURE

The cutting edge of business growth How the best teachers, training and tools exceeded 17 years of corporate personal development in 17 months

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anayal Zia had been advising clients for more than 17 years with Standard Chartered Bank. He enjoyed the work but had lost the passion he once felt. When he found ActionCOACH, the buzz came back and he knew this was the business for him.

“My last assignment was in the City of London. The City culture just wasn’t for me and I started to look around for something different. When I came across ActionCOACH, I fell in love with the organisation. I’d come from a dog-eatdog environment but this team went out of their way to support people. Along with my wife, Aiza, I completed my due diligence in 17 days: I wanted to be part of this culture yesterday!”

Inspired by the possibilities “I came out of training on August 1 2016 and what an experience! It was high-quality training and great team building. In my corporate career, I’ve attended training in New York, Shanghai and London but this was the best I’ve ever experienced.

It was absolutely what I needed to get my business running. I had no idea how much help SME business owners really need. Coming out of the corporate world, you assume businesses would have basic systems in place – especially those turning over £1m plus – but many don’t. The training opened my eyes to the possibilities.”

Zia recognised the need to focus on marketing as soon as possible for his new Leatherheadbased business. He tested and measured activities including networking, LinkedIn, walk-ins, critiquing prospective client advertisements and running workshops.

“Networking and LinkedIn are my most successful lead-generation techniques and now I get referrals from my clients. I have a referral strategy in place, which is a win-win for my clients and I.” Support to achieve your goals By becoming an Action Coach, you’ll be invited to a world of knowledge, experience and guaranteed returns on investment. You only need five clients to make it a profitable business and ActionCOACH can help you get those clients via its exclusive clientgeneration centre.

More flexibility/ time to be there for my family

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

Danayal receiving his certificate of completion at ActionCOACH’s 10-day training

You receive world-class training, an intensive ten-day induction training followed by a week of hands on marketing and selling training at ActionCOACH’s client generation centre to get your business flying. You have access to a library of resources and the ongoing support of their global and national ActionCOACH teams through group coaching webinars, individual coaching calls, quarterly conferences, quarterly team meeting and training days and an extensive global intranet system – in fact, there are around 70 days a year of professional development opportunities for franchise partners.

“ActionCOACH helps me define the target market. They then provide the support, advice and tools on how to take each business to the next level – it’s a culture of sharing knowledge and experience. There is a huge emphasis on personal development, which I love.

They recommend you focus on reading to ensure you’re at the cutting edge of the world of business growth, plus they arrange access to the best minds in the market through online seminars and a variety of conferences. I’ve experienced more personal development this year than in the last 17 years of my corporate career. The more I grow, the more I can help my clients grow.”

Zia set himself big goals to grow his business. He worked with two of ActionCOACH’s master coaches, Richard Hayley and Pam Featherstone, and he moved into an office to keep him focused on those goals.

With nine one-to-one clients on weekly or fortnightly coaching, I am making triple my old income “My six-month goal was to make the same income as I did in my corporate life. At the end of year one, I wanted to exceed the salary I used to make.

I smashed those goals and, with nine one-to-one clients on weekly or fortnightly coaching, I am making triple my old income. My next goal is to build a firm of coaches in year three.”

A rewarding future “ActionCOACH has given me more buzz in the last 12 months than I’ve ever felt before in my career. The feeling hasn’t subsided either. This journey has been amazing. I’m motivated to get out of bed every morning, transforming the businesses and lives of my clients. It’s hugely rewarding.

“My ultimate goal is to build a coaching firm that allows me to volunteer four

days a week, either using my coaching skills to help a local charity or just selling poppies for the Royal British Legion. I’ve been married to Aiza for 16 years and we have three daughters aged three, 12 and 14 – so they keep us very busy! There’s so much I’d like to do to give and growing my ActionCOACH business will provide the platform to achieve all of that.”

With over 3,500 strategies and tactics, guaranteed to make businesses successful – including your own – ActionCOACH helps business owners in several areas, including teaching them how to increase their profits, develop powerful systems and build a strong team. Client successes have helped Zia realise how much he has to offer business owners, their teams and his local community. He hadn’t always had that confidence.

“Coming from a corporate background, I initially found the concept of ‘abundance’ too good to be true. ActionCOACH has something special. I don’t know of any other organisation where people go out of their way to help and support others with so much vigour. ActionCOACH’s system provides an impressive set of tools and fantastic support, so all we need to add to the mix is self-belief.”

If you would like a business which brings back the buzz whilst providing a great future for your family and you get a buzz from helping others succeed, love learning and developing yourself and have enjoyed success in your career or sport, then find out more by watching the six-minute overview video at actioncoach.co.uk/overview

JANUARY 2018 | elitefranchise

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12/01/2018 11:45

What will you be doing this time next month?

Still wishing you had a new job?

Still wishing you’d started your own business?

Still wishing you could do something more rewarding?

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.

• No maths or teaching experience necessary • Simple, effective and proven system • Extensive training and ongoing support • Over 800 franchised centres worldwide • Low investment, great returns

It could be the most rewarding move you ever make!

Remember – nothing happens until you MAKE it happen

Find out more at mathnasium.co.uk or call Mathnasium UK – 0161 791 0686 Standard call charges apply

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08/01/2018 10:09

Nigel Toplis managing director The Bardon Group

Creating your legacy through exit planning Passing your franchise on to someone else is all about planning – so you better get started Independent accountants use a multiple of sustainable transferable operating profit (STOP) – that is operating profit, excluding owner drawings, lifestyle benefits, tax, interest and any ‘extraordinary items’.

Generally, accountants will calculate an average STOP over three years and add a multiplier. Different accountants will tell you different things: in my experience, a franchise business in good health will be worth somewhere between 1.75 and 2.25 times STOP. At the most it may stretch to a multiple of 2.5.

ne of the first things you should be planning when you buy into a franchise is when to leave. It might sound counterintuitive but you will inevitably depart the business at some point, either by selling, handing it over to children or simply passing away. Whatever happens, you want to avoid a situation where you are desperate to sell, where you have done no planning or where the business is no longer attractive to potential buyers.

That’s why a strategic approach to exit planning is critical.

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The business lifecycle Your business will have a natural lifecycle. Running a company is a journey and so you need to create a map for the future that considers various options, routes and rewards.

Start off by thinking about what you want to be doing in five or ten years’ time and how much you want or need to earn during your life as a business

owner. Following this, timely business planning and focused growth targets will help you achieve your goals. So take advantage of the support, experience, knowledge and tools of the franchisor and plan accordingly.

Valuing the business It can take two to three years to prepare a business for sale and create an attractive proposition. You need at least two – but preferably three – years of accounts showing positive growth.

But the value of your franchise itself will always come down to profit.

If you want the business to be worth more, you have to make it so

Getting a top-end multiple Buyers are put off if they sense any fear or panic in the seller or if they glimpse any undue risk in the business. You can reduce any perceived fear or risk if you have experienced staff with defined roles and relevant qualifications. Moreover, if you can show that you’re following the franchisor’s business system and taking advantage of tools and processes, it gives the buyer added comfort. Knowing the business has the backing of a franchisor system – one that works and is being exploited – bodes well for their future as the business owner.

The bottom line is, if you want the business to be worth more, you have to make it so. Develop a robust profit line, show consistent growth and create strong brand awareness in your local market. Also, keep equipment, software and processes up-to-date. Having a mix of clients – and not being too reliant on a few – builds further value and creates higher multiples.

But finally, run a happy ship. After all, positivity breeds success.

JANUARY 2018 | elitefranchise

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12/01/2018 15:41

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Make money from your sofa

Whether you’re struggling with your present job or looking for a change of direction, here are some of the experiences of Time For You’s franchisees

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s a single mum of two children, Julia Wilkins knew that she would need to earn more money than her old job in cycle proficiency could provide, especially when her daughter announced that she wanted to pursue her dream of becoming an actress.

“I realised then that I needed to have my own business”, explains Wilkins, who after doing a bit of research discovered that franchising was the safest route. “I was also doing a bit of cleaning for other people and discovered Time For You,” she adds. “When I learned that as one of their franchisees you don’t have to do the cleaning and send someone else to do it instead, I thought ‘this is the franchise for me’.”

Ahead of the launch of her first Time For You franchise in Hampshire, Wilkins attended the company’s comprehensive training programme, which covered all aspects of operating the franchise. “The training was superb and I was amazed at the happy atmosphere the franchisors Freddie and Ruth Rayner cultivate among their franchisees from the very start,” enthuses Wilkins. “Freddie is only too pleased to

As this is a management role, you will do no cleaning yourself

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

visit and help his franchisees during their launches to ensure they have customers from the outset.”

With support not only from the Time For You head office but also her fellow franchisees, Wilkins was delighted that within her first year she had built up a regular database of 100 clients. “There is no invoicing involved in running a Time For You franchise, as it is a directdebit-based business with clients paying in advance, so there are never any cash flow concerns,” says Wilkins.

Time For You changed my life Time For You’s Edinburgh franchisee Catherine Fitch says: “I invested in Time For You just 12 months ago. As a single parent and with little borrowed money, it was important that whatever franchise I picked was the right one.

Although my family are fantastic and would help wherever they can, I needed my new business to work around my mum duties at home. Time For You was ideal: a proven formula that you can work around your family, from home. By following the Time For You formula I was soon taking on clients and making a residual income.

“Finding clients is simple and effective and the growth rate is astounding”

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Time For You has changed my families life. It truly is a great business.”

We can finally live the life we want Caroline Kirby, Time For You’s Tunbridge Wells franchisee, advises: “You are probably unsure which franchise to go for. When I was looking there was so many different greatsounding franchises to choose from.

However, there was only one that offered me a money-back guarantee.

Initially, this – combined with working from home, flexible working hours and great reviews from existing franchisees – convinced me to join Time For You. By following the easy Time For You business model, I quickly built up my very own successful Time For You franchise. My family now enjoys a lifestyle that only a couple years ago seemed so out of reach.”

Change for the better Amanda and Ian Thompson, Time For You’s Aylesbury franchisees, say: “Having been made redundant, we decided we should invest in a Time For You franchise.

“The training was great fun and very effective. We have found Time For You to be a service people needed as opposed to one that had to be sold.

Finding clients is simple and effective and the growth rate is astounding.

We now feel very assured about the future which was never the case in our previous employment. It also gives us a lot of free time to spend on the things we like to do.” time4ufranchise.com

11/01/2018 09:02

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

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As seen on.

01395 239700 07/12/2017 17:48 10:51 12/01/2018

Tony Bowman managing director etyres

Going off the beaten path A good franchise can help you manage the transition from employment to self-employment

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very once in a while over the years I’ve seen new franchisees struggle with making the transition from being an employee to being a business owner. And as a franchisor I’ve always worried when I do: it could mean trouble ahead as it can seriously impact on the successful development of the franchised business and the service that is provided to its customers.

While the perception is that small-business owners shoulder the responsibility entirely on their own, this isn’t the case in franchising. So if you find yourself struggling, remember that both the franchisor and, even more importantly, other franchisees are there to help. An experienced franchisor will know that the new weight of responsibility, while being a great incentive, can also have negative effect and undermine the morale of a new franchisee.

The franchisor also has to recognise that a balance has to be struck between encouraging and guiding, without appearing stifling and commanding.

Admirable traits, including self-initiative and ambition, will always benefit from a strong backing.

Fundamentally, franchising is a way of embarking on a new career and running your own business, while also being supported by a network of people who are in the same boat have already trodden the same path and made a success of their endeavor.

Yet crucially it is also an affordable investment for many leaving other sectors who are looking to invest a lump sum in their new venture. It is equally important to know that many of the major high-street banks look favourably at lending to prospective new franchisees, safe in the knowledge that a tried-and-tested formula, combined with ongoing support, offer both a springboard and safety net for new owners.

After investing financially in a franchise business, it’s important to be open to advice and guidance offered by the franchisor. You have invested in their expertise, so take full advantage of all the help you are given. It is a bit of a cliché to stay we are all in this together, but that is precisely what makes a good franchise thrive.

JANUARY 2018 | elitefranchise

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12/01/2018 15:30

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Have you considered becoming BoConcept’s new franchisee?

BoConcept is the largest Danish furniture retailer and manufacturer selling high-quality furniture for a discerning clientele. The company was established in 1952 and operates worldwide with more than 260 stores

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he BoConcept franchise package offers potential franchisees entry to a certified concept with worldwide appeal.

Understanding that a positive image is crucial, it also has outstanding sustainability credentials.

BoConcept seeks enthusiastic, driven investors who know how to deliver results in business. The brand’s existing reputation for sophistication and success ensures that just by purchasing the franchise, a new investor will have taken a significant first step.

BoConcept is a brand. All communication is rooted in its brand values and begin from a starting point of obtaining high brand recognition. Its experienced marketing department at headquarters or on-site will be able to

support and advise you in all aspects of your communications, as well as provide you with all the materials required to efficiently generate instore traffic. The global platform includes a full range of marketing materials like catalogues, flyers, instore materials, advertisements, direct mails, branded e-commerce websites, social-media content and platforms, press releases and more.

You can find a BoConcept Brand or Inspiration Store in most major cities around the world. The first BoConcept Brand Store opened in Paris, France in 1993. Now there are more than 260 brand stores around the world, the majority of which are BoConcept Brand and Inspiration Stores. They provide its customers with a unique, exceptional and friendly shopping experience.

Global retailer BoConcept is more than a franchise, it’s a concept for creating outstanding modern and sophisticated living spaces at affordable prices Having well established the brand here in the UK, recently appointed development director for the UK and the individual responsible for spearheading BoConcept’s growth plan, Alex Coombe says: “We are experiencing a successful period of growth that has enabled us to bring in more franchisees with the synergy and resources to be part of our success story.”

BoConcept is expanding, so it is always looking to open new stores across the globe and searching for ambitious franchisees to join it.

If you are interested in becoming a part of its team and working with a vibrant, certified and established concept, with a proven profitable franchise model, you are invited to visit its website and fill out its application form. www.boconcept.com/franchise franchise@boconcept.com

38 elitefranchise | JANUARY 2018

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SEARCHING FOR A CAREER CHANGE WITH A FUTURE? BoConcept is a successful company in design-oriented furniture and are searching nationwide for: Managing Director Retail store-Franchise Partner BoConcept is the largest retailer of Danish furniture worldwide with operations in 60 countries and over 250 stores.

Having well established the brand here in recent years, BoConcept is now expanding further in the UK. To spearhead that growth plan BoConcept requires entrepreneurial leaders who are keen to build a new business in their local area and take the retail concept to market.

YOUR PROFILE

BENEFITS OF THE SYSTEM

- Sales and commercial management experience,

- Very high average income potential

ideally from the retail sector but other areas of industry are

- A strong brand from a well established company

equally welcome so long as you have a passion to build

- Transparent processes with open communications

a successful retail business

- High Level Management Support

- High affinity to design issues and trends

- Extensive marketing support

- Leadership skills and great customer service orientation

- Extensive training - Support for the store design and furnishings & Opening BoConcept supports its franchise partners extensively with a dedicated and enthusiastic team to support the opening and help make success possible.

This is an opportunity to run and own your own retail business of which BoConcept work closely with each partner to ensure success.

If you are looking for a new challenge and have the desire to become part of an international retail chain then contact us to enquire further about this opportunity – without obligation.

This opportunity does require a significant personal investment to operate this franchise but with strong returns and support the only thing that will stop you being successful is your attitude.

Request more information on this franchise system enquiries.uk@boconcept.com Franchise opportunities only available outside the Greater London area.

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08/01/2018 14:09 10:30 02/08/2017 15:40 03/08/2017

Lingua franca

BY ERIC JOHANSSON

With Lingotot, Angela Sterling has turned a lifelong love for languages into an impressive tutoring franchise Growing up, few could’ve expected that Angela Sterling would one day become the proud founder and managing director of Lingotot, the language-teaching franchise. “I’m from the north of England and when I grew up in the 1980s it had zero social diversity,” she says. “It was very much white working class. No one went to holidays because no one had the money and we had no experience of other cultures or languages.” Fortunately, during secondary school she had the opportunity to study French. “And I fell in love with it because it was so exotic,” Sterling says. “I realised that it wasn’t just other people around the world that could speak different languages. I could do it too.”

This revelation set her upon the path that would take her towards entrepreneurial success.

A second huge leap forward came when she worked as an au pair in Paris after turning 18.

As a part of her job, Sterling had the privilege of joining the family’s son on his playdates, one of which would leave a lasting impression.

“One of his friends lived in France, studied at an international school where they spoke English, his dad was German and his mum Polish: this boy spoke all four languages,” she says. Given 40 ELITEFRANCHISE | JANUARY 2018

how Sterling had grown up in an extremely homogenous culture, it’s easy to see how this four-year-old’s proficiency in different tongues impressed her. “It blew my mind,” she says. The experience was one of the reasons that made her decide to study to become a modern foreign languages teacher at University of Stirling.

A few years later, Sterling decided to open a business of her own when she returned to the UK after having spent two years developing the foreign language curriculum at a school in Dubai. “But I didn’t have a job to get back to because I knew on a personal level that we were going to have at least one more child,” she says. However, not one to sit idle for long, she decided to start teaching French to other children. Although this decision was not one Sterling made in the blink of an eye. “I did a lot of research, read books and became convinced that not only could I do it but I could help other people do it too, even if they didn’t speak the language themselves,” she says. This research would eventually lay the foundation of the method used at Lingotot.

Nevertheless, despite her teaching expertise, there were a few important skills that Sterling

LINGOTOT

Lingotot appearing on BBC Two’s Dragons’ Den

was desperately lacking. “I couldn’t run a business,” she says. Luckily, she almost stumbled upon a solution when it was time for her oldest daughter’s seven-week health check at a Sure Start children’s centre. “They were promoting this course that was literally called business for women,” she says. “And they had a crèche where I could leave the baby and learn how to run a business.” Not only did the course teach her the fundamental managerial skills required to realise her entrepreneurial ambitions but it also gave her the first customers as a result of people from the centre signing up for her classes.

Eager to expand her client base even more, Sterling confesses to have been slightly overzealous in her initial marketing efforts. “I was so naive,” she laughs. “I didn’t know how to write a press release and googled it, wrote one and sent it off.” The next day she was surprised when an actual reporter and a photographer from the local newspaper showed up to make a full-page spread about her business. That story was then picked up by BBC Radio 5 who subsequently showed up at her first ever session in 2010. “It just went mad,” she says. Needless to say, Lingotot proved to be an instant hit.

But even though she enjoyed the success, the massive demand for her services left Sterling slightly overwhelmed as the company grew.

“It got to the point where I had two babies, a husband who worked away from home and I just started to fall to bits,” she says. Talking it over with her spouse, Sterling realised that it wasn’t enough to just employ more tutors. While she briefly considered licensing the business, she decided that franchising was a better option as it would enable her to retain more control. “I had developed something I felt passionately about, that I loved and didn’t want anyone to run a rubbish, watered-down version of it,” she says.

JANUARY 2018 | ELITEFRANCHISE

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LINGOTOT

Having made the decision to try out franchising, she didn’t have to look far to find her first recruits. “My first two franchisees were tutors who worked for me,” Sterling says. The two women were more than happy to upgrade their status and within just three months Sterling knew that franchising was the way forward and decided to source more people to join the network. Since then the company has grown organically with many customers and tutors falling in love with the service and opting to become franchisees. In fact, she has only ever advertised on one website to boost her recruitment efforts. “And that was only because I thought I should have an advert,” she says. “But really, it was all word of mouth.”

One of the key reasons for the success is because Sterling provides all the support new members of the network could possibly need. “By the end of the day, if they want to discuss

People laugh at me when I say this but we call ourselves the Lingotot family. We are really close, love the company and we all want the same thing anything they can always give me a ring,” she says. From the get-go, each new franchisee is given access to the company’s extensive online training, enabling both them and their tutors to learn how to best teach little children new languages. Once franchisees have proven their chops by sending Lingotot a video of themselves teaching a class, they are welcome to take part in an intense weekend at the franchisor’s headquarters in Newcastle to learn how to run the business. Additionally, every member of the network is also given

support throughout their journey with weekly webinars and advice. And it’s easy to see how well-knit the franchise has become as a result. “People laugh at me when I say this but we call ourselves the Lingotot family,” she says. “We are all really close, love the company and want the same thing.”

Given her dedication to supporting her franchisees, Sterling has unsurprisingly had no problems expanding the network beyond the borders of Britain.

Having already set up companyowned operations in Dubai, she’s now contemplating expanding onto the European continent. “We got an interested lady in Dublin and hope to expand into the EU a little bit more,” she says. Unfortunately, Brexit has made her put some of these plans on hold. “No one knows what it’s going to mean so it’s a bit of a challenge at the moment,” she says.

Despite the challenges on the continent, Sterling is confident that Lingotot will continue to grow in Blighty. “At the moment we have 50 franchisees,” she says. However, while she’s expecting to recruit about 17 more franchisees in 2018 and even more in the years to come, these expansions won’t come at the expense of her network. “In the long term I just want everyone to be happy,” she says. “I do want to grow but not at the expense of the franchisees I’ve got. So if it starts to feel like it’s not working then we’ll pause the growth and consolidate a little bit.”

But whether Lingotot is breaking new ground in the UK or beyond, one thing is clear: Sterling is just getting started. “I love it too much,” she concludes. “Running your own business is like an addiction.”

42 elitefranchise | JANUARY 2018

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why OSCAR...

Call now for a FREE Information pack 0800 068 1106 discover@oscars.co.uk www.oscar.co.uk

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OSCAR and TutorDr.indd 1

12/01/2018 17:43

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

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

Franchise opportunities only available outside the Greater London area

JOIN A COMMUNITY OF BUSINESS OWNERS WHO CARE WITH RIGHT AT HOME

Our franchisees build more than just a business, they build a care team dedicated to going the extra mile. With 6.5 million seniors requiring daily assistance, Right at Home offers exceptional home-based care, aimed at making a difference every day.

With or without previous care experience, you can build a truly rewarding business Our RightStart training programme guides you every step of the way Be part of a unique caring culture of driven business owners With the support of a strong head office team, deliver the highest standard of care If you share our franchisees’ passion to make a valuable difference to your local community, find out whether our award-winning management franchise could be for you.

Meet us at our next Discovery Day. Get the conversation started! Contact Kate Dilworth 0151 305 0755 franchising@rightathomeuk.com www.rightathomefranchising.co.uk

BoConcept and RightAtHome.indd 1

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platinumbusinesspartners.co.uk Untitled-6 1

Proud members

08/01/2018 10:22

the year ahead

New beginnings

BY ERIC JOHANSSON

Kicking off 2018 in style, we checked in with franchisors to hear about their achievements in 2017 and challenges they face in the year to come

I

f there is one thing that encapsulates the beginning of a new year it’s the word possibility. Come New Year’s Day, whether you’re a franchisor or a franchisee you get a new chance to improve your business and yourself, to become You 2.0. At the same time, it’s a chance to reflect over the 12 months that went by, what you learned from them.

Therefore we asked some well-known franchisors to share their thoughts as we head off into 2018.

What was your proudest achievement as a franchisor in 2017?

My proudest achievement was to present our brand plans for the future at a hotel in Adelaide to more than 30 franchisees in Australia in early September 2017.

The icing on the cake here was that the vast majority had already seen significant benefits of using our new CRM system that we had introduced them to just over ten months beforehand.

Rik Hellewell, managing director and founder, Ovenu

What is your franchise’s biggest challenge in 2018?

Our biggest challenge through

2018 and beyond will be battling to continually decry and ridicule the ‘me also’ gang of copycat operations that promote themselves online. I find breaches of copyright almost daily and other examples of plagiarism that is rife on the internet.

What’s even worse is that there seems to be little or no sensible way to prevent this.

What are your personal new year's resolutions this year?

My new year’s resolution is to get myself into a body shape that is different to my current one, which is round.

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the year ahead

Tracy Townend and Jo Stone, co-founders, Puddle Ducks What was your proudest achievement as a franchisor in 2017?

Tracy was unfortunately ill for much of 2016 and 2017 and we are incredibly proud that we still achieved all that we planned to do. That's because Jo was at the helm supported by an amazing team at Duck HQ. So our proudest achievement is that in the midst of a key person being out of the business for so long, Puddle Ducks has continued to go from strength to strength, including awarding six new franchise territories, supporting two big resales, implementing a new bespoke IT system, being shortlisted for the bfa HSBC Brand Innovation award and winning the EWIF Women Franchisor of the Year award. We are particularly proud of our franchisees Gary and Suzanne Horton who won the bfa HSBC Franchisee Innovation award.

What is your franchise’s biggest challenge in 2018?

In 2016 we started implementing a new bespoke software management system called Shark, which is now fully rolled out across the network.

It uses ground-breaking payment technology and automates or improves many areas of our old IT system. Change can always bring challenges, so in 2018 it is to make sure that the new system pays dividends in terms of increasing customer numbers and reducing workload for franchisees.

We have a forum of franchisees who vote and decide on what is the next enhancement that will be made. We think our franchisees will love it.

What are your personal new year’s resolutions this year?

Tracy’s personal resolution is, of course, to get better. She says: “Over the last 12 months I've thought a lot about the words in this quote: ‘God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can and wisdom to know the difference.’ Believe it or not my resolution is, yes to get better, but to also work more. I know this may sound hard to believe but when you are ill you realise just what is important to you.

“I am back in the business and more involved day to day, something I fully intend to build on in 2018. Everyone has been so supportive, our head office team and all our franchisees, we really are a strong community who all help each other. I enjoy my work and the people I work with; I have missed them.”

Jo’s personal resolution is to continue to enjoy all the fabulous challenges that working as a franchisor provides. She adds: “Outside of work, I want to carry on doing swimming, running, cycling or pilates every day, keeping me stress-free and raring to go.”

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the year ahead

Catherine Monson, global CEO, FASTSIGNS What was your proudest achievement as a franchisor in 2017?

At FASTSIGNS, we’ve always prided ourselves on franchisee satisfaction. Of course, strong profit is very important for all franchisees but they also want exceptional service and support, to know that we’re listening and responding, helping them to build exceptional businesses.

We measure the satisfaction of our franchisees in four different ways. Two of these are internal surveys that ask franchisees to rate every single department of FASTSIGNS, with scores getting increasingly higher year-on-year.

We also use two independent third parties to carry out our franchisee satisfaction research for us: Franchise Business Review and the Franchise Research Institute.

I’m delighted to say that, in 2017, the Franchise Research Institute has ranked us in the top 10% of world class franchises across all sectors and Franchise Business Review has named us as one of the top global franchise management teams.

All of this means we’re well positioned to continue supporting our franchisees, helping them to grow as we move into 2018.

What are your personal new year's resolutions this year?

Aside from the usual maintaining fitness and endurance, my biggest personal ambition is to become scuba-diving certified in 2018.

For a long time, I’ve had a fear of being underwater. During a recent trip to Hawaii, I thought I’d push my boundaries and try snorkeling, which I actually really enjoyed.

There was still that initial panic when I put my face in the water but I was able to overcome it.

I’m a big believer in facing fears head on, which is why I’ve set myself the challenge of being fully submerged with scuba diving.

It’s pretty much the same sentiment I apply to business – overcome your fears and push your boundaries.

What is your franchise’s biggest challenge in 2018?

The biggest challenge in 2018 will be the same in the UK as it in the US and that’s finding and keeping good employees.

We’re seeing a shift in demographics, so baby boomers for example are starting to age out, leaving a skills gap behind them. This labour shortage is only set to increase over the next decade. You can’t simply grow a crop of exceptional employees – they need training, nurturing and investment.

Therefore, we will focus on being fantastic employers and develop an enviable culture in 2018. We will be looking at new and engaging training programmes as we continue to expand our products and services, as well as bring in new technology. We will also look at expanding our range of training tools and we’re already working on mobile-based gamification to help engage and train new employees.

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08/01/2018 10:19

FLIP OUT

Spring in

BY ERIC JOHANSSON

his step

Having been impressed by Flip Out’s formidable growth in Australia, Jon Inwards jumped on the opportunity to bring the trampoline franchise to the UK

B

reaking into a new market takes guts. However, when Jon Inwards, director of Flip Out UK, brought the Australian trampoline franchise over to Britain in 2015 he proved that he had the courage required. “No one knew what a trampoline park was,” he says. Fortunately, the British master franchisee was determined to make the brand jump to the top of people’s minds.

Part of his conviction came from the fact that the business stirred something deep inside him. “It’s every kid’s dream,” Inwards says. “At the same time it had street cred and a bit of an urban feel to it.” This was in no small part due to the founder and CEO Brent Grundy who launched Flip Out in 2012. Due to his entrepreneurial flair, the franchise had grown to about 17 locations across Australia by the time Flip Out came onto Inwards’ radar

in 2014. “I had never seen a company grow that quickly,” he says. “I just knew that I wanted to get involved with this business, one way or another.”

Both the exceptional growth and the chance to please his inner child played into him joining the franchise.

But they weren’t the only reasons.

“Everybody loves trampolines,” Inwards says. “It offers so many market opportunities.” And where other trampoline parks often end up feeling very much the same, Grundy had created something truly unique.

For instance, he had signed an exclusive contract with a trampoline manufacturer. Not only does this mean that franchisees can quickly set up shop but that they can also rapidly evolve their centres with new equipment. Moreover, it also means that every centre feels like a part of the brand. So even though Inwards

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could have set up a business of his own or joined another chain, he felt that Flip Out would come out on top. “So I decided to back the winning horse rather than a competitor,” he says.

Having decided to join the business, Inwards set out to learn everything he’d need to bring it to the UK. “I worked in a centre for three months,” he says. Additionally, he closely shadowed Grundy to learn the history of the business and to understand what it would be like to operate a franchise. This training paid special attention the company’s supply chain, how to market the business and areas the franchise would be successful in. “I learned every element of the business in order to make it a great franchise opportunity in the UK,” Inwards says.

But even with this training, it would take some effort to adapt the brand to Britain. “Obviously, there are many differences between Australia and the UK,” says Inwards. For instance, trampoline parks were a reasonably new thing in Britain at the time. As a consequence, it proved to be a bit of a challenge to persuade interested parties that the company would be successful in Blighty.

“There really wasn’t a market we could compare it to,” he says. “So we had to look at similar businesses like cinemas, bowling centres and other leisure businesses.”

And while breaking new ground in a market can be a huge advantage, the fact that no one understood the opportunity made finding properties a huge challenge. “Landlords laughed at you,” Inwards says. And given how famously expensive the British housing market is, it’s hardly surprising that it was difficult to source locations to set up Flip Out centres. “It’s comparatively easy to find a commercial property in Australia,” he says. Luckily, thanks to the help of some agents, the company was able to eventually solve this issue.

Cultural differences aside, finding the right franchisees for the expansion was perhaps the

If they are inherently passionate about Flip Out as a business then they will have a great time most critical issue Inwards had to resolve. This was especially challenging as Flip Out is very particular about the people joining the business. “You can have the best business in the world but unless you’ve got the perfect driver behind the wheel it won’t succeed,” he says. To make the cut, candidates have to have strong leadership, communication and peoplemanagement skills. With such a range of qualifications required to be successful, it’s hardly surprising that the ideal Flip Out franchisee is someone who will have run a business before. Nevertheless, all these skills will come to naught unless Inwards can detect that candidates possess the right attitude. “If they are inherently passionate about Flip Out as a business then they will have a great time and the money will flow in,” he says.

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FLIP OUT

Flip Out kicked off its recruitment effort in October 2015 by going to the Franchise Expo in Birmingham. “We received eight applications out of that,” Inwards says. Of those, three would eventually become the franchise’s first UK franchisees. And just before the holidays a few months later, Flip Out opened its first stores in Portsmouth, Bristol and Stoke. ‘This meant that we had secured our position as number one in the UK from day one,” he says.

“While there was another operator at the time, they only had two sites. So when we came in and opened three straight away we were immediately ahead of the game.”

In a bid to ensure that no competitors get the jump on the franchise, Flip Out makes sure to support every franchise from the get-go. “We start with two weeks of training at our head office in east London,” he says. From sales and marketing to finance and accountancy, these workshops cover everything they need to know about spearheading a business. Additionally, in order to secure the culture and feel of Flip Out throughout the network, Inwards’ own team joins the franchisee for the first couple of weeks when every a new site opens. “So basically, we hold their hand throughout the process,” Inwards says.

And recognising that relationships require constant attention, Inwards has made sure that the support doesn’t end once each centre is up and running. “We’ve introduced a franchise council,” he says. This enables trusted franchisees to raise concerns or make suggestions for improvements to the franchise.

Similarly, the annual conference also provides every member of the network with a chance to connect and to be heard. “Franchising is all about communication,” Inwards says.

You can have the best business in the world but unless you’ve got the perfect driver behind the wheel it won’t succeed Given this extensive support, it’s hardly surprising that Flip Out UK has been able to continuously reach new heights. “We have 15 franchisees now,” Inwards says. These franchisees together have a turnover of over £50m and run 20 stores in Britain. But it won’t stop there. “We’ll definitely get up to 40 stores by the end of the year,” he says.

Moreover, Inwards is also playing an important role in Flip Out’s international expansion. “Anyone who is interested is free to come to the UK, see how we have done it and get the blueprint,” he says.

In other words, while the company today has more than 80 stores in ten countries, the groundwork done in the UK is sure to inspire even greater expansions. For instance, new franchisees are already setting up shop in Germany, Spain and Turkey. And the franchisor is actively looking for more master franchisees in Europe to follow the path trodden by Inwards. “We’re here to stay and we’re not stopping,” he concludes. “We are going to keep on going.”

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

I’m not appreciated at all

I want to be my own boss

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

Running your own business doesn’t have to be a pipe dream With a Techclean franchise you can be up and running in weeks.

Techclean are the UK’s leading expert in specialist IT cleaning services.

With franchises available in your area, we’re looking for good communicators with an aptitude for sales and marketing to run their own locally based business.

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

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09/01/2018 16:01

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Are you business savvy enough to be a franchisee?

Matt Livington, co-founder Business Doctors, reveals what it takes to run your own business

A

s a franchisee, you will be supported by a head office that knows its business inside and out. You will be trained in the optimum methods to make a success of your venture. Plus, you will build relationships with other franchisees who can offer the kind of peer support and firsthand experience that really makes a difference. However, what about you? How do you know if you’re bringing enough commercial kudos to the table?

I always tell potential franchisees that having a strong desire to run your own business over a long period of time is

as good a starting point as any. Some people just know that they are not cut out to be employees forever and that their ultimate aim is to be their own boss.

You might have reached a place where you are absolutely fed up of working for someone else, towing the line, having your ideas ignored, and constantly playing politics.

People with business nous often find themselves looking at other people’s businesses with a critical eye. When they go out for a meal they start the kinds of conversations that go ‘How many covers do you have? What’s the average spend per head? What do you do during your quiet times?’ They are inquisitive about how people make money, have a history of questioning the way their employer operates and putting alternatives forward.

They might even have run a series of cottage businesses on the side whilst they were employed - often referred to as side-hustles. They could be an eBay seller, or maybe they mowed lawns or cleaned windows for cash when they were younger. That entrepreneurial spirit has always been close to the surface and will be pushed down no longer.

To run your own business, you need to be comfortable with dealing with conflict: this could come from employees, suppliers or customers.

You need to be able to work both in a team and independently. You need the ability to engage with people and to get them to want to buy from you.

Another appealing attribute in a potential franchisee is a thirst for learning and an appreciation of their own weaknesses and gaps in their knowledge. If someone thinks they already know it all, then buying a franchise is not going to work for them.

Someone who has been able to demonstrate first-class people skills in an employed role will be very appealing to a franchisor.

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

If a potential franchisee has an interest in business, a desire to make money, and emotional intelligence, a franchisor knows that they can teach them the practical nuts and bolts of running a business - it’s the people bit that is much harder to train.

Above all, a potential franchisee must have the resilience and selfmotivation to carry on when things don’t go according to plan. For me, a really strong indicator of a great franchisee is someone who takes responsibility when things go wrong; someone who makes it their problem and takes positive steps to put things right, rather than blaming it on external circumstances like a difficult customer or bad patch of weather.

If someone has the kind of ‘why does bad stuff always happen to me’ attitude, my alarm bells start ringing.

A potential franchisee must have the resilience and self-motivation to carry on when things don’t go according to plan

Matt Levington is the co-founder of Business Doctors. He established the franchise in 2004 with Rod Davies. It is a market-leading business consultancy service for SMEs. Over the last 14 years, it has developed and helped transform hundreds of companies across a spectrum of industries. Impressingly, it was recently ranked number 25 on the Elite Franchise Top 100 list.

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12/01/2018 10:37 17:52 22/08/2017

JOIN US IN PROVIDING OUTSTANDING CARE. 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.

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12/01/2018 17:00

FINANCIAL ISSUES

BY DAVE GALVIN, HEAD OF FRANCHISING AND SENIOR BUSINESS ADVISOR, DENNIS & TURNBULL

Tackling money troubles Overcoming financial issues can be tricky, particularly when it’s not clear which way’s best to turn. Fortunately franchisees have a built in network of people they can turn to for advice

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erhaps you’re considering taking on an additional territory. Perhaps you’ve got a major capital expenditure coming up, or maybe there’s just more month than money – again.

Your business success and your finances are always going to be inextricably linked, so it’s important to get your financial decision-making right to sort out any financial issues as soon as possible. No one ever claimed running a business was easy.

It’s busy and often demanding, with big questions that don’t always have a straightforward answer – particularly when it comes to financial matters.

Whatever the issues you experience, the first step to facing them is understanding the need to seek advice on finance-related matters. One of the main reasons many businesses fail is due to a lack of guidance and support.

Avoid this pitfall, save time and put

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your mind at ease by enlisting the help of people who have the knowledge and skills to really help your business succeed – it’s worth it.

The answer to financial issues isn’t always a bank loan. Ask yourself if you are charging prices that will deliver a profit and if you can make any efficiency improvements. These are just a couple of considerations that can completely transform a business’s financial situation rapidly. Take an objective look at your business and try to see it from an outsider’s point of view to help get an impartial view.

Before you head to the bank, I recommend you first speak to your franchisor about other franchisees they may have had in a similar situation and how they have helped.

Secondly, read your operations manual to ensure you are maximising your business. In my experience, the best-performing franchisees in

a network are usually the ones who follow the operations manual to the letter. It’s a proven route to success, so don’t let it sit neglected in a drawer. It is more than likely to contain a wealth of valuable information designed specifically for your business – so make the most of it.

Being open and honest with your franchisor is also key. Make sure you prepare your numbers and if you’re looking to expand or want to suggest a new innovation – remember the Big Mac was invented by a franchisee – provide a well-thought out business plan, complete with the relevant figures to back it up. Not only is your franchisor invested in giving good advice – your success is, of course, also their success – but it’s likely that they’ve come across a similar query before. Whether you want to acquire another territory or the wage bill is impossibly high, your franchisor

FINANCIAL ISSUES

should be able to understand your situation and advise on the best course of action.

Don’t be afraid to look within your network to seek advice from your peers too. You are all in a similar position – how are others dealing with this issue? Speak to them and find out. Looking at the high-performing franchisees in the network can be incredibly helpful for establishing best practice and making financial decisions.

Another place to look for quality advice on financial issues is your accountant. It’s important to remember that your accountant isn’t just a necessary evil, required only for tidying up past finances. They should be a vital tool for your business’s success. Using your figures, they are incredibly well-placed to give specific and bespoke advice to help improve efficiency, save money, make the most of reliefs, increase profitability and shape your business’s future.

Efficiencies and savings can always be made in any business: your accountant will be able to take a look at your figures and see exactly where these can be. Of course, with their financial knowledge, an accountant is also well-placed to advise on issues such as capital expenditure and business structure, so don’t be afraid to ask.

Their advice might also recommend – and often provide – services to help develop your efficiency. For example, perhaps outsourcing payroll and bookkeeping rather than

paying someone to do these tasks is the best way maintain your cashflow. Looking at your staffing as a whole is also important. Are you overstaffed?

Make sure you’re utilising the full capacity of your workforce: look at their productivity ratios of billable versus payroll hours and try to keep them as high as possible. Maybe you can also take a closer look at your payment terms with current suppliers: perhaps you can negotiate a prompt payment discount, say a few % discount if you pay within 15 days rather than the current 30-day terms you’ve reliably stuck to.

Your bank is, of course, a valuable resource – especially its franchise department. While most departments of the bank will probably be able to help you, the franchising section will understand your specific situation and business model more fully and be able to give more detailed advice on the options for things like leasing, capital purchases and loans that are best suited to you.

Perhaps you already have an independent trusted mentor or advisor; I’d highly recommend you find one if not. Money is a tricky but crucial topic in business. Don’t be afraid to seek out the advice you need. The value of others’ experience and expertise can have a huge impact on the success of your business and franchisees shouldn’t be afraid to ask for it when making financial decisions. It may cost but it may also be the best thing you ever do for your business.

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Research, identify and raise finance for your new franchise business A

rranging finance to purchase a franchise can appear daunting. It doesn’t need to be this way. I’ve broken down some of the essentials to provide a little guidance in your search for funding.

Opportunity identification Start by ‘whittling down’ the 900-plus UK-based franchise concepts. Before you think too hard about the finances, conduct your own in-depth due-diligence into the franchise opportunity and model. Take time to speak with a range of franchisees – ideally to franchisees achieving a range of turnover, not just the high performers – they should give you a warts-and-all perspective of the franchise. Qualify the franchisor: do their objectives and motivators compliment your own?

This is a hugely important relationship and if you have concerns regarding compatibility, it may not be the opportunity for you. If you have conducted sufficient research and you feel entirely comfortable, it’s time to progress to step two.

Preparation of a business plan Almost anyone can write a business plan. Not everyone can produce a good business plan.

Even fewer people can write a business plan to a professional standard, containing everything lenders need to see. A business plan can be written with varying points of focus: to crystallise business objectives, establish venture viability and raise finance to name just a few. On this occasion, your business plan is being prepared as a vital piece of your funding application. I cannot stress enough the importance of not deviating. Keep your focus. If you start losing the focus, the documents usefulness is adversely impacted upon.

Construct comprehensive projections You will need a comprehensive set of detailed financial projections, covering a minimum of three years. Produce an evidence-based projected profit and loss account, cashflow forecast and projected end-of-year balance sheets.

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franchisor should help here. Of course, certain territory specifics, such as levels of affluence, will impact upon the projections.

Although, broadly speaking the numbers should at the very least be relatively similar to other trading franchisees of the same network.

Calculating contribution Following the forecasting exercise, you will know your predicted startup costs. This takes into account working capital, VAT, professional and other fees – so much more than just the franchise fee. Lenders have a typical lending stance towards a given franchise, normally varying from 50% to 70%. What does this mean?

It means the applicants are required to contribute between 30% and 50% of the total start-up costs. If your financial position does not allow for this investment, it could be time to rethink whether this is the opportunity for you or consider alternative ways to raise finance, for example a nonrepayable gift from family or friends.

Assessing your options Long gone are the days where you only have a couple of potential lenders available to you at the outset of your franchise journey. The landscapes of accessibility and availability have

evolved significantly over time, which is good news for franchising. It is important to take your time when considering the most suitable options available to you. It is likely a number of these options will be appropriate for your individual circumstances; it would be best to speak to a franchise finance professional for some guidance if you are not entirely confident.

The franchise department Franchise startups are significantly different to a standalone new start business. Not only do franchisees benefit from support, training and development but they also operate Rob Orme QFP, marketing manager of Franchise Finance

a proven business concept, which significantly de-risks a proposition.

Understanding this distinction is of paramount importance. Unfortunately, not all lenders possess this awareness.

This means a franchise startup could be treated exactly the same way as a standalone new start, which may be reflected in the cost of borrowing and may prove decisive in the underwriting process. Therefore, I would strongly recommend that wherever possible an applicant should introduce a funding application to the franchise department of the desired lender.

Unsurprisingly, lenders love franchising Why? A proven concept provides a lender with confidence. Confidence that any borrowed funds are highly likely to be repaid within agreed terms. Decisions around lending money are largely based on risk, anything that can be done to reduce the risk to a lender will most definitely improve the likelihood of a successful funding application.

Your next steps Providing you follow the guidance above, it is likely you will be successful in arranging finance for your franchise startup. However, if you need some help or wish to seek additional advice, talk to the professionals. Franchise Finance has extensive experience and in-depth industry knowledge, we would be delighted to assist you. www.franchisefinance.co.uk 01844 355575 info@franchisefinance.co.uk

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How to choose a franchise S

o you want to buy a franchise?

Which one of the many thousands out there should you choose? How much should you pay? Which one is going to give you the support you need?

If you are looking to buy a franchise, then these questions and many others are probably going through your mind right now.

Choosing to buy and run a franchise is a big decision. And if it goes wrong, it’s a very expensive mistake. So what can you do to help make the right choice, and to help minimise the risks? In this article, we would like to share with you our tips which we believe will help you to think through the process of buying a franchise and make a decision you are happy with.

So how do you start this process?

Well, it begins with knowing your why, your reason and purpose in life. If you have read the book “Start with Why” by Simon Sinek, you’ll know how important it is to find your why in life. Knowing this is the foundation of everything you do, and it’s even more important when making the most important decisions in your life - such as investing in a new business opportunity. For more practical guidance on how to find this, why not give PayKeeper a call and let us help you with this?

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Once you know your why, it’s then time to think about how that translates into your goals in life. But these goals are much bigger than just the goal you have for your business, they are about all areas of your life.

A few years back there was a big movement based around lifestyle design, that is, starting with designing the lifestyle you want and working back from there to the particular methods you need to achieve it.

And it is important to do something similar here. Start with looking at your goals in each area of your life - your relationships, your finances, your career and business, your social life, your health and fitness, your spiritual goals, your personal growth, even down to simple questions like where you want to live.

With a new year upon us, it’s always a good idea to do some soul searching like this anyway, to take stock of our lives and where we want to go next, but if you are also looking to start a new business, then it’s especially important to do this. So make a list of the different areas of your life, and write down the goals in each one.

Where do you want to be a year from now? Five years? Ten years? If you want to live a life that is intentional and deliberate, one that will allow you to achieve the things you want to achieve, then having your goals written down like this will be a huge help.

When setting goals, it’s important to make sure they are SMART goals, that is - they are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound.

For example, you may decide you want

These goals are much bigger than just the goal you have for your business, they are about all areas of your life

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a business with the ÂŁ50,000 turnover by the end of two years. This is specific and relevant, it has a time limit, it is probably achievable, and you can measure in two years time whether you have achieved it. And as you set these goals in each area of your life, you will notice how they interconnect and help to form a vision for your life, one that you want to live.

The final thing to think about is what you want to get out of the franchise business. Do you want the business in order to achieve a certain lifestyle such as to have the free time to be able to pick up your kids from school each day? Do you want to build a large profitable business which you can sell and use the proceeds to retire early? There are many reasons why you may want to run your own business, and ultimately they are going to come out of your Why and your goals.

Once you know all these things - your why or purpose in life, your goals in all the different areas of your life, and what the main reason is that you want to run this business, now you are ready to start looking at the many possible franchise opportunities out there and identifying which one is going to align with what you really want out of life.

PayKeeper is more than just your standard accountancy firm, our aim is to help people live deliberate and intentional lives, a process that starts with helping franchisors and franchisees to set clear business goals, understand their finances and measure performance. By working closely together, PayKeeper enables franchisors to create unique franchise packages that help sell more franchises, understand what’s happening throughout their network and increase the turnover of each franchise.

Through personalised mentoring, handholding with difficult aspects of accounting, and using cloud accounting software to make book-keeping easy, simple and compliant with HMRC, PayKeeper give franchisees peace of mind and more time to focus on what really matters - growing their business and living the life they dream of.

If this is something we can help you with, call 0330 111 66 33, email info@paykeeper.co.uk or visit www.paykeeper.co.uk. Follow PayKeeper

on Facebook and Twitter @PayKeeperLtd.

JANUARY 2018 | ELITEFRANCHISE

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OUR RESULTS ARE DRAMATIC The Helen O’Grady Drama Academy excels in developing children’s self-esteem and confidence through the use of drama

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elen O’Grady’s Drama Academy provides a creative drama programme for young people, and in some locations for adults.

We also offer an exciting opportunity for energetic and enthusiastic teachers to run a business which includes teaching children, school holidays free and an attractive income.

Developing confidence, self-esteem and communication skills Helen O’Grady’s self-development programme for children is not only designed to boost children’s confidence and self-esteem but also builds public speaking and communication skills through a carefully structured English drama programme.

By participating in fun drama classes children learn social skills, increase their verbal communication and develop their imagination and creativity.

What franchisees need An interest and enthusiasm for drama is far more important than formal drama training.

Franchisees throughout the world have found the unique Helen O’Grady programme an excellent way for them to boost their own and children’s confidence through the arts, improving language development and literary competence in addition to building essential life skills.

Helen O’Grady has spent a great amount of time developing an exciting curriculum encompassing an extensive range of drama activities, designed to capture children’s imagination and to develop confident and articulate children who desire to make a positive contribution to the community.

By becoming a franchisee you can be your own boss, teach our world-famous drama programme, work flexible hours, gain great job satisfaction, earn an attractive income and have an amazing amount of fun.

Beth Daniel, franchisee at Helen O’Grady in North Leicestershire, says: “Anyone who is creative, loves working with children and who would like to run their own business will be suited for a Helen O’Grady Drama Academy business. This job provides stimulation both when teaching or working in the office.”

We will support you all the way All Helen O’Grady franchisees are part of an international network with a wealth of communication and support. Our excellent UK management and training team provide a structured drama curriculum which is constantly revised and updated. Training is thorough and ongoing with franchisees attending a termly Seminar to workshop future curriculum and to receive excellent business and marketing advice.

“Being part of a worldwide franchise really works for us,” says Claire Keppie and Glyn Owen, Helen O’Grady franchisees in Scotland. “We have been provided with all the necessary training;

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how to set up, launch, market, manage and expand our business.

One of the major factors which ensure our franchise is a success is being prepared to follow the proven formula.

We completely trust and respect the advice given by the franchisor and management team. We know they have all gone through the process of running their own franchise and therefore are able to advise from personal experience.”

There has never been a better time to become involved In our modern world, when young people rely so much on technology to communicate it is crucial we nurture children’s confidence to allow them to hold their heads up, speak clearly and present themselves well in all situations. Franchisees worldwide have the support of schools and parents and demand for classes is growing.

Exciting part-time opportunity For the last 37 years, teachers have been operating full-time Helen

O’Grady Drama Academies. Whilst there are still opportunities in several areas across the UK, it is now possible to operate your own part-time drama academy business for three days per week for an initial outlay of only £2k.

Would you like your own business that provides a sound income, an interest free payment plan, personal fulfilment, a structured drama curriculum that is constantly revised and updated and comprehensive

training? If you want to provide children with the best possible start in life, and are looking to take a new career path, or the prospect of working term-time only is of interest to you, why not invest in a Helen O’Grady Drama Academy franchise business?

Contact us through our website www.helenogrady.co.uk or email nigel@helenogrady.co.uk

Anyone who is creative, loves working with children and who would like to run their own business will be suited for a Helen O’Grady Drama Academy business Beth Daniel, franchisee North Leicestershire JANUARY 2018 | elitefranchise

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Picking marketing platforms

Digital dilemma Determining the right websites to use for your franchise marketing can be tricky, particularly with so many different platforms on offer

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s a franchisor, you don’t need baubles, The Pogues or a new gym membership to know when the calendar is ticking over to a new year – you can measure it by the bewildering number of calls and emails you’ll receive from advertisers looking to set you up on their sites.

December and January herald a cacophony of noise from different marketing platforms, some of which are familiar alongside many that have seemingly come out of nowhere. In the past 12 months alone, there’s been no shortage of new franchise directories and services popping up, each of them claiming to be the biggest, best and fastest-growing – a particular bugbear of mine given that there’s no way of measuring such ridiculous statements. It can be overwhelming figuring out how to sort the wheat from the chaff and which channels are worth your time and money.

While print media and exhibitions are still an important part of the marketing mix for many, it’s the proliferation of websites that tends to confuse. The key to finding the right ones is to dig deeper than the sales spiel to find out what’s likely to work for you. So here are a few ways to do just that.

a little time googling the things you think they’d look for and see which directories are prominent in those searches. The top results – organic or paid for – will attract a healthy rate of new visitors, so it’s a good bet that those may be the ones worthy of further consideration. It doesn’t matter if someone’s claiming to have a database of 25,000 people waiting to hear from you if that list isn’t being continually updated with new eyeballs.

Then look around the sites and see which other brands are on them – are they reputable, well-known businesses? Are some of them seeking a similar demographic of franchisee to you? That gives you an indication of the likely quality of traffic. Consider also how long they’ve been established; in a highly competitive field, it takes time to build up a strong organic presence for franchise search terms. That doesn’t mean newer sites are necessarily out of the question – a good AdWords budget can go a long way – but they’ll need something that makes them stand out if they hope to generate long-term traffic and break the hegemony of the established directories out there.

Research Put yourself in your ideal prospect’s shoes. What terms might they use in an online search for a brighter future? Which directories or sites could they already be aware of, from franchising and business to parenting and others? If you can’t find a site on Google, chances are your prospects can’t either. Spend

Discuss As an agency we have the advantage of experience, with considerable data from many different channels and brands from which to construct the right strategy for a franchisor; we know what works and what to avoid. But if you manage your marketing strategy in-house, don’t think you only have your own results

By Paul Stafford, head of communications, Chantry

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If you can’t find a site on Google, chances are your prospects can’t either and knowhow to lean on: get out to events and talk with other franchisors and professionals. What works for them won’t necessarily work for you – different channels and methods suit different franchises and there’s no one size fits all – but sharing ideas and experiences is one of franchising’s biggest strengths and one you should take advantage of to inform your decision-making.

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In addition, talk to the people trying to sell you something. Challenge them. Ask for proof that they can deliver results. A media kit isn’t good enough: you want tangible results that have been achieved in the past or the reasons they are different to the competition. While they won’t share brand-specific results, they should be happy to verify things like average eshot open and click-through rates, typical monthly leads and so on.

Analyse When you’ve determined the most likely candidates, run a short trial with one or a select few of them; don’t just sign up for 12 months and commit a chunk of budget to something before you know if it will work for your brand. Once live, keep a close eye on results. Analyse quality, not just quantity: monitor the proportion of people you’re able to contact, how many are progressing to meetings and further. If they send web traffic directly to you, then check your referral stats on Google Analytics. If results are poor, ask if there’s anything else the account manager can do for you without another huge monetary commitment. At the end of your campaign, you’ll have the numbers you need to make an informed decision on whether to commit further or look elsewhere, taking away the guesswork.

There is another consideration to this analysis. Common consensus in franchising is that the number of people applying through directory sites has been reducing for a while now but part of that reflects the change in how we all use the internet compared to a few years ago. If you were looking for a business opportunity and found something interesting on a directory, would you click the ‘send me more information’ button or would you go and find the company’s website to research further? The reality is your prospects will do both, so if you’ve enjoyed a spike in enquiries through your own website while running a new campaign or two in directories, factor that in to your thinking. Visibility matters: the point at which a prospect first heard of your franchise is not necessarily the same as their point of enquiry.

Finally, it’s critical to remember that the channels you use are only half the battle in generating more and better leads: your messaging needs to stand out from the crowd, speak clearly to your target audience and drive an emotional connection with your brand.

Without that, you can’t optimise your results, whichever sites you use.

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

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

UNITED KINGDOM

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

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Is education your passion? lo ve l l ’ u o Y w it h g n i h c tea ts Mag iKa

Maths & English Tuition Our franchise opportunity is for people who want to be part of a profitable business that makes a positive and lasting impact on the education of local children. We are… …an already successful operation with thousands of satisfied students …in one of the UK’s fastest-growing market sectors …a business with a comprehensive training and support programme …a business with low investment and potentially high returns

Business should be fulfilling

Find out how at: www.educationalfranchise.co.uk Email: enquiries@magikats.co.uk Tel: 0844 870 9896

Car Medic is an established brand leaders in the SMART repair market and has continued to grow despite the economic uncertainty of the last few years.

With a stable and probably improving economy it is TIME TO INVEST in a Car Medic franchise.

We provide comprehensive training that gives you a recognised SMART repair industry qualification, ensuring that you can deliver quality repairs from your first day out on the road.

Unlike many other franchises we do not have “sales commission fees” where the more you earn the more you pay, nor do we make additional charges for management services. Our fixed monthly fee ensures you keep more of your hard earned money and are not penalised for your success!

If you are interested in finding out more about Car Medic please contact us, and we will send you the full information pack.

www.carmedic.co.uk/car-repair-franchise

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08080 37 37 37

franchise@carmedic.co.uk

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

www.suitfranchise.com

01494 880790

OVER 3 5

FRANCH 0 IS WORLD ES WIDE

www.ďŹ ltafryplus.co.uk | dslater@ďŹ ltagroup.com

Could YOU be the next UK Franchisee?

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Buy a sandwich franchise.

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

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

Brits consume over 11.5 billion sandwiches a year.

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

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Talent pipeline

Nurturing the next generation

BY JOSH RUSSELL

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Given franchisees are the lifeblood of the franchise industry, three franchises share their thoughts on how we can ensure the franchise industry has the talent it needs

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ranchising is clearly the future of the UK economy. After all, according to bfa/NatWest Franchise Survey 2015, it contributes £15.1bn to the economy and employs 621,000 people. But while everyone in the industry surely wants it to reach its full potential, no one can argue that it cannot do this without the effort of franchisees and so feeding the talent pipeline needs to be the sector’s number one priority. For this reason, we have asked three franchises what they think we need to do to help prime the pumps and bring new blood into the industry.

Shout it from the rooftops David Glover, franchise director, Caremark This all comes down to encouraging young people into franchising. And the problem there is that not enough people in general – never mind the younger generation – know about our industry.

If you asked 100 people on the street if they knew what franchising was, how many would say yes?

How many would talk to you about film franchises?

Or rail franchises? Would they just repeat the terminology used by the media, none of which reflects business-format franchising? This is our biggest challenge and the main barrier to overcome.

Despite its heritage and global success, franchising is still widely unknown in the UK. I did a law and business degree at university and, over the course of three years, not once was franchising mentioned, let alone discussed.

Franchising as a business concept needs be introduced at sixth form and university level and that requires the buy-in of government, of education and business ministers. How can we achieve this? By shouting from the rooftops.

Forging relationships with MPs, lobbying parliament, demonstrating more widely the economic contributions of the industry as a whole

and the amazing opportunities it offers everyone, not just young people.

Our greatest ambassadors have always been and will always be our franchisees. With a vested interest in serving their local communities, by their very nature, franchised businesses actually benefit their customers. There are some exceptional examples of young franchisees across all franchise brands who can be presented as role models and figures of inspiration. Most, if not all, have a story to tell that would inspire the public to dream and achieve their own versions of success.

On the whole, as an industry, we don’t promote, educate and inform anywhere near as much as we should do. But, as an industry, we are also very good at working together for the benefit of all. Through the bfa, we have a strong and powerful voice that can be leveraged for this cause. It’s not an easy job with a quick win solution: it will take time, effort and considerable resources. But, collectively, we need to champion a long-term campaign that encompasses the media, the education system and business community.

Grasp the next generation’s expectations Aliyyah-Begum Nasser, managing director, Signarama UK For me, the big message is that franchisors need to start seeing young people more positively and not as a ‘risky’ option. The typical franchisor is looking for someone who has business experience under their belts. We need to move away from that. As an industry, we need to recognise the skills, the ambition and the vitality that the younger generation can bring to a business and, indeed, an entire network. By way of example, 25% of the Signarama network is made up of franchisees aged 35 or under: successful, passionate business owners who may not have been able to raise the finance or break into our sector if not for the franchise. It may only require a subtle shift in mindset and messaging in most cases but if we’re going to continue to develop successful franchisees, we’ve got to welcome and embrace the next generation.

I also think one of the big things for young people today is that they want it all; ownership and autonomy but with support, reduced risk and financial assistance. As an industry, we need be doing more to make it clear that franchising gives you all that. How many young people are there who, for whatever reason, don’t study a particular stream of business or choose not to go on to higher education and therefore won’t even consider looking into franchising?

For the most part, those who know it will hear the word ‘franchising’ and immediately think of the big names – those that generally come with very prescriptive, repetitive end-products. To tick those ownership and autonomy boxes, we try to talk about how Signarama is a custom franchise – every product looks different depending on the customer, so the ability for someone to be creative is still there, working within the safe boundaries of the proven JANUARY 2018 | elitefranchise

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model. Understanding the wants and expectations of the next generation of franchisees means that as franchisors, we have to evolve and adapt our communication to match.

One of our biggest weaknesses as an industry is that we preach to the converted. We showcase the successes of our franchisees, the lives they change and the phenomenal businesses they build – but generally only to those people who are already in the franchise market.

Collectively, we need a consistent, national campaign to first of all educate the public about franchising and then inspire them to see it as their route to either business ownership or an employed career of choice.

After all, there aren’t just thousands of franchisees out there, there are thousands of employees with niche franchise expertise too.

Thinking of franchising as the career is actually part of the problem – the career isn’t ‘franchising’: it’s the dream of owning a business, making a difference to your customers and being an active part of the business community. The career is the business, the brand, the sector or the discipline.

Franchising is simply the vehicle. put the sector before opportunity Michael Ziff, UK chairman, Transworld Business Advisors UK Franchising can be a career you grow with. Many franchises can be low cost, financed to reduce risk whilst providing support and training so being your own boss at a young age can be a reality. In a franchise like ours, the network of franchisees is eager to share best practice, enabling you to develop your professional skills quickly.

Thinking of franchising as the career is actually part of the problem – the career isn’t ‘franchising’ it’s the dream of owning a business Aliyyah-Begum Nasser, Signarama

We need more engagement with schools and graduate career centres to get younger people into franchising much earlier. Many young people work in franchising without knowing it, especially in part-time jobs with fast-food chains. Therefore, it shouldn’t be seen as a job but a career with development pathways through to becoming a franchisee.

The industry could and should be promoting to parents and grandparents of budding entrepreneurs, those people who may look to help with funding business ventures in franchising. We regularly hear of inheritance being passed on to children early to buy a home but why not invest that into the tried and tested business model that can provide a lifetime of income? This way the next generation can build sustainable income and wealth, employ others and have the ability to purchase their own home as a result of their business’s success.

Awareness is the big key. Many people just never consider franchising as a career opportunity. People are turned off from franchising because of startup costs. But, actually, you are buying into a business with a successful history and support network.

We are professional business brokers, helping people to buy and sell businesses every day. In the past, and despite our best educational efforts, we have seen people go off and buy a restaurant franchise, for example. They borrow significant family money and then find out that it costs more than they expected or budgeted for. This is a challenge the franchise industry faces as, in the wider public, it is seen as solely consisting of fast-food outlets and the idea that, as long as you spend the franchise fee, you’ll make a profit.

To address this, the industry needs to make a concerted effort to change our messaging and how we attract prospects to franchising. Primarily, we need to shift to a broader educational message about franchising before getting into specific details about individual business opportunities.

76 elitefranchise | JANUARY 2018

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Turn your skills and experience into a lucrative business operating in a secure, growing, £6bn marketplace Exclusive Territory with £1M turnover potential Strong ROI from recurring monthly income Security and scalability of B2B contracts Stable marketplace regardless of politics, economics or Brexit!

Royalties scale down from 5.75% to 2% as you scale up Build a clean asset to sell in the future

Telemarketing which targets clients in your territory – at no cost to you

A network of like-minded director-level business owners sharing experience

YOUR business owns your contracts and you set the terms – not us

Enjoy the returns from building your own business in a £6bn marketplace which includes retailers, supermarkets, offices, GP surgeries, schools and much, much more.

With BCS your route to achieving your financial goals is tailored around your personal objectives, experience and available resources. Although franchise owners share a common goal, the route each takes is entirely personal to them. We work with you to define your plan and then support you in enjoying the journey to building your own profitable business.

Contact us to discuss our franchise opportunities: bettercleanfranchise.co.uk Betterclean FP.indd 1

0800 772 0810 12/01/2018 14:09

Excellent earnings potential Income from day one Tesco Concessions in-place Start-Up Funding Available (subject to conditions)

Franchises available now!

“Setting up my own business was straightforward.

I found it very easy with the support and backing of Optic-Kleer.�

Laurence Lagden, Optic-Kleer

Call now: 0800 028 8987 Or email us at : info@optic-kleer.co.uk OpticKleer FP.indd 1

08/01/2018 09:51

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Picture perfect Photography for Little People offers a rewarding, fun and flexible franchise opportunity

P

hotography for Little People is the UK’s leading mobile portrait-studio franchise. Our franchisees specialise in newborn, pregnancy, baby, child and family photography.

Photography for Little People is now in its 12th year of trading and with a unique way of working that is flexible for franchisees, we offer clients a memorable experience and provide them with beautiful, stunning images and impressions of their little ones hands and feet, capturing special moments forever. The impressions are of outstanding quality and the best on the market, detailing every crease and line. All products are produced

by Photography for Little People and are unique to us, using only the highest quality materials available and we have a wide range of products that appeal to everyone.

Just listen to Gareth Coop, our Brighton franchisee describe his experience of his first Photography For Little People shoot, which by the way was done to the tune of an impressive £2,750. “When I arrived for my first shoot I thought I was as prepared as I could be,” he says. “I had brushed up on what poses I was going to do, ran through in my head various conversations I was going to have with the client, confident on the set up, the camera and laptop were charged, the lights checked the day before.

“I had all my props and samples, I had arrived early and was waiting in the car, I was nervous but confident, excited to be finally doing it, it was time to go in. As I went in and greeted the clients with a big smile, my mind went blank, nothing quite prepares you for being in front of the client on your own for the first time.

“Afterwards in the car I felt a little shocked that it had all gone so well but also happy, I just followed the system, roll on the next one.”

With low investment and low overheads, Photography for Little People is an easy business to run and operate from home with short hours and high profits. We guarantee our business is fun and rewarding.

To find out more, call or email to book your Discovery Day TODAY Jan Massey 0800 6226008 07826 841224 jan@photographyforlittlepeople.com JANUARY 2018 | ELITEFRANCHISE

79

Looking for your perfect opportunity?

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Boilerplate clauses

Breaking down boilerplate

By Kate Legg, CEO, Komerse

While boilerplate clauses are used in a majority of contracts, they aren’t always easy to understand.

Fortunately, Kate Legg is here to deconstruct the jargon You may not have heard much about boilerplate clauses but I guarantee pretty much any contract you ever sign will contain them. Boilerplate clauses are the short clauses that usually appear at the end of the document. They are often overlooked – partly because they’re fairly standard and non-controversial and partly because most people stop reading before they get that far.

Nonetheless, they are important and so I’m shining a light on this otherwise overlooked and undervalued part of contracts.

Boilerplate clauses take their name from the rolled steel “boilerplate” that wraps around boiler frames and holds everything in. In many senses, that’s exactly what boilerplate clauses do – they wrap around the contract and help to keep everything together by making sure it works the way that was intended.

Here are a few of the common clauses: Entire agreement This clause denotes that the contract represents the entire agreement between the parties, the idea being that the parties can’t rely on promises and arrangements made outside the contract. For example, the clause tries to exclude promises and assurances that may have been made by email or during the initial negotiations when sales staff may have been tempted to make exaggerated claims to win the deal. If any special arrangements have been agreed, or if the parties are relying on any promises or assurances, they should all be set out in one place – the contract – to avoid arguments in the future as to what the agreement actually was.

Variation These clauses will say that any variations or amendments to the agreement are only effective if made in writing and signed by both parties. As with the entire agreement clause, the idea here is to avoid confusion about what has been agreed if for example, one party requests a change to the contract and it is not clear whether the other has accepted the change. With this clause, the default position is that there are no changes unless and until the change is agreed in writing and signed by both sides.

No waiver There is a general legal principle that if you have a claim against someone, you ought to act swiftly and bring the claim relatively quickly after you become aware of it. This is to prevent someone carrying on as normal and then trying to bring a claim years later. However, often, the party not

Boilerplate clauses wrap around the contract and make sure it works the way it was intended

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Boilerplate clauses

the injured party doesn’t know specifically which of the individuals is in breach and so reserves the right to sue everyone.

in default will want to be nice and give the other side a bit more time to sort themselves out and hopefully remedy the situation without resorting to litigation. The purpose of a no waiver clause is to allow the injured party to be nice without prejudicing their overall position. For example, it would allow someone who is owed money to let the debtor have a bit more time to pay without losing the right to bring a claim if the debt is not ultimately repaid. This type of clause will say that a delay by a party exercising their rights will not amount to a waiver of those rights.

Joint and several liability Sometimes one party will include more than one person to. For example, a franchisee could be a partnership of two people or a guarantor under a franchise agreement may be comprised of two or more key individuals. This clause makes each person individually liable but also makes them liable for the acts of each other. If any one of them is in breach, then the party not in default can choose whether to sue some or all of them. This may be helpful if it’s easier or more convenient to sue one individual over the others. For instance, the injured person may not be sure who holds assets and is worth suing or it could be that one person is outside the UK jurisdiction and so would be more difficult to sue – or it may just be that

Severance Contract draftsmen always strive to get things right but sometimes a clause that is included in a contract may subsequently be held illegal or invalid by a court. This could be because the law changed after the contract was written or because the clause involved a judgement call by the parties and the court disagrees with their decision. A severance clause allows the court to cross out any bits of the contract that are invalid and unenforceable without affecting the validity of the remainder of the agreement.

Law and jurisdiction For the most part, the parties to a contract are free to choose the law and jurisdiction that they wish to apply. However, if an express choice is not made, then there are complicated rules to work out which laws will apply. Generally, it is much easier and more desirable to make an active choice rather than relying on the default rules.

The law and jurisdiction clause will state which law is to be applied to the contract and who has jurisdiction. For most domestic contracts, this will be English law and the English courts will have jurisdiction to settle any disputes arising out of it.

These are just a brief selection of a few common boilerplate clauses. There are many more and, depending on the nature and complexity of the agreement, boilerplate clauses could run to several pages. The important point is to be aware when boilerplate is being used and to ensure it is appropriate to your specific agreement.

JANUARY 2018 | elitefranchise

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Visit us today to find your Dream Franchise www.franchisesupermarket.net

Franchise Opportunities with Franchise Supermarket . Starting your own business can be a daunting process, so Franchise Supermarket aims to ease this process and help you become one of the 97% of franchisees within the UK that are directory - we aim to be the one stop shop for Franchise Recruitment!’

Franchise Supermarket provides YOU with • • Franchisee success stories • The latest franchise news • Upcoming franchise exhibition dates and franchisee Discovery Day dates

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FRANCHISE RESALES

To find out more about this opportunity contact Kasia Baldwin on 01274 361073 or email franchise@driverhire.co.uk

www.driverhirefranchise.co.uk

Kingston upon Thames

Investment: Offers in the region of £130,000 Established: 1993 Turnover: Available on Request

Driver Hire is the only specialist driver recruitment business in this area with the support and expertise of a nationwide network

Join an established, award-winning recruitment franchise, with a proven business model that generates high returns.

A Driver Hire franchise provides you with the opportunity to run your own recruitment business, within the transport and logistics sector.

There’s clearly a formula for success. Average franchisee net profit levels for a single unit are over £120k per annum and the average Driver Hire franchise turnover (single unit) for the full year in 2016/17 was £1,106,427.

Driver Hire is very well established in the Kingston area; supplying customers from 1993 to present. Driver Hire Kingston has always operated as a franchise business and has been run by the current franchisee (who’s decided to sell to retire) since May 2011. The business is currently enjoying a record year and there’s scope for continued growth.

The franchise territory covers all the KT postcodes.

Making a decision to better control your future? Our franchisees did, they now care for life.

Be part of the most experienced care franchise in the UK Please contact Carole Stubbs our current resale opportunities.

bluebirdcarefranchise.co.uk carole@bluebirdcare.co.uk 07912 771 149

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FRANCHISE FOCUS

Automotive Car Medic

Chips Away

Mac Tools

£: n/a

£: 29,995+VAT

£: 5,000

carmedic.co.uk

chipsaway.co.uk

mactools-franchise.co.uk

Optic Kleer

Revive!

Snap-on Tools

£: 15,000+VAT

£: 27,500

£: 16,037

franchise.optic-kleer.co.uk

revivefranchise.com

snaponfranchise.co.uk

ActionCOACH

Business Doctors

CPA Online

£: 27,000+

£: n/a

£: 7,375+VAT

actioncoach.co.uk

businessdoctorsfranchise.com

cpa.co.uk

Expense Reduction Analysts

Falcon Commercial

Jackson Fire & Security

£: 39,900

£: n/a

£: 39,500+VAT

erafranchise.net

falconcommercial.co.uk

jacksonfire.co.uk/franchise

PA4You

Platinum Business Partners

The HR Dept

£: n/a

£: 30,000+VAT

£: n/a

pa4you.co.uk

platinumbusinesspartners.co.uk

hrdept.co.uk

Ableworld

Bluebird Care

Caremark

£:75,000

£: 115,000

£: 100,000

ableworldfranchise.co.uk

bluebirdcarefranchise.co.uk

caremarkfranchises.com

Fosse Healthcare

Heritage Healthcare

Home Instead Senior Care

£: 50,000

£: 29,995+VAT

£: 90,000+

fossefranchise.co.uk

heritagehealthcarefranchising.co.uk

homeinstead.co.uk/franchise

Radfield Home Care

Right at Home

£: 75,000

£: 37,000+VAT

radfieldhomecarefranchising.co.uk

rightathomefranchising.co.uk

BUSINESS

Zeb PA £: n/a zebpafranchise.co.uk

CARE

CLEANING Arising Cleaning Franchise

Betterclean Services

Blue Sky Guttering Ltd

£: 2,995+

£: 19,600+

£: n/a

arisingcleaningfranchise.co.uk

bettercleanfranchise.co.uk

franchise.blueskyguttering.co.uk

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FRANCHISE FOCUS

CLEANING Bright & Beautiful

Clear Brew

Drain Doctor

£: 17,995+

£: 15,000+VAT

£: 21,000+VAT

brightandbeautifulhome.com

clearbrew.co.uk

ukplumbingfranchise.co.uk

Dublcheck

Dyno

Envirogroup

£: 9,950

£: c250,000

£: 23,950+VAT

dublcheck.co.uk

dyno.com

envirogroupfranchising.com

Fantastic Services

FiltaFry

Jan-Pro Cleaning Systems

£: n/a

£: 14,950+VAT

£: 1,000 - 5,000

joinfantastic.com

filtafryplus.co.uk/franchise

jan-pro.com/franchising

Jani-King

Merry Maids

Metro Rod

£: n/a

£: 19,995+VAT

£: 100,000+VAT

janiking.co.uk

merrymaidsfranchise.co.uk

metrorod.co.uk

Minster

MouldDoctor

Ovenclean

£: 28,225+

£: 33,000

£: 14,995

minsterfranchise.co.uk

moulddoctor.co.uk

ovenclean.com/franchise

Ovenu

Sanondaf

ServiceMaster Clean

£: 9,995

£: 20,000

£: 26,150

ovenufranchise.co.uk

sanondaf.uk.com/Franchise

servicemastercleanfranchise.co.uk

techclean

Vapor Clean

Wilkins Chimney Sweep

£: 19,500+VAT

£: 9,995+VAT

£: 13,100+VAT

techclean.co.uk

vaporclean.co.uk

franchisechimneysweep.co.uk

Coffee-bike

Esquires Coffee

Really Awesome Coffee

£: 7,490

£: 22,500

£: 19,950+VAT

coffee-bike.com/en

esquirescoffee.co.uk

reallyawesomecoffee.co.uk

art-K

Clever Tutors

ComputerXplorers

£: 10,000

£: 3,000

£: 62,925

art-k.co.uk/become-a-franchisee

clevertutors.com

computerxplorers.co.uk

diddi dance

Helen O’Grady

Kiddley Divey

£: 4,995+VAT

£: 15,000

£: 5,997+VAT

diddidance.com

helenogrady.co.uk

kiddleydivey.co.uk/join-our-team

Zero Dry Time £: 19,950+VAT zerodrytime.com

COFFEE

CHILDREN

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FRANCHISE FOCUS

CHILDREN Kumon

Mad Science

Magikats Maths and English

£: 3,000

£: 23,500

£: 10,000+VAT

kumon.co.uk

madscience.org

educationalfranchise.co.uk

Mini Swimming

Monkey Music

NLP4Kids

£: n/a

£: 12,975+VAT

£: 10,000

miniswimming.co.uk

monkeymusic.co.uk

nlp4kids.org

Pacer Leisure Vehicles

Popkidz

Puddle Ducks

£: n/a

£: 25,000

£: 18,975

pacerleisure.co.uk

popkidz.co.uk

puddleducks.com/franchising

Stagecoach

Swimtime

The Creation Station

£: 14,995+VAT

£: 18,000+VAT

£: 5,500

stagecoachfranchise.com

swimtime.org

thecreationstation.co.uk

The Detective Project

Turtle Tots

Tutor Doctor

£: 9,995

£: 13,000+VAT

£: 49,700

thedetectiveproject.co.uk

turtletots.com

franchise.tutordoctor.co.uk

ENERGY Gas-Elec

Green Square

£: 16,500+VAT

£: 75,000

gas-elec.co.uk/franchise

greensquare.co.uk/renewablefranchise

FASHION & CLOTHING Mobile Workwear

Noa Noa

Suit the City

£: n/a

£: 40,000

£: 19,950 - 22,950

mobileworkwear.com/Franchise

noanoa.com

suitfranchise.com

FINANCE BBX

DNS Accountants

£: n/a

£: 25,000

bbxuk.com

dnsaccountantsfranchise.co.uk

TaxAssist Accountants

The Interface Financial Group

£: 36,950+VAT

£: n/a

taxassistfranchise.co.uk

interfacefinancial.co.uk

Rosemary Bookkeeping rosemary an altogether friendly bookkeeping experience

®

£: 16,970 rosemaryfranchise.co.uk

FOOD & DRINK Beatons Tearooms

Broccoli Pizza and Pasta

Chopstix Noodle Bar

£: 55,000

£: 100,000

£: 59,000

beatonstearooms.co.uk

broccolifranchise.com

chopstixgroup.com

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FRANCHISE FOCUS

FOOD & DRINK Cookery Doodle Doo

Gallone’s Ice Cream Parlours

Harry Ramsden’s

£: n/a

£: 14,999

£: 150,000 - 250,000

cookerydoodledoo.com/franchise

gallonesfranchise.com

harryramsdens.co.uk/franchise

Jasper’s

Maston’s

McDonald’s

£: 29,997+VAT

£: 25,000

£: 400,000 - 800,000

jaspersfranchise.co.uk

marstonscareers.co.uk

mcdonalds.co.uk/franchising

Papa John’s

Riverford

Southern Fried Chicken

£: 100,000+

£: n/a

£: 125,000+

papajohns.co.uk/franchise

riverford.co.uk/franchise

franchise.southernfriedchicken.com

Subway

Warrens Bakery

£: 86,000 - 222,000

£: 18,500

subwayfranchising.com

warrensbakery.co.uk

HOME IMPROVEMENT & GARDEN Apollo Blinds

BoConcept

Countrywide Grounds Maintenance

£: 4,000

£: 100,000

£: 44,950+VAT

apolloblindsfranchise.co.uk

boconcept.com

countrywidegrounds.com/franchise

Dream Doors

Just Shutters

Shuttercraft

£: c75,000

£: 25,000

£: 25,000

dreamdoorsfranchise.co.uk

shutter-franchise.co.uk

shuttercraft-franchise.co.uk

TruGreen £: 8,400+VAT trugreenfranchise.co.uk

INSURANCE Concept Building Solutions

Concordia

Moreland Insurance

£: 32,995+VAT

£: n/a

£: n/a

concept-solutions.co.uk

concordia-employment.co.uk

morelandinsurance.co.uk

MAIL & COURIER 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

The Original Poster Compay

Two Men And A Truck

£: 29,500

£: 15,000

£: 30,000

packsend.co.uk

originalposter.com

twomenandatruck.co.uk

World Options £: 29,995+VAT worldoptions.com

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FRANCHISE FOCUS

MARKETING Vibe Marketing £: 14,995+VAT vibemarketing.co.uk

PET SERVICES Barking Mad

Now Boarding Pet Hotels

OSCAR

£: 10,000+VAT

£: n/a

£: 8,995+VAT

barkingmad.uk.com

nowboardingpethotels.co.uk/franchise

oscar.co.uk

Trophy Pet Foods

We Love Pets

£: 13,995+VAT

£: 9,999+VAT

trophypetfoods.co.uk

welovepetsfranchise.co.uk

PHOTOGRAPHY ABC Photography Limited

Photography for little People

White Box

£: n/a

£: 15,000

£: n/a

abcphotography.co.uk

photographyforlittlepeoplefranchise.co.uk

whiteboxphotography.co.uk

Kall Kwik

Recognition Express

Signarama

£: 50,000 +shop fit +VAT

£: 35,000+VAT

£: 25,000 - 45,000

kallkwik.co.uk

recognition-express.com

franchise.signarama.co.uk

Signs Express

Voucher Packs

£: 40,000+

£: 10,000 - 12,5000

franchise.signsexpress.co.uk

voucherpacks.co.uk

PRINT

PROPERTY Agency Express

Almond Property Management

Belvoir

£: 24,500+VAT

£: n/a

£: 22,500+VAT

agencyexpress.co.uk

almondproperty.co.uk

belvoirfranchise.com

Century 21

HomeXperts

Martin & Co Estate Agents

£: 23,500

£: 19,995+VAT

£: n/a

century21franchise.co.uk

home-xperts.co.uk

propertyfranchise.co.uk

Platinum Property Partners

Redstone Lettings

Surelet Property Rental Services

£: 41,450+

£: 14,995+

£: 9,500+VAT

platinumpropertypartners.co.uk

redstonesfranchise.co.uk

SureLetFranchise.com

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FRANCHISE FOCUS

RECRUITMENT Driver Hire Nationwide

Prima Ardelle Associates

Select Appointments

£: 35,000+

£:14,995+VAT

£: 24,750

driverhirefranchise.co.uk

recruitmentfranchise.co.uk

selectfranchising.co.uk

Award Leisure

CeX

Goldgenie

£: 77,000

£: 150,000 - £250,000

£: 20,000

awardleisurefranchise.co.uk

webuy.com/franchising

goldgenie.com/international-master-franchise

Local Appliance Rentals

One Stop

£: 50,000+

£: 92pw+VAT

localappliancerentals.co.uk

openaonestop.co.uk

RETAIL

SPORT & FITNESS A-Star Sports

Anytime Fitness

Be A Better You

£: n/a

£: 110,000

£: n/a

a-starsports.co.uk

anytimefitness.co.uk

beabetteryou.com

Busylizzy

Energie Fitness

Fitness Space

£: 17,000+VAT

£: 95,000

£: 24,950

busylizzyfranchise.co.uk

energiefranchise.com

fitnessspace.com

Premier

YourZone45

£: 14,950 ex. VAT

£: 60,000

makesportyourbusiness.com

yourzone45.co.uk

TECHNOLOGY & SOFTWARE Eazi-Apps

Fone Doctor

Project M

£: 7,995

£: 58,000

£: from 25,000+VAT

eazi-apps-business.co.uk

fonedoctoruk.co.uk

projectmglobal.com

Trivaeo Cloud Services £: 14,995 trivaeo.com​

TELECOMMUNICATIONS Auditel

Challenger Mobile Communications

£: 37,950+VAT

£: n/a

auditelfranchise.co.uk

challenger-mobile.co.uk

TRAINING LMI-UK

Pitman Training

Sandler Training

£: 23,500+VAT

£: 22,500+VAT

£: 55,000+VAT

lmi-ukfranchise.com

pitman-franchising.com

sandlerfranchising.co.uk

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DISCOVERY DAYS

A guaranteed income of £8,333 per month by month 7; ask us about Ts & Cs ActionCOACH is 1 of only 4 franchise networks to rate their franchise 5-Star for five years The full support of your network with a shared value of teamwork

SEARCHING FOR A CAREER CHANGE WITH A FUTURE?

Arrange a meeting with us today and find out if we are right for you!

UK’s best mid-priced franchise 2014 - 2016 We do things a little differently... if you get through our selection process we will invite you to our discovery day.

If you’d like to find out more watch our 6-minute overview video at: actioncoach.co.uk/overview/ Request more information enquiries.uk@boconcept.com

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 team and whether it is the right fit for you.

It’s important 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.

UNITED KINGDOM

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

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: edownes@computerxplorers.co.uk w: computerxplorers.co.uk

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DISCOVERY DAYS

Helping organisations improve their bottom lines

Run your own £1m+ recruitment business Entry-level investment from £35,000

Discover more about the benefits of an ERA UK franchise at a FREE Discovery Day

@DHFranchising /driverhireuk

01274 361073 franchise@driverhire.co.uk www.driverhirefranchise.co.uk

tel: 023 8082 9737 web: erafranchise.co.uk email: franchiseteam@erauk.net

RELAUNCHED FOR THE DIGITAL AGE

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

STRICTLY B2B

EXCELLENT SUPPORT AND TRAINING

CELEBRATING 40 YEARS IN BUSINESS

Robust marketing framework

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

Could YOU be the next UK Franchisee?

make their

FUTURE your

BUSINESS • the UK’s largest supplementary education provider • proven business model • marketing support • comprehensive training

Call us now on 0800 854 714 or visit kumon.co.uk

ROBUST MARKETING FRAMEWORK

t: 01530 513300 e: edownes@kallkwik.co.uk w: kallkwik.co.uk

Meet our mentors at a MagiKats

INFORMATION DAY

See our workshops in action and discover how much fun yo u can have with maths and toring! ish tuTuition Engl Maths & English www.educationalfranchise.co.uk enquiries@magikats.co.uk

0844 870 9896

2018 | elitefranchise Maths & EnglishJANUARY Tuition

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DISCOVERY DAYS

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

taimoor taimoor milkmilksheikh sheikh I am a franchisee & this is my McDonald’s I am a franchisee & this is talk my McDonald’s Come and to us at our

Insight Day in Elstree 19th‘The January best part2018 of being a franchisee

is the responsibility that comes with looking after a large workforce. www.mcdonalds.co.uk/franchising Giving local people a chance to develop their skills, grow in confidence, progress their career – it’s something I find really rewarding.’

Taimoor, operates four restaurants in South East London

Discover more!

Speak to us about the availability of a franchise in your area and arrange a due diligence day in Boston for a face to face interview and to receive further information about Optic-Kleer.

Call now: 0800 028 8987 Or email us at : info@optic-kleer.co.uk www.franchise.optic-kleer.co.uk

Feeding your Future... ...the perfect opportunity to get to know OSCAR at a relaxed and informal meeting.

Come and talk to us at our Insight Day in ElstreeDiscover OSCAR

The door is open to a variety of backgrounds and life skills, guiding you towards a new career – working for yourself with flexibility and choice.

Discovery meetings at many locations around the UK. Please call for details.

0800 068 1106 discover@oscars.co.uk www.oscar.co.uk

CREATE THE WORK/LIFE BALANCE YOU WANT

Are you dreaming of owning your own photographic business? take that exciting step now!

Dynamic, £3bn marketplace Six lucrative income streams Home-working potential

Discover more about our franchise at our 1-2-1 meetings in the comfort of your home.

Samples of our products will be provided along with all you need to know about becoming a franchisee.

For more information about 1-2-1 meetings, please call Jan Massey 01207 299500 OR 07826841224

www.photographyforlittlepeoplefranchise.co.uk

Excellent support and training Robust marketing framework

t: 01530 513300 e: edownes@recognition-express.com w: recognition-express.com Please contact us for more information regarding available territories

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DISCOVERY DAYS

DISCOVERY DAYS

Driven?

Creative?

YOUR CHANCE TO

Ambitious?

Have your name on a Signarama business card!

Learn about our approach to quality care Meet the support team Evaluate our franchise model Assess whether we could work well together.

Book now via www.rightathomefranchising.co.uk

If you are ambitious and driven, we want to hear from you.

Call 0208 930 9047 or email franchise@signarama.co.uk

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.

Call us to learn about our Discovery Days

“The teams that perform the cleaning tasks are always very thorough, professional and quick.

I would certainly recommend using them” 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

Apply for up to £2,000 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.

Discovery Day We want you...

The UK’s No1 Dry carpet, upholstery and hard floor cleaners

0800 1 80 40 20

zerodrytime.com/franchise JANUARY 2018 | elitefranchise

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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

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Rachel Bradshaw franchisee Little Voices, Preston

Enjoying the ride

When you hit a bumpy patch on your franchise journey, don’t forget all of the positive things that have come with the success you’ve achieved so far, advises Rachel Bradshaw, franchisee of Little Voices Preston ometimes it is hard to keep on track and stay focused in business when it feels like you’re on a rollercoaster. The positives and the negatives. The ups and the downs. The highs and the lows. However, you describe them, they are balanced on a set of scales that fluctuate monthly, weekly and daily. Staying strong and carrying on is the only solution but it’s tough.

As a business owner you take everything so personally and it can be gut-wrenching at times.

I experienced just this situation a few weeks ago and it took a lot of strength to overcome how I was feeling and move on.

The festive period started and, having been high as a kite because I had been nominated and shortlisted for a national ‘Mumpreneur’ award, I soon came crashing down in floods of tears. One of the longest-standing, most loyal members of my team and a dear friend handed her notice in.

I was devastated and I could not see anything good or positive at all. It overshadowed my entire Christmas and infiltrated my mindset. But from somewhere deep inside, the strength came to reflect on all the positives and everything that I had achieved.

As the new year loomed, it was time to give myself a good talking to and reflect on where I was and what the future looked like. I sat down and talked with the trusted confidantes I have around me – my mum, my husband and my franchisor – and took a long hard look at where I was. This is eye opening and I recommend that you do this regularly. It is startling to reflect on,

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revisit and acknowledge all that you have achieved and how far along the journey to your goals you have come.

I remembered that I must have been doing something well: I was shortlisted for a national award by my franchisor, who thinks the world of me and all that I have achieved. This is recognition in itself for all my hard work and the growth of my business.

I reflected on my recent appraisal at work and how I was managing to juggle so many balls while still being a fantastic teacher at school with all the responsibilities that brings. I looked at my children and they make me beam with pride: they are blossoming as young people. They’re watching their mum achieving week after week, learning the art of diplomacy, effective communication, organisation skills and all sorts as they witness me running a business, being a teacher, a mum, a daughter, a wife and all things to all people all of the time.

Not only could I clearly see that I was running a business really well, but the benefits it provides make a real difference. It provides additional income and enhances my family life.

Doing what I do I get a good feeling from our customers, our parents and pupils and I needed to remind myself of that. I have so many parents sending me cards and messages to thank me and my team for all that we do for their children: this feels good and is incredibly moving to receive. I have the pleasure of meeting people from all walks of life, everyday and again it is really fantastic.

I am captain of my own ship but never alone: I always have support when I need it and guidance from a network of fellow franchisees and a franchisor who fully understands my challenges and can offer me support and solutions. I am not alone on this journey in business and that is a huge comfort. I am successful and I am proud of that but most of all I am thrilled that my children and people

The ups really do overshadow the downs but you need to constantly wind your battery up and focus on the right things around me are proud of my achievements. The realisation that I really am a businesswoman and acknowledged as such by all of those around me is important to me and no other role in my life offers me this recognition and feeling of success.

The ups really do make up for the downs but you need to constantly recharge your battery and focus on the right things. There are days worrying about money, decisions I make, letting people down, my staff and taking care of everyone and everything. It is hard when my franchisor introduces change and it affects me and my business but ultimately despite all of these challenges that arise I love what I do and I wouldn’t change it for the world.

This whole experience has taught me the need to focus on the right things and eradicate the worry and the upset that provides me with little benefit and a whole host of heartache. Worry is not real: it is not tangible and it can disable you. So as a working mum running a successful franchise, I have learnt two very valuable pieces of advice in the last few weeks: remember all the things that are good and all that you have achieved to date. And keep that goal you have firmly in your mind’s eye.

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