Fresh Air, Fitness & Family

Patrick Bright

V.I.P. Home Services franchisee finds a new life earning well and doing what he loves

Patrick Bright sounds surprised and delighted. ‘I have weekends off. I have time for my family. I’m fitter than I’ve been for years, I’m doing something I love and earning twice the hourly rate I got before with a lot less stress. Buying a V.I.P. Home Services franchise has been the best thing I’ve done for my fitness – and just about everything else in my life!’

Patrick bought his own business after 32 years in the retail sector. ‘As manager of a major retail store, I was always working,’ he says. ‘There was no freedom to do anything I wanted, no time for my family, and I was often doing 90-hour weeks with constant demands from “on high”. Being inside all day every day isn’t healthy, so I needed to make a change – I wanted to work outside and I wanted to do something physical, but I also wanted to make good money. That’s when I contacted V.I.P.’

V.I.P. offers two different types of franchise: outdoor (lawnmowing, gardening and outside jobs) or indoor (all types of cleaning). ‘You choose the level of earning you want to start at, then go through a comprehensive programme which trains you not just in working efficiently to maximise your earning power, but in setting goals and managing your business too,’ says Estelle Logan, who, with husband John, is the national franchisor for V.I.P. in New Zealand. ‘You also enjoy the security of an income guarantee while you are getting established.’

Comfortable and reassuring

‘From the first meeting, I immediately liked Estelle and John,’ says Patrick. ‘They obviously have a well-run company and explained everything in clear language so I knew exactly how the franchise worked. I was quite comfortable with everything on offer, and the financial risk to buying a franchise was not huge.’

After years of being paid a steady salary, though, Patrick admits he found the transition daunting. ‘I’d always been paid every month, whether I worked hard or not, and had to make a big adjustment in my mind to realise that unless I went to work, I wasn’t going to get paid,’ he laughs.

‘The income guarantee period was reassuring, though, so I went ahead and bought a medium-sized business returning $1,000 per week on the borders of South Auckland. I felt it was better to start off with a smaller round and expand it as I got faster and more confident, which is what a lot of V.I.P. franchisees do.’

Building a business

‘My training with the company was an incredibly good period in which I learned all the ropes from professional mowing techniques, repairs and maintenance, to pricing for jobs and business management. At the end of the first week, I realised how unfit I was – I really was pretty sore. But in the eighteen months since I joined, I’ve lost about 20 kilos and put on a lot of muscle. It really is a free gym membership, and I can do most lawns in half the time it used to take me!

‘I’ve also been offered lots more gardening work, particularly hedge and tree pruning for my regular customers, and their neighbours have joined the party – I’ll be doing a hedge and their neighbour will pop out and ask me to do theirs too. I love it. Being in retail, you have to be a ‘people person’ and it’s a skill that has transferred very well to my own business. For some of my older customers, a three-minute chat means the world.’

A real family feel

What means the world to Patrick is his family. ‘After all these years, I actually have weekends off and have time for a family life. Only last Friday, I was able to take time to go to my 13-year-old daughter’s athletics, something I could never have done before.

‘I’m really enjoying it. I’m not tied to one place, I have the flexibility to take long weekends, I’m making a really good living and V.I.P. is a wonderful support network. If you’re prepared to work and ready to get fit, this is a great business with a real family feel!’

Choose what you want

Estelle Logan is delighted by the changes Patrick has made to his life. ‘Patrick wanted a new life with more time for his family, and V.I.P. has given him just that. He has established a great business in just 18 months and can grow it to whatever size he wants, with the option to employ staff or sell excess business to new franchisees joining V.I.P.

‘Flexibility is at the core of what V.I.P. offers: there are no expensive premises or equipment, there’s no rent to pay and minimal fixed costs. There’s no fixed level for investment, either, so you can expand at whatever speed you are comfortable with.

‘We love supporting people in building the future they want. We have franchise opportunities available in your area right now for both outdoors and indoors work, so give us a call today.’

Advertiser Info

Contact Nationwide Enquiries

P 0800 84 74 96

Estelle@viphomeservices.nz

www.viphomeservices.co.nz