Franchiseek Magazine - February 2023

Virtual Franchising Awards 2023

WINNERS ANNOUNCED!

Meet Animals at Home Co MD Ann Luffman

Could a Pet Franchise Be Paw-Fect For You?

Page 9

Page 13

How LMI Has Helped the William Lamb Group Page 28

CEO Foreword

By Joel Bissitt

Welcome back to another issue of Franchiseek Magazine, the magazine of the Quality Franchise Association, run by volunteers for the benefit of the franchising sector.

Congratulations to everyone who took part in this year’s Virtual Franchising Awards Winners were announced in the #VFA23 awards premiere on 31st January as finalists battled to win in the UK’s first virtual franchising awards, this year headline sponsored by Worldpay from FIS Voting was difficult for all judges and all entries were fantastic and deserved to win, in what was the biggest of the awards yet

This month we share news as franchises celebrate their awards win, plus we bring news from Triple Two Coffee who served at a Chinese New Year event ahead of launching their new Reading store!

It’s great to see lots of positive developments happening within the franchising sector, many franchise networks thriving despite the recession and many new franchisees becoming business owners in 2023.

We hope you enjoy this issue.

4. Cover: Virtual Franchising Awards 2023 – Winners Announced!

6. How Cymphony Can Help Your Franchise

7. Quality Franchise Association – Meet The Newest Members

8. Discover the Animals at Home Franchise

9. Meet Animals at Home Co MD Ann Luffman

12. Discover the Cat Butler Franchise

13. Could a Pet Franchise be the Paw-Fect Business For You?

15. Worldpay For A Consistent Payment Experience

16. Run Your Own Marketing Agency Franchise

17. activ Win at the Virtual Franchising Awards

18. Meet Harvey Rainbow, Oven Wizards Franchisee Milton Keynes

20. Could a Part Time Franchise Be Right For You?

22. Face For Business Case Study – Access4Lofts Franchise

24. Franchise Training Courses from Runo & the QFA

Established 1999, Franchiseek is a global franchise directory. Read the latest franchising news and browse upcoming events with the Franchiseek Magazine.

Our Winners Are...

Congratulations to all of the winners in the Virtual Franchising Awards 2023, and a big well done to all of the finalists as well Every entry deserved to win and the entries made judging a really difficult decision for the judging panel. However there could only be three winners for each category – please give a round of applause for...

Best Franchisee Support

Franchisor of the Year

Franchisee of the Year

New Franchisor of the Year

Little Learners North West Kent

Jet Set Not Just Travel Rachel Coyne

Hemel Hempstead

Re-watch the Premiere...

Experience the excitement over again as the winners of the 2023 Virtual Franchising Awards are announced...

Marketing Excellence

Best Adaptation to Change

Best Technology & Innovation

Best Franchising Supplier

We Need New Pet Franchisees to Join Us!

Animals at Home was established in 2003 to provide professional pet and animal care services to people with animal companions; and pet transport and animal ambulance services to pet owners, pet professionals and veterinary and pet charity organisations via franchised operator-owned branches

Animals at Home was established to be, and proudly continues to be a family of businesses; all working together to promote the health and welfare of pets and offer first class pet care services to local clients within the franchised areas

Above all, you’ll be your own boss You’ll be able to work out your own priorities in which pets to see and when, you’ll choose your best and most efficient routes to visit pets, you’ll be able to stop and have a break when you like and take in the views (often from the best ‘office’ in the area; your van!), but most of all, you’ll be working with many different pets and animals every day You’ll build up fantastic and trusting relationships with those animals, and your clients over the years and enjoy being a professional pet carer and trusted service provider for your local community!

Introducing Our NEW Pay As You Go Franchise Option

Get in touch to learn more about our NEW Pay As You Go franchise option which can help get you started with the Animals at Home franchise opportunity whilst balancing your investment effectively.

Do you want to run your own pet care company but this economic climate is making it difficult for funding?

Meet Ann Luffman, Co-Managing Directory at Animals at Home Franchise

1. Who are you and what is your role with Animals at Home?

I’m Ann Luffman, co Managing Director of Animals at Home, following a Management Buy Out of the business back in October 2019. This means that both myself and Iain Sherring our co Managing Director are responsible for our Franchisee’s ongoing support and further Training, as well as advertising and recruiting for new prospects interested in joining the Animals at Home family and the future growth of the brand

Prior to joining Animals at Home back in 2014 my working life involved travelling around the country as a Reseller Account Manager in the B2B Telecoms industry, this included training and supporting start up and existing telecoms companies that had agreed to resell telephone systems, lines and mobiles from my employer, ensuring good supplier relations and the growth of the resellers business

The trouble shooting experience and business knowledge gained during these 20 years has been transferrable and invaluable when dealing between senior management and Franchisee’s to maximise business productivity working as the Franchise Manager for Animals at Home It also helped that I could talk about pets all day.

Part of my role is to ensure success of the New Starter along with building their confidence in their business and brand to enable them to reach their goals and longevity

of their business, by way of the Franchise Agreement renewal at the end of their initial term This will then naturally lead to the success and growth of Animals at Home the brand.

2. What does Animals at Home do?

We provide premium bespoke pet care services to owners who are looking to have a professional pet carer to replicate the daily routine and care for their pet. This includes home visits for cat and pet feeds, this can include hamsters, ginnea pigs, rabbits, snakes, and other exotic pets to filling feeders up for wild birds, hedgehogs and other wildlife

Dog Walks which are always completed following the terms of the Professional Dog Walkers Guide, along with many of our Franchisee’s having completed the City & Guilds Level 2 Technical Competency in Dog Walking for maximum awareness of how to walk a dog safely and avoid situations that may cause the dog any stress.

We also ensure all our Franchisee’s and helpers are Pet First Aid trained, this allows us to deal with any eventuality whilst out on a walk or whilst transporting any pets in our care House Sitting is self-explanatory and allows the owner with multiple animals or pets that would prefer to stay in their own environment with having someone stay in their house with them, this also offers added security for the homeowner.

Home Boarding and Doggy Day Care are provided either at the Franchisee’s home or suitable licensed hosts that will have been recruited within their localised area. Personalised Cremations are more and more popular nowadays, and we are involved from the collection of the pet, to delivering the guaranteed individual ashes back to the owner, with some of our Franchisee’s working with mobile vets who can provide a home-based service to owners who would like their pets passing to be completed at home, making the service even more personal.

The Animal Ambulances (pictured above) have been our USP for twenty years and their services have recently been discussed in an article in the Guardian newspaper. The ambulances are not only the Franchisee’s transport to get to owner’s properties to provide the pet care services or dog walks, but they are also there to respond to emergencies, transport pets for Rescue Centres, transport puppies for the Guide Dogs charity, transport to the vets for Streetvets and Street Paws, helping people suffering from homelessness Along with airport runs and general transport for new owners, breeders or people moving house.

3. Why is Animals at Home a smart investment for entrepreneurs?

Animals at Home is a smart investment for someone looking to set up a Pet Care business, utilising the twenty years of knowledge in how to do this correctly after gaining twenty years of experience of what doesn’t work. This is a tried and tested method of setting up a successful Pet Care and Animal Transport Franchise, which only requires someone able to follow the template supplied by the Franchisor and willing to work hard at making the business a success

One of our Franchisee’s told us at a review meeting that ‘Her worst day whilst owning her Animals at Home Franchise, was better than her best day in her last job. ’*

Starting any business is not easy, but we can provide the tools to enable a new start up to be able to concentrate on finding their clients from day 1 as opposed to setting up their office and IT

•Animals at Home Merseyside, Nicola Flattery.

4. What do you look for in a potential franchisee?

Someone who is an animal lover, can network well, someone with an understanding for business and can be impartial and sympathetic with their clients and their requirements It is important that the Franchisee understands the Franchise concept and can follow a Business Plan. Experience in dealing with people and a drive to be succeed are crucial

5. How many franchisees do you currently have?

31 Franchisee’s, covering an area across the UK from Scotland down to Cornwall of approximately 5 million households

6. Please tell me how Animals at Home supports its franchisees?

From initial introductory call following their enquiry to start date, we have a very transparent process, ensuring the prospect is fully aware of their role and responsibility within the Franchise. We provide an extensive training programme on Pet Care but also on social media and advertising. We work with a company who provide software to help with CRM, scheduling, invoicing, and taking payments for bookings to reduce the time spent completing admin for the Franchisee. With our IT and Google accounts outsourced to external companies who appreciate the Franchise and understand the needs of a new starter compared to an existing mature Franchise. We also provide independent contacts who can help with accounting, legal etc as part of our membership with the QFA.

We complete ‘Grand Tours’ around the UK throughout the year to do face to face review meetings with all our Franchisee’s, as well as more regular visits if the Franchisee requests them or if we feel there is a training issue, and we can provide some advice and suggestions to help their Franchise. All Franchisee’s have direct contact with our Support Team as well as both Managing Directors at any time, during their first 6 months a group WhatsApp will be set up for all these parties, so that the slightest query can be asked and answered immediately

7. What are your plans for growth over the next 5 years?

The aim would be to maximise the growth within the UK and ensure that all populated areas within the licenced areas of our Franchisees are providing professional Pet Care to the 13 million Dogs, 12 million cats and many more fluffy, feathered or scaled pets. We believe it is important to ensure that we assist the UK pet population and their owners before looking to take our Franchise international. Our fleet of Animal Ambulances will therefore grow and provide a wider UK coverage and enable us to build on new relationships.

8. Do you have any discovery days upcoming?

We have individual discovery meetings with our Prospects, as they are generally spread across the country. We will meet with the prospect twice within our process, one to get a feel for what their about and for us to cover what a Franchise is about and an overview of the Franchise Start Up, Training and Finances, with our second meeting going into great detail under an NDA, we also invite an existing Franchise to answer questions the prospect has without us present. We are very busy with these meetings at the moment following the Guardian article and we are expecting a surge in interest when ITV’s This Morning air our day with Dr Scott Miller that will be filmed next week. We will forward a link once we’ve got a link to the video footage

9. What has been your best achievement in the past year?

Since buying the business in October 2019 and then having the Pandemic strike in March 2020, then a war in Ukraine in 2022 and a world-wide financial crisis more recently, we have had our fair share of challenges since we have been owners. So, I would say my highlight of 2022 was the ‘Grand Tour’ where we went to see our Franchisee’s for our first face to face meeting since before the pandemic as the new owners and reconnect with them again. We have a wonderful bunch of Franchisee’s, who each run their Franchises slightly differently, but all love the pets they look after and regularly tell me there is nothing else they would rather be doing

10. What are your interests and hobbies? What do you do to relax?

I’ve been married to my husband Mark for 36 years, I’m a mother to two grown up boys and a grandmother to four wonderful grand-children so family is very important to me, I spend as much time as possible with my grandchildren, which is a little less since we moved to the North Pennines during the pandemic from East Anglia, slight change in scenery there! I walk with my husband, who is heavily involved in the Animals at Home business and our dogs as often as we can, although our 12 year old Labrador is willing, she is suffering with the hills, so sometimes stays at home and looks after the house for us while we’re out. I’m a keen open water swimmer and we’re very fortunate to have bought with our property a disused flooded quarry, so warmer months we will be found swimming and paddle boarding in the quarry, often accompanied by friends with the day ending with a barbeque and some light refreshments With friends and family based from north Scotland down to Looe in Cornwall we are quite used to travelling and try where possible to combine business with pleasure

Discover the Animals at Home Franchise

Animals at Home is the UK’s leading pet care franchise With franchises opportunities across the UK, find out if your territory is available Get in touch to learn more about our NEW Pay As You Go franchise option which can help get you started with the Animals at Home franchise opportunity whilst balancing your investment effectively

TheCatButlerFranchisePackage

When you become a Cat Butler franchisee, you’ll receive absolutely everything you need to hit the ground running.

As a franchisee, you will benefit from the following

 Access to our systems and brand materials.

 Access to all our recruitment materials and staff contracts

 Your own mini-site on The Cat Butler website

 SEO activity

 Digital Marketing

 High online visibility and social media presence

 Hundreds of online 5-star customer reviews

 Access to the online member franchisee portal

 Ongoing HQ support and advice

Your Initial Cat Butler Startup Package Includes:

 Exclusive use of The Cat Butler® brand in your franchise area

 Comprehensive induction programme

 Step-by-step operations manuall

 Accredited Pet First Aid training

 Your own mini-site on The Cat Butler

 The Cat Butler email address

 Professional PR launch in your area

 Initial supply of promotional leaflets, stationery & business cards

 Three-month business launch marketing programme

 10,000 leaflet delivery in your local area

 A pack of branded clothing

 Branded livery for your vehicle

 12 months subscription to operational software

Why a Pet Franchise Might Be The Paw-fect Choice For You

There are a number of pet franchise opportunities available, from pet groomers to pet shops and pet sitting services. You just need to find the right one for you!

Introduction

If you consider yourself a lover of animals, then working with them can be an extremely rewarding and enjoyable business opportunity. But the advantages of joining a pet franchise business go way further than working with your favourite creatures each day! Let’s take a look at why a pet franchise could be the perfect choice for you!

Working Alongside Animals

If you are an animal lover then working with them every day will bring you tremendous joy along with job satisfaction that can’t be obtained from working behind a desk in an office!

When starting out, most business owners are looking to create a successful business doing the tasks they will be happy to do day in, and day out Working in an industry

that brings you joy like a pet business means there is something to love in every aspect of the business, and you will be happy working within the business

A franchise within the pet industry is a great option for an investor with a passion for pets who is looking to join the industry with minimal experience. Franchising provides the training and knowledge you need, along with a proven business model and experienced team to assist and support you in each step of your success.

High in Demand

The pet industry is a profitable and lively sector; from pet food to pet care, the industry is thriving Pet owners now more than ever, are willing to spend the money required to make sure their pet has the best care, comforts, accessories, toys and expert sitters

The pandemic had a helping hand in the number of first-time pet parents, meaning that essential services for pets are more in demand Having a nearby, professional and trustworthy service such as dog walkers, cat sitters and small pet carers is an expanding need for local pet owners

The Office for National Statistics revealed that expenditure on pets and pet-related products reached an annual value of 9 66 million British pounds in 2021

You are Your Own Boss With Job Security Included

If you were to start a pet business and build it up from scratch, you would need a great deal of time and money to build a reputable brand people can trust With a franchise, you become your own boss with the added benefit of the support from your franchisor. You have the responsibility of running the business and hiring your team.

As a franchisee you have the advantage of job security; by following a successful company's business model, you are far more likely to succeed in the business than if you had started your own from scratch A job role that comes with training and assistance from an expert in the field will no doubt make success within an easier grasp

The pet industry has proved to be a recession-resistant industry, with many pet parents looking to save money in other areas like small luxuries rather than cut back on spending on their pets. No matter the global circumstances, people will always have pets, and they will always need care.

Enjoy What You Do

They really do get the best of both worlds when joining a franchise business; you get to enjoy a healthy work and life balance by being your own boss, working around your own lifestyle with the opportunity to grow

and expand your business in a rapidly demanding industry.

With a passion for pets, you will thoroughly enjoy what you do. For instance, as cat lovers here at The Cat Butler we couldn’t think of anything better than spending our time caring for cats, playtimes with them and giving them affectionate chin rubs. It really does make a difference in our lives, being able to do what we love and working flexible hours.

There will be no more Sunday night blues - you will be excited to start work on Monday mornings!

Keep Work and Home Separate

One issue with a few pet franchise businesses that can be run from your own home is that the business can take over your house. This is mostly true for those businesses that require stock such as pet food or pet grooming franchises where your customers will be coming to your house, where you will be using equipment.

Franchise opportunities like dog walking or pet sitting services will be a better fit for you if you like to keep business and home separate You will still be able to work from home, but there is no need for equipment that could be faulty and break or stock cluttering up your home, and that may not sell These types of businesses only require minimal office equipment like a laptop or computer to run, which most of us already have You will also be able to get up and running a lot quicker.

BeYourOwnBosswithTheCatButler

If you're a cat lover and you're interested in the opportunity to run your own local cat sitting business, get in touch with The Cat Butler team

Enquire now to request a copy of The Cat Butler franchise brochure which includes:

• Comprehensive information about The Cat Butler franchise

• Key components of the franchise including training, marketing and business tools

• Franchise package costs and financial support information

Learn More

Welsh Digital Marketing Group activ win top honours at UK Franchising Awards 2023

activ Marketing Group scoop two Gold Awards and a Bronze in the UK wide 2023 Virtual Franchising Awards, announced today.

The digital marketing company received the prestigious UK’s first virtual franchising awards- hosted by the Quality Franchise Association- in the company of hundreds of entries Hundreds of nominations were received across eight categories of excellence with activ claiming the top honours with a Gold Award for New Franchisor of the Year and Gold Award for Marketing Excellence, as well as claiming Bronze Award recognition for Best Adaptation to Change.

Managing Director Katie Bullon was delighted to receive the awards, “To be recognised as a new franchisor within such an established industry at an uncertain time, where many people are seeking franchisee opportunities , is really exciting. “Myself and my team have worked really hard for the past two years since I became the franchisor of activ to ensure the company is a really attractive franchise to make running a successful business easy for budding entrepreneurs,” she added

“These awards are particularly significant because they include the whole franchising community and we were in successful company within our categories.”

“We firmly believe that franchising is a fantastic opportunity for those in business to expand and grow whilst maintaining the freedoms that come from being your own boss, however, having that team support from the franchisor I believe creates the best of both worlds of self-employed and employed.”

“I bought the business after being a successful franchisee, so I’m passionate about offering a low cost option for businesses with myself as a mentor, knowing what makes a successful franchisee.”

The Marketing Excellence Award recognises exceptional franchising marketing skills, whilst the Best New Franchisor of the Year Award recognises New Managing Director Katie Bullon’s huge efforts since she took over the activ franchise in 2021.

“Since I acquired the company I have worked hard to recruit a talented team at Head Office who have all the required experience and skills to drive the business forward.” added Bullon

More and more small businesses are requiring digital marketing support and activ are fast becoming a go too Plug-In Marketing Box for those wanting to develop and grow their business in the future Bullon is preparing for an equally successful rest of the year, “We are prepared for many people to seek franchising opportunities this year and look forward to welcoming a new wave of franchisees in 2023.” The digital marketing company has also been nominated for another award in the category of Cardiff Life’s Business Services Award

Cardiff Life Awards recognise activ Marketing group as one of the top Business Services Companies in the area in their January Awards nominations. But activ will have to wait until February to see if they can add to their awards cabinet

A Part Time Franchise For Additional Income

ArticlebyRichardPakey

A Part Time Franchise for Additional Income

Maybe some of you reading this are under increased pressure financially and looking at options to generate additional revenue, options might be limited if you are already working part or full time, with family constraints too, there is a lot that can get in the way isn’t there!

There is some good news for you though, and one that is often overlooked, this is by way of investing in a part-time franchise, you might think this is a myth that does not even exist, but let us explore the options in this short article.

What Is A Part-Time Franchise?

There will be a franchise for just about any sector and investment level that you can think of, and this will help you because there will almost certainly be something suitable somewhere that fits whatever capital you have and within your desired field

When you get to signing almost any franchise agreements, this will often mean you commit to attend to the business full-time, this is because franchisors rarely want sleepy franchisees, and most of the time, you as the franchisee would not want to limit your own time to

dedicate to the business as it would also limit the earning potential, that all said, it can be recognised by both parties that some businesses can take some time to get established, this can be because of the nature of the business, or indeed, an agreement that you, the franchisee, needs to come into the business on a parttime basis, due to other commitments, and as long as you start the relationship with this mutually agreed understanding then you are good to go, sometimes all parties understand that there is no one size that fits all and agreement can be designed to suit everyone

You must then think about you do when the business becomes more successful, if you can then morph from part-time into full time and whether you do this yourself or bring in extra team members, this decision might be a little easier as it becomes more profitable of course!

What To Look Out For In A Part-Time Franchise

You will need to think about a franchise that you can personally manage yourself, often referred to as an ‘owner operator franchise’. This does not limit you to it just being you in the business, you might want an employee to take some of load, especially given that you can only focus on certain days or times in the week, they might be able to fill the void when you cannot!

In addition, look for a franchise that is repeatable and scalable, you will note reference to this statement if you have spent some time researching franchise options too, typically a franchise that requires huge skill sets or knowledge banks can be too limiting for what it is that you are aiming to achieve.

Is Low Cost Good For You?

Low-cost franchises are by that very nature, quite appealing if you are looking for a part-time option, often simple business modelling that requires little initial and ongoing support, and are the reasons for the low cost, do check out how profitable these might be compared to your desire to create additional income and you might see something that suits that does not break the bank!

Franchisor led promotions might help you, it’ll be one task that you wouldn’t need to commit time to, this might come at additional cost to you though, so there might be a balancing act for you between your time and money, but for sure, one way to help the business along its way

Types of franchise to look for might include, sales roles, advice or consultancy types, perhaps mobile options as you can often chose your own hours, you will find many such examples of these on the very platform that you are reading this article on, go and have a look for yourself now and see what might be of interest!

Discover What Is Your Own Motivation

Why is it that you are looking for a part-time franchise? Is it to spend more time with family, or friends? Perhaps to fill your time between school hours? Do you just desire the additional income to keep things afloat?

Think carefully about this because whilst you might want a business to commit part-time hours to, your obligation in timeframe could be as much as five to maybe even ten years, so not a short-term solution!

Is A Part-Time Franchise Worth The Effort?

You might have heard individuals talking about how buying a franchise is just buying a job, and that might suit you in you have uncertainty in employment or the threat of redundancy, everyone makes these life decisions for different purposes and yours will be no exception, however, be realistic with yourself that investing small sums will probably impact on the earnings potential, franchising in general is no get rich scheme, but a sound business should be delivering the additional income you crave in exchange for your time or commitment.

One final comment to make your aware of is that you could well be building an asset that you might well have the ability to sell on at a later date, maybe this is a topic for an article for another time!

About Lime Licensing Group

Lime Licensing Group is a full service franchise consultancy firm that has been the advisory team behind some of the UK’s most successful business format franchises

With offices in Yorkshire, Cambridgeshire and South Wales Lime Licensing recruits hundreds fo franchisees for it’s clients every year through it’s outsourced franchisee recruitment service. The company also provides overseas franchisors with a UK presence and manages the resale process of dozens of established franchise brands every year.

Richard Pakey is a franchising expert and Regional Director for the award-winning Lime Licensing Group and can be contacted below:

Article By Richard Pakey Lime Licensing Group

Face for Business provides Telephone Answering and Manned Live Chat Services for Franchises across the UK Recently Face for Business have been working with loft ladder installation franchise Access4Lofts – delivering fantastic results

Quality Franchise Association spoke to Face for Business to learn more about the challenge, the approach and the result delivering success for Lindsey and her franchise business

The Challenge

When Access4Lofts first approached Face for Business back in 2021, they already knew they needed support and had been using another telephone answering provider for their call handling Unfortunately, the level of service they were receiving was below an acceptable standard, and this was concerning them and their franchisees

As a responsible franchisor they were keen to ensure that the opportunities created for each franchise area were captured quickly and efficiently and they did not want to be wasting valuable marketing funds to develop opportunities that maybe missed

Additionally, they had many enquiries going through to HQ rather than straight out to the franchisees and that this was costing them time to forward on appropriately.

Lastly, they were concerned, with all the above in mind, were they getting value for money from their current provider.

Our Approach

We met with the Access4Lofts senior management team at our offices in Lancashire, where they were invited to ask anything, they needed to know, about our business, our service levels and how we partnered clients

Having deemed that we were a good fit, we set about getting to know their business, the team, their values and their expectations from a telephone answering service.

We then put together a solution that was not only right for Access4Lofts as a franchisor but also a model that would enable closer interaction with the local franchisees

With their input, we designed a bespoke solution around the business that captured everything they need from a caller; all the specifics about the property enabling the franchisees to quote confidently.

Having agreed on the information they wanted capturing we then integrated with Access4Loft’s CRM system enabling all the leads to go straight through to the franchisee and reduce dramatically the number of leads requiring HQ input before reaching the franchisee.

All agreed and ready to go, we then provided several Access4Lofts franchisees a trial, giving them their own Face for Business login and app details, which could also be viewed by HQ As well as receiving the lead details through their CRM, they were easily able to view their messages in our app, and immediately listen to our PA’s do the job for them providing invaluable feedback as the trial progressed. This, and our feedback function, has proven paramount in building our relationship with the franchisor and network of franchisees

Lastly, we extended their opening hours by 75% from Monday to Friday 9 00am to 5 30pm to 7 days a week and up to 8.00pm in the evening.

The Results

Pleased with the outcome of the trial, Access4Lofts moved every Franchisee across to Face for Business Once all franchises had moved across it was clear to see the benefits that partnering Face for Business gave them: -

• Improved ROI on marketing spend - 25% increase in opportunities captured immediately

• Happier franchisees with a more personal touch and the ability to interact with us directly.

• Better value pricing overall with the addition of evening and weekend call answering at no extra charge, but deliver them an addition 11% in opportunity capture

Our relationship with Access4Lofts has continued to flourish; we meet regularly with the team via Zoom and help onboard all new franchisees to explain exactly what we do and what support we offer them. Their lead PA’s, Jeanette and Kerry, both play an integral role in the day to day running of the account. They are in contact with the franchisees with regard to their schedules and holidays, so callers really see us as part of their business.

Lastly, at Face for Business are delighted Access4Lofts had the faith to move from the country’s largest telephone answering provider, and that they are continuing to reap the benefits of our service

“Having recently moved our call answering to Face For Business I can highly recommend them.

Nothing is too much trouble and they're always on hand to answer any queries.”

Lindsay Brown, Marketing Director, Access4Lofts

Triple Two Coffee Serve at Chinese New Year Event Ahead of New Store Launch

Triple Two Coffee were delighted to serve at Green Park Village’s Chinese New Year Event over the weekend

Over 160 free coffees and hot chocolates were served to the residents of Green Park Village in Reading throughout the exciting and colourful event that was filled with dancing, music and traditional Chinese food! The brand new Green Park Village store is currently undergoing it’s fit out and is set to open in the Berkley Homes development in a matter of weeks, so the event was a great opportunity to get to know the community and for new customers to try their new favourite brand of coffee!

As the store is not quite ready for customers, coffee and cakes were served via the Triple Two Tuk Tuk which houses a fully functioning professional standard coffee machine and coffee grinder – the perfect vessel for an event like this.

The Green Park Village store in Reading will not just be your standard coffee shop. It will be known as a hybrid coffee shop and cocktail bar, serving specialty coffee and freshly prepared brunch by day, and hand-mixed cocktails and indulgent tapas by night. However, both menus will be served simultaneously meaning that customers can enjoy their preferred favourites at any time of the day, no matter what the occasion. This

concept is the third of it’s kind from the Triple Two brand, and follows on from the successes of Triple Two Coffee Royal Wharf and Triple Two Coffee Soho The concept was born when director, David Hodgetts, saw a huge gap in the market for those that want to meet up to socialise, but perhaps enjoy different beverage choices

Triple Two don’t have any plans to slow down their growth - with more franchises lined up to open in the coming year, the brand plans to have 30 stores up and running by the end of 2023 and projects 300 stores by 2030

LMI UK Client Case Study – William Lamb Group

William Lamb Group is a 150 year-old family business based in Harrogate, providing production, product design and delivery for footwear and accessories brands.

LMI UK Franchisee Neale Carter has worked with

William Lamb CEO Jane Wilson over many years, helping her to develop her own leadership skills, as well as those of her team members

In 2022, Jayne asked Neale to coach 7 members of the William Lamb team through LMI’s Effective Personal Productivity Programme.

Words from Jane Wilson, CEO

“The reason I wanted to do the LMI programme with this group of people in the William Lamb organisation was because I've worked with Neale before and I've worked with the programme before, and I knew that it had the content that I needed, So William Lamb is an old company, 150 years old, and I had a lot of new young people in the organisation who had a lot of talent but weren't necessarily getting much of a voice in the organisation.

And what I wanted to do was use an LMI programme to open up them as individuals to open their own eyes

to their own potential, develop themselves and understand that they could develop a voice in the organisation And I think it's worked It's been brilliant

So if I talk about how I think the individuals have grown and developed, I've seen a huge change

As it's kicked in through modules three and four and then beyond, it's just sort of roller-coastered as they have literally flourished as individuals, learned about themselves, grown in confidence, grown in understanding of how team dynamics work, how to work with other people in the organisation who they were struggling with because they weren't the same sort of people as they were

And just watching them bed in, find their own inner selfconfidence and flourish has been wonderful.

And so I am really delighted with the outcome It's been fantastic. I think the individuals who've been involved in it have been amazed at their own results and still pinching themselves with how different they are from the outset. We’re feeling the benefits and the difference every day as an organisation And I'm sure they themselves are feeling the benefits every day too ”

Participants

I think I was quite surprised at how fun it was. It wasn't just a learning experience it wasn't like being in school It was quite eye-opening It was a really feel good kind of a course.

Each lesson left you with something to take away in your work life and your home life. It really left you feeling empowered and motivated and then that enabled you to take that to your team members and help everyone else grow alongside you.

So what surprised me about the program was that even though it was all about personal productivity, there was actually a lot to do with teamworking and how you communicate with your members within the team

I also really enjoyed understanding communication styles of all of our team members because it opened up and answered my questions of how I could effectively communicate with them

I gained a lot of confidence from the program, just learning new skills in general learning the importance of planning and dedication, and not just the fact that you want to do a task ‘cause you think that it's easier and quicker yourself, but empowering your team and developing your team to gain their skills as well to not just bring yourself on, but you're bringing all your whole team on and helping them.

Above: Neal Carter is a franchisee of LMI UK and has been working with William Lamb Group

Below: Neal coached 7 members at William Lamb Group Participants found the courses considerably positive and they gained a lot of confidence.

LMI is one of the world's oldest and most successful leadership development organisations and offers the #1 global leadership coaching opportunity When you join LMI-UK you not only join a business that offers a proven concept and a globally recognisable brand, you also join an active and supportive team with a vast range of life and business experience that is continually sharing ideas and offering practical support. You'll won't ever feel you're in business alone.

HR Director leads the way in global online business

HR Director finds freedom and dream lifestyle with online business

Julie Spring (nee MacDonald) knew she wanted to travel from an early age, spending many years backpacking and working in hospitality and nannying jobs around the world, including South Africa, the USA and Australia.

Settling down to a job wasn’t really on her agenda but life happens and she found herself working for an iconic British brand of restaurants who were on the way up. Julie’s natural leadership, tenacity and authenticity led her to become a very successful HR director for many years, within the same brand, and for a while the freedom to travel was not an option.

She reached a turning point when her Aussie husband was offered a post abroad and moved to the Middle East for a few years, setting up a successful consultancy there, only to be posted again to her dream destination – Australia!

Julie saw an opportunity to create her ideal lifestyle

but was reluctant to reinvent herself and her consultancy all over again. She wanted to find a way she could achieve the flexibility and freedom to travel more as well as return to visit family and friends in the UK regularly. The consultancy business model didn’t fit with this vision

Julie set out to find a business solution that would replace her exec salary, that she could work part time, and that would afford her the freedom to indulge her passion for travel and for spending quality time with family Which is how she stumbled on this online business solution.

‘I was a bit worried as I had no tech skills, the most I could do was send an email, so the concept of working online was challenging to say the least!’ Julie reflects ‘But I was attracted to the fact that the business centred around personal development – as HR Director with 10000 people to train and develop, leadership and personal growth was close to my heart. I figured even if I couldn’t manage to operate the business I could at least benefit from the personal development!’

Former

Initially Julie invested at the entry level of $2285, and having seen the quality and depth of the personal development and the comprehensive support and training given, decided to invest in all the programmes soon after joining

She discovered she’d joined a global community of likeminded people, all looking to explore their own potential, to help others succeed and open to an alternative to the grind and frustrations of more traditional business models

A sudden and devastating personal bereavement in Julie’s early days of starting her business put things on hold for a few months, but Julie tapped into the learning and personal growth the business offered, which helped her work through her loss

Starting the training when she was ready, Julie discovered that everything she needed to be successful was right there, the products and the simple business system All she needed to bring to the table were her own unique self, her work ethic and self belief.

‘Within a few weeks I was able to qualify to become a professional marketer of our programmes, and within a few months I was earning an average of $10000 profit per

month in my business. Bearing in mind I had never marketed anything before and I had limited tech skills, to have acquired the skills to create my own website and to be able to put out professional ads on various platforms that attracted the right clients to me – well it was mindblowing! It’s also testament to the amazing training and mentoring our partner company offers ’

Julie became a partner in 2018 and knew immediately she’d found the place to hang her hat She fits the business around her life, often ‘on the run’ ie travelling to some exciting destination, or a Michelin starred restaurant, or vineyard (another passion is fine dining & wine), or hosting family and friends from around the world in her beautiful Brisbane home

Despite her lifestyle Julie is committed to her business and it continues to run wherever she is, even if it’s just 2 hours a day Her results are proof of her diligence and ability to follow the business system, her business nets profit upwards $30k a month and last year she hit a personal milestone of $100k in a single month Her professionalism and leadership are recognised consistently within the community and she’s attracted a successful team of clients and partners in the UK, Canada, UAE, Australia, NZ and Europe into her organisation.

‘What I love about our business is that it really is a level playing field; there’s no hierarchy, no politics and literally anyone, with the right mindset and work ethic, can succeed’ remarks Julie

I asked her what her goals for 2023 are:

• To be working alongside and mentoring a successful team of partners

• To travel with my nephews to Lapland for Christmas

• To explore Papa New Guinea and more of South Africa

I have no doubt Julie will achieve all of this and more!

Discover a turnkey business solution for leaders looking to create freedom and flexibility for themselves and their family, representing award winning personal development programmes As a partner you will join forces with an established leader in the fast growing multi-billion dollar personal development sector and tap into a simple 3 step business system, benefit from 121 mentoring, and a wider support and training infrastructure available 7 days a week.

2WheelzElectric

A fantastic opportunity to run your own business in an untapped sector. The future is electric!

Who Are ‘2WheelzElectric’?

‘2wheelzelectric’ is the trading name of Electric Motorbikes and Scooters Ltd. It is a newly formed company to facilitate the sales, marketing and administration of YDRA electric mopeds within the United Kingdom. We are the sole importers of these products from the EU. The company is offering franchises for specific geographical areas, with the size being partially dependant on the population density.

The Earning Potential

Sales income has a gross average of approximately £1000 per unit, so income potential is extremely lucrative

With a minimum sales target of 2 bikes a week, the franchisees would have a yearly turn over of £100,000 The electric vehicle market is really taking off and this is a fantastic opportunity to be a part of this lucrative sector.

The Franchise Package

• Very high quality products

• Protected areas of operation

• Consistent marketing support

• Consistent administration support

• Ongoing no cost sales leads from head office

• Advertising and marketing

• No cost marketing literature

• Products to include delivery to franchisee

• 3 Brand new products for demo and marketing

Interested?

Request more information now to find out more about this fantastic new franchise opportunity in an untapped sector!

Screen Rescue Announced GOLD Award Winners 2023

Screen Rescue is announced as VFA23 Award GOLD WINNER for ‘Best Franchisee Support’ as sponsored by Cymphony and Worldpay from FIS!

Franchisor, co-founder and director of Screen Rescue, Amanda Hilario said, “We are absolutely over the moon with our surprise GOLD win at the VFA23 Awards announced on 31st January. We are so proud to be part of these awards and for the second year running we have collected podium place for ‘Best Franchisee Support’ swapping our last year’s SILVER Award with a GOLD Award in this year’s coveted VFA23 Awards

“This year the entry level for each category was higher than ever before and so this is such an honour for us; it’s a win we really did not expect because we were short-listed amongst such a cohort of respected brands. So much so, there was no winner’s announcement at the ready, indeed, it has been business as usual with us putting our growing network of franchisees’ needs first, so admittedly we are a little behind in making this fabulous announcement!”

Franchisor, co-founder and director, Jaime Hilario added, “We have such a fantastic franchisee support team, all of which work tirelessly behind the scenes delivering support measures that enable our franchisees to keep a finger on the pulse of their businesses right from the start.

“Our GOLD Award-Winner support starts from day one of your franchise enquiry, so why not contact us to find out more about how we can help you into business and offer you a pathway where you will never walk alone. Just as high-flying franchisee, Glenn Bowker of Screen Rescue Birmingham found right from the start of his franchise enquiry.”

“My pathway to trading was fraught with a rollercoaster ride of bank funding ups and downs,” states Glenn. “Undeterred, Amanda and I worked closely with my lenders on a day-by-day basis and despite a few offer mishaps, I soon opened my trading doors. It’s good to know you have franchisors who are by your side and support you well beyond their remit ”

A Screen Rescue franchise provides you with the opportunity to start your own multi-van repairs business, where you can achieve a turnover of £75,000 pa from each mobile van.

To learn more about becoming a Screen Rescue franchisee and to receive your GOLD Award-winning Support, get in touch with our team today, we’d love to hear from you!

Training Dates Announced to Meet Demand

The Travel Franchise adds February training date to tackle long waiting list as its travel consultants break January ‘Peaks’ sales records!

The Travel Franchise is adding extra training dates for people waiting to join, as its homeworking consultants celebrate its best January ever

Its travel agents, which sell holidays under the customer facing Not Just Travel brand, experienced a booming January with company figures revealing 2023 sales up 65% year-on-year with profits increasing by over 80%. The figures indicate the company is over-indexing industry competitors by more than double.

In addition, Not Just Travel consultants are booking more customer holidays than ever before – an increase of 50% compared to the previous January.

Paul Harrison, co-founder of Not Just Travel and The Travel Franchise says:

“The number of bookings made by each consultant is our best measure of success. The fact that it is higher than ever before proves that they are expert, confident and well-trusted by customers. This is naturally reflected in our sales.”

December was also the company’s best month ever. Consultant Ben Casey was 724% up in December and, in January, he sold £324k-worth of holidays – a 30% increase on the same month in 2022.

“It’s no wonder we have seen increasing demand to join The Travel Franchise,” says Harrison. “As there was a three-month waiting list for training we have added another date – February 27 – which means that those new business owners can still attend our Millionaire mentorship retreat in Cyprus in March and learn how to skyrocket their business ”

Both Ben Casey and Paul Harrison said there was demand for high-ticket luxury or milestone holidays as people continue to invest more in dream trips post-Covid

Casey says his average booking value for January 2023 is up 57% on January 2022, from £6,252 to £9,818

Says Harrison:

“Pre-pandemic, we used to book £10k+ holidays every few days, now they are as frequent as every other booking Our increased sales and booking values show that people will sacrifice many other lifestyle items before they reconsider their holidays.”

Travel consultant Lloydie Gardiner, who bought a travel franchise when a road traffic accident forced him to give up his job, sold over £280,000-worth on holidays in January and is currently pricing up a big £200,000k wedding in the Maldives. Last year Lloydie sold over £1.3 million holidays and he expects a growth of at least 15 per cent this year.

To watch a 10-minute Discovery video and find out more about franchise fees (from £2,995 + vat) and training dates, or sign up for a free 100-page glossy magazine with detailed information about the business opportunity, get in touch with our team today.

The Travel Franchise has been established for over 15 years and offers a simple yet effective business model to those who want to start their very own home travel business.

With 700+ franchises sold to date, and Travel Consultants based across the whole of the UK, the business is growing rapidly. Find out more about being your own boss with The Travel Franchise.

5 Reasons To Invest In a HomeBased Franchise

Have you been working from home for the past few years and find yourself reluctant to go back to an office based role?

Are you considering the perks and benefits that come with being your own boss? Perhaps you have considered starting your own business but aren’t sure you can come up with a great idea or how to get a new business moving on your own

If this sounds like you, then you might find exactly what you’re looking for with a home-based franchise Homebased franchises uk are an amazing way to get into the world of business with a lower level of risk, and we have come up with five fantastic reasons to do just that Read on to find out more.

Fewer overhead costs

Even with a franchise, you may sometimes find yourself needing to either have a van or even set up your own premises. While this might be more affordable with a franchise (as gaining financing from investors is often easier), the overheads are still considerable However, if you invest in home-based franchises for sale, you can set up an office in your spare bedroom and enjoy a minimal increase in your utility bills – which can be offset

This means you will need to make a smaller initial financial investment, making franchising an incredibly viable option even with limited capital, as well as those considerable long-term savings on basics like electricity, computer equipment, and storage space

Enjoying your freedom

Being chained to a desk can be draining. Even if you work from home for a company, you often need to work standard hours with very little flexibility to be enjoyed However, with a home-based franchise, you are your own boss. You can take a little more time for yourself; if you like a slow morning or a slow afternoon, whether you are an early bird or a night owl, and whether you want to work weekends or not. It’s all up to you! But it isn’t just the freedom of running your own franchise business It is also the freedom of choice you have regarding what you do There is a home-based franchise to suit everyone, so you

can do a job matching your skills, talents, and passions.

Be more productive

Commuting is stressful. Whether you are stuck in a car on a packed road, or you are waiting for a train that seems endlessly delayed, more than anything else, commuting feels like a complete waste of time. With a home-based franchise opportunity, those wasted hours are no more! You won’t have to try and make work calls from your car or get your laptop out on the train. You will be able to work from the comfort of your own home at all times, losing no working time. And all of your free time? Well, that’s just for you to enjoy with as little sitting in traffic as you want.

Fit it around family life

If you are a parent, then you know that fitting a regular office job around family life (or vice versa) can feel nearly impossible at times. With a home-based franchise, you can tailor your hours to suit your parenting duties While there will be some days when you find yourself putting in those long hours to get the job done, you will also directly benefit from that hard work You will also be able to be on hand for your family, even when you are working. So you won’t feel as though you are missing out on your little ones as they grow up, and you will thoroughly enjoy the benefits of working simultaneously.

Become part of an established brand

Starting your own business is a high-risk proposition, especially if you have never tried it before Going from the nine to five to being your own boss can be scary, and we have all heard those statistics about how frequently small businesses and startups fail

However, when you buy into a home-based franchise, you are investing your capital in an established brand This automatically means that there is a customer base out there who already knows and likes the brand and who are likely to trust it You do not have to worry about creating branding yourself or thinking up marketing strategies, which can be challenging to do from your own home. There is more security with a home-based franchise than setting up entirely alone

Looking to invest in a home based franchise?

Find your ideal home based business opportunity at Franchise UK

How to Start a Small Business from Home

There are 500,000-700,000 businesses started in the United Kingdom every year More and more, people are starting their dream companies from the comfort of their homes, contributing to the growing trend of remote work.

There are many advantages to starting a company from home First, you don’t have to pay for the rent, mortgage, or upkeep of office space. Home franchises are especially advantageous since you get to work from home and run an already successful business.

Below, we’ll get into everything you need to know about starting a home franchise Keep reading to learn more and start working for yourself today!

Getting Into Home Based Franchises

Before you start your business, you need to know the difference between home-based franchises and other at-home businesses.

A home-based franchise is similar to a regular franchise. You contact the franchise owner and talk about buying a franchise. Make sure it’s something you can run from home, such as a cleaning service You’ll have to buy into the franchise before you can start using their name and materials

The franchise owner may also have additional requirements for you. Make sure you ask about these prior to starting your franchise agreement

An at-home business, on the other hand, may not be a franchise. Instead, it could serve as your own individual company, independent of any larger brand

In many ways, it’s better to buy into franchises for sale

When you do, you’ll benefit from working with a wellestablished brand People may recognize your company from previous experiences they’ve had with other franchisees This can lead to more clients

Marketing Yourself

Once you have your franchise purchased, it’s time to start marketing yourself.

One of the best ways to do this is to make a Google My Business account. When you do this, you’ll need to provide relevant contact information for your business Then, Google will place your information at the top of the results whenever someone looks for services like yours.

You should see what kinds of rules and suggestions your franchisor has for marketing your franchise Sometimes, you might receive marketing materials you can use to get the word out

Be Professional

You shouldn’t just rely on your franchise’s name to bring you loyal customers. Instead, you need to think of yourself as an ambassador for the brand In all your interactions with customers, you’re representing both yourself and the company at large

So, you should be professional in all your communications. Make sure you know how the franchise wants you to handle certain tasks so you can provide the type of quality work on which your business thrives

Ready to Start a Home-Based Franchise?

Before you start your franchise, you need to know what types of companies are available for purchase.

You can find a list of home-based franchises in the Franchise UK franchise directory Make sure you compare a few different franchises before you buy into one so you can find the best one for you!

FRANCHISE RESALES

Kick start your future with an already-trading franchise business for sale

Browse a range of franchise resale opportunities with Franchise Entrepreneur

5 reasons on why buying an established franchise is so beneficial:

The business is already up and running - All the groundwork has been done for you, all you need to do is pick up the reins where the previous owner left off, allowing you to immediately start generating revenue.

The business has a proven track record - One huge benefit is that there will already be existing contracts, brand recognition, a reputation and revenue to build upon.

It can be easier to obtain funding - With the performance history of the business, the banks may look more favourably at lending money; making it easier to fund your new business venture than if you were to start from scratch.

Staff – Existing staff can bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to a new owner; they can help ensure a seamless transition from one owner to another.

Support and Training - The franchisor will provide you with resources, connections, training and continuous support, which will help you avoid mistakes that might cost your company time or money! Furthermore, with a network of franchisees available to draw support and ideas from, you are not alone in your new business venture.

Agency Express Franchise Resales Opportunities

Available Across the UK

Join The UK’s Largest National Estate Agency Board Franchise

At any one time there are approximately 1.5 million estate agency boards displayed on the streets of the UK and Ireland.

Agency Express franchisees and their vehicles are responsible for serving over 60% of UK estate agency offices.

Franchising for over two decades, Agency Express is a ‘bfa HSBC Franchisor of the Year ‘and ‘ESTAS Estate Agency Supplier of the Year’ multi award winner.

As a result of this, the next owner of these resales will be able to take advantage of the support that a successful franchise model can offer.

Agency Express resale opportunities would suit a self-motivated, practical, and driven person who enjoys meeting people and working outdoors. There is also excellent potential to expand this business into a multi van operation.

What’s Included:

• Exclusive territory license

• Fully sign-written van*

• Specialist tools & equipment.

• Corporate clothing

• Stationery and marketing materials

• 8 days comprehensive training & business launch

• On-going accounts, marketing, and sales support

• £5,000,000 public liability insurance - The premium paid on your first 12 months

Agency Express

Offers Around: Kent £POA

Location:

A unique opportunity has become available to join the highly successfully Agency Express franchise in a select number of areas across Kent

Do you have a desire to run your own business and to benefit from a better work life balance? Are you self-motivated, practical and do you enjoy working outside? If the answer is YES then the Agency Express van-based franchise could be perfect for you!

Agency Express

Offers Around: Bucks £POA

Location:

Due to relocation a rare opportunity has risen to acquire a well-established van-based franchise, located in Buckinghamshire with Agency Express, the UK’s largest provider of professional estate agency board services. This franchise resale is an owner operated, single van business, covering Aylesbury and the surrounding towns and villages The next owner will benefit from being able to service a strong portfolio of existing clients. Due to the current franchisee boasting an excellent reputation within the local area, this business is ready to continue running in a successful manner

Agency Express

Offers Around: Essex/Suffolk £POA

Location:

A rare opportunity has risen to acquire a well-established van-based franchise, located in either Suffolk or Essex with Agency Express, the UK’s largest provider of professional estate agency board services. This franchise resale would be sold as a single van business, covering the areas of Northern Essex or Southern Suffolk. The current franchisee is the owner of two territories and wishes to scale back to one Request Info

Popular Searches

Franchise UK is the UK’s largest franchise directory with over 1,000 businesses looking to recruit franchisees to their growing franchise networks.

With opportunities in all sectors, from van based businesses to white collar and retail, franchises cost anywhere from less than £500 up to high end businesses and brands.

Find your ideal franchise today.

This Month’s Trending Franchises

There Has Never Been a Better Time to Own a Franchise in the Commercial Energy Sector

Imagine owning a business where:

You give clients clarity and choice in a confusing and expensive market.

You don’t have to ‘sell’ what you supply as no client can operate without your product.

You get paid even if your clients stay with their existing supplier.

You don’t have to cold call or knock on doors.

Typical clients stay with you for at least three years. You’ll be helping businesses to go green.

How is your year going?

Are you any closer to leaving the drudgery, politics and nausea of employment to set up your own business?

The great news is you don’t have to do it alone. That’s the beauty of a Utilitrack franchise You’ll get the benefits of a reliable business model that can build your wealth, a back-office team to support you on your journey and a smile generating work-life balance that’ll make your former colleagues jealous A little over a year ago, most business owners didn’t care much about their gas and electricity bills

They knew they had to pay them or their business would be closed, but that was about it. Once every two or three years they might have to enter a new contract, but other than that, things just ticked over. That’s not the case now A year on and the energy crisis is constantly in the news. Business owners are worried

Interested?

about spiralling energy prices.

For some, their suppliers went bust, leaving them on uncapped rates and needing help fast For others, they are coming to the end of low-cost contracts and facing price hikes of between 300% and 400% and wondering what is going to happen next. These huge increases will hit their bottom line and might not only wipe out any profits but could even force them to cease trading.

It’s critical these businesses take action now and call in an expert to help them get a grip of their energy costs That expert could be you. What’s more, clients you help who are in crisis will form the foundation of your longterm business when normality returns – if it ever does.

Request a brochure now and if you like what you see, we can set up a discovery meeting where you’ll find out just how simple and effective a Utilitrack franchise can be.