High flyers

A high investment franchise is a big commitment, but the returns can be considerable too. You just need thorough research, a little bit of courage and a lot of dedication, writes Katie Shevlin

While it takes nerves of steel to invest £80,000-plus in a business, franchising is seen as a safer option than spending this money going into business on your own. You are paying to operate under a well-established brand name and to reap the benefits that this affords, such as consumer/client loyalty and trust. Franchising provides the opportunity to be your own boss with the backing, training and support of a business owner that knows the market.

A high initial investment is often a prerequisite of retail franchises – the need for retail premises and stock, etc – but high investment opportunities are available in a wide range of sectors. Regardless of industry, you should always ensure you know exactly what this initial fee covers.

With a high investment franchise, as with any other, you have to work hard to achieve success, but you certainly don’t have to sign your soul away. As long as you have big ambitions to match, your business can be fruitful. Plus, with a high investment comes a high return – just reward for that extra bit of bravery you had to summon to sign on the dotted line.

Don’t be put off by a high investment level. As bank funding becomes increasingly available, the finance you need may not be out of reach.

Here, five franchisees describe why they took the plunge with their respective brands and detail their subsequent business journeys. 

Granite Transformations

Rob Lister has been a Granite Transformations franchise owner in Newcastle for almost a decade. He has won a major title as the brand’s current Franchisee of the Year, and became known as ‘the turnaround king’, after transforming declining local sales into a full order book and increased order values.

Why did you decide to become a franchisee?

I was formerly a golf teaching professional in Durham and found the job enjoyable, although the hours were somewhat sporadic. I was looking for something more secure, with a pension fund at the end, and wanted to create a nice little business where I could have time off and spend the odd day with my elderly parents.

Is this what you have achieved?

Things didn’t quite work out like that – I’ve become a bit of a workaholic and spend at least six days a week looking after all aspects of the business, from templating and installing worktops to sales, with Sundays off for doing the books. Still, I’m enjoying the life and I’ve built up a fantastic team around me, so at present everything’s great. 

Why did you choose Granite Transformations?

I became familiar with the brand and its highly distinctive product, ‘the top that fits on top’, when my then wife and I were considering a kitchen makeover. We were visiting the National Homebuilding & Renovating Show, where Granite Transformations was exhibiting its diamond-polished granite worktops. We immediately loved the product and asked a guy on the stand how we could get a quote. This was the early days of the franchise and there wasn’t a showroom in the far north, so this chap suggested we might like to become franchise owners. This dovetailed with my own career plans and, since we could see the product concept was a real winner, we decided to take the plunge.

Describe a typical day

My main job – apart from keeping the books, planning local marketing and a hundred other tasks – is talking to prospects in their own homes and measuring up existing fittings for worktops, replacement cabinet doors, mosaic splashbacks and other makeover elements. I’m not afraid to get my hands dirty, preparing the templates, working in the factory and helping out with installations, as needs be.

How have you found the training and ongoing support?

I like the fact that the Granite Transformations corporate owners, the Italian-based Trend Group, ensure continuity of supply and a stream of new product ideas. The support I receive from RSG Europe, and its livewire CEO, Danny Hanlon, is absolutely fabulous. I have seen the quantity and quality of franchisee marketing and technical support grow to 100 per cent, and the advertising material, sales literature and consumer website gives me a real competitive edge. As the network has grown and sales revenue has accelerated, there have been more resources to plough back into the brand and you can certainly see where the money’s been spent.

Mobalpa

Biola Apooyin was working for IBM as a delivery project manager before becoming a franchisee for Mobalpa Richmond 11 months ago.

What appealed to you about Mobalpa?

Initially, it was the product offering. As discussions progressed, however, I became more impressed with the level of services and processes available within Mobalpa.

What interested you about this sector?

I was developing properties in London and abroad and felt a synergy between this hobby and Mobalpa’s offering.

What training and support did/do you received?

The training and support from Mobalpa is rigorous and includes a period of time spent at Mobalpa headquarters in the French Alps and time spent at Mobalpa’s pilot store in Warrington, Cheshire. Overall, I spent nine weeks training prior to the opening, and Mobalpa continued to support me once the store was open. 

How’s it going so far? What sort of challenges have you faced?

Since we’ve opened, we have seen many enquiries without any means of advertising. Customers have been most impressed with the standard of the showroom, product quality and overall service. My main challenge has been recruitment, which I am still looking into developing.

Describe a typical day

I’m an early riser, so I try to arrive at the store an hour prior to opening, which gives me time to brief the team for the day ahead. In this sector, every day is different due to client requirements and expectations so it tends to keep you fresh, ready and excited. 

What do you see for the future of your franchise?

I have high expectations in terms of the development of my franchise and plan to expand further.

Would you recommend franchising to others?

Yes, definitely. The level of experience, support and processes of the franchisor is key to the success of my business. 

Platinum Property Partners

Gertie Owen joined Platinum Property Partners (PPP) in August 2010. After 20 years spent looking after her children and being, in her own words, a lady of leisure, Gertie wanted a new challenge. 

Why did you decide to look into franchising?

As my children had grown into young adults, I found myself with increasing amounts of free time. My husband was also made redundant, so there was the need for an additional income stream.

Why PPP?

PPP appealed to me as they offer a proven system to begin investing in property, providing cashflow as well as a growing asset base. I had no previous buy-to-let experience, but with support and guidance on hand whenever I needed it, PPP offered the ability to achieve the income I wanted.

How has your experience been so far?

Since joining PPP, I’ve bought, refurbished and fully tenanted four HMO (house in multiple occupation) properties and have just bought my fifth. I’ve gone from having no experience of property development to becoming the 2013 HMO Landlord of the Year, awarded by Landlord & Buy-to-Let Magazine. I was delighted to have my hard work and caring attitude towards my tenants acknowledged. PPP taught me to be the best, and I couldn’t have done it without them.

Has your PPP franchise lived up to your expectations?

The financial benefit has exceeded my expectations. When I joined PPP, my five-year goal was to be earning £100,000 per annum, but after three years I am already earning approximately £126,000 per annum, so I feel a great sense of achievement. 

Home Instead Senior Care

Philip Maundrill and Philip Wright-Howarth are business partners and joint owners of Home Instead Senior Care South Warwickshire. After working together and spending a number of years in corporate life, they decided to set up their Home Instead Senior Care franchise in 2011.

What appealed to you about Home Instead? Why is Home Instead different to other companies in the care sector?

To us, Home Instead Senior Care stood head and shoulders above other care franchises. We did look quite seriously at others, but felt that Home Instead reflected our personal values and focussed on quality, which is essential when you are dealing with people.

What interested you about this sector?

We both had very personal reasons for choosing the care industry. Phil Maundrill’s mother suffered from dementia and he experienced poor quality care together with the stresses associated with looking after an ageing relative from afar. Philip Wright-Howarth’s sister suffers from severe learning difficulties and he too has faced challenging times over the years with her ongoing support. So we both had an automatic desire to make a real difference for our local communities.

In addition to our personal motivations, the ageing population in the UK means that the care sector is an expanding market, which provides a fantastic opportunity to grow and develop our business.

How did you arrange funding?

Personal savings made up part of the funding and the banks were very welcoming when we put the proposal to them for the remainder. Our bank was very supportive and, having had experience of other franchises in the Home Instead network, they were more than willing to help us.

What training and ongoing support have you received?

Home Instead provided an intensive initial training package, which made up the first part of our franchising journey. Since then, they have provided ongoing comprehensive training, with regular regional meetings and an annual national conference. Our dedicated business performance manager visits us regularly and provides advice on best practice, and we know the head office team are always on hand to provide help if needed.

Franchising is also about sharing ideas, experiences and knowledge with other franchise owners within the network. Since starting the business just over three years ago, we have found the network to be of tremendous value; we are independently owned but we are not on our own and we are surrounded by friends who share the same passion. 

What sort of challenges have you faced so far?

Our caregivers are the face of Home Instead Senior Care and we trust them to uphold our values and maintain our very high standards. This is a people business with a focus on quality rather than quantity – every single one of our clients is someone’s husband, wife, mother, father, grandma or granddad. The real challenge is finding enough of the right people to join our team, so that we can say “yes” when the phone rings.

What are your plans for the future?

Continued growth of our local reputation, which reflects the values we uphold. With both of us having children of school age, we don’t have any intention to retire just yet! Our franchisor sees that we are making good progress and is keen for us to maintain our current level of expansion.

Would you recommend franchising to others?

Most definitely! Franchising is just replicating a business model that has been proven to work successfully. Our only word of advice would be to simply follow the model you have bought into – don’t waste your money buying a franchise if you intend to change it!

What has been your greatest franchising achievement?

Finding an extremely satisfying and rewarding career opportunity that allows us to improve the daily lives of all of our clients and create employment and income for our care givers too. It is the best feeling to know we are caring for our clients the way that we would want our own family members to be looked after. 

CeX

Imran Ghafoor runs CeX Gateshead. Prior to this, he worked in a corporate management position. Cex buy, sell and exchange a range of technology and entertainment products

Why did you choose franchising?

I’ve always wanted to run my own business and quickly realized that the CeX business model would work for me. The bustling stores spoke for themselves!

How did you raise the finance?

I put together a detailed business plan with the help of CeX based on cost and turnover projections from similar, established CeX stores. Together with CeX, I confirmed that my costs and finance were in place to support my new venture, ensuring that the terms would suit my business model.

What training and support did you receive initially and ongoing?

I’ve been training and working part-time for several months now in some of our local CeX stores in the North East. The training and support from CeX has been wonderful and very helpful; I’ve been given lots of responsibility and have learned a huge amount. I can ask questions at any point and have numerous avenues of expertise and experience to draw from. With CeX’s help I’ve recruited a new team of staff prior to the store opening and the local stores have been great in supporting their training.

Has becoming a franchisee changed your life and, if so, how?

Yes, I’m going to be able to spend more time with my family, which is really important to me.

What challenges have you faced?

Opening a big retail business operation with a new team of staff involves a lot of planning. CeX have taken on the responsibility for building my new store for me, but it’s great to have been involved in the decision-making every step of the way.

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