Many people dream of running their own business, but are often not in a position to generate the kind of time and capital needed to get a new business idea off the ground. A lot of planning and organisation goes into starting a new business venture and this can be overwhelming for anyone.
Running a franchise business offers the possibility of being your own boss without the risks of stepping out on your own, and yet budding entrepreneurs often feel that they are not a suitable candidate for this kind of opportunity. There is the underlying assumption that franchisors are looking for people with a wealth of experience in the franchise industry and, without this, they have nothing to contribute. In fact, they have a lot to offer.
Here at Franchise Direct, we have seen many people enter the franchise business with little or no experience of it at all. These people are drawn to the variety of franchises on offer: gardening, health, business, cleaning, coffee, fast food, fitness, and many more. They have an interest in their chosen sector and they’re keen to learn the tricks of the trade and improve their business acumen along the way.
Franchisors are always interested to partner with people that are passionate, motivated, willing to work hard and learn as much as they can, so experience does not necessarily have to be a barrier when looking for an exciting business opportunity.
Success in the franchise industry may not be determined by the franchisee’s experience, but it is certainly determined by the type of partnership that is formed between them and their franchisor. It is important that a shared interest in the brand exists and that both parties possess similar values.
Alison Cannon was a customer of Prima Master Dry Cleaners before deciding to join the company as a franchisee.
She states: “I already knew the Prima brand and as soon as I met the Prima team I knew I wanted to work with them. The whole support package is great quality for any franchisee, with top of the range Miele machines and the experience of the Prima team.”
The franchise is now up and running and Alison has passed her initial forecast targets. She is excited about growing her business and Prima Master Dry Cleaners could not be happier with the partnership.
“Alison is a great franchisee- she follows the Prima model exactly as set out and is reaping the rewards."
Cousins Jennie Bardrick and Lisa Cable decided a franchise opportunity in the care industry would be ideal for them, after seeing the excellent care that their grandmother, ‘Nanny Fish,’ had received in her home. At a franchise exhibition, they met with the directors of Radfield Home Care and were immediately interested in partnering with a family-run business.
Lisa says: “Throughout the process the Radfield team have always been on hand to answer any of our questions, they all have a great knowledge of the care industry with very detailed understanding of their specialist areas from Marketing, Care Management, Social Media, Compliance, Admin to Business Management. Hannah and Alex are outstanding leaders and you can tell the team are proud to work for them and the Radfield Home Care brand.”
They have started to receive client enquiries and this comes as no surprise to Radfield director Dr. Hannah MacKechnie. “With the level of success that they have managed to generate in their care services so far, we are sure their first year in business will be a roaring success!”
Alison, Jennie and Lisa are just three of the many franchisees that we have seen flourish under the guidance of a supportive franchisor. The latest franchise industry statistics look promising for new franchisees. 2015’s bfa/Natwest Franchise Survey states that an incredible 97% of franchisee-owned businesses claimed to be extremely profitable, while 56% were moderately profitable.
These healthy figures suggest that there is a lot to be gained by opening a franchise, and it is clear that experience really does not have to be a barrier for those who want to pursue a career in the franchise industry!
If franchising sounds like the perfect business opportunity for you, find out more here.