Today, we’re shining the spotlight on Kahla Marsden, who recently stepped into full ownership of NIC Local Wrexham.

After several years spent supporting her father, Chris Marsden, who built the business, Kahla is now leading the franchise with renewed ambition, energy, and a deep-rooted commitment to quality and growth.

“I thought it was temporary – now I can’t imagine doing anything else”

My journey with NIC Local wasn’t exactly planned. My Dad had been building the franchise for many years, and when a supervisor left, I stepped in to help out for a couple of weeks.

But that was three-and-a-half years ago! So what was supposed to be a temporary thing has now turned into a full career, but I absolutely love it.

From local contracts to national events

Since I first joined, we’ve secured some amazing contracts.

One of the most exciting was the cleaning contract for Wrexham AFC, which also led to us handling the Kings of Leon festival at the Racecourse Ground. That experience opened doors to even more events, including festivals in Chepstow and even soft play cleaning across London, Gloucestershire and Dudley.

It’s been an incredible ride, and we’ve stayed busy ever since.

Shifting my focus from working in the business to on the business

One of the biggest mindset shifts I’ve had to make is to stop spending too much time working in the business.

Now, as the sole franchisee, it’s all about marketing and building the business up. That’s so important for success for every NIC Local owner.

I also make time to attend local networking groups, which has been great for generating leads and building new relationships.

Building the business one day at a time

Right now, we’re in a stage of focusing on growth, and I have a hand in everything.

We’re a family business by history, and my Mum still occasionally assists on the admin side of things. This frees me up to focus on sales, marketing, and visiting prospective clients.

On an average day, I’m working on getting our business out there through social media, visiting target clients onsite, being on the phone with existing clients, and producing new marketing materials – so my day can change on a daily basis.

No two days are ever the same, because things are happening all the time. But the work and focus is going into building the business as big as we possibly can.

Why every new client gets a personal visit

When we talk to a new client, I always make sure to visit them in person. Not only does this help build the relationship and rapport when trying to win the business, but it’s essential for the success of the contract should you win it.

Clients will always tell you what they think they need, but you only see the full picture when you’re onsite. Sometimes it becomes clear that the client’s expectations and budgets won’t match up.

For example, if their sole focus is on trying to save money, it can then put a lot of strain on trying to keep the standard and the quality of the cleaning up. So having those conversations are essential to setting things up for success.

Once we’ve scoped the job properly, I stay in contact and work with my business development manager (BDM) to build the quote. From there, things usually flow pretty smoothly.

Meeting the challenges of finding the right staff

Finding great staff is the hardest part of running the business.

Yes, it might be easy to hire people to ‘do the job’, but it’s much harder to find the right person who can consistently deliver quality. You absolutely need the right people on board, otherwise you end up with constant problems which can affect the business.

That’s why I focus on recruitment so carefully – but I’m never alone in this. My BDM is always available, and the NIC Local franchise support team is fantastic. Whether it’s recruitment tools, marketing help, or operational advice, there’s always someone I can lean on when I need it.

“The most rewarding part is working with my team”

What I love most about what I do is the relationships I’ve built with my team.

When clients send in lovely feedback about their work, I get to pass it on to our colleagues and thank them. It lifts everyone’s spirits and motivates us to keep delivering great service. When we’re all working well together, and the clients are happy, it gives me a real sense of pride.

It’s always a head held high moment, because you know you’re all together as one.

Keeping the momentum going

One big lesson I’ve learned is to never take a busy period for granted.

There was a time years ago in the business when we had loads of work, and I wish we’d pushed even harder instead of sitting back.

One thing I would advise every new franchisee joining NIC Local is that you never know when things might slow down. So if it’s going well, keep your foot on the gas and stay focused on growth.

Freedom within reason: a lifestyle that works for me

One of the biggest rewards of being a NIC Local franchisee is the flexibility it provides me; I can choose my hours, be at home when my son finishes school, but still run a growing business.

I’m not chained to a desk until 6pm every day. I can be out visiting clients, enjoying the sunshine, and building something I’m truly passionate about. Being an NIC Local business owner means having the freedom to do things my way, with the full support of a trusted network behind me.

I genuinely love what I do. It’s hard work, but it’s mine. And I wouldn’t change it for anything.
 
Don’t miss the rest of our A Day in the Life series:

• Head of Franchise Recruitment – Phil Harrison
• Administrator – Janet Grimston
• Finance Business Partner – Nick Costello
• General Manager – Jo Lock

Want to be the next success story?

If you’re ready to take control of your future and explore the exciting opportunities within the lucrative commercial cleaning sector, we’d love to hear from you!

Get in touch with our franchise recruitment team today to receive your franchise prospectus and start your journey with NIC Local.

Your success story starts here. Let’s make it happen together!