However, with it also being such a life-changing decision, it’s natural to be apprehensive about taking the first step.

So, to help you gain a greater understanding of what to expect in the early stages, we caught up with NIC’s newest franchisee, Luke Reeves.

In the Q&A below, Luke shares the story of how he went from more traditional corporate roles to becoming an NIC business owner covering South and South West England. He also details how the support of a dedicated business development manager (BDM) has made all the difference to his experience.

If you are considering whether an NIC franchise is the best choice for you, it is essential reading.

Hi, Luke! Please can you share your career background prior to joining NIC?

Of course! My background has been quite varied, but primarily spent across hospitality, retail, and franchising.

I have been:

• An opening store manager for two well-known restaurant brands
• A store operations manager for a high street retail brand
• An owner of two restaurants, as well as a Pizza Hut franchise
• And most recently I was a Franchise Operations Manager for a well-known company operating convenience stores across the UK
  

What skills did you acquire in these roles?

In the hospitality and retail worlds, there was a strong emphasis on maintaining cleanliness and very high standards. There was also a lot of staff recruitment to be done, hiring dozens and dozens of team members and training them up to deliver quality service.

In my most recent role as Franchise Operations Manager, I worked very closely with franchisees to help them implement the systems they needed to confidently follow in order to succeed as business owners. Cultivating very effective communication and people skills was crucial for this.

Being a Pizza Hut franchisee before later working for another franchisor has also given me a really rounded view on how franchising works on both sides of the fence.
 

How did you hear about the NIC opportunity?

I went to the National Franchise Exhibition at the NEC in Birmingham and visited the NIC stand.

What was it about NIC that appealed to you?

There were many things to get excited about. But in particular, it was the size of the commercial cleaning market, the vast experience NIC had in the sector, and the fact it was a business that my wife and I could run together – giving us both the work-life balance we wanted.

I also felt it was a really great fit for the experience and skills I had developed in my career to date. 

After enquiring with us, how useful did you find the franchise discovery sessions?

I didn’t really know anything about commercial cleaning and facilities management at the start. But going through each stage opened my eyes to just how big the sector was. This gave me even more confidence that I could build a good family business with NIC.

How helpful have you found the onboarding and training process as a new franchisee?

Very helpful. Of course, in the first weeks of training you only scratch the surface of what owning a commercial cleaning business entails. It takes several months to fully understand the facilities management sector – but having a dedicated BDM by my side throughout the entire onboarding and training process has been an enormous benefit.

Can you share more about the positive impact having a dedicated BDM has had?

It’s absolutely essential – I can’t see how you could possibly succeed in the sector without having a BDM to rely on. So many questions come up at every turn during the setup and after launching the franchise, all of which need answers from an expert in the business. Thankfully, the NIC BDMs are exactly that.

What are your aspirations for the future of your NIC franchise?

To have a business that creates a dynamic that meets our family’s needs, financially supports us, grows year-on-year, and enables us to create an exit strategy which allows us to move on when the time is right. I believe NIC provides this for us.

Finally, what would you say to people who are interested in joining the NIC franchise family?

Do your research, talk to current franchisees, and be prepared to put in the time and effort at the beginning. Make a plan and always remember to keep the bigger picture in mind: things may seem foggy at the beginning, but that clears and you will have the opportunity to build a great business.

How can I become an NIC franchisee?

To find out more about establishing a life-changing NIC business, please get in touch with our franchise recruitment team via our contact page.

You will be sent our franchise opportunity prospectus and be able to ask any questions you have to help you understand whether managing a franchise in the lucrative commercial cleaning sector is right for you.
 

We look forward to hearing from you!