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Testimonials
Maid2Clean : Sheila Bishop - Maid2Clean
Coming up to the end of our first year MAID2CLEANING it has been amazing, must confess at times frustrating, both cleaners and clients (and computers) have annoyed, angered, astonished & flabbergasted us not forgetting the all important leafleters!!!!!!! As we are on the wrong side of 50 we have found the business both mentally stimulating and totally engrossing, but you have to hand it to Elaine you cannot improve on the system, the formula is second none, its 'oldfoolproof' in other words if we can do it, anybody can do it. We had a shaky start for various personal reasons, and have had again, just lately, but these two old diehards are hanging in there, you just watch this space.
Weedman : Will Wright
We are very proud of our pilot franchisee – Will Wright, who beat strong competition from several new American dealers, to win 2007 ”Rockie of the year” based on his success in selling Weed Man services in a new market where brand was unknown.
Minster Cleaning Services : Jonathon Wright
"I knew the industry after years of selling cleaning machinery. I was impressed by Minster’s comprehensive business model which has proved to be spot-on!
I also wanted a management franchise with the potential to build a large business and Minster’s exclusive territory just clinched it for me."
Merry Maids : Wendy Burre
As part of the worldwide ServiceMaster group, the Merry Maids franchise provides franchisee Wendy Burre with exactly the kind of support she was looking for.
In moving back to the UK from South Africa, Wendy had to decide which direction her career would take, and with two young children to look after, she needed something that would give her a good level of support and guidance. In discovering that franchising would be able to realise her ambitions, Wendy set about the task of finding the right opportunity for her.
“We spent over a year researching, attending exhibitions and doing our groundwork. In fact, we looked at all kinds of opportunities but it was Merry Maids that really stood out to me,” enthuses Wendy. “When we met the franchisors they had an extremely personable approach. I was encouraged to speak to other franchisees and this gave me a greater sense that this was an opportunity that would work for me.”
The Merry Maids concept was born in the USA over 20 years ago and puts its experience to the test by providing services to around 30,000 customers daily. Established in the UK since 1991, Merry Maids has become one of the country¹s most respected and successful domestic cleaning franchises in a rapidly growing industry.
With over 100 franchises in the UK alone, Merry Maid provide their franchisees with a real head start in the domestic cleaning market: “We received a great deal of training,” states Wendy. “Merry Maids taught me about all the aspects of setting up and running my own business.”
Wendy reports that she still receives the quality support that was so important to her when she launched her business in 2000. “Merry Maid looked after us very closely during our launch and were always there to help.” Wendy reflects. “Six years on and they are still more than willing to help should we need them. There is a very strong network between the franchisees and the franchisor that I would consider one of the best in the business.
Although we’re independent there is always close contact between the franchisees, no one is competing and we are all there for each other.”
In building her business, Wendy has noticed the benefit of repeat custom and word-of-mouth referrals that Merry Maids generates. Within two years of launching, Wendy¹s business had grown to the stage that she had a team of employees and had moved to commercial premises: “I’ve always been one to push myself and my operating territory now covers the whole of Lincolnshire,” reveals Wendy. “I’m always looking forward to how far I can take the business. There’s huge potential in the franchise.”
As an investment that Wendy says has more than paid off, since staring her business she reveals that her lifestyle has got better and better: “Were financially secure and I do a job that I enjoy and have enthusiasm for. I’d say that where I am now is exactly where I¹ve always wanted to be.”
Merry Maids : Nicky Morris
I was 36 years old when I started the franchise from scratch.(no existing one in area) I am now 40 years old now with a 10-year-old son & a husband employed as a senior manager with a local blue chip company.
My career background has been in banking, business banking, and insurance/investments sales and prior to starting the business I was a fulltime mature student for 2 years studying for a HND in Business Management.
I was looking for a business opportunity over the course of a couple of years that I felt was right for me. I was investigating all options including franchising. When I read a review of domestic cleaning franchises I knew I had hit on the right idea for me. I have moved home many times and always found it difficult to find a reliable quality cleaner and I knew many people with the same problem. This was obviously an expanding market and I knew there was a place for a more business like approach to home cleaning.
I was attracted to merry maids, as I preferred the business franchise plan rather than an agency style franchise where you deal with everyone over the phone. I was looking to build up relationships with both staff and customers. Merry maids have a proven track record around the world and are the largest domestic cleaning franchise in the U.K. Also the area that I was moving to was available to me and I had the opportunity to tailor it to ensure that I covered the geographical areas that I considered would be a good source of business.
Running a franchise means that you do not waste time learning expensive lessons the hard way but get your business up and running profitably during the first year.
Building up and running your own business is extremely rewarding but not for the fainthearted! You need to be prepared to put in all your time and effort initially. However, as you expand and become more established you not only benefit from higher levels of profit, but also some flexibility with your time, which is essential when you have children. The additional income to our household allows for private schooling for my son, which we might not have been able to afford otherwise.
I have recently received the ServiceMaster Award of Excellence from my Franchisor (one of two awards presented annually to the network). This kind of recognition does make you pause from the day-to-day whirl to note what you have achieved. My business has grown from nothing to a limited company employing 18 people in just over 4 years.
We are currently inviting all our customers to assess our standards and the feedback on my excellent staff and not only their cleaning skills, but also their courtesy and professionalism has been very rewarding to us all.
Every day I arrive at the office (in a serviced office complex) at 8.30 to ensure the maids have the worksheets, keys etc that they need for the day. This is the busiest half hour of the day getting everyone set off! The maids mainly arrive at 9 am but some come earlier to organise the cleaning kits and cloths.
If it is a day when my office manager is in, I will spend the day out on quote appointments pricing up new work. If I am the only one in the office I spend the day returning calls from the answerphone and answering telephone queries. Generally new enquiries, requests for quotations, schedule changes from existing customers.
Paperwork includes, banking, accounts, VAT return, personnel documentation, arranging marketing, Health & Safety, payroll, processing timesheets & keeping our customer cleaning computer programme up to date. Other issues arise such as recruiting new staff, issuing newsletters to customers, staff meetings, organising the Christmas party, and dropping off spare vacuums if one breaks down! The main skill required is the ability to multitask constantly.
I don’t have a proper lunchbreak but I usually leave the office at about 3.30, no later than 4.30. The day is not over then as after collecting my son from school, I need to take home all the cloths to wash and dry which goes on all evening. I occasionally carry out evening quotes and sometimes have to take the odd bit of paperwork or banking home to do.
I work Monday to Friday and do my best to keep the weekends free as the office is closed then. But when it is your own business you have to be flexible and do whatever is required.
After the initial two-week training period and a home visit my merry maids operational support manager is always a call away with any query that I have. I am also visited to check how things are going. We meet twice a year for a formal regional meeting but I meet with local franchisees in between and we often phone & email each other for help and support. We receive regular correspondence from our franchisor and there is a formal franchisee representative body to discuss issues and strategy for the merry maids network with the franchisor.
Being of a competitive nature, I plan to see my business continuing to climbs its way up our league tables – based on turnover. As well as looking to expand our customer base and increase our turnover, I am working on increasing profitability and ensuring we maintain the highest level of customer satisfaction in order to keep the customers we already have. The same applies to looking after your valuable staff. Good employees are harder to find and it is important to value them, as they are the face of your business that customers see on a regular basis.
I will finish with just a sample of the comments that our customers have made during our recent survey:
“Absolutely first rate in every way. “
“I think you are really wonderful.”
“Must compliment you on your friendly efficient girls.”
“Everywhere now sparkles.”
“We are so pleased to have the girls help and to have heard of merry maids.”
Merry Maids : Tom Jackson
"Before purchasing my Merry Maids franchise in 2004, I was a Customer Care Manager at a Rover dealer ? looking after all aspects of ensuring the customer was happy with their dealings with the dealership. Prior to that for 11 years I managed a business with a turnover in excess of ?3.5 million a year, with a team of 2 assistant managers, 3 departmental controllers, supervisors and approximately 60 staff.
"Through my previous company I had been through a management-training programme, which included attending Nottingham Trent University and completing a Post Graduate Certificate in Management.
"I bought the Merry Maids franchise because I wanted a business that gave me some back up and support if I needed it, but also allowed me to see the results and benefits for the hard work put in.
"I looked in particular at the Merry Maids franchise because I had a young son, whom because of work commitments I was spending very little quality time with. The hours that the staff work in Merry Maids allow me to have more family time too.
"I enjoy the comments from the customers when I call them after that first clean ? saying how "sparkling" and clean their homes are. I also enjoy seeing the growth in income and number of cleaning teams.
"Its hard work and sometimes you find yourself working long hours ? but then you ARE the boss... and if you want to take that afternoon off...
"I also enjoy that because it is "your" business, you control everything; how much to spend on yellow pages, pricing, who to employ, etc.
"The other benefits of running my own business are being able to work from home, getting my home cleaned (The Merry Maids way!) and seeing what I have achieved.
"The best support I get from ServiceMaster is from the other franchise owners ? not forgetting the help and support of head office support staff, but I think that the networking with other business owners is invaluable ? and not just Merry Maids, I have an excellent working relationship with my local ServiceMaster carpet cleaning business.
"Two years ago my wife joined me in the business, after spending several years with a major supermarket chain as a store Personnel Manager
"I was so pleased with my first franchise after 18 months of trading I bought my second Merry Maids area, but am now onto my 3rd!!!!
"The two best things about being a franchise owner in my opinion is the network of contact with other franchise owners and "being the brand" when you go and quote you are not just the cleaners from down the road, you are a recognised brand and something customers trust."
Merry Maids : Jill Barnett
"Before buying a Merry Maids franchise I was a credit manager and worked for various organisations. I was spending two or three days out of the office visiting clients and sorting problems. I was so fed up of the constant pressure from senior mangers over targets and more wanting more. I then decided to take some time away from work and spent about six months travelling back and forth to China where my husband was working at the time.
"Then when the reality of going back to work struck me, I realised I couldn?t go back to the rat race working for other people and always under constant pressure. Ben (my husband) and I went along to the franchise exhibition at Birmingham and met up Merry Maids.
"Merry Maids seemed an ideal franchise to me as once you were up and running you passed on a certain amount of the mundane work over to the staff. I have been working this business now for six years and employ 26 staff. I still work very hard but enjoy the fruits of my labour. I don?t have to answer to anyone, however ServiceMaster are there for me should I need advice. The beauty of Merry Maids is you can be as successful as you wish to be. I am naturally a very competitive person and set myself personal targets which keep me hungry for success.
"The Merry Maids franchise owners are a nice friendly bunch of men and ladies who all come from different backgrounds and we all have something to bring to the business. There is always someone at the end of a telephone for help or advice. My husband joined the business when we had been running for 3 years and it is something we can do together. I have to pinch myself sometimes when I think about how far we have come in a short space of time but I believe you get the benefit out of what effort you are prepared to put in.
"I could not have set this business up from nothing without the expertise and knowledge of ServiceMaster. Cleaning is a growing market in the UK and will continue to grow over the future years. I am so glad I made the decision to join this organisation and could never imagine going back to work for someone else ever again."
Garage Conversion Company : Tony and June Brewer
A brand new Garage Conversion Company franchise launched this month for the whole of the BN postcode area. The new franchisees, June and Tony Brewer, liked the product so much that they decided to buy into the company rather than retire!
Tony and June Brewer have backgrounds in Retail and Financial Services and live close to the Brighton area. With 2 children, 4 grandchildren and a recent battle with cancer, June has proven that you are never too old to start a new career.
“You can always learn something new,” says June, “every journey starts with the first step and we are really excited for our new future.” June was treated for breast cancer at Worthing Hospital last year and has since made a full recovery. Tony and June have decided to donate a proportion of their profit to a local cancer charity for every garage conversion that they sell.
The Garage Conversion Company is the UK’s No. 1 garage conversion specialist, turning dead garage space into a range of living accommodation. Conversions into dining rooms, play rooms, kitchens, bathrooms and even a home cinema or office are just some of the ways to improve on living space.
Tony and June will assist many homeowners throughout the BN area who are unable to move house in the current economic climate, yet still require a larger living space. Offering a Ten Year insurance backed Guarantee, installations by specialists’ teams of craftsmen and market-leading finance options, Tony and June believe they have a unique product.
Tony and June’s franchise launched this month with a £200 cash back offer on garages converted before the 31st of December ’08, an added bonus for homeowners in the current economic climate.
Garage conversions not only offer extra living space, but they add value to the property - an average of 10%. Taking a current house valued at £300k homeowners could be adding a minimum of £30k to that value.
The Garage Conversion Company has recently introduced a new low level entry package which costs just under £5k with huge earning potential. “Some of our individual franchisees are turning over £100k a month. Existing builders and developers would also be able to capitalise on garage conversion demand more utilise their existing team. So many people are realising that this business is well worth the investment and that this investment can be returned quickly,” comments Phil Bateman, Garage Conversion Company Managing Director.
The Garage Conversion Company business opportunity presents a win / win solution for both the home owner needing more space and the individual looking for a new career in a growing market.
Dolly Char : Marie Seddon - Warrington, Cheshire
Having recently married for the second time, I was looking for a fresh challenge & something new to do for myself. That's when I came across Dolly Char. I have not known Robin for very long, but I have found him to be a very helpful, and caring person, who makes time for everyone.
The training I received was very informative and I am now out there in the big wide world, with 6 clients to see in my first week. I would definitely say that if you are looking for a recession proof business then Dolly Char is the one for you!
Maid2Clean : Jennifer - Maid2Clean Glasgow
Im Jennifer, based in Glasgow, and starting my own Maid2Clean business is the best move I ever made. Now in my third year of trading, the business has been a great success with steady growth each month since day one. The bank reckon I am the best sole trader franchise business in the area, and they deal with literally hundreds of businesses, so I am well chuffed.
Click here for more information on Maid2Clean
Maid2Clean : Ann Lewis - Maid2Clean Cymru
For me discovering Maid2Clean came about by accident.
I was working full time, long hours (including weekends) and travelling in excess of 1000 miles per week back and fore to work. My husband and I were desperate for a cleaner so we could spend more quality time with our family. Having ploughed through the internet, and yellow pages I soon discovered there was a lack of cleaners available in our area, and more importantly the quality of service offered was poor and very expensive ! - hence, I started to look at opportunities to start my own domestic cleaning business without doing the cleaning myself of course! Having met with Mike and Elaine, I decided very quickly to take the leap.
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Maid2Clean : Peter Atkins - Maid2Clean Fylde
We met Elaine Hanrahan of Maid2Clean, and very quickly we understood that Elaine had been working her own Maid2Clean agency for over 13years she fully understood the business inside and out, (seldom do you see the franchisor working the exact same business alongside there franchisees)
This proved to me that this was a truly good solid down to earth opportunity. she went on to say that she simply saw franchising his business idea to others as a natural progression and growth of the Maid2Clean brand, she continued with his explanation of her business and how it had supported her and her family further more the business was proving to do just the same for other Maid2Clean franchisees, there was no reason why it should not do the same for us.
Linda began trading in the North Manchester area on the 5th September 05, I quickly followed and purchased Fylde coast territory and began trading October of the same year, Two years on and there can only be one question, would we do it all again today thats easy Yes we would.
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Maid2Clean : Paul Daley - Maid2Clean North Staffs
I have just completed my second year in business as a Maid2Clean Franchisee, I have now got 135 regular paying customers and by the end of my third year I expect to have over 200 customers with a turnover of around 45,000. This will pay me far in excess of what I was earning as a Senior Production Manager in the pottery industry.
Growth in my business has been maintained every single month and I see no reason why it should not continue to grow for the next few years, particularly as I shall be targeting the elderly where more and more people are requiring our services.
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Maid2Clean : Philip Watson
I always had ambition to run my own business but lacked confidence to take that important first big step. After much thought and deliberation I decided to buy a Maid2Clean franchise. It was the perfect opportunity which I could start part-time and still keep my job to pay the mortgage etc. and very affordable. Meeting Elaine for the first time gave me more confidence. They put my mind at ease and I knew I had made the right decision there and then.
After 9 months of trading I still work full-time as a postman and run the business part-time. Yet, month after month the business continues to grow. My income from Maid2Clean has just superseded that of my full-time employment. So, now my family and I can look forward to a more prosperous future, and one where I get the rewards for all the effort I make.
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Maid2Clean : Angie B - Maid2Clean North Northants
I was looking for a residual income business and scanned the internet for a franchise opportunity. As an ex-cleaner and agency worker myself I knew that this type of business would yield the income I was looking for. I telephoned them on a Saturday and on the Monday I was in the office talking to Elaine about the area I wanted to purchase.
I started to trade in January 2006, part time for the first few months but started full time in April 2006. In just over a year I have 130 paying clients and have a very nice little income coming in, a lot more than I would have working anywhere else! You can choose your hours and work as little or as much as you like but with proper care and attention you can grow your business very quickly. I work full time at my agency and it is my sole income. I have not looked back and I am glad that I took the plunge. It was a very minimal outlay and training and support is continually offered if you want to take it.
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Maid2Clean : Linda Kenyon - Maid2Clean North Manchester
I have been trading since September 05 and have steadily grown my business in that time. I work with my husband, he delivers the leaflets and I work in the office and in that time we have managed to get 72 clients and 40 cleaner. We also have 15 clients that we are outstanding so in total that gives us 87 clients in just over 12 months.
Maid2Clean is without doubt the best decision I have ever made in my life and I would like to thank Elaine for giving me this fantastic opportunity and helping me along every step of the way.
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Maid2Clean : Liz Geddis - Maid2Clean Antrim
I started Maid2Clean in May 2005. I hadn't worked for a long time and wanted something I could do from home. Maid2Clean was the perfect answer.
After a few teething problems things are going well. I built the business up slowly and now have approx. 100 clients. In the long term my husband and I plan to concentrate on my business more and develop it accordingly At the present I earn myself a good wage and am happy working part time.
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Maid2Clean : Tony Ingles - Maid2Clean (Peak)
I found the operating manual very easy to follow and Elaine was always on hand to answer any queries.
I started to get phone calls within two days of my first leaflet drop and the phone has kept ringing since. The great thing about Maid2Clean is that the service really sells itself - there's no need for stock and very little administration.
As the Maid2Clean system allows me to price extremely competitively, I find I always have a waiting list of customers. I can't recommend Maid2Clean highly enough.
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Maid2Clean : Andy & Paula - Maid2Clean Enterprises (Sheffield)
We have been Maid2Clean franchisees for 12 months now and still loving the experience. At the beginning we were extremely apprehensive about taking on a new business and was not sure quite what to expect. We were soon put at ease after meeting Elaine who put any worries to rest.
We have both been amazed by the way things have taken off in our area even though Sheffield has a large number of cleaning agencies already. We are able to offer customers a very competitive alternative which has been very successful. We would not hesitate in highly recommending an opportunity of purchasing a franchise from Maid2Clean to anyone and friends of ours are considering this option. All in all becoming part of the Maid2Clean group has been one of the best decisions we have ever made.
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Maid2Clean : Peter Munro - Maid2Clean Croydon
I operate a Maid2Clean Franchise in the London area. My background is in I.T. for City banks. I started 10 months ago and have around 110 paying regular clients with many more in the process of starting. In the last few days it has been hectic and I have had client requests for an extra 41 hours, which would equate to a pay rise of nearly 5,000/year. There is immense potential for growing the business and the money I will make from this will vastly outstrip the salary I had in the City whilst doing the sensible and accepted thing. Instead of catching the 7.25 commuter train to London and standing with the rest of the grey-suited hordes, I now can get up at 8.30 and saunter through to my office to start work!
While it would be easy now to say that I could have done it all by myself without Maid2Clean, in all honesty I know I could not have, as I would have become demoralised and given up and also run out of money.
The future looks exciting and I cannot wait to see the looks on the faces of my ex-colleagues when I meet them in a City pub and tell them I am earning more than them!
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Maid2Clean : Karen Hawes - Maid2Clean Northampton
Having spent 12 years bringing up children, the prospect of returning to employment was not an attractive one. Over a period of 3 months, my husband and I looked at just about every franchise available in the UK as well as a few established business that were up for sale.
We quickly concluded that the Maid2Clean proposition was right for us. The prospect of flexi bible working hours with good, residual returns and a relatively low investment was particularly attractive. 9 months later I am in charge of a successful and profitable business. I still have time to 'do lunch' with my friends while earning a respectable income. More importantly for me, my hourly rate is much higher than I could ever have hoped for in a 'proper job'!
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Maid2Clean : Graeme Pirie - Maid2Clean Walcote
I bought my franchise from Maid2Clean about 10 months ago, and launched the business 8 months ago. Like many other people, I have been in normal employment all my life, but reached the point where I had enough of working long hours for other people I wanted a better quality of life with more time for family, and I course I want the rewards of hard work for myself!
After 8 months, I now have almost 100 clients and revenue around 3000 per month. Every month grows by around 20%. Theres plenty ups and downs of course but theres a great team of franchisees who meet at the conferences and freely share their experiences with each other whenever possible.
Have I done the right thing? Without a doubt!
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Maid2Clean : Linsey Davis (Maid2Clean Milton Keynes)
After much thought I decided I wanted to purchase a cleaning franchise. Throughout the initial training everything was well covered from the basics right through to the more difficult areas of the business. The professionalism of the company is outstanding I really felt I was joining a company could be relied upon for help with all aspects of my future business. The training didnt just stop after that initial meeting it is continuous.
I think this is one of the main reasons I chose to buy a Maid2Clean franchise. It can be very scary setting up a business but knowing help is always available makes it a lot easier. As far as my own progress goes I am working hard and constantly getting new clients, I am above the expected client levels for the amount of time trading, so doing really well. I know I have a long way to go but am very happy with the progress of my business so far.
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Maid2Clean : Marion Bond - North Dorset Franchise
The ambition to run my own business has been with me since I was about 18 years old; I am now 40 and cannot understand why I have given so much time and energy working for others.
Around 4 or 5 years ago, with our household bills starting to outweigh our income and following the failure to increase our wages, my husband, Nigel, and I decided to look into starting our own business. Our criteria being - work from home with no stock holding.
A year and a half later, Nigel is working full time and supporting me, while I run the business from home. Obviously, there have been some pitfalls; the biggest one for us is the rural location of our customers and the lack of large towns in our area. This means, I have to work harder finding reliable cleaners with transport. Reliability will always be a problem when you are dealing with people, thats the nature of the job, however if you are located in a sparsely populated area think carefully about where your clients and cleaners will come from.
In summary, we are happy with the business, it grows slowly, in our case, but surely. We have no one to blame if goes wrong, but reap the profits when it goes right. We have decided not to make any hasty decisions before our 5th year anniversary, by this time we should be making a very healthy profit.
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Maid2Clean : Stewart Ferris (Maid2Clean York)
Having just turned 40 I decided it was about time to start working for myself. I had spent the best part of 15 years in the Leisure and University sectors and was tired of the daily grind. I looked at a lot of options until I found Maid2Clean. First impressions were that it was almost too good to be true. Cost, ease of setting up and simplicity of operation all appealed. After lengthy conversations with Elaine I decided that it was the way forward for me.
I started in earnest about 14 months ago and have already built a client base of nearly 100. Lessons are learnt every day, but the back up from Elaine and the other franchisees is excellent. As with any business there are hassles, but these are balanced by watching the business grow on an almost daily basis. You get out of this what you put in to it, which means it grows faster if I work harder!
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YourPlumber : Sharon Johnstone - Portsmouth
Sharon runs a YourPlumber franchise in the Portsmouth area with her partner Terry. Here is what they have to say about their journey so far:
Once wed visited YourPlumber and compared their business model to other companies, we felt convinced that we would stand a better chance of success with their professional branding and credibility of a successful business behind us. Not only that, one of the key things for us was the fact we liked the team and wanted to work with them.
As Terry was already a qualified plumber, he did not need to do the practical training but we both went on the 3 day business and marketing course. This was brilliant and we learnt so much about sales and marketing and not only how to grow our business but also getting and keeping customers. All of this has stood us in good stead and we have followed the marketing and business plan to the letter.
Every step of the way YourPlumber have been there to guide and help us from day one. Their support is ongoing and although people ask why we didnt commit to this venture on our own, we realise the business would not have grown so quickly or so profitably without them. We have just finished our first year and have turned over 190,000 against a proposed turnover of 75,000! I doubt whether there are too many one man band plumbers who can boast of such a profitable start.
Click here for more information on YourPlumber UK
Platinum Property Partner : Sarah Walker
"I had a fair amount of experience in the property field, but nothing like the knowledge within PPP, particularly on the investment front it's a completely different proposition to the residential and holiday home market. And because I like to work on a number of different projects, I simply don't have the time or inclination to worry about having to research every aspect of the property business, so the Franchise is the perfect solution and, for me, a very cost-effective way of ensuring I make the right investments and have access to the best people to advise me on an ongoing basis. Plus, I've made a lot of great new friends and some seriously inspiring mentors and colleagues."
Click here for more information on Platinum Property Partners
LawnScience : Kevin Sparks
I bought my franchise after working as a technician in the Milton Keynes franchise. I worked in the business for a full year and quickly realised the full, all year long potential of the business, and when I realised the financial rewards I wanted my own operation. I had previously worked in retail so had experience in customer contact and sales but no previous experience of horticulture or the lawn care market.
Initially starting my own business was a little scary and I would be lying if I said I didnt have any concerns, but Terry helped me work up a business plan and helped with me throughout the planning stage with no pressure on their behalf to make the final go decision before I was ready to. I particularly liked the idea of having a bespoke financial start-up package prepared for me which allowed me to start my business with minimum capital investment, other franchisors had advised me purchase equipment from the outset, which was not needed until the latter end of my first year.
The preparation period for my business launch was made easy due to the fact that I always had someone to hold my hand and help me take the difficult decisions all entrepreneurs have to make when establishing a new enterprise.
I recommend Lawnscience as a business partner and if this is the opportunity for you, I know they can make your business dream a reality.
Click here for more information on Lawnscience
The Allkare Group : Richard
My name is Richard and I have been running a building company for 15 years. I always seemed to have a struggle getting quality customers and though I felt that my work was very good I could never get this message to the right people. I came across Peter Hargreaves and in a discussion it was suggested that I buy into the Allkare brand. I had a few reservations but I went to Liverpool to meet the staff and I felt that as they were running a operation directly employing people (I think they had 30 tradesmen) it looked a successful business. I bought into the brand in June 2007 and my business was trebled to 1.3 million in my first year. I have an efficient marketing process in operation and any questions regarding accounts, staff issues, surveys and marketing I just pick up the phone and get them answered immediately. I am more than happy to speak to anyone interested in buying into the Allkare brand.
Click here for more information on Allkare
MOLLY MAID : Sandra Redmond - Wimbledon
"The MOLLY MAID operating system includes a well-defined approach to customer care. This embraces a consistent, reliable and professional service along with effective communications. But simply following a system is not enough. You need to apply flair and imagination and must give a lot of yourself to the process, balancing the human side with business considerations.
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MOLLY MAID : Andy & Lynne Crewe - Doncaster
We realized that franchising was the best route for us because we could hit the ground running and use a proven system. We chose MOLLY MAID because it is a member of the British Franchise Association has impressive branding and the MOLLY MAID Team were open and honest about our expectations when we spoke to them.
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MOLLY MAID : Lorna James and Denise Walker - Berwick on Tweed
We never feel alone says Denise You feel like you are part of the family. After the training week we started our business right away. Even though the training week was very comprehensive we had three days on-site support which was absolutely invaluable and our Business Advisor is never more than a phone call away.
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MOLLY MAID : Derek Ward - York
Im really happy with MOLLY MAID its the best thing Ive ever done. After being employed for 30 years, I wanted to work for myself but I wanted the support of a franchise and the security of a proven business. I visited various franchise exhibitions looking for a business that would match my people management skills and my experience in sales and administration. The MOLLY MAID management franchise fitted my criteria. I liked the brand and the image of the MOLLY MAID cars, and when I visited the company they came across as being very professional and, equally important, very trustworthy.
