What Franchise Magazine

This month we bring you accounts of five people from different backgrounds who were all in jobs that left them feeling unfulfilled. Today, their stories still share a similar element: now each one is running a successful franchise, having successfully made the transition from employee to franchisee. The ex-engineer, car industry worker, university graduate, finance professional and former police officer now head up thriving franchises that specialise in kitchen makeovers, children’s computer classes, fast food, fitness and commercial cleaning. Most of them didn’t have any prior experience of running their own business. They didn’t need to because when you invest in a franchise you’re provided with an extensive training programme, an established method of doing business and ongoing support designed to set you on the road to success. A favourable outcome isn’t a given when you invest in a franchise - it’s not just a case of paying your money and watching a steady procession of customers beat a path to your door. It takes hard work, dedication, resilience and, just as importantly, an ability to follow a proven way of delivering a tried and tested product or service. One of the franchisees we spoke to for the feature said that once you accept the commitment and long hours required during the start-up stages, the end result is worth it. It’s a sentiment echoed by the thousands of franchisees who have become their own boss and have no regrets about the career path they chose. I hope their stories give you the inspiration needed to invest in your own franchise business.