Does anyone here run a franchise? - UK Business Labs

**Emma** · #1 (**permalink**) 30-07-2008, 09:00 PM

If so, we'd love to hear your tale. Was it wasy to get going? Expensive? Any disasters along the way?

Does anyone own a franchise? As above!

**Mat** · #2 (**permalink**) 09-08-2008, 12:18 AM

I'm also interested in hearing from franchisees about their experiences. I've always thought that if I were to venture outside my industry, I'd look to a franchise.

MattPoll · #3 (**permalink**) 26-08-2008, 02:19 PM

I haven't run a franchise myself before. But, my dad brought a Concept solutions franchise and it didn't work out. He lost over £40,000 and regrets thinking that Franchises are an 'easy' route to success.

**Emma** · #4 (**permalink**) 26-08-2008, 02:42 PM

Thanks Matt. All I hear about is people not succeeding with franchises It's a shame.

John Botting · #5 (**permalink**) 22-09-2008, 03:28 PM

I ran a mobile dog grooming franchise 7 years ago, for 2 years. I made money at it, was very busy and sold it for nearly twice I paid for it. So I was successful.

**yourlocaltrades** · #6 (**permalink**) 26-09-2008, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Botting

I ran a mobile dog grooming franchise 7 years ago, for 2 years. I made money at it, was very busy and sold it for nearly twice I paid for it. So I was successful.

Alot are successful, but i think people are very quick to mention when it has gone in the other direction!

You couldn't fail with a franchise such as subway-could you?

Dragon-Media-Group · #7 (**permalink**) 17-10-2008, 11:12 PM

My understanding is that the point of a franchise is to offer instant recognition, Costa, Dominos Pizza etc with tried and tested business practices that work and a simple supply chain.
I can never work out why people buy into 'small' franchises - for example what made you pay money for a mobile dog grooming franchise rather than just start up yourself?

promostamper · #8 (**permalink**) 22-10-2008, 10:21 PM

have just started a franchise - self inking stamps but it is not like any franchise i know as i am able to use my own domain name and my own branding hence i bought promostamper. Not sure how it will go now that the markets are down but i liked the fact that the machine can do pictures - black and white of course - on the stamps useful for photography and crafters. the website i also created myself - i just have to buy the material from the franchisers

Dragon-Media-Group · #9 (**permalink**) 22-10-2008, 11:20 PM

If you have not bought a business system and licensed a brand that isn't a franchise surely?
That sounds to me like a regular customer and supplier relationship?
What kind of market are you aiming for?

PI Guy · #10 (**permalink**) 22-10-2008, 11:29 PM

i'm hoping to franchise my biz before too long

promostamper · #11 (**permalink**) 25-10-2008, 08:08 PM

my target market is smes and crafters

**essex_courier** · #12 (**permalink**) 07-11-2008, 08:21 PM

i'm hoping to franchise my biz before too long

I can recommend a great guy who does this, if you are looking at franchising your own business out.

Send me a PM or email - Sarah@arrowlighthaulage.co.uk and I will send you the details

Sarah

**Emma** · #13 (**permalink**) 15-11-2008, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PI Guy

i'm hoping to franchise my biz before too long

Would this be a first? How many franchises are there in the security industry?

adam · #14 (**permalink**) 18-11-2008, 01:30 AM

Maybe I will franchise my ideas. Who knows. There are far too many dodgy franchise scams in vending. My general advice is to stay away from a vending franchies unless you are 100% sure.

UrsulaBarzey · #15 (**permalink**) 08-12-2008, 09:37 PM

I run a franchise business and also provide providing free counsel and relevant education for investors considering franchise business ownership.

Critical to the success of any franchisee is to choose the right system. Thus it is important to spend a lot of time up front understanding and clarifying your motivation and reasons for exploring franchise business ownership.

And during the investigation of any franchise brand, it is important to make sure that you understand how the business model works, how it needs to be executed and then whether or not what is required will take you the candidate twoards your goals and dreams.

Thus this means not only talking to the franchisor, but also talking to a number of franchisees in the system. It also means putting emotions aside and making sure that you focus on the facts.

Far too often, people make a decision -- whether positive or negative -- about a franchise brand without doing a thorough investigation.

SmilePrint · #16 (**permalink**) 17-12-2008, 11:15 AM

Hi,

I'm quite new here, very new, but I have some background in franchising.

I'm in the process of franchising part of my new business and am working hard to ensure I don't become a franchisor in the mould of the franchise I was previously involved with.

In hindsight I can see they were (and still are!) interested in selling franchises. Nothing wrong there, until you realise that they have not implemented any development in over 3 years, until you realise their development process was spearheaded by me the franchisee, until you relaise their corporate video was produced not by them but by me also. etc etc etc.

Be wary of the wolf dressed as a sheep!

Be sure if you're buying a franchise there is a model to run, not just a model to copy and if you float you float, and if you sink you sink. A model that is duplicatable without special skills (Eg sales, telesales) A marketing model that can be switched on at will, and where the marketing system does the work, not your ability to do it personally.

Sorry but thats meandering a little.

I'm currently ensuring that before we go live there is a marketing model that puts out standard results for standard inputs, so that( even dummies) who pay the fee, actually buy a SYSTEM to earn money, not a JOB.

Note the difference when you consider your next "franchise opportunity"

PeteB · #17 (**permalink**) 22-01-2009, 12:14 PM

I know a guy who has launched yellowtom in Northern Ireland. It's hard work, but a great concept for advertising small businesses.

**Mat** · #18 (**permalink**) 22-01-2009, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yourlocaltrades

Alot are successful, but i think people are very quick to mention when it has gone in the other direction!

You couldn't fail with a franchise such as subway-could you?

That's what I've always thought, but I guess it's all down to the area you operate in and the competition you're up against.

LisaTalkingTots · #19 (**permalink**) 02-03-2009, 06:05 PM

Hello ... I'm Lisa and I'm a franchisor! We franchised our business Talking Tots in September 2007 and we currently have 23 franchises throughout the UK.
Regards,
Lisa.

**FranchiseShop** · #20 (**permalink**) 16-03-2009, 12:09 AM

Hi Lisa and Sarah! (thanks for the plug Sarah

)

I run a franchise directory promoting franchises for sale and although I had no experience in this industry up until 3 years ago, I have been absorbed by it ever since.. The scams, the great opportunities, the ups the downs... Watching small franchisors grow from 2 pilot franchises to 20-60 working and profitable franchisees is just fantastic.

It is an amazing industry; so much so that we recently launched in Australia with our first franchisee and are launching in the USA in 4 weeks too, so for us it is not only great to work in but profitable also as you would hope with any business of course..

What I am not however is a franchisee, it would be great to get more people who run franchised businesses on here to talk about their good experiences. A quick search of UK business forums can bring up many of the bad experiences but so little gets documented of the majority which are happily running a profitable franchise of their own

ctsutton · #21 (**permalink**) 30-03-2009, 02:08 PM

Hi all,

I bought the Community Times Franchise for the area of Sutton,Surrey and even though it was a rocky start and alot of regret at the early stages, I've been working extremely hard to turn it around. Maybe I was naive in thinking as a franchise, it will be a smooth and easy ride to starting up but like any business, it is difficult to get established. We are now coming up to an first anniversary and with loads of help from Business link, building my own self-esteem and confidence and lots of networking events to get our business name out there to the Sutton and other nearby communities, things are starting to look alot better now. Head office provide support when needed but pretty much keep themselves to themselves if you don't contact them. It was dis-heartening at the time when it was the most sensitive for me personally, to see so many other Community Times Franchisees selling their own franchise on, or just simply giving it back after just after 1 or 2 editions. If anyone would like to know more about Community Times franchising, please do get in touch. The best information is from those already running it.

Claire at Music Bugs · #22 (**permalink**) 16-04-2009, 09:18 PM

PI Guy, hello! I know you from other forums

I think that franchising your company would be a great idea - let us know how it goes. I always fancied myself as a sleuth (I love Mme Ramotwe from No 1 Ladies Detective Agency) but would struggle to keep a straight face - would totally give the game away

How far are you down the route of franchising?

**matt.chatterley** · #23 (**permalink**) 17-04-2009, 07:49 AM

I'm involved in setting up a small local one (not related to _my_ business - helping out someone in the family) - to do with kids parties. Not much info available at the moment, but will report back as to how it goes!

PI Guy · #24 (**permalink**) 17-04-2009, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Emma

Would this be a first? How many franchises are there in the security industry?

No not a 1st. there are others.

fundingportal · #25 (**permalink**) 08-06-2009, 09:21 PM

A number of my customers are involved in major brand fast-food franchises and are very successful; however they do operate multiple outlets and work extremely hard!

One upside is that they are easier to value and sell than own-brand outlets.

On another matter, we are looking to either franchise or sell agencies in our business. Can anyone tell me what the legal differentiators are?