Sarah Richardson,
Petpals franchisee
Stockport
What I did before taking on a franchise business
I worked for a leading mail order company for 18 years, mostly as a business analysis manager. However in early 2002/03 I could see the writing on the wall with the traditional mail order business generally going down the pan, so I took voluntary redundancy.
Why I chose franchising
I knew I didn’t want to do the same thing that I have been doing previously and saw this as an opportunity to do something different. My financial adviser suggested I looked on the British Franchising Association website. That’s where I found Petpals and, as I had always loved animals, I was thrilled to see there was a franchise opportunity to do with looking after animals.
How I raised the finance
I was fortunate, my redundancy package covered the cost of buying the Petpals franchise and the van.
The training and support
I find the network of other franchisees extremely useful when it comes to asking people what they do in certain circumstances, as well as being able to bounce ideas off the other franchisees who are often in the same situation as yourself. The Petpals’ Annual General Meeting is another excellent avenue for support. It gives us the opportunity to shape the business by voting on important decisions as well as sharing knowledge with other franchisees face to face.
Challenges
To be successful you really do have to work 365 days a year to start with - there’s no getting away from it. You need to work out a strategy to deal with it, like employing staff. You come out the other side and eventually end up with a fantastic team. There are peaks and troughs but when it boils down to it, I love it!
Advice for someone thinking of buying a franchise
Petpals is a full member of the British Franchising Association (BFA) and is therefore fully vetted and monitored, so it’s worth checking that any other franchises under consideration are also members of the BFA. Franchises in general, and Petpals in particular, provide a network of support which can provide invaluable to people starting up in business.
Plans for the future
Stockport has an interesting demographic mix which, while attracting a lot of competition from similar businesses, reflects a healthy market. I want to continue to provide a consistent, reliable service to existing clients as well as steadily expanding to offer friendly and professional pet services to even more pet lovers.
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