Exclusive interview with Andrew Coe, Co-Founder of Barrett & Coe
Name: Andrew Coe
Franchise: Barrett & Coe
When and why was Barrett & Coe established?
I started the franchise together with my business partner at the time, Brian Barrett, in 1995. We felt that newcomers to the profession of wedding and portrait photography needed more help in starting a photography business than was available at the time.
The Coe family have been part of the history of photography in the UK. Albert Edward Coe became Manager of the Sawyer & Bird Photography business, as it was then, at 32 London Street, Norwich, in 1863, and it continued from there. The same studio was still being used as late as 2007, making it the longest continuously operating Portrait Studio in the world.
What have been the company’s biggest achievements and successes to date?
We are currently the largest wedding and portrait photography franchise in the UK and specialise in recruiting franchisees that have no previous experience or knowledge of photography.
All our franchisees, after our training, quickly attain qualifications with the Master Photographers Association. We are able to supply 64/70% of sales a franchisee requires in their first year.
We’ve also recruited in excess of 100 independent photographic studios giving them a licence to operate as a “recommended and approved Barrett & Coe photographer”. We are the only company able to offer nationwide coverage with over 100 franchised and affiliated studios.
“This has led to contracts with Activity Superstore (Argos, Boots, Find Me A Gift.com, Morrisons, Next, Sainsbury’s and WHSmith), Wowcher, Groupon and LeisureGuard. We book in excess of 10,000 portrait appointments each year.
What challenges have you had to overcome?
Creating many unique and ground breaking promotions in order to fill the studios with portrait appointments.
To train complete novices to take stunning and creative images.
Between the years of 2008-2010, because of massive changes within the industry, to change from a wedding franchise from home, to a portrait franchise in a studio.
And then there was the Covid-19 pandemic...
How did your franchise adapt during the COVID-19 pandemic?
As a retail business, our studios closed during the pandemic lockdowns. Our head office moved to remote working when open to support clients and franchisees. The main adaptation during the pandemic was to reconfigure parts of our process to allow more time to maintain Covid safety standards upon reopening.
How did you support your franchisees during this time?
We reacted quickly to the lockdowns imposed by the pandemic. We immediately froze all costs for our franchisees, offered advice on grants and Government support available nationally and provided dedicated communications to advise clients.
Our franchisees met regularly via Zoom which meant we were able to maintain our community and support each other.
Upon approaching reopening, we were able to generate studio sessions for our franchisees so that appointments were in the diary waiting for studios to open, with Covid protocols and studio signage supplied to reassure and protect staff and customers.
Why is the franchise a great investment for potential franchisees?
A Barrett & Coe franchise offers a chance to obtain a creative and rewarding lifestyle business in a short number of months. With full training and support offered, a new franchisee will be able to open and run a professional portrait studio within 2 to 3 months. No other photography franchise is able to fill the franchisee diaries with appointments from Day 1.
Through a combination of our national contracts and our own industry-leading marketing, we can ensure that your studio is busy with photography sessions from day one. Our high-end images, products and processes also ensure that you will have excellent earnings potential.
What qualities do you look for in a franchisee? What makes a successful franchisee?
The ability to understand and learn about marketing and sales. To be able to understand that it is not the activity that can guarantee success.
Any franchise or business relies upon the determination, perseverance and dynamic energy from the franchisee in order for the business to be successful. And to believe in the business model.
What changes have you seen in your industry over recent years? And how have you adapted to them?
Social Media and facebook in particular have opened up completely new marketing opportunities and we have given over 2 -3 days per week in this area.
What does the future hold for Barrett & Coe?
We will continue expand our marketing activities for the benefit of our franchisees and licensed photographers.
What expansion plans have you got nationally and internationally?
Internationally none. Nationally, for every family in the UK to be aware of, and want to use, the Barrett & Coe Photography brand.
What advice would you give to someone considering franchising their business?
Spend a considerable amount of time and money on BFA recognised Consultants and Lawyers. There are many, many traps and pitfalls.
If you had to do it again, what would you do differently?
I would do what I do now and spend a great deal of time before accepting an application for a franchise and before acceptance insisting that they sign that the only guarantee of success comes from their own hard work, commitment and ability.
