Posted:24-October-2025
Going for Growth and New Horizons
Four years on from launching Revive! Slough, owner Kyle Thorburn is way ahead of his original five year plan and already working on the next stage of his business growth.
In the past year alone, he’s bought the neighbouring territory of Wokingham, doubled the size of his vehicle fleet, moved to a larger house and welcomed his son to the family firm as a technician.
For Kyle, the highlight of his Revive! journey so far has been buying the new territory. The previous owner was nearing the end of his contract so Kyle seized the opportunity with both hands. “There was an untapped market there so I jumped in and bought it. When an opportunity arises you never say no, always say yes and figure it out later! Since we took over Wokingham our monthly turnover has doubled. It is a goldmine just waiting to be mined.”
He took on two more technicians and added two more vans to make sure he can comfortably meet the heavy retail demand he’s enjoying from the Wokingham area which includes Bracknell, Ascot, Sunningdale, Farnborough and Yateley. A fifth van is there for when Kyle needs to step in or one of the other vans is off the road for repair.
Business growth has been steady and planned averaging at least three or four record months each year. Explained Kyle: “We’re just steady Eddy, it’s more like a marathon than a sprint. We build up gradually so we do things properly rather than rush and get it wrong. When it comes to customer service the key is to do it right first time.”
No strangers to the franchise business model, Kyle and his wife Joanne ran a thriving travel franchise in South Africa before re-locating to the UK with their family in 2013. Joanne set up a Travel Counsellor franchise and Kyle worked as a regional sales manager for waste management company, BIFFA. Covid struck and as a result Kyle was furloughed and then made redundant giving him both the finance and opportunity to join the Revive! network.
And Revive! hasn’t disappointed. “As with any good franchise you have a great sense of security in your business. You know you are not alone and when help is needed it is available and trusted. It’s all about partnership and for me it’s a very happy one.”
As a result of his impressive business growth and ambition, Revive! has invited Kyle to join the exclusive Executive Leadership Programme (ELP), a MBA style initiative run by Revive!’s franchise growth team designed to motivate its star network achievers to reach even higher. “The ongoing training for franchisees is always good, either for learning new things or remembering things we have forgotten to put into practice, so I’m delighted to be joining the ELP, “ he said, “I think it will really help me. You can never stop learning and being challenged.”
Looking to the future, Kyle’s new five-year plan includes buying a workshop unit to widen the scope of work he can take on and boost the eventual value of the business. But for the next twelve months he’ll be focusing on consolidation. “I want to get those new guys really bedded in then look at adding another van and another tech to keep on expanding. The more we expand the more money we make and the quicker we’ll get that unit.”
A self-confessed workaholic, launching his own business may not have reduced his workload, but it has given him peace of mind. Kyle explained: “The main thing is being in control of my own destiny.”
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