No Letting Go Franchisee Success Stories
Last updated: 28-March-2024
Meet Joanne Wilsdon, a No Letting Go franchisee, navigating growth, challenges, and success -
Joanne Wilsdon, a No Letting Go franchisee since 2018, entered the network by purchasing her initial territory in Mid Suffolk, captivated by the brand and Head Office's training. Successfully establishing a core group of local clients and combining it with national account work, she achieved consistent growth, prompting the acquisition of two additional territories: Cambridge and Norwich. Reflecting on her success, Joanne proudly states, "Continued growth allowed me to increase my revenue by a further £145,000 in 2022, which I’m really proud of!”
Recruiting the best clerks for her territory is, in Joanne’s words, “My biggest challenge, and I’m still experimenting with the best way to do this in my area.” but, she continues, “Head Office has been a great help in this sense. They have sourced a great clerk for me in Cambridge, and I now need to match this in Mid-Suffolk”.
Joanne's sales tip revolves around consistency, regularly connecting with agents, and using Mailchimp for monthly communications, yielding valuable leads.
Looking ahead, her plans involve recruiting another clerk, expanding her marketing database, and strengthening client relationships in both territories.
Joanne's journey encapsulates No Letting Go's success, marked by growth, adaptability, and strategic sales and marketing efforts.
Rob Smy shares his first year's insight as an owner of No Letting Go Kings Lynn -
After a successful career in property and sales, Rob Smy went it alone and set up his own business in Peterborough. Eventually, Rob went on to sell this as a successful going concern. Three years later he decided to start a business again, but knowing how tough it was to start a business from scratch on your own, franchising was an appealing option.
Finding a property services business with a great track record and low overheads was the perfect fit, so after a series of meetings Rob purchased No Letting Go Kings Lynn.
The franchisors view of Rob
Justine Tomlinson, Head of Operations comments “Right from the start we knew that Rob was a fantastic match for No Letting Go. Rob had great vision of how he saw the business working in his location with customer service and attention to detail at the heart of what he wanted to provide clients. Rob is a real self starter with the ability to forge relationships with clients, tenants and staff”.
Gaining Clients
Rob shares his insights on obtaining his first clients “the best way is simply by visiting agents, establishing how their business process works and requesting to keep in touch. Bit by bit the requests started to come in. Once an agent likes the quality of your work and knows you are reliable, then the quantity of work soon builds. The good aspect about the business is it’s a repeat business model, so you don’t need lots of new clients, so can then focus on service delivery.”
Rob also made full use of the marketing assets provided by head office and has built good online presence for the service which also delivers leads.
Building a Team
The training department assisted Rob to build a skilled team to produce high quality reports. Rob comments “The support and expertise from the head office team has been invaluable in getting the business started, and enabled me to take on more work by growing a team of great staff”.
Advice for new franchisees
Rob provides his top tips for a potential franchisee looking to start a business:-
- Don’t expect immediate results, so be resilient and stick to your plan
- Always agree to keep in touch once you have seen a potential client
- Touch points are important, so use the marketing resources provided by head office
- When given the opportunity to show a client why they should use you, do whatever it takes to over deliver
Future Growth
Rob continues “ I am very pleased to have hit my first years’ financial target having established a group of clients. I am proud to have built a small skilled team and put myself in a great position to double my income over the next 12 month period. The lettings market is always busy with continued demand, so it is a great industry to be working in”.
From customer to franchise owner -
Garry Lockwood set up his franchise in 2015, and a year later won the No Letting Go Newcomer of The Year Award. Following a long career in PR and then redundancy in his early 50’s, Garry wanted a change of lifestyle. Garry comments “Travelling abroad and spending a lot of time in hotels can sound glamourous, but it is also exhausting and I was ready for a change”.
As Garry was already a landlord, he had used No Letting Go for an inventory. He was so impressed with the service and level of detail he found within the report, he searched for more details on the company and realised it was a franchise operation. As part of his research into the company, he also looked at a number of competitors and spoke to letting agents. Garry explains “No Letting Go seemed the most national joined up company with good technology. I could see how the lettings market was going, and bigger players were looking to buy the smaller independent agents, and that being part of a bigger organisation, that could win contracts from national customers was the way forward”.
Once Garry felt he was delivering a consistent and reliable service to a number of local agents, he began looking at the next stage of growing the business. As his reputation started to establish in his local area, it was important that he did not turn work down, and so he set about recruiting 2 additional clerks. Taking on additional staff provided the additional capacity to take on more work, and Garry has now purchased an additional neighbouring area.
“No two days are the same, it’s a really good combination of office based and people based work. I have always enjoyed getting out and meeting people, and delivering excellent customer service, so this business is perfect for me”.
A love for property led to No Letting Go -
- Name: Simon and Julie Baggott
- Location: Kettering
- Franchise: No Letting Go
- Date launched the franchise: April 2020
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and what you were doing prior to buying your No Letting Go franchise business?
Julie has enjoyed a long career within the health industry working within management and operations, gaining a depth of experience in resource management.
Simon has a background in software sales and has worked internationally connecting with clients and providing a solution-based service. Before embarking on the franchise journey, we ventured into property development and after thoroughly enjoying this we wanted to building a business centred around property.
Can you also tell us about No Letting Go?
We were looking for a services business and were particularly attracted to No Letting Go as it was centred around property. After exploring a number of territories we purchased Kettering with the aim to extend in the future.
Why did you go down the franchise route? What made you choose the property inventory industry? And why No Letting Go?
We looked at franchising over 20 years ago and it has been at the back of my mind for some time, but with a secure career it was not the right time. However, I always had that aspiration of being my own boss and the flexibility that comes with it, and of course an income directly linked to my efforts. Franchising takes away the uncertainty of running your own business as there is system in place that help you grow your business and a proven track record. These systems would take years to build, and the franchise takes away these worries.
No Letting Go also provide national work, which has assisted us to become established within our territory. Running a business is hard work and requires you to be multi-disciplined, but the support network a franchise provides was an intrinsic part of our decision process.
My advice is choose something you’re interested in because then you will enjoy it. No Letting Go was a great fit for us as we can work on our own and set our own agenda.
How did you raise the finance?
No Letting Go is a lower cost franchise as premises and stock are not required, so we were able to self-funded our franchise.
What training and support did you receive initially and ongoing?
As we opened our franchise the pandemic was starting, so we had a training week at Head Office and then one day on live jobs with our trainer Debbie. Due to the lockdown and advice not to travel at the time, we received ongoing virtual training via zoom and network support via the offices. There is a massive benefit of being part of a company that has got good systems and a team that’s adaptable!
How would you describe your day-to-day role as a franchisee?
Within the first year we did everything – you wear many hats! Now our roles have changed. Julie’s role is now looking after admin and Simon’s role is focused on growing the business. I enjoy marketing and selling, and I love getting to meet agents and finding out how I can really assist their businesses. Whilst I still undertake a lot of the work, I am gradually building up a team and passing work out to them. This enables me to focus on growth, training and service delivery.
What challenges have you faced and what are your key successes to date?
We were thrown in at the deep end with property visits as many estate agents needed help with them and we had to make sure we could fit in the workload while building the business, and conducting the work as efficiently as possible. Another challenge was recruiting the right staff and making sure they were the right fit for the business. Head Office issued industry specific rules and guidance during the pandemic, so we were able to continue working whilst ensuring staff, tenants and landlords were kept safe.
Has becoming a franchisee changed your life, if so, how?
It has made me more focused, ive become a great problem solver and it certainly keeps me busy! I have really enjoyed my journey so far and im really excited to see what we can achieve over the next 2 years. Starting a business is seldom a part time pursuit and I really have committed my time, energy and focus. I anticipate over the next couple of years I will gradually be spending most of my time on managing the business, rather than working in it, as this is the only way to achieve our ambitious growth plans without reaching the point of saturation.
How do you achieve a work-life balance?
By making sure we utilise the calendar system within the software and having great time management. Recruiting assessors also allows you to spend more time building the business, and reach more clients.
If you have staff, how do you retain your best staff and keep morale high and productive; how do you incentivise your staff and recognise success?
By treating them with respect and not overloading them with work. Ensuring that we provide really good training from the start and keeping them in the loop with their work as things can change last minute. It’s also important to provide that ongoing support and encourage them to ask for help as issues arise. We have found providing a clear contract builds that understanding from the start with the option to grow their role if they wish too. Retaining staff is about understanding what they want from the job, and offering to develop their role is really appealing if they have that appetite.
What is the most invaluable piece of advice you could give someone looking to buy their first franchise?
Make sure that you do your research to make sure you are selecting the correct franchise and you suit that business. Don’t think that a franchise is an easy option and the work is just going to flow in. Its hard work and you wear many hats – if you don’t have clients then its your job to go and find them. The franchise system provides the tools, but you have to apply them, so you really do need that drive and ambition, that successful business owners have.
In your opinion, what makes a successful franchisee?
A successful franchise is one with a great reputation achieved through following the core values and system. Tenacity and determination to build clients will enable your business to start generating a good income, but you must keep focused on the wider business. It’s so easy to get swept up in the day to day workload, but to be really successful you must grow a team around you and work on your growth and strategy.
What are your plans for the future?
To grow the business with a team of assessors doing the work. We love the fact we can build the franchise and then live off the income.
If you had to do it all again, what would you do differently?
We would get an accountant from the start and spend more time with franchisees shadowing them.
No Letting Go is perfect fit for Nigel -
A successful career in retail enabled Nigel to live and work in Sweden and travel all over the world in his role within Finance Business Partnering for IKEA.
Nigel was considering his next career path and had been browsing the franchising world for 5 or 6 years, with the ambition to work for himself. (and prove that he can build a business and leave the corporate world behind.) Nigel says “I explored a number of franchises within a range of sectors before selecting No Letting Go. Excellent customer service is a real passion, and in a service led industry it really does make a difference to the success of a business. After meeting the Head Office team, I really felt their partnership approach was a good fit for me”.
The journey with No Letting Go
“Having bought my first territory towards the end of 2019, within 3 months I felt very confident about my training and ability to deliver good service. Despite the pandemic hitting in 2020, I was able to bring on new clients and achieve good consistent growth throughout the year” explains Nigel. A neighbouring territory became available and Nigel decided it was a good time to purchase this in 2021.
How the franchise supports new franchisees
Many enterperneurs look at the franchise option, so they can build a business of their own but want the back up that a franchise can provide. Nigel provides an overview of his experience so far “In addition to supplementary training and guidance through my journey, the Head Office team are also very proactive in building client relationships. The success of my business has been down to the local clients I have developed, but it is difficult to get a foothold with larger national clients, and this is where the franchisor has really assisted”.
Interview with Charles Trevor of No Letting Go, West Berkshire - 22-December-2014
Franchisee: Charles Trevor Roper
Territory: West Berkshire
Franchise: No Letting Go
Why did you go down the franchise route? And why did you choose a No Letting Go franchise?
When I came to franchising two years ago it was quite a departure from my previous career experience. I had spent a career in the hospitality sector owning and running a nightclub, restaurants and finally a country house hotel. My last role involved providing management consultancy and training to other businesses in that sector.
Once we had decided to relocate I gradually wound up my training contracts and started to explore other business opportunities. I looked at a number of online businesses and I liked the idea of the freedom that technology provides through remote working. Additionally, the concept of a franchise appealed; being able to hit the ground running with a proven business model and I was excited by No Letting Go’s inventory management service. It is technology focused and I would be developing a business in a thriving sector.
I liked the potential that the No Letting Go franchise presented. It appealed to me that I would grow it and that over time I would step back from the delivery of the service into a management role focusing on running the business.
What training and support did you receive initially and ongoing?
As a new franchisee I received an initial four days training at head office, followed up with phone support as I was learning the ropes. Since then I have had training on the tablet and a day’s training for the MAPIP exam.
I also attended a standard training day for clerks, which head office runs regularly. More important perhaps is the fact that you can contact people in Head Office for advice at any time, get a quick response, and if necessary a support visit to your territory.
What is a typical day for you as a franchisee?
During a typical day on waking I will check my emails and diary, and prepare job sheets and maps for my day’s work. I will also check if any jobs have been exported by clerks and need sending on to clients.
I will then have breakfast, shower and get dressed for the day. I check I have everything in my trusty bag, from tablet, diary and phone.
Covering West Berkshire some days I will have more time spent in the car, than in houses. I drive about 1,500 miles a month. I try to get back to the office by 5.00pm, and spend another hour or so finishing and exporting my reports, dealing with any bookings I have taken while out, and checking the reports from my clerks.
Early in the week I try to manage a clear day to do accounts, credit control and look ahead to ensure that we have all the information we need for the coming week to 10 days.
What challenges have you faced?
As with any business you start out providing the service yourself because it is, after all, just you. For the first nine months business was gradual. It takes time to persuade an Agent to change his or her existing supplier; the majority (if not all) have existing providers and if they have an inventory management service that is not causing them any problems why change? So this was my challenge. My love of people and communication has stood me in good stead and I embarked on visiting every agent in a 50 mile radius to establish and build relationships face to face.
Over the last 12 months I have steadily grown the client base so that we are now carrying out around 50 inventories each month and work with a number of major clients with large portfolios. I am now supported by three inventory clerks who deliver the service, with the recruitment of two further clerks in the pipeline
What advice would you give to someone thinking of buying their first franchise?
For anyone considering a franchise business I would suggest that before you start, decide on what you want out of the franchise. Ask yourself ‘why are you looking at franchises at all’? List your priorities in terms of money, lifestyle, workload, type of business etc., and use this checklist when you look at any franchise, and make sure that the franchise in question meets your requirements. Once you start looking you will be inundated with information from franchisors, and you will need to keep your head above water and quickly reject those that do not meet your criteria.
What are your plans for the future?
My personal vision for the future is to continue growing the business to a £100k + turnover and to run the business with some flexibility to travel. I think I must be doing things pretty well as I’m pleased to have been selected as finalist in this year’s bfa HSBC Franchisee of the Year Awards in the category ‘Olderpreneur’."
Be your own Boss with No Letting Go franchise - 12-April-2010
No Letting Go of a Northern Success - 20-May-2008
At the tender age of 27 Jamie Reddihough is already no stranger to running his own business, having successfully founded a property development company upon graduating from university.
Jamie attended the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester to study Property, Agency and Surveying, and his original career aspirations were to become an estate agent, although he then went on to switch his attention to establishing a career in surveying. However, three years down the line after he had completed his studies, Jamie began to consider another career option. Since both of Jamie’s parents are self-employed, (father is a farmer, mother is a landscape gardener), the decision to go it alone represented a completely natural choice for this young entrepreneur. So, enticed by popular TV programmes such as “Location, Location” and having sourced the required financial funding, he set up a business based on buying, selling and renting out properties.
If Jamie’s dreams go to plan, at the age of 30 he will be the proud owner of three successful inventory management businesses – so it seems TV presenters Kirsty Allsopp and Phil Spencer have a lot to answer for!