One year on... Mark the calendar
Duncan Smith, owner of Caremark in Kirklees, West Yorkshire, talks about the last 12 months as a franchisee
Duncan Smith (right) signing the franchise agreement with Caremark CEO, Kevin Lewis
selected; it clearly demonstrated that we had been doing the right things from the start.
Secondly, being nominated for
Caremark’s Newcomer of the Year award at the annual conference was another big surprise.
What are your plans for next year? To continue with our recruitment drive for care and support workers, as they are key to the growth of the business. This is a constant challenge as it is not possible to take on new clients without trained staff ready to work. Therefore, recruitment, and particularly staff retention, is vital to keep the business moving forward. Having been through a successful
accreditation process with Kirklees Council to work with them as a care provider, this will undoubtedly take up much of our focus. In addition, we plan to continue forging strong links with other local community-based care organisations, which we hope will bear fruit in the future.
What did you do before buying your Caremark franchise? I worked in the wine industry, selling to supermarkets and other retailers and wholesalers. I considered starting my own wine business, but decided it would not be possible to compete with the ones already established in the UK. I therefore chose to look for an alternative career path, and franchising was a very attractive option. Having researched future growth areas in the economy, I discovered an opportunity with Caremark. It had established offi ces in neighbouring areas, which gave me the confi dence to make the investment.
How have you found the past year? Being in charge of my own destiny and building an excellent team has been the most rewarding in terms of job satisfaction. I now have four members of staff in the management/offi ce team, and nearly 30 care and support workers.
This is very much a people industry and it has been great meeting and working with them all. This business depends on the dedication and professionalism of our care and support workers and I am really proud of the excellent work they do on a daily
basis. It is a job that is not always given the recognition that it deserves.
What are the benefi ts of running a Caremark franchise? The support I have had from Caremark has been excellent from the start. The initial training was thorough and very intensive, but it really needs to be to prepare you to get your business off the ground and help you understand the care industry legislation. The help and advice from my regional support manager has also been invaluable.
I feel the main advantage, however, is the fantastic support from the rest of the established Caremark network, especially the other offi ces in my region. It has been really fantastic receiving advice from successful businesspeople who have all been through the same issues I have faced in my fi rst year.
What has been your most memorable moment of the past year? Firstly, after our fi rst month of trading, we won the monthly Shooting Star award from Huddersfi eld Town FC, which recognises local businesses. I was so pleased to be
“Being nominated for Caremark’s Newcomer of the Year award at the annual conference was another big surprise”
What would you do diff erently? I don’t think it would be very much, as hindsight is a wonderful thing. Perhaps we might have tried a diff erent approach to some marketing and recruitment initiatives we utilised, but you never really know what will work best until you try them. Each franchise territory is unique and you have to fi nd the strategy that works best for you and the area. Avoid worrying about where your fi rst customer is going to come from. If you believe what you are doing is right and you put in the eff ort, then the rest will follow. You have to trust the franchise model and your own abilities – after all, that’s why you bought into it!
franchise@caremarklimited.co.uk November 2016 |
BusinessFranchise.com | 45
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