Special Feature


How was it in the early days and how’s business so far?


As with any new business it took a little while to get things rolling, and this can be particularly the case with a business that takes a consultative, relationship- based approach to its clients. It wasn’t immediately cash-generative but that was expected and that’s also why proper business planning is essential. I am now four years in and have a very nice portfolio of clients, some of whom are household names, and it gives me a great sense of achievement to know I have made a meaningful difference to them all.


How did your former career experience help when running your franchise?


Although trading equities gave me an understanding of finance and balance sheets, it didn’t link directly to procurement, saving money and supply chain efficiencies. I was, however, used to dealing with senior board-level executives, talking their language, and presenting myself well personally. This experience gave me the confidence to make the transition from one branch to another.


What kind of training and support did you receive? There was an initial five weeks of training: three at head office and two away. By the time that was done I had a much better understanding of the ERA methodology and ethos, and even had enough knowledge to take on the simpler small procurement projects for myself, which surprised me greatly.


“Ask plenty of questions – a good franchisor will be open and honest...”


Just as in any business, training and development has to be constant, and the opportunities have always been there to do just that. What has been invaluable though is that whenever I have asked for help it has been readily available.


What do you envisage for the future with ERA?


At the moment I’m not looking beyond


building my business and continually improving the job I do for my clients. I expect to be with ERA far beyond the end of my original 10-year agreement, but I suppose it would be nice to think that the business will provide for a nice retirement sometime in the future.


Any advice for potential franchisees? Don’t buy a franchise thinking solely about the money you could earn. The early days of any business can be tough, and at that stage you have to love what you’re doing. Given time, if you’re good at what you do, the money will follow naturally. Always carry out plenty of due diligence and don’t be worried about walking away if it doesn’t feel right for you. It’s vital to have access to support once you’re out in the field, so make sure your franchisor has a good track record in that area. Ask plenty of difficult questions – a good franchisor will be open and honest with you, and find some other franchisees to ask questions of independently rather than just the ones given to you by the franchisor. Once you’ve satisfied yourself that you’ve checked all you can and your heart tells you it’s right... go for it!


Business Doctors


Graham Robson


Business Doctors is a support network dedicated to helping small- and medium-sized businesses fulfil their potential. Graham Robson is the Business Doctors franchisee for Tyne/Tees Valley


What did you do before you began your franchising journey? I ran business units across a variety of sectors, from oil and gas to engineering, maritime and recruitment. I’ve worked in publicly traded and privately held companies, from startups to businesses with £150million turnover.


How did you find out about this specific opportunity? I was searching for my next career move when I stumbled across franchising. It was not something I had ever really considered. I took some convincing and was initially very sceptical, but Business Doctors’ owners Rod Davies and Matt Levington’s absolute honesty and straight talking broke down my barriers. They didn’t try to sell to me, but told me to go away and do lots of thinking and research. They knew I would come back if I was the right fit for the business.


What support and training do Business Doctors provide? Business Doctors’ training and support package was one of the major reasons I bought a franchise. I completed my initial intensive training in two parts, with lots of time in between to think and plan. Co- franchisor Matt was there for all my firsts; he attended the first seminar I held and


accompanied me to my first client meeting. He called me every week until I found my feet. I find the support from the other Business Doctors invaluable – they are always there for me.


How was trading to start off with, and how’s it going today?


I’ve been up and running for 12 months. My plan was to self-fund for the first year, so as not to put undue pressure on myself, but I started earning after just three months and things have built from there! I love having greater flexibility and being able to work from home, which my franchise makes possible.


Any plans for the future? My next target is to reach my previous employed wage, whilst still enjoying a better work-life balance. I know this is achievable because other franchisees are already there.


Would you recommend franchising to others? Would you recommend a franchise with this brand? I wish I had bought a Business Doctors franchise 10 years ago! I would definitely recommend franchising to others but with the proviso that you really think first about your motivations. A franchise is not a meal ticket; you have to put in the work.


April 2017 | BusinessFranchise.com | 33


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84