Special Feature HomeXperts


What did you do before franchising? I have been part of a franchised business for the last 15 years.


How did you find out about franchising and about this particular franchise? I worked for a Driver Hire franchise, so I understood the philosophy behind franchising already. We discovered HomeXperts at The National Franchise Exhibition at the NEC in Birmingham.


How was the signing up process? It took some time due to personal circumstances, but HomeXperts was very accommodating and made the whole process straightforward.


What training and support did you receive, both initially and ongoing? A 10-day in-house training course was provided to get to know the basics of operating the business and how to supply the important knowledge required in order to be compliant. The ability to revisit the training is great and the ongoing training days have proven extremely worthwhile.


Sharon Westman


Sharon Westman worked for a Driver Hire franchise for 15 years as the branch manager. Her HomeXperts franchise covers Purbeck and Poole in Dorset


How has your life changed since you started running your franchise? Our HomeXperts franchise has allowed me to have a better work-life balance. It is allowing me to meet new people on a daily basis.


Does your franchise encourage women in business, and if so, in what way? Absolutely, we have set up a new business group in the area, which is supported by many independent businesswomen.


What are your plans for the future? We plan to continue to get to know people and build a name for ourselves, so that people feel confident in recommending us and our services.


How do you find being a woman in a male-dominated industry? I love it; it is what I am used to. I think as a husband-and-wife team we have the best


Home Instead Senior Care


How did you find out about franchising and this particular franchise? While I was running my consultancy business, I met with a local business bank adviser. I talked about my ultimate vision: to run a care company. I recognised there would be a considerable amount of work to establish a care business from scratch. I visited The National Franchise Exhibition and was particularly struck by the Home Instead team. They were friendly, knowledgeable and professional, and the emphasis was on quality of care.


What training and support did you receive, both initially and ongoing? Support included the franchise development lead, who worked with me on finding an office and the process of registration with the Care Quality Commission (CQC).


In addition, I was invited to the national office to undertake the owner’s training programme, which included an insight in the roles and responsibilities for myself as a new owner, my care manager and other key players in the future. Knowledge was also provided regarding the logistics of running a business, especially from a


financial and governance perspective. Since then, I have been offered other training opportunities and attended the annual conference, which is a very positive experience and endorses the values of the franchise. I felt a real thrill when we engaged our first client and this grew within the next few weeks as we recruited even more. Today, our team of key players that support the operational functions has grown, as has our client base and our team of caregivers. With that comes more opportunities to increase our profile within the local community. I have re-evaluated and refined how we operate, as well as our management structure, and continue to do this as we reach future financial milestones.


Does Home Instead Senior Care encourage women in business? Home Instead Senior Care definitely encourages women into business. I saw no evidence of a glass ceiling. I have had plenty of encouragement and have been lucky to have my experience and attributes recognised for their value within the network; recently, I have been elected to the Franchise Exchange Council.


Maria Collins


Maria Collins’ franchise covers Luton and Central Bedfordshire. Prior to this, she worked in several different roles within the NHS, including at Great Ormond Street Hospital


of both worlds, in that we can offer a male and female opinion.


Would you recommend franchising to others, especially other women? Yes, franchising provides you with a good grounding to start a business and offers you that support that you may not otherwise be able to have. It also gives you an established network of people that you can call upon for advice and ideas.


How do you find being a woman in a male-dominated industry? I do not feel that being a woman in this industry is any different than being a woman in society in general. What matters is having the passion to make a difference. Having worked in the NHS for many years, I have seen the role of women change and leadership by women is now the norm.


May 2017 | BusinessFranchise.com | 35


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