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INTERVIEW


Louise Harris of Wilkins Chimney Sweep is not your average


franchisor. She talks to Franchisor News about running a business in a male-dominated sector and that Dick van Dyke character


S


ince hiring a chimney sweep in 2001 who later became her husband, Louise Harris has gone on to become one of the UK’s top female franchisors. Last year, the company swept in


excess of 10,000 chimneys nationally and was awarded Best Franchisee Marketing Support at the Franchise Marketing Awards. In the same year, Louise herself was reselected for a second term as a committee member at the British Franchise Association. The roots of the Wilkins Chimney Sweep business go back to 1895, but it was only in 2010 that Louise and her partner, Peter, decided to launch the franchise opportunity. They soon gained accreditation from the British Franchise Association, and remain the only chimney sweep business to have done so. Louise describes the experience: “We looked at franchising the business as a way to expand and in 2010 decided it was the right time. We worked with franchise


consultant Clive Sawyer and launched the opportunity right at the end of 2010, taking our first franchisees in 2011. Employing people wasn’t an option – trying to employ someone remotely and manage them was just too big a task.”


The franchise model was appealing to them for another reason, too. A few years prior to putting the Wilkins business on the franchise market, Louise invested in another franchise brand and operated the business for two years, before selling. This experience, while brief in franchise terms, has given her a unique insight into life as a franchisee. Louise explains: “I understand that franchisees need to be kept keen and interested, and educated in franchising as well as their business. I also understand how important the relationship is with franchisees – that they want value for money and to be treated fairly – amongst other things. I also know how easy it is to become disillusioned with a franchisor, so I try to keep things moving!”


There are now 10 franchisees across the


country, and Peter still owns and operates the original Wilkins business in Newbury. Louise and Peter, while they operate as a team, have taken on very different roles in the business. “Although I have swept a couple of chimneys, and have absorbed a lot of technical information through osmosis, I am not a sweep,” says Louise. “I am a franchisor. I love the promotion, back office and running of the business. Peter is more focused on the delivery. Our styles are different and both critical and valuable to our franchisees. It’s about balance and working to your strengths.”


“I understand that franchisees need to be kept keen and interested, and I know how easy it is to become disillusioned with a franchisor”


Franchisee Nick Menege


Louise has been keenly involved with Encouraging Women Into Franchising (EWIF), an organisation dedicated to supporting women looking to enter the industry, be that through investing in a franchise or franchising their own business. Louise describes becoming a part of the group: “Clive Sawyer started EWIF when we were his clients. Once we’d launched the franchise he invited us to a meeting. I really enjoyed the networking and concept of doing something to help other women see that this industry is open to them. After a couple of years, Clive stood down as chairman and I formed a co-chair partnership with Louise Bruce of BigRedBox PR. We drove some


Franchisor News | 35


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