SPECIALFEATURE
Cynneth Bonanos
Once I have established the business I will employ someone to run it for me so that I can take a step back and work a little less in the business and pursue other interests. I’d like the business to be self-sustaining but you have to get the right people in. The business is like my baby so it’s got to be someone I trust looking after it!”
Simon Cowie, Mail Boxes Etc. chairman, says:
Stratford Upon Avon. He was 26 years old when he launched his business.
C “My background was originally in
architectural technology but I couldn’t find a job in that industry, so I started working with Mail Boxes Etc. in Cheltenham. My initial intention was to see if I could get back into the architectural industry but it was difficult and I wanted to keep progressing my career. I spoke to my brother, who’s now a silent partner in the business, and we decided to invest in our own Mail Boxes Etc. (MBE) store. Being an employee in a MBE store before was a definite advantage to me. Most MBE stores are small businesses, which means you work very closely with the owner, and I learnt a lot from the MBE Cheltenham owner in terms of marketing and the services on offer. The prospect of being self-employed was extremely exciting to me. I liked the idea of
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“The prospect of being self-employed was extremely exciting to me”
The business is always changing so there’s always a new challenge. It can be stressful and difficult at times but that’s the same in any business! At the moment, the business is only two years old so we’re still trying to build a reputation and get our name out there. We’re growing at a steady pace; so far we’ve grown year on year and hope to continue that way!
ynneth Bonanos owns a Mail Boxes Etc. franchise in
running my own business and being able to take it in the direction I want. The team at MBE head office are there to help you with anything you need. I’ve had a huge amount of help from them but there’s also been a lot that I’ve had to learn by myself. MBE nudge you to take care of many elements of the business for yourself so they haven’t been spoon-feeding me in that respect.
“Although Cynneth had no previous background in running a business, he had worked in a MBE store so had a good overview of how the business and the various different products and services worked. We knew that someone who wanted to push themselves forward would be an ideal candidate for a franchisee. We have been impressed with the way that Cynneth has contributed not only to his own business but to the MBE network as a whole. Cynneth is constantly thinking of ways to innovate and will even be launching his own new service this year – the ‘Click & Collect’ service has been introduced to keep up with the growing online shopping market and to help Cynneth stay ahead of the competition in his local area. Young people with the right attributes and attitude make great franchisees. We have a number of franchisees who, like Cynneth, were employees at a MBE store and decided to progress their careers with us. Many young people struggle to find a job in the current economic climate and do not have the funds or support available to help them set up their own businesses. Franchising offers a support structure and, with banks providing up to 70 per cent of the funding, it is a great way to get into business from an early age. The average age of franchisees is 47 but
we’re seeing more and more 20-30 years olds enter the industry to start building their own businesses. Cynneth is just one example of a successful young franchisee but there are so many more within the franchise sector who have proved themselves more than worthy of running their own businesses.” n
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