JULY/AUGUST 2014


SureCare to launch UK’s first micro franchises


who have left the armed services. The micro franchise model is in line with the decision of some of the biggest supermarkets to increase the number of smaller stores they are opening in towns to better meet the needs of particular communities. Gary Farrer, managing director of


Chester-headquartered SureCare, said: “The launch of our micro franchises is genuinely ground-breaking. The concept allows us to provide our clients with a more localised service while at the same time creating opportunities for more people to become their own bosses. “With a number of government schemes available to help both young and older people start up in business, we are hoping our micro franchises will appeal to a wide range of budding entrepreneurs. “Each micro franchisee will have the ongoing support of an experienced head office team in Chester who are able to advise on areas such as sales, marketing, finance, HR and operations.” SureCare, which was founded in 1994, currently has 27 franchises and three branches in England. The company was traditionally a


Gary Farrer


n A leading care company is launching the UK’s first micro franchises. SureCare says its pioneering franchise model will allow more people to become franchisees, while providing more targeted services in local communities. Micro franchisees – known as SureCare Local – will be able to offer a range of unregulated services including home services such as DIY, gardening and cleaning, as well as babysitting, holiday clubs and a mobile crèche service


Comment Different franchises will have different rates


of return and, even within the same network, the return on investment (ROI) may vary. Buying a franchise is about the long-term and about producing a sustainable capital asset that you can sell in the future. So, while ROI should be considered, so should the ongoing revenue and the development of this asset. You should not seek to recover the investment in a short period of time – looking for an instant return on your


for weddings and other events. The cost of becoming a SureCare


micro franchisee will be from £7,000 covering a population of around 100,000 people. This compares to the £28,000 cost of the full SureCare franchise. SureCare believes that the micro franchises will appeal to those already working in the care or healthcare profession, but also to young people in their twenties, the retired and semi- retired, people who have recently been made redundant and those


provider of personal care and support (otherwise known as domiciliary care), but over the last 18 months has expanded into home services, child care and holiday and respite care. Gary added: “The care sector is going


through enormous change and companies such as SureCare have to respond to this challenge by looking to continually innovate and develop new services and ways to meet the needs of our communities. “We are looking forward to


recruiting our first ever SureCare Local micro franchisees and rolling out the model across the UK.”


How quickly can I expect to make my money back?


stake will only serve to create short-term financial pressures when you should be concentrating on building the business. When writing a business plan, through which you can anticipate return, you should speak to the franchisor and ask them for their own assumptions and financial predictions, as well as talking to a number of franchisees and reviewing their trading performances. This will give you a rough model from which to work. Remember – this is an ‘investment’.


Carol Stewart-Gill is the founder of Dublcheck, a management franchise that provides commercial cleaning services


10 | Businessfranchise.com | July/August 2014


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