BE YOUR OWN BOSS AT LOW COST
and running with only a relatively small amount of upfront funds.
W
ant to run a business but feel it’s out of reach investment-wise? The beauty of franchising is that you can be up
Low-cost franchises are available in a number of different sectors, from coffee outlets and working with kids to creative services such as photography and more. As such, these tend to be owner-operator businesses, although many have the potential to become a
management-style franchise in the future, where you can oversee staff who will run the business for you. Either way, you don’t necessarily need big bucks to be your own boss – read on for low-cost opportunities that deliver high satisfaction for franchisees.
BARRETT & COE
Gregg Smith is the Welwyn franchisee for the photography experts Barrett & Coe. He is 42 years old, has been married for nearly 10 years to Emma and together they have a two-year-old called Harrison. Previously, Gregg was a college sports lecturer for 10 years and secondary school PE teacher for two years. Here, he describes how he revived a keen interest in photography from his teens and turned it into a living.
Why did you go down the franchise route? And why with Barrett & Coe? I liked the fact that there was continued support not only from Barrett & Coe with comprehensive training and continuous advice, but also from the network of other franchisees who you can bounce ideas off, and there is always someone you can pick the phone up to if you ever need support, be it head office or a fellow franchisee. It also worked out that my local area was available. With the diverse catchment area, it would be something that would work well and reduce my old commute time of 45 to 60 minutes each way.
What training and support did you receive initially and ongoing? I opted for the easy track method that Barrett & Coe offered at the time as it allowed me to develop my photography skills at a comfortable pace. The way the training was set up also meant that I could complete the training days at weekends when I was available and gave me time to study and complete the homework or assignments that were set, which was enjoyable. Ongoing, we all meet up on a bi-monthly basis to go over photography trends, styles of photography and new developments, as well as looking at the business and marketing side of things.
Describe a typical day... It sounds cheesy, but rarely are two
days the same and there is always something to do! If it’s not a physical photography session with clients (eg pregnancy, baby, children, family, couples, family groups) then it will be editing images, organising deliveries or marketing, both online and in person.
What challenges have you faced? Finding time to do everything! I’ve kept it small with just myself doing the majority of the work and my assistant Carol working my diary and bookings for me. I think, though, that in order to grow the business I’ll need to get someone else on board to take some of the photography workload. Also, I’m so busy in the studio that it can be a struggle to get out and make new leads and do local marketing!
Has becoming a franchisee changed your life? If so, how? Yes, definitely. I now have more flexibility with what I do and I have a direct impact and influence on my own success, which is great – especially if you’re a person that
is driven and motivated to work hard.
What is the most useful piece of advice you could give someone looking to buy their first franchise?
Do your homework. Just because it’s a franchise doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy, but you have people around you that can offer constant advice and support and help you to avoid expensive mistakes that you might otherwise make without that voice of experience behind you. That’s what the franchise gives you: experience.
What are your plans for the future of the business? To keep working hard at my photography and getting my name recognised as someone to go to if you’re looking for any form of fantastic portraiture.
Would you do it again? I’ve been with Barrett & Coe for over five years now and I renewed with them last year, so the answer is yes!
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BusinessFranchise.com | July/August 2018
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