JOURNEY TO SUCCESS


ONE YEAR ON…


Building a new life with Minster Cleaning in Devon and Cornwall


W


hen Paul and Karen Fox made the move from South Africa’s famously picturesque Garden Route to the UK, they sought a new home that


combined similar natural beauty with a robust business opportunity. That’s why they chose to focus their search in Devon and Cornwall. “We knew the weather wouldn’t be as good but we wanted to be near the coast and have as similar a lifestyle as possible,” confi rms South Hams-based Paul. Initially the couple weren’t looking for a


franchise, having been used to running independent businesses in South Africa, but the chance to take on Minster Cleaning’s Devon and Cornwall branch caused a rethink. “At fi rst we were unsure about a franchise,”


says Paul, “but after an in-depth conversation with Minster Cleaning’s Managing Director, Mike Parker, we could see this was a great opportunity. He suggested we talk to some of the franchisees. They were all very inspiring, high-calibre people – it was clearly an organisation we wanted to be part of.” Under its previous owner,


the franchise performed consistently through a variety of economic ups and downs. The recession- resistant nature of commercial cleaning is one reason Paul and Karen had the confi dence


to invest. “We are so fortunate to have bought into a Minster Cleaning franchise,” Paul adds. “The Network Support Centre holds your hand and gives you as much support as you require. And we required a lot! They made sure we were up and running with all the right accreditations and methodologies as well as supporting us with day- to-day questions and challenges. They really are phenomenal, as well as essential.” Paul and Karen’s experience as owners of three


health clubs and a health spa in Cape Town stood them in good stead. “Our previous businesses were also in the service industry. This business is built on the same principles, just with a different service.”


“Minster Cleaning was an organisation that we wanted to be  of hey rey re henoen”


In terms of turnover, the Devon and Cornwall


franchise is one of Minster Cleaning’s smallest, which Paul sees as an exciting opportunity. “We want to push on up that table. Because we’re in a large rural territory we’re focusing our attention on hubs such as Plymouth and Exeter, and on increasing the average value of our customer contracts.” So far it’s paying off, with 25 new contracts


added in their fi rst year – an increase Paul is keen to accelerate. “The business model is so robust and scalable, the potential is almost unlimited. Of course there have been challenges, but 2024 is turning out to be a great year.” If you’re interested in developing a low-risk


business, backed by a respected brand and enjoying unrivalled support, new and existing franchise opportunities can be found on the website. For new territories, the initial start-up cost is £20,000 +VAT, covering licence fee, territory, IT equipment and training, plus a comprehensive marketing launch package. In addition, a minimum of £35,000 working capital plus personal drawings is required.


minsterfranchise.co.uk BUSINESSFRANCHISE.COM 23


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61