BE THE BOSS The next step Time to become your own boss? Mario did...
Mario Renda
a franchise and helped me understand the responsibilities that come with being a business owner – things like managing the commercial side of the business – on top of the operational, day-to-day care experience I already had. It gave me a much rounder picture of what ownership actually involves.
What did you do before franchising, and what prompted the change? Before becoming a franchisee, I was the Registered Manager for the Peterborough branch of Prestige Nursing & Care, a role I'd held since October 2021. Having spent around four years as a
Registered Manager, I was already very familiar with the business, its people and its potential. Becoming a franchisee felt like a natural next step. I could see the growth potential in the Peterborough business, and I felt that my experience and knowledge of the local operation put me in a strong position.
How is business going so far? Business continues to grow steadily, which is really encouraging, especially given how early on we still are. I've worked hard to build a strong, reliable team around me, and that's made a real difference – you can't grow a homecare business on your own, it depends entirely on having the right people in place. There's still plenty to build on, but the foundations feel solid.
What was the initial training and support like? A week-long franchise training programme covered quality and compliance, running the franchise, and business development and growth, among other topics. It was a really useful introduction to the additional aspects of running
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How has the ongoing support been? There's always support available from Head Office, which is particularly valuable when you're starting out and still finding your feet as an owner rather than a manager. If I have a question or need advice, I know there's someone there to help rather than having to work it out alone. Having that support network is genuinely reassuring – you never feel like you're on your own.
“you never feel like you're on your own”
What advice would you give to anyone considering a franchise? Do your sums and make sure you have a clear understanding of exactly what's coming into the business and what's going out – don't go in with rough estimates, get the detail right from the start. I'd also strongly recommend seeking
professional advice and making sure you fully understand the financial and business commitments before taking the plunge, so there are no surprises further down the line. Most importantly, don't feel you have
to do everything alone. Make use of the support and expertise available to you – one of the real benefits of franchising, compared with starting a business entirely from scratch, is having that support network around you from day one.
What are your ambitions for the future? My main ambition is to keep growing the Peterborough business and buildon the progress we've already made so far. Looking further ahead, I'd also like to explore the possibility of expanding into other areas, all being well – it's something I'd love to look at once Peterborough is even more firmly established. For now, though, the focus is
on continuing to build a strong, successful and sustainable business in Peterborough, and making sure the foundations are right before I think too far beyond that.
prestige-nursing.co.uk/
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