WI LK IN S CHIMNEY SWEE P
STEPHEN JONES Stephen Jones lives in Pontlliw, near Swansea. He runs the Swansea and Gower territory
What did you do before franchising and what prompted you to make the change? I’d been in fast food retail for 30 years, more recently running restaurants as a business manager and previously as a regional trainer for the South looking after apprenticeships. I began asking: “What’s next for me?” I wanted to do something different using the skills I’ve learned over the years. I wanted to work for myself, to have more control, make the decisions and be a problem solver – all the things I’d done for many years, but for myself. I also wanted to do something more physical, to be
active and not spend too much time with my head in a laptop. I wanted to meet people, too. My previous career was rigid and demanding. Now, I’ve got flexibility. Of course, the business comes first but I’m in control of the decisions.
How did you find out about franchising and what attracted you to Wilkins Chimney Sweep? John Baldacchino, Wilkins franchisee in West Cheshire, came to stay with me while we were doing the Swansea half marathon. He pulled up in a van with Wilkins Chimney Sweep on it. I hadn’t spoken to him in detail for over 20 years, so he told me his story – turns out, he’d also come out of hospitality to start his business! He told me about the franchise and I thought it sounded
amazing. I also liked that it had a low start-up cost – it’s really just the van, equipment and a few other things, no premises, no stock or anything like that. And you start up on your own, without staff. In my last restaurant I had 120 staff and 12 managers, so it’s quite a change!
What are the benefits of operating a van-based franchise?
Don’t get me wrong, you don’t wake up one morning and think: ‘I’m going to be a chimney sweep!’ But I could see that it’s about the freedom, and that’s what I was looking for – freedom of lifestyle, control of your appointments, meeting lots of people and running your own business.
What are your plans for the future? Knowing my area very well, I can see that it’s a big region to cover by myself as I grow. I’ve looked at the other franchisees and they’re growing quickly in similar areas, so I don’t need to be a mathematician to see that I’ll be capping my business if I don’t have plans in mind to have someone join me in the future.
S TUMPBUSTERS SPECIAL FEATURE
DAVID WESTERMAN David Westerman runs the Manchester territory of StumpBusters. He has been a franchisee for more than 20 years
What are the best things about the franchise? The business has grown every year and I’ve added more vehicles and staff to my team as I’ve grown. I’ve stayed in the business so long because stump busting is profitable and very low stress! It’s a fun way to earn a living. The range of machinery we have is great; we
can rip through a lot of stumps in a couple of days, which impresses customers and makes me good money.
Describe a typical day… I’m in total control of what I do on a daily basis. I can decide when I want to go out, I can work weekends if I want to and not if I don’t. It’s a great business from the point of view
of choosing what you want to do – you can be as busy as you want to be. You can always find companies to approach, do more marketing, and make yourself as busy as you decide.
What training and support is available ongoing? It’s a really helpful network of franchisees and the franchisor’s support is great. There’s always someone to give you advice, talk through any challenges on the job and so on. Whether it’s questions on the machinery or on marketing and how to promote your business, there’s always someone you can ring – other franchisees or the head office team. That’s a great comfort. The thing that’s also attractive is how proven the business is. It’s been established for over 20 years. It works.
What are the benefits of operating a van-based franchise? You can start making money from your business virtually from day one. During your training period there will be mailshots, leaflets and other marketing that will bring in work straight away. If you’re ambitious to run your own business and have a strong desire to succeed, StumpBusters is a great option. I’m proof of how good the business opportunity is, or I wouldn’t still be here after all this time. l
BUSINESSFRANCHISE.COM 75
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