"I commuted into London for about 20 years and just didn't want to do it any more," reveals William Pratley, on his decision to look for a new venture. "I wanted a better quality of life, I wanted to work locally and TaxAssist Accountants provided the opportunity for me to be able to do this."

The first thing that impressed William was TaxAssist Accountants' 'Discovery Day' for prospective franchisees. "They were very open and honest, happy to answer any questions and allowed me access to any of their franchisees for feedback on the opportunity," he recalls. "TaxAssist Accountants' approach let me fully understand what running the business would be like and this was key in my decision to invest."

William reports that the five-week period of training he received was perfect for setting him up in business: "Although I had been an accountant for a long time, I hadn't much experience working with small businesses. The training was perfectly tailored to focus on these types of customers - the clients I could expect to work with. The course also served to refresh my existing skills, taught me the ins-and-outs of sales and marketing and let me understand the everyday operations of the business. It was extremely comprehensive and I knew that it would help set me up for success."

Launching his business in April 2005, William reports: "I've been able to build my client base to a considerable size. TaxAssist Accountants lets you develop your business any way you want - the franchisee is fully in control. I'm currently looking for a shop-front premises, which is something that TaxAssist Accountants fully encourage. A carefully branded and visible shop-front is a great way of attracting new business and making yourself well known in the community."

Having won 'Most Successful Startup' at TaxAssist Accountants' 10th anniversary Annual Conference, William states that throughout this development he has consistently received a solid level of support. "The technical helpline is excellent and the ongoing training programme is a great aid to our professional development. There's a lot of active communication between TaxAssist Accountants and the franchisees - it is a superb network where everybody is willing to help one another. Along with my own business I now have a level of freedom that I couldn't obtain with my previous work life - I now feel fully part of my local community."