Josh Carter, Look Local (Leeds North)

"My aim is to have two directories up and running by the end of my first year generating a combined monthly turnover of £3,000."

For former student Josh Carter, investing in the Look Local franchise has enabled him to pursue his ambition of becoming his own boss without any previous experience. Josh explains: "When I finished full-time education I wanted to follow in my dad's footsteps and run my own business. As I had no previous experience, franchising was the logical solution because I would have access to ongoing training and support.

"My dad recommended I consider the Look Local franchise because it has a low initial investment fee, minimal ongoing overheads and would enable me to use and develop my sales skills. I liked the thought of earning my own money operating a business from home, selling advertising space for the Look Local directories while having the back up and support of a franchisor, so decided to invest.

"I launched my franchise in October 2009 and business is going well. My aim is to have two directories up and running by the end of my first year generating a combined monthly income of £3,000. From there, my plan is to start employing people to work for me, so that I can focus on growing my business.

"The great thing about Look Local's training and support package is that it is tailored to suit the individual franchise owner's needs. All franchise owners have a one-day initial training session which covers how to use the Look Local system. After this, further training is available on request. I decided to have extra training because I went away for a month between the training and launch so I wanted to refresh my memory.

"Establishing my franchise is hard work but it is also a very exciting time, knowing I have complete control of my destiny. I enjoy running my own business because I can work at a time that suits me. I love the fact I do not have to work nine-to-five Monday to Friday and if I like, I can take a day off mid-week and catch up with my work later on that evening."