James Holliday, NBC Bird and Pest Solution

By investing in NBC Bird and Pest Solutions, franchise owner James Holliday has been able to combine operating a profitable, recession-proof business with his interest in birds of prey.

"The onset of the recession forced me to close my sports car dealership as sales had dropped," recalls James. "I wanted to continue working for myself - but did not want to start another business from scratch so investing in a franchise made sense. I liked the thought of using an established brand name and business model and having access to ongoing support and training.

"I have had a keen interest in birds of prey for many years. I first heard about NBC Bird & Pest Solutions on the International Bird Register website and thought it sounded ideal because I would be working within a recession-proof market. I arranged to visit head office and shadow an existing franchise owner so that I could experience first hand what the job entailed.

"I was very impressed with the head office setup and the systems in place. After shadowing the franchise owner I knew it was the right franchise for me and decided to invest. Following a comprehensive four-week training course, I launched my South London based franchise in February 2009.

"Training involved a two-week course where I learned falconry and the other techniques used to deter birds and attending head office for an additional two weeks, where I was taught the systems and other forms of pest control.

"Support from NBC is ongoing. When I launched, a member of the head office team visited and helped me with my first few jobs and since then, help is only a phone call away from other franchise owners or head office. Another benefit of the support package is that if the volume of work within your territory is more than you can manage on your own you are able to employ an experienced member of the NBC team to help you. I have employed an experienced falconer from NBC to work alongside me.

"Business is going well I am on target for my first year and plan to continue building contracts in my second. I would also like to take on more staff. The great thing about being part of a franchise network is that if you have any problems you are never on your own!"