Colin Evans, Walsall

To be my own boss and run my own business has been my lifelong ambition, so I decided to leave my National Account Manager position at a printing company to invest in the Snack-in-the-box (SITB) franchise last July. Just over a year later I am on target with my business plan and have 109 vending machines operating in 105 sites in my territory.

Cadbury is a great brand and makes quality products so the fact that SITB is associated with Cadbury persuaded me to look into the franchise opportunity in more detail - I did and was impressed.

SITB offers a man in a van opportunity that can be run from home. This was ideal for me because I could work the business around my family commitments such as the morning school run. The fact that the business can be run as a one-man enterprise means I do not have to worry about employing people and can have a hands-on role ensuring the customers receive the best service, although for those that prefer a managerial role the SITB opportunity can be developed into a multiple van franchise over time.