Wanting more from their working life, Stephen and Andrea Bromley made a clean break from their respective careers in sales and mortgage advice last year. 'We were both disillusioned at work so we threw everything in, rented our house out and went travelling around the world for six months,' reflects Stephen. 'We didn't want to come back to what we were doing, so before we set off we secured a franchise, and therefore our future, for when we got back.'
The security of a big company was the initial attraction of franchising and lawn care service TruGreen provided the opportunity of realising their potential in running their own business. 'We always wanted to work for ourselves but never have up until now,' explains Stephen. 'At 31 and relatively young we were looking for the guidance that a franchise could provide. I've always been into horticulture and the outside lifestyle so it just made sense really - there was certainly a market for it in the area. I had a real gut feeling about it. I knew we were onto a winner.'
After a period of meetings and comprehensive training with TruGreen, the Bromleys' first day of business was in May this year and they are already seeing results in their region of East Lancashire.
'The prediction for our turnover for the first 12 months was £45,000, but we are now hoping to do approximately £65,000, if not £70,000,' Stephen explains. 'We have a five year plan and my future hopes are to have a turnover of £300,000 and maybe have three or so employees working for us.'
Stephen and Andrea can already see the benefits of becoming franchisees and would definitely recommend TruGreen to others. 'The thing is,' Stephen confirms, ' although it has taken a lot of effort and graft starting off, working for ourselves is so much more rewarding than working for somebody else.'