Investment required £9,950-£190,950 +VAT
Having worked for cereal manufacturer Kellogg’s for more than 30 years, Grant was eager to embark on a new career that would allow him to build a profitable business and obtain genuine job satisfaction.
Grant first became aware of franchising and the benefits it had to offer when his wife, Ann got involved in franchising. With very little business experience behind him, Grant knew that franchising would be the safest route for him to set up his own business.
“I wanted to see what the franchise market had to offer, so I researched a few different opportunities and found Dublcheck to be the best choice for me,” reveals Grant. “The concept of running a business was completely alien to me, so Dublcheck’s 19 years of industry experience and comprehensive training course was very appealing.”
Grant met company founder, Carol Stewart-Gill, to discuss the franchise opportunity and the range of benefits it had to offer including guaranteed turnover*, massive market potential, centralised support, varied initial investment costs and extensive industry experience.
To prepare him for the launch of his Dublcheck franchise, Grant attended a comprehensive one-week training course, which covered all aspects of the business.
“I was suprised by how much went into running a business,” recalls Grant. “Thankfully the Dublcheck training course was very thorough, so by the time my training was complete I felt confident that I had all of the tools and knowledge needed to run my business successfully. I also found it very reassuring to know that if I ever needed any help, the Dublcheck team were only a phone call away.”
Since launching his franchise in August 2009, Grant has continued to work at Kellogg’s as a shift worker to maintain his financial security while building his Dublcheck business.
“Carol has always said to me ‘don’t run before you can walk’,” says Grant. “In this line of work it is essential to build your business steadily, ensuring each and every client receives the best service possible.
“It’s great that I am able to have the security of my Kellogg’s job, however, my ultimate goal is to build my business to a point where I need to take it on full-time and obtain office premises.”
Dublcheck is a franchise where you don’t need to be able to sell. Commercial cleaning is one of the best industries to join as a franchise owner because it’s a market that is more robust and recession resistant than most others, due to the fact the build-up of dirt never stops and every building, office and shop needs regular cleaning.
“One of the things I found most attractive about the Dublcheck franchise was that I didn’t have to worry about doing any selling and securing contracts as the Dublcheck sales team takes care of it for you,” explains Grant. “I’m a real people person, so I find meeting with the clients and building relationships the easiest part of the business but as time has gone on I have learnt a lot from Carol and the team and am now securing contracts myself.
“Although in the early stages of my business I did get my hands dirty I now run a fully managed business,” continues Grant. “My current annual turnover is £60,000 with the help of the Dublcheck telesales team in 2011.
“I love being my own boss. I get such a buzz when I know that tomorrow is a Dublcheck day and I get to work on my own business instead of Kellogg’s. It’s exactly like Carol said, follow the Dublcheck system and you will reap the rewards and I must say it works. If trade continues as it has been, hopefully I will be able to enjoy early retirement and who knows, maybe one of my kids will keep the family business going.”
Written by Tiffany Brooking