Taking on a franchise is now seen as the safer way to set up your own business, but it doesn’t mean you’ll have to work all hours.

WORDS: PAUL F COCKBURN

We’ve spoken to many Service leavers in the last few years and a common reason for them leaving – even when they’ve enjoyed military life – has been to have greater stability in their lives, particularly if they’re getting married or starting a family. They may not crave an office-based, nine to five job, but they nevertheless decide that civvy street can offer a better life/work balance.

Some, of course, also wanted to step out from the military hierarchy, to have the chance to stand on their own two feet and succeed or fail by their own efforts. Regardless of the kind of business it is, self-employment has the reputation for demanding serious commitment; you might think it’s not the best option if you’re looking to spend more time with the kids or simply ‘be there’ for your partner or spouse.

It can be, though. When you’re running your own business, you’re the boss; it’s in your own hands to fit your work around whatever family commitments you have. For instance, it’s, you can decide not to start work until 10am if you’re regularly chauffeuring the kids to school in the morning.

FRANCHISE OPTIONS

What goes for self employment, goes for franchising, which is essentially just running your own business by leasing a known-to-work brand and business plan. As the slogan goes, as a franchisee you ‘work for yourself, but not alone’ – with advice and support just a phone call away as part of the contract with the franchisor. Although taking on a franchise doesn’t mean you’re given a successful business on a plate – to make a go of it, you need to make a significant commitment in terms of cash, time and effort – there are plenty of franchises that you can fit around your family life, rather than the other way round.

For starters, a good number of UK franchises can be run on a part-time basis. Some will include the option of going full-time if the business expands or your personal commitments allow it; others are simply aimed at people unable to commit to a full-time job. Part-time franchises are available across a wide spectrum of industries, from vending franchises and cleaning management to b2b services, kids’ entertainment and pet care. And, being part-time, there’s a good chance that the initial financial investment required by the franchisor will be significantly lower than a full-time option.

Many part-time franchises are clearly targeted at stay-at-home mothers, potentially as a household’s second source of income. Type ‘family friendly franchise’ into Google and see how many of the results will be franchises actually described as ‘women friendly’, ideal for mothers while the children are at nursery or school.

ALL TOGETHER

This isn’t to say that, in contrast, all full-time franchises demand the kind of 16 hour days which ensure you’ll miss the kids getting up in the morning and never read a bedtime story in the evening. Numerous b2b franchises, for example, by their very nature operate or can be managed during much the same working hours as their customers, ensuring regular late nights shouldn’t be a problem.

Family friendly, though can mean more than just ensuring a desired life/work balance. Plenty of franchisors are keen to work with couples – and not just because they’re essentially getting two committed workers ‘for the price of one’. Often couples will be able to bring their complimentary skills and abilities to running the business successfully. Equally, some franchisees will go on to employ family members – to essentially become family businesses which – with the agreement of the franchisor – can even be passed on from one generation to the next.

As with any business, of course, family firms come with certain risks; it can be as difficult to keep everyday business matters away from family relationships and personal life, as it is to keep family life – especially any arguments – out of the business. On the plus side, given that franchises run over set periods (between five and 25 years), they’re not necessarily life-long commitments with the added pressures that come from wanting to pass a business on to the next generation. At the same time, they can be excellent training grounds; with franchisors happy to work with those who have experience from working in their parents’ franchises.

MORE:

British Franchise Association

01865 379 892, www.thebfa.org

Which Franchise

0141 204 0050, www.whichfranchise.com/women

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DO YOU RUN A PART-TIME FRANCHISE?

We’d like to speak with you, as part of a forthcoming feature on the career options open to the partners of serving and recently resettled personnel. Call Paul on 0141 419 0044 or email paul@cravenpublishing.co.uk.

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FRANCHISING: THE BASICS

• Business format franchising is when a company (the ‘franchisor’) licences its trade name, brand and business system to others (franchisees), usually in return for an initial payment and a monthly royalty fee.

• The UK’s franchise sector generated more than £11.8 billion in 2009, up £400 million on the previous year. The sector employs some 465,000 people (in both full and part-time posts).

• Reputable franchisors have a success hit rate of more than 90%, according to Mike Goddard, chairman of the British Franchise Association. He told us: “If you look at a similar statistic for non-franchised business, it’s much lower – below 50%.”

• A successful franchise combines the drive, ambition and skills of the franchisee with the expertise and market experience of the franchisor.

• In 2009, average turnover figures rose by 3% on the previous year. Nine in 10 franchisees were in profit, compared with 70% during the 1990s recession.

• Mike Goddard believes Service leavers have the discipline, motivation, and ability to follow structures and procedures set down to get a job done – all qualities franchisors love in their franchisees.

• The British Franchise Association (bfa) is the sector’s main trade body in the UK; franchisors which are full members of the bfa will have passed an accreditation procedure which ensures they adhere to agreed ethical, legal and financial standards. For more information, call the bfa on 01865 379 892 or visit www.thebfa.org for more information.