I was doing some consulting for franchisees in the WOP group and that is how I came to be aware of them. I was very impressed with the way they do business so when they actually approached me to join the group I was very happy to talk to them.

You have increased turnover four-fold in four years and grown from three to nine staff. How have you managed to achieve such rapid success?

 

In terms of success I think the first and most important thing is selecting the right franchise. Part of my choice of WOP was that many franchises are in industries where there is a low barrier to entry, encouraging internal rivalry, but printing is not one of those industries. Traditionally printing is highly technical with significant barriers to entry including investment in equipment and knowledge. What WOP does is allow you to enter the printing industry without all that equipment and knowledge. Mainly I took a broad perspective and looked at the bigger picture - the industry in general. There is so much preventing entry in the printing industry that if you can find a way to get in you're going to be ahead of the game.

Secondly, actually following the franchise system is important. I think a lot of franchisees get into franchise groups and after they have had some success think that they could do it better. They begin to bypass the system, changing and adapting it to their own view or interests. I think when you are buying a franchise you are buying a proven business plan and operating system and you should follow that.

What have been your greatest challenges?

 

I haven't completely agreed with the franchise system and I've noticed areas where it could be improved.

The temptation is to just go ahead and do it your own way. But as I said earlier, this is not the way to go.

So the challenge for me has been to work with the franchisor to change the system together rather than going off and doing my own thing.

You were recently crowned the PricewaterhouseCoopers Franchisee of the Year for 2007. What have been other highlights?

 

The highlight has definitely been building and leading my team. Because WOP handles all of the production aspects and a lot of the marketing it allows me to focus on building a really great team of people and a really great customer base. I don't have to worry about all the rest: I can just focus on the customers and the team. We operate an open book net profit share. I've always wanted to try that but I had always been in business partnerships so I didn't quite have the freedom. I have found now that share of net profit means the team is focused not just on sales but also on costs. It tends to be a bit meaningless unless you operate an open book policy so that they can see all the profit and loss right down to the bottom line.

They can actually see where their profit is coming from. It has created a very positive culture and work environment and reduced turnover and improved retention. Most members of my team have been with me since the beginning.

You have talked about offering paid salary plus shares to keep turnover low and boost staff morale. What are your other tips or strategies?

 

I would say the most important tip would be to conduct quality research. Do research not just on that particular franchise but on the entire industry. Make sure the franchise and industry are the right fit for your individual personality, because in the end that is probably the only thing you can't change. In other words, make sure your choice of franchise fits with who you are and your plans for the long term. Always begin with the end in mind. I think a lot of franchisees start a franchise and become preoccupied with breaking even. Instead they should be thinking, 'What do I want this business to look like eventually?' and begin working backwards from that. In the end it limits your ability to set big audacious goals, which is what being a franchisee is all about.

 

 

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