An Australian Franchisee Case Study
Name: Jennifer Tall
Location: Padstow
Franchise: Begin Bright
Why did you go down the franchise route? And why did you choose Begin Bright franchise?
I had decided a needed a change in direction and was thinking about opening a tutoring centre. A friend of mine had already bought a Begin Bright franchise and recommended it. I liked the idea of having most of the procedures and set up already in place, rather than starting everything from scratch.
What did you do before taking up your Begin Bright franchise?
The first thing I did was talk to my friend who was already running a centre. I looked into the brand on their website and contacted the owner, Tina.?After that, I spoke to a solicitor, an accountant and a friend who is a financial advisor.?Tina suggested that I do an online franchisee course with Griffith University which I did. I also did some research on local shops and the cost of renting one.
How did you raise the finance?
We borrowed the money from our bank.
What training and support did you receive initially and ongoing?
Initially – there was a four-day training course with Tina. I had already found premises, but Tina came and had a look to make sure they were suitable. I was provided with a start-up pack to get everything going. We held an open day and marketing campaign to kick us off.
On-going – we have a field visit once a term, a monthly webinar as well as a weekly phone call. Any time I have a question I just ring or email.
GREAT support!
What is a typical day for you as a Begin Bright franchisee?
I get in to work at about 8a.m. and do paperwork, emails and phone calls. Most days I teach and I tutor every afternoon and Saturday mornings. I usually leave at about 6.30 p.m. I try to have some down time in the middle of the day but it doesn’t always happen.
What challenges have you faced?
The biggest challenge for me has been being on my own a lot, which I wasn’t used to. The next biggest has been the accounting and finance side. Keeping track of where everything is coming from and going to.
Has becoming a franchisee changed your life, if so how?
It has been a big learning curve and a huge challenge but very rewarding as well. At the moment it is all consuming, but I can see a point where I will be able to step back a bit and have some down time as well. (I hope!) Being my own boss was very strange at first but great now.
What advice would you give to someone thinking of buying their first franchise?
Research the whole thing thoroughly and decide if it is for you. There are a lot of factors to consider. Family support is crucial. You need to be 100% convinced it will work and go hard to achieve your goals.
What are your plans for the future?
To continue building a great business that helps people as well as providing an income. I would like to become a household name in our community, with a reputation as an awesome educational facility.
I would love to have some time where I don’t think about the business and can relax and enjoy the hard work I have put in. (This is actually starting to happen already!)
Would you do it again?Definitely!