Before becoming an Ovenclean franchisee, Owen had spent fifteen years working in highway construction and maintenance, where he was constantly facing redundancy and always under immense pressure, which was really getting him down. “When I was given notice of possible redundancy, I didn’t want to start again in the same industry. I had always worked in construction and had no experience elsewhere, so I felt trapped. Ovenclean seemed to be a realistic way out. I have never been afraid of hard work but I had no idea how to set up my own business, that’s where a franchise can help you.”
“Frankly, I was really impressed with Ovenclean, I spoke with one of Ovenclean’s existing franchisees, who seemed a really genuine guy and explained how he had made a real success of his business. Then, when I met the management team at the Ovenclean open day, everyone was friendly and informative, but not at all pushy. My training included two weeks shadowing an experienced Ovenclean franchisee, it was great, my trainer was – and still is – always happy to offer advice.”
Of course, any business has its challenges “Naturally one of my first thoughts was ‘will I be able to cover the bills’, but fortunately for me the worry didn’t last long and I was quickly earning what I needed and more! If you want to work for yourself but you’re a little bit scared then a franchise with a good support function is the answer. Knowing that the head office support team are at the end of the phone should I need them certainly takes most of the worry out of quitting your job and jumping in the deep end.”
Owen’s business is continuing to thrive and he has ambitious plans for the future. “I am very happy with the way things have worked out and had no doubts when I extended my franchise agreement for a further five years. Every month, turnover gets better and better, which is exactly as Ovenclean told me it would be! Although I was really busy in my original territory, the response was so positive that I took the plunge and invested in an adjacent, second territory – now I’m rushed off my feet! I’m busier than I can cope with most of the time and often find myself working late just to fit everyone in which is a really nice problem to have! The diary is always full and there’s more than enough work to justify running a second van, so I’m planning to get another vehicle on the road.”
Now many years after joining Ovenclean, Owen mentors and trains new franchisees. “I love training new franchisees and helping them get to where they want to be in their business. Often, new franchisees were in similar a position to me, where they were frustrated with their previous job and lifestyle but didn’t know how to make a change and then discovered Ovenclean. When I speak to the franchisee a year later, it’s great to see how much happier and settled they are. This is a result of following the Ovenclean business plan, the advice of the support team and fellow franchisees. That’s probably the best thing I like about my job now!”
“Although I work a lot more, I find it completely stress free. There is no one on my case, I’m never resentful about going to work in the morning and that makes a huge difference to my life. We spend the majority of our time working, so it’s no good if your miserable doing it!”
We asked Owen what advice he would give to someone looking to buy an Ovenclean franchise. “Investing in a franchise requires a thorough thought process and lots of research. Go along to an Ovenclean open day and spend a day with an existing franchisee – I found this invaluable. It’s not for everybody, but if your happy to spend your day cleaning ovens then it is a really stress-free way to earn a decent wage!”
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