New business comes knocking after a first-class delivery . .
MANY franchises can let you start a business with less than £10,000.
Ryan Moon, 26, started a Dor-2-Dor leaflet distribution and printing franchise 18 months ago.
‘Affordability was one of the criteria i used when looking for my franchise,’ says Ryan, 26, a former music technology student from Swindon.
The Dor-2-Dor franchise investment starts at £7,500.
Ryan says: ‘i funded the start-up with a combination of savings, family help and money from a government scheme offering start-up loans.
‘ i chose Dor- 2- Dor because it offered more than one income stream. i am now delivering not just leaflets but also local magazines, and offering print and design services.
‘i was able to start up from home, which kept costs down, and i am already into profit.’
Jeff Frankling, chief executive of Dor- 2- Dor, says: ‘ Most of our 59 franchisees funded the investment themselves with savings and family help. You can start from home provided you have space for storing leaflets, and move into premises later.’
Dor- 2- Dor franchisees manage teams of delivery staff, so they need an aptitude for management, marketing and sales.
Jenny Andrew, who runs a Little impression franchise with husband Jonathan in Stafford, says: ‘We looked at the figures and margins within the business. Little impressions offered a good profit margin which gave us confidence that even if we spent more on operating costs than we forecast, we could still achieve a good net profit.’
The franchise, which involves making and framing casts of children’s hands and feet, is offering a bursary to new franchisees.
Founder Tony Franks says: ‘Current investment is £6,500 instead of the usual £9,975. An extra £3,000 provides all the equipment and consumables to get started immediately.’
Start Up Loans, a Governmentfunded scheme, offers entrepreneurs low- cost unsecured loans and business support. See startuploans.co.uk. The franchise arms of banks will often offer up to 70 per cent of the franchise investment — see