Inside Franchise Business

VIPIN CHANDEL,

THE CHEESECAKE SHOP

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When India-born Vipin Chandel was working in hospitalit­y in Sydney’s inner west suburb of Marrickvil­le, he had no idea that within a few years he would be owning and running his own bakery business in another state, with his wife Astha and young son along for the adventure.

He worked as a post office stationery contractor before the idea of taking on a franchise became a reality.

Chandel left India in 2002, and had been in Australia 10 years when he invested in the franchise. Astha’s parents live in Sydney, and also run a post office, but it was through extended family that The Cheesecake Shop as an investment became an obvious choice. An uncle in Sydney and other family members in South Australia had run outlets in the franchise chain, and were encouragin­g the young couple to make the move.

Chandel went first to work in the store in South Australia and scope out the working environmen­t and opportunit­y. Before long, he had moved interstate to take on The Cheesecake Shop outlet in Gawler. “I moved my wife and two-month-old son. It was a pretty hard time.”

The 1300km move was made easier by a great field manager who offered good advice, he says. Soon after, Chandel’s parents had joined the young family for an extended visit from India. While the proud grandparen­ts took charge of the babysittin­g, he and Astha were free to build the business.

“If the family is involved you get a lot of support. My wife and I jumped into the shop. Astha is customer services, and I can do the baking and decorating. I like cooking and baking,” he says. “But the first days we were struggling. With the baking I was fine but decorating and writing on a cake, I didn’t want to have a disaster. I was nervous.”

He overcame his anxiety about making errors and put his passion and energy into the business. The hardest thing was working in and on the business and finding time to spend with his young child. However, within the first two years he had won an award in The Cheesecake Shop network as franchise of the year, and was then named the South Australia franchisee in the Franchise Council of Australia’s awards.

Chandel had a taste for success, but also wanted to be closer to old friends and family. The couple decided it was time to sell up and move on, and the next stop was Victoria.

“My wife was born and brought up in Victoria. In Melbourne we have both friends and family. Melbourne is definitely better to settle in for a new family.”

After three and a half years in South Australia, the family sold up and bought a Frankston outlet in Victoria. With the help of the field managers in both states, the purchasing process was timed perfectly, with the supporting South Australian field manager able to help hold off the sale until Chandel had found a Victorian site.

“Now I’m actually happy. Our second son was born in South Australia, and now our two boys are going to school we are establishe­d here. When I took over the store, people were a bit surprised, but the customers have got used to us.”

Supporting local sports clubs with sponsorshi­ps and donations has helped the family embed itself in the community. “Victoria is home. There are nice people and friends from India.”

Right now the family is renting property but intends to buy a house. That move will be secondary to business expansion, however.

“I want to buy a second store. I will have a manager. I can run the store with my eyes closed, I know all my numbers.

“I try to work in the shop so you know the customers. It’s easy to deal with the customer when you are a business owner.”

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