WORKING FROM HOME
Looking for a franchise that offers the benefits and flexibility of working from home? Here are seven options to get you started.
Brands, tips and advice.
What does a top-performing home-based franchise look like? It depends where you
For some franchisees, it provides a way to work around other commitments.
“Our cleaning franchise partners can keep their day jobs or daytime activities and work in the evening or at weekends,” says Damien Boehm, founder of Urban Clean.
Some are stepping back from a demanding career.
“A lot of our coaches are what I call corporate refugees,” says Robert Zammit, FocalPoint Business Coaching and Training’s managing director, Australia. “They’ve worked long hours in big companies for 20 or so years and now they’re looking to control their life, work flexible hours in a flexible location and use their business acumen.”
Others are committed to maximising their income.
“It’s up to our franchisees how they organise their days but they’re committed to working full time,” says Lee Featherby, PowerfulPoints Visual Communication Specialists CEO. “They know they can build a substantial asset for themselves and their family.”
Most home-based offer businesses have lower overheads in common. The cost of entry is also relatively low and there could be savings on tax and commuting. But it isn’t right for everyone. Some people feel isolated, or that they’re never away from work, while others struggle to maintain the necessary discipline.
If you believe that running a business from home could be right for you, here’s a taste of your options.
FOCALPOINT BUSINESS COACHING
FocalPoint helps businesses of all sizes to improve their results.
THE TASK
“A good coach needs deep business knowledge so we look for at least 10 years’ experience,” says Robert Zammit. “Our structured programs include sales enhancement, strategic leadership and business effectiveness.”
FLEXIBILITY
FocalPoint coaches can adjust their hours to meet their own and their clients’ needs.
SUPPORT
All FocalPoint franchisees must complete an intensive certification program.
“Our North American team trains and onboards our coaches and supports them to build their own coaching practice,” says Zammit. “New coaches are mentored by their own coach for up to a year and have access to over 250 hours of ongoing support annually.”
PROFIT POTENTIAL
“Coaching has the potential to add significant value to clients so we’re a commensurately high-margin business with potential for significant profit,” says Zammit.
CIRCLE OF LOVE
Circle of Love is a wedding hire, planning and styling franchise.
THE TASK
Franchisees work closely with clients to style and plan their wedding or event.
FLEXIBILITY
All of the administration is done at home, including taking the enquiry by phone or email, quoting, invoicing and arranging meetings. “The hours are very flexible but we do encourage franchisees to reply to an enquiry within the day,” says Kim Williams, Circle of Love franchisor/director.
“Most of the weddings and events take place at the weekend.”
SUPPORT
After two days of face-to-face training at head office in Sydney new franchisees are walked through setting up a number of weddings in their territory. Williams then provides support as needed, along with wedding decoration supplies, equipment, resources and templates.
PROFIT POTENTIAL
Franchisees make a profit of about 80 per cent of the cost of every wedding.
MOBILE APP CITY
Mobile App City provides a wide range of mobile technologies and digital marketing services to businesses.
THE TASK
Licensees build relationships with clients, help them identify problems and recommend the best solutions. “We have people to do all the technical and backend work for you,” says Richard Giannini, Mobile App City CEO.
FLEXIBILITY
The hours are very flexible, with an opportunity for licensees to start part time and transition to full time at their own pace.
SUPPORT
After an initial three-phase training program, licensees can call on support and coaching at any time. “We’re very invested in their success,” says Giannini.
PROFIT POTENTIAL
There are sizeable margins on the services and, as a relationship builds, clients often invest in a number of services, creating multiple streams of passive income.
THE TASK
FLEXIBILITY
SUPPORT
FLEXIBILITY
SUPPORT
URBAN CLEAN
Urban Clean is a commercial cleaning franchise servicing offices, medical centres, gyms, educational facilities and industrial premises.
Cleaning franchise partners provide a regular cleaning service to business clients. Regional partners recruit and support cleaning franchise partners and source new business.
“Flexibility is a big drawcard for the franchise as the cleaning happens after hours or at weekends,” says founder Damien Boehm. “Regional partners can also choose how they structure their business days.”
All franchise partners undergo rigorous initial training in cleaning, communicating with clients, auditing and following the Urban system. Regional partners then provide monthly one-to-one coaching sessions.
PROFIT POTENTIAL
“Many of our cleaning franchise partners have businesses averaging $80,000 to $100,000 in annual contract revenue,” says Boehm. “Regional partners operate differently and have the potential to net $200,000 to $500,000 a year.”
POWERFULPOINTS
PowerfulPoints creates presentations, videos, motion graphics and other digital media to help clients convey their message.
THE TASK
Franchisees don’t need to be creative – PowerfulPoints has its own team of writers and designers. “They do need to feel comfortable with recruiting new clients at the big end of town and then servicing those accounts,” says Lee Featherby, PowerfulPoints CEO.
Franchisees have the flexibility that comes with working from home though they’re expected to work the equivalent of full time.
“We train our franchisees to find new clients and develop long-term partnerships,” says Featherby. “After an initial, structured, one-month program at head office we provide as much ongoing support as they need.”
PROFIT POTENTIAL
“We know our franchisees can do about a million dollars’ worth of business a year and make anywhere from $300,000 to $400,000,” says Featherby.
INXPRESS GLOBAL SHIPPING
SOLUTIONS
InXpress provides national and international carrier options for small and medium-sized businesses via an automated shipping platform for customers.
THE TASK
Franchisees source new clients and build strong relationships. “Our point of difference is the personal touch and strong relationships,” says John O’Riordan, business coach for InXpress Australia and franchise owner, InXpress Port Melbourne.
FLEXIBILITY
Carrier partners work nine to five, Monday to Friday, so all bookings and pickups occur within those hours. There’s flexibility around organisation, planning, strategy and sales calls but franchisees are expected to provide a full-time resource.
SUPPORT
After the InXpress comprehensive two-week business training course, franchisees have access to online start-up and refresher modules with ongoing support from business coaches and support centre staff. They don’t need shipping industry experience.
PROFIT POTENTIAL
“We have franchisees with an average gross margin over $200,00,” says O’Riordan. “The potential is uncapped if you have the determination to keep up consistent sales.”
ALL VENDING MINIMART
All Vending Minimarts sell everything from fragrances and pet food to phone accessories and books – all from vending machines.
THE TASK
Once a store is set up it requires very little input from the franchisee.
FLEXIBILITY
“You won’t need to work more than four to eight hours each week, any time that suits you,” says founder Hari Shotham.
SUPPORT
“We help franchisees find a high-exposure location and give them all the training they need to run the store,” says Shotham. “We then restock the machines for them on an ongoing basis, including daily deliveries of fresh foods.”
PROFIT POTENTIAL
With no staff to pay and little danger of theft, franchisees can charge competitive prices without sacrificing profits. There are also higher margins on products such as fragrances, vitamins and health supplements. “We guarantee a profit of 10 per cent after all expenses, including restocking, rentals and outgoings,” says Shotham.