’I turned my hobby into a successful business‘
AN AUTOMOTIVE franchise can turn your enthusiasm for cars into a business.
‘I always enjoyed car maintenance, so when I was made redundant, I looked at car repair franchises,’ says Kiri Chiakli, 25, a former RAF officer.
He is now the West Norfolk area franchisee with £19,995 franchise Revive! repairing minor damage on vehicles and alloy wheels.
‘I researched various automotive franchises but liked Revive!’s high professional standards,’ he says.
‘Working with lots of people and their cars is a major attraction — the franchise has turned my hobby into a career.’
You don’t need motor industry background to become an automotive sector franchisee, and women are very welcome.
Franchisees with Snap-on Tools run a mobile showroom, visiting garages to sell tools to engineers.
‘You must be prepared to build and maintain customer relationships. It helps if you are interested in cars, but we’ll train you to talk tools,’ says Lisa Law of Snap-on.
Initial investment is £15,000 and the franchise has in-house credit facilities. Totally Dynamic franchisees wrap vehicles in vinyl to produce individual results.
Jenny Rope of Totally Dynamic says: ‘We recently wrapped Peter André’s Porsche Cayenne in gloss white and his Ferrari California in matt black.’
The £28,000 investment includes technical and marketing training.
Franchisees with The Wheel Specialist refurbish alloy wheels. ‘Business grew 26 per cent in 201011 as people decided to freshen up their wheels rather than buying new cars,’ says Ginny Murphy of the Wheel Specialist.
‘Matt finishes are fashionable at present. Many new Landrover Evoke owners choose the car in gloss white and employ us to give it matt black wheels.’
Franchisees work from fixed units where they customise wheels in any colour, even marble. Investment with the Wheel Specialist is £ 28,000, which includes training.
Revive! 0800 056 2999; Snap-on Tools, 01536 413800; Totally Dynamic, 0871 702 9593; The Wheel Specialist, 0845 017 6464.