From glass repairs to stage school, business is booming
A FRANCHISE can help you change career. Katie harper swapped office work for a life on the road as a franchisee with GlasWeld, the windscreen repair company.
‘i had previously worked as an account manager and in retail, purchasing and despatch, which all provide useful skills you can transfer to self-employment,’ says Katie, 31.
‘now, working with my dad, John, i do corporate vehicle fleet inspections, repairs, glass polishing and headlight restorations, often in the evenings. it’s flexible work and i can fit it around the school run and school holidays.’
Katie, from Keg worth, Leicestershire, adds: ‘i run the business, but GlasWeld provides support with issues such as collecting customer payments and marketing. it’s a good choice for people with family responsibilities because it’s flexible and you can build up your business to advance your career.’
John Anderson, national sales manager at GlasWeld, says: ‘ We currently have 57 franchisees covering england, and we are looking for more — especially women. We look for people who are ambitious, smart, friendly and who like working outside.
‘You need no previous experience as we provide training and equipment.’ GlasWeld offers franchise packages with investment between £2,500 to £15,000.
sarah chitty was a professional actress before becoming a stagecoach Theatre Arts franchisee in Twickenham, London.
she says: ‘My husband, Will, was an actor, too, and once we started a family the unsociable hours, continuous travel and limited salary meant we were struggling to make ends meet.’ now, sarah and Will are both stagecoach franchisees.
‘The income from our stagecoach schools means we’re no longer living on shoe-string budgets,’ says sarah. ‘As business owners, we can work our schedule around the odd acting job but we’re no longer having to depend on the unstable income.’ The franchise costs £14,995.