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Wild Moos
Welcome to Wild Moos, the no-holds-barred podcast where the boardroom meets the playroom.
Hosted by Amy of Mooeys and Nicole from Wild Bird Marketing, this podcast dives into the messy, joyful, and often chaotic life of being a mother and a business owner.
Every episode is a candid exploration of the trials and triumphs that come with juggling spreadsheets and sippy cups.
From start-up stories that defy the "perfect mum" myth to scaling a business without sacrificing sanity, Amy and Nicole share it all.
Expect laughter, tears, and plenty of swear words as they peel back the curtain on what it really takes to thrive in the dual worlds of business and motherhood.
Wild Moos is a community, a confession booth, and your cheerleading squad all rolled into one.
Whether you're knee-deep in nappies, drafting business plans, or just dreaming about what could be, Wild Moos is the podcast for every mum who’s ever had to lock the bathroom door just to answer an email.
Tune in for your regular dose of inspiration, commiseration, and a reminder that you're not alone on this wild ride of entrepreneurship and motherhood.
Wild Moos
Wild Moos Podcast: Episode 10 - Franchise Shizzle
Franchising might sound like a board game of buying and selling, but there's a universe of strategy and spirit behind it, especially in the UK where it often mystifies more than it enlightens. From explaining the nuts and bolts of starting your franchise journey to sharing personal anecdotes of transformation from beauty therapist to franchisor, we strip away the mystery.
This episode peels back the layers of franchising, examining its role in the economy, and the entrepreneurial hustle it demands. We chat about the challenges and celebrations encountered by those daring to multiply their brand through franchising, emphasising the skills beyond industry knowledge that catapult a franchise to success.
But what does it all mean for the small businesses, amid the big talk of franchising and financials? The shadows of economic challenges loom large, and we get real about the tough calls we're forced to make, from adjusting business models to the impacts on our beloved employees' lives. And it's not just business; it's personal, too. Martin's story serves as a poignant reminder that our ambitions resonate deeply with those we hold dear.
So come for the franchising finesse, stay for the stories of love and life that bind us all in this intricate dance of business and personal growth.
Additional Info:
Book Recommendation - The E Myth
British Franchise Association - https://www.thebfa.org/industry-research/
Nicole Bilham of WildBird Marketing Agency
https://wildbirdmarketing.co.uk/
Amy Lewis of The Mooeys Group
www.mooeys.co.uk | www.mooeysfranchise.co.uk | www.mooskin.co
Off, we go First.
Speaker 2:YouTube. Hi everyone, hi, this is episode 10.
Speaker 1:Can you believe we made it to episode 10? No, no, I can't, but I think that it's exciting.
Speaker 2:It's well exciting because, also, I feel like, now that we've got to episode 10, it's like it's a little bit of a milestone. Yeah, we've had nearly 300 downloads. It's mad, isn't it, isn't it? And also, we were saying earlier that it is just for fun. We get so much joy from it. Yes, but our work is so manic, it's busier than it's ever been. We're both stressed beyond belief, we're both so overwhelmed, but we're like hi, can we carry on with our podcast? But it takes so much time, but we love it.
Speaker 1:Literally begging our husbands that are just pleading with us. You're on the edge, yeah. What can we do?
Speaker 2:to make the time. Might have said to me earlier, doing too much, james, doing too much, and I was like, yes, fine, but we can't give this up?
Speaker 1:I don't want to. No, and I had exactly the same conversation with Matt this morning, which was I love this and I'm not giving it up, and he was like, yeah, no, but both on board. Which is fabulous, isn't it? But it is episode 10. And we are doing something a little bit different.
Speaker 2:We'll be giving out a lot of value as well, aren't we that people pay a lot of money for the stuff we're telling them? I think I don't do things like that. Yeah, and I was speaking to my friend KG earlier. Yeah, she's a coach mentor in the beauty space. Just brilliantly from it and she's very, very good.
Speaker 1:Put her in the show notes. We'll put her in the show notes.
Speaker 2:yes, but we're going to get KG on because she is the person that it also gives loads of content. She does her own podcast, but she does what's the word? She gives so much value to people and she really cares about other people's success. Yeah, but on the flip side of that, she's still going through exactly the same as we're going through. She's overwhelmed in these big feelings and she's juggling being a single mum to small children, you know, and she's incredible.
Speaker 1:So we're going to get one. I love the fact that some of the feedback that we've had is you've made me feel less lonely. I know we know who you are. Yes, and I said that to my sister this morning and she was like I can totally feel it. I can totally feel it. I just feel like to be impacting others, which is our. Why isn't it? This is exactly what we wanted to do make other people feel less lonely that you're going through their own journeys. I know you love that word, whatever that may be, to just say it's all right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's a bit shit but also Over the other side. It's getting really good.
Speaker 1:Yeah, come and celebrate with us. Come and celebrate the success with us. And I must apologize, like the episode last week, I was well fucking watching. Let me tell them over it. Oh, dear Jeez Louise, yeah, it was a tough one, we were both feeling it weren't we?
Speaker 2:We were both really struggling about you, were. It was bad. I wouldn't say you were bad.
Speaker 1:No, I listened back to it.
Speaker 2:You just been a bit of a negative space, weren't you?
Speaker 1:Really whiny, and I think it was the next day I said to you Negative Nicole, negative Nicole, she does exist.
Speaker 2:Negi, negi, nick, have you been?
Speaker 1:And a Nick name was born Brilliant. Have you been called that before? No, I've been called Raincloud, though. Oh, have you seen? You know why? What? Because I've got a face like fucking thunder.
Speaker 2:Oh, have you seen? Oh my God, what's that cartoon?
Speaker 1:Oh, this is a great story. You know, when you forget the start. Is it that one I always?
Speaker 2:forget the name of it. You know, when you've got the cartoons and it's all the different feelings and they're in a ball and they get what's it called Inside out, inside out, inside out. You know they're ladies. It's like really sad. Yeah, it saves it at the end.
Speaker 1:Spoiler alert what's her name? Again, I can't really remember the sad one. Yeah, well, they're happy, she's sad. I think she's just called sad. Oh.
Speaker 2:Is that how you felt last week?
Speaker 1:Yes, but note to self, it was a full moon last week. Yes, I done my full moon ceremony and I will be coming next month. Or this month? No, which fucking hell. Everyone's going to think this is a bit woo-woo being a water sign makes me spins me out.
Speaker 2:Yep, do you struggle to sleep on the full moon as well? I can't fucking remember.
Speaker 1:Probably. Yeah, I just know last week was bad and I want to apologise.
Speaker 2:But I don't think you need to and I think it's. Everybody goes through it, don't they? Everybody feels that, and I think you're just allowing people to feel what they feel it's so real, which is really beautiful, like really, and it's so special. Because, also, you've got to remember like we hate those people that are constantly showing up on social pretender and everything's wonderful and right, and actually that's not how life is. No, so let's keep it real. I didn't see this, oh dear.
Speaker 1:Right anyway, episode 10.
Speaker 2:You can call me RC Ames if you want, Like if it makes you feel any better.
Speaker 1:No, I would never do that Franchise shizzle yes.
Speaker 2:I think franchising is one of those things people just don't know enough about. It's still quite the unknown in the UK. If you go to America or Canada you don't even set up on your own. You set up either a business that you're going to franchise or you buy a franchise.
Speaker 1:You're delving into the content pretty early on. Yeah, sorry, it's okay what we said on this one, because I know fuck all about franchise Interesting Mr Bond, I am going to interfere you. I feel a little bit nervous.
Speaker 2:Do you?
Speaker 1:I don't mind in a safe psychological space, I'm not going to throw any film.
Speaker 2:I read it out. If we don't like it, yeah, I can delete it if we don't like it.
Speaker 1:But we posted something on Stories yesterday, didn't we? A little video that I fucked up because I was rushing on submit your questions to Amy, because we're talking franchise tomorrow as in today, tumble wee. Oh, we got no questions whatsoever. I think that is because no one knows anything about franchise.
Speaker 2:No one knows what to ask.
Speaker 1:No, so we're going to.
Speaker 2:Don't get it, because also you think McDonald's don't you, I don't know.
Speaker 1:Let's find out. It'd be great to. I really want to pick your brains, actually, because you have got. You are the all-seeing eye in the land of the blind right now.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I absolutely love franchising. I love what it brings to the world, to the economy, to people. Love it, love it, love it, love it. Brilliant.
Speaker 1:So this Zep-Ep is going to be a bit different. I'm going to slip into my Parkinson's role and ask you about it. Is that your life?
Speaker 2:Am I going to do the book of life? Is that Parkinson's no?
Speaker 1:What's his name? It's your life. Wait for the stuff. Hey, shame me, I'm older than you. I can wait for my time. I can possibly know.
Speaker 2:Parkinson's. You do like oldie stuff, don't you?
Speaker 1:Oh, fuck off. What is this Fucking? Take the piss out of Nick Day. No, thank you Fucking. Do the franchise episode on your own. What a brick. You're right, you had a good time. You had a good old laugh. Excellent, oh yeah, compose yourself, lewis. Yeah, you're on Parkinson's. Now Let me get my books. It's Harry Wogan, isn't it? It's not fucking Harry Wogan, no, it's a really old guy.
Speaker 2:I can see him and he's definitely passed away now and I can't remember his name. But someone will tell us this is your life. Who?
Speaker 1:am I going to wean out? Can you imagine? I can't remember his name. I can't remember his name. I can't remember his name. I can't remember his name. I can't remember his name. I can't remember his name. I can't remember his name. Someone will tell us who. This is your life. Who am I going to wean out? Can you imagine? Here's your friends that you went? Here's your old teacher. I can't remember his name. I can't remember his name. Are you ready? You are a serious franchise owner. Pull it together. Fucking hell. She's not listening.
Speaker 2:It's so, it's the way to say who I'm going to wean out. Bring out Julie, my old boss. She's not listening, it's so. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry my old boss, she'll have something to say, I'm sure. Oh God, oh God, that really tickled me, and do you know what? I really needed a good laugh, I know. Thanks so much, thank you for so much.
Speaker 1:I've been trying for a good hour since I've been here and it's not happened. We got there in the end. You're so funny, you cracked me up so much. I'm just a fucking twat. Let me tell you Just as a little side-note, while she crawls herself together. I got here, amy was out here setting everything up and Martin made me a cup of tea. He made it in a little plain white mug and I thought, well, maybe that's unusual, for the Lewises because they like a loud mug.
Speaker 2:What the fuck is this all about?
Speaker 1:Oh well, isn't it nice that he's made me a cup of tea.
Speaker 2:He does make a really good cup of tea, yeah and it gets drinky.
Speaker 1:But no, we came in here and we're chatting away and I take a sip of tea and Amy went. Who made that for you? I said Martin. No. You said did Martin make that for you? I was like, yeah, she went. It says I'm a twat on the bottom of that mug. I.
Speaker 2:Can't remember. He's every time, tickles him every time we have someone come over that's not been twatted like on the mug. Yeah, he does it and he just waits and he literally is hysterics. He thinks it's the funniest thing in the world. You did find it funny.
Speaker 1:I did yeah, and then I baited him for it when he came in, right, oh, you're not a twat, you're funny, I am a fact. No, I'm a funny twat, I'm a dick. It like I've got no shame in being a fucking knob and all I can see in my head it's those drama, not for me now, it's the drama they spread.
Speaker 2:Six of us, right. Franchise, yes, yeah, let's be serious. That's the thing, though, isn't it? Everyone thinks franchise is like very serious and corporate and I don't know what I think.
Speaker 1:I think you are the only insight that I've got into franchise. Is it? Yeah, is it, isn't it? That's exciting. So let's kick it off with what the fuck is it?
Speaker 2:Franchising is a business in a box. That's the best way to put it. So you're buying a model that already works to run your own business under a brand's identity, with their systems and processes that make it work.
Speaker 1:So what do you do? So do you pay a fee? How does that? What's the structure of how that?
Speaker 2:starts. So there's quite a lot of franchises on the market, so you would choose those like coffee shops. So every coffee shop is a franchise. So Costa Esquire's is another one, am Coffee I feel like that. Don't know.
Speaker 1:Maybe a lot of them are Probably.
Speaker 2:Subway, all of the fast food KFC, burger King, mcdonald's. There are franchises. There's a couple of like Chiropody as well. There's a lot of baby groups or parent and baby groups. There's a lot of franchises in the kids space. There's a lot of tutors like private tuition. There's a lot in the care world care company. So basically it means that you choose an industry and then you would pay the franchisor. So franchisor is the owner of the brand, franchisee is the person buying, thank you. So you would pay the franchisor a fee. So that would be your franchise fee initially. So mine is 24.995. It ranges. You can buy like a man in a van type franchise, which would be seven grand. You could buy the massage company, which is like 200. You could buy there's coaching businesses. You could buy they range, just depends on what you're getting for your money.
Speaker 2:Action coach. Action coach is a franchise, and that's actually quite an expensive one to buy in because the profit margins are so much higher, because it's service Because it's B2B and it's served as minimal cost that you can put in.
Speaker 1:That it's just about the brand, yeah.
Speaker 2:Exactly so. It all depends on what you're buying into and what you're getting for your money, right? So for us we have, within that, 24.995, you have your license, which is basically to use the Moorish branding. Yeah, so I own all the trademarks, it's all my brand and it's all my idea, my Everything. Now you also get Because if we are a bricks and mortar business, you would get my support to help you find a premises. As an example, we would help you negotiate, we would do all your recruitment with you training for the new team and yourself, business training, management training All included in that price. Yeah, yeah. So the franchise fee is actually not profitable.
Speaker 2:I was going to say For a franchise or because there's a lot of work that goes into it. Some there is.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:But also the most important thing is the operations manual. This is like the holy Bible of how the business works. Yeah, so it is like a guide to how to run that business. So in our I mean, I don't know how many hundreds of pages it is, but it took me a year to put together and it's got an SAP for absolutely everything how to deal with a complaint, how to book an SAP.
Speaker 1:SAP, so it's how to book an appointment.
Speaker 2:How to deal with service, how to deal with staffing, what to do Everything. Yeah, also talks about deck or guidelines. Shops Like what size you need to look for Wool paper.
Speaker 2:Wool paper the bane of my life when to buy your furniture. So if you bought a Starbucks which is actually a really hard franchise to buy because we're going into something else which is called master territory but there's a massive company that owns a huge master territory, so then they own, say, certain five or six counties in the UK. Yeah, they can set up as many franchises as they want and they run it as the franchise element for those counters.
Speaker 1:So you still must because of the license and because of the top of the chain. You still must have to adhere to that. Yes, exactly, but that?
Speaker 2:master franchise is Starbucks for that area.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So then the franchise is buy from that company rather than Starbucks. Wow, yeah. So that's a whole different ball game. But with Starbucks you would basically get like a brochure and it would say you need to pick 20 chairs for this size. You choose from this brochure. That's how much it's going to cost you. Yeah, and a lot of franchises work like that. Mine's a little bit different because I want everyone to put their own stamp on it. So as is all second hand, up, cycled, recycled or a bit mismatch.
Speaker 2:So, I like them to put their own stamp on it. So my franchise fee doesn't include the setup of the salon.
Speaker 1:So they would if you were a franchise or franchisee. Franchisee, sorry, you pay the fee.
Speaker 2:Get access to you, set it up, recruit, train but they would be responsible for the fit out costs of that premises and the deposit and all of that. So you get some franchises like massage company. I think theirs is a total cost of like four, four to 500 grand maybe. What the fuck? Why is it so nice? Because that includes all fit out as well. So they're looking for 20 treatment rooms in a location, so they will find the location in the area you're looking for and then fit it out included in that as well, jesus Christ. So your hours is about 60, 60 to 70 all in.
Speaker 1:Yeah, okay, but presumably throughout that process you're there on hand, yeah, but you're on hand throughout.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, me and my team do the recruitment, do the training, do everything. Yeah, it basically takes all the pain out of the stuff. That took me 10 years to learn.
Speaker 1:So going back to posting the story last night, or yesterday and not getting much traction. I think franchise has got a bit of a brand reputation. It lacks any reputation in the UK, right, but if you go to somewhere like America, everybody will have a franchise. And now, the shoe being on the other foot for me, after setting up Wild Bird and going through that pain like you've just described, still going through that pain it makes complete sense.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but I didn't learn about it until I was an established business owner and that's a thing and I feel like if people want their own business, there's a lot to learn and there's a lot of excitement of setting up your own business, but you can still have that. The difference with a franchise is a proven model, because they wouldn't be able to franchise if it's not proven.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I would write the business plan based on my actual figures. I have a connection with the bank so that you get a higher lending capacity because it's a franchise we have. A prime example is I've got someone that's interesting one and she hasn't secured a location. So you'd normally pay a deposit to secure a location she hasn't chosen yet. She's got like three or four that she's thinking about and I sent her this shop. It's in Hampshire. I sent it to her like a couple of weeks ago. It is beautiful, it's perfect for a mirrors and she contacted them and the landlord or the agent has got back to them and said we've got two offers on the table.
Speaker 2:Landlod's just deciding. He's waiting for figures and forecasts and all of this. So I'm really sorry. She messaged me and I said put your hat in the ring. She was like what do you mean? I said contact them, tell them you're a franchise, you're buying into a franchise. It's an established business with six salons, successful. It's been going 10 years. Yada, yada, yada. Yeah, finance is sorted. I can turn around a business plan in 48 hours with your actual figures, based on our actuals. Yeah. And she was like what do you mean? I said because from a landlord's perspective, you are better. Safe bet yeah, really safe bet. That's why the banks lend more, because it's a proven model. They've got access to our bank accounts. They've got access to our operations manual. They know how it works. What happened? Well, we're waiting to see if we can get a view in tomorrow. Oh fucking hell.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I might be driving down to Hampshire first thing tomorrow, wowzers, yeah, so it might move really quick. But she was originally like I don't know it's gone, don't worry about it, and I was like nah we do not give up, we don't give up because that's a perfect premises for a movie is, but also from the landlord's perspective.
Speaker 2:If he's waiting for an accountant to send through forecast figures, I can do your business plan on actuals so much more attractive to a landlord. So it's all like really safe franchising. I have some statistics for you Hit me up. Yeah, yeah, 90% of franchises are making a profit. What 90% of franchises are actually making a profit?
Speaker 1:That's fucking huge.
Speaker 2:Yeah, less than 1% of franchises fail per year. That's way. Yeah, this is franchise UK stats. This is not. This is like legit. Approximately 60% of non-franchise SME startups fail within five years.
Speaker 1:Take, give me the figure again 60%.
Speaker 2:Oh my fucking god Of businesses that start alone not franchise that start on their own will fail within the first five years. So remember, I said to you before it's a massive figure of people that fail. Yeah, so can you imagine? 60% of startups, everyone going I want my own business. This is epic. This is what I'm reading the book for. Yeah, yeah, 60% of those people that are really excited about their business will fail in five years. Yeah, 90% of franchises are making a profit and only 1% fail per year. That's massive, isn't it?
Speaker 1:So why? What do you think the barrier to franchise being more successful in the UK is? Or being more like embedded into the way that we structure our businesses?
Speaker 2:Because people look at it and go well, why can I? Why would I pay you? I've been set up on my own. I think the Brits can be a little bit stubborn.
Speaker 1:When.
Speaker 2:Americans are like I just want to be really fucking successful, so just let me pay the money because I can see how much profit you make. I want to get there and I want to get there quicker. Yeah, when the Brits are like, well, I could do it myself, why would I pay you the amount? Of questions I get is like I get it all the time is, what do I get for that 24, 9, 9, 5? And I'm like, well, I could list it all for you.
Speaker 2:It's taking me 10 years to create this entire brand. So if you want to do that, it's going to. It's cost me probably a hundred grand to get to the point I'm at More yeah, and time yeah, but it's cost me an absolute shitload. Yeah, but you're going to pay 24, 9, 9, 5, get put on our booking system immediately. We set you up. You go on our website. You don't need any of that aggro. We've got an app that people book appointments for you. Just go straight onto all of this. You literally you can get to our five year mark within two years by buying a franchise. So, yes, you could set up as your own Nicole's nails. That's quite a good name actually.
Speaker 2:Can't fucking do it, yeah, you could set up doing your own, but it's that catapult to get you there. But also, you know, we talk about this E-myth book because it is absolutely sensational and when I spoke to KG earlier it was her first business book that she ever read, which is why she franchised her business.
Speaker 1:I'm kind of a bit fearful to read it stepping out of my Parkinson's role just for a second, because I everything that you've just said just now makes me want to like. It's such a great deal.
Speaker 2:It is because you get to where you want to quicker, but you've got a lot of technical people. So me being a beauty therapist and lots of people going in to create a beauty salon are great at what they do Doesn't make them great entrepreneurs or great business leaders. They just become very busy working in their business. They've taken something they love, create a business out of it, but then end up being a slave to their business.
Speaker 1:This is me right now.
Speaker 2:So what this book is teaching? I didn't realise it was about franchising. Actually. However, what it's I'm halfway through now what it's alluding to is, if you aren't buying a franchise which you should, if you just want to have a business, if you're not doing that, you should be having your business and working to get it to a point that it's franchisable.
Speaker 2:Therefore, it's legit business which I love, because it's so true, because then you're not playing small. And that's what they do in the States. They either buy a franchise and run it or, if they have that more entrepreneur about them, they create a business and a brand and franchise it like I've done.
Speaker 1:Tell me about your journey to being franchisor.
Speaker 2:So it was actually my bank that suggested it. My business manager yeah, I wanted 10 of my own. I've spoken about that before. Nearly lost it all after two and she said this is too franchisable. You need to franchise this. And I was like what is that?
Speaker 2:Do I tell you about going to the franchise show and all of that. No, I don't think so, did I not? So I spoke to Martin about it. Piper was a baby, like four or five months old, if that willow was two, and I just saw. I don't know anything about this. So Martin was like there's a franchise show in Birmingham, let's go, let's just do it. So I went. Who run it? Who run it? It's but the British franchise association and other people.
Speaker 2:They're good, it's a very male, dominated and not necessarily male masculine energy but it's very masculine energy and at that time I mean this was how long ago now, six years ago now it was the BFA's changed a lot. They've got a female running it now. So they're trying to shift it, because it was very the vision I have for a bank manager yes, and an investor is basically that. So I rocked up and I saw that there's a seminar that says how to franchise your business and I was like, well, that's what I need. Yeah, I need to go there.
Speaker 1:And how many salons did you have at this point? Two, yeah, so.
Speaker 2:I was like I need to learn how to franchise my business. That's what I'm going to do. I rocked up. Obviously I'm in black today, but I'm normally in a lot of color. Yes, and I rocked up, sat at this seminar and it's just a sea of gray suits.
Speaker 1:And I was like hi, I've arrived. And I was like wow.
Speaker 2:You're wearing your pink coat, your bright pink coat, I would probably wear your pink or something. But also, I sat in this seminar and out of every 20 men, there was probably one woman, if that yeah, and they were all in suits as well, and I was like this is not my job, this is not my people, but I'm going to learn as much as I can.
Speaker 1:Did that give you more hunger at that point?
Speaker 2:No, I was like I don't know if I belong here because I don't like corporate world anyway. It just doesn't suit me. Anyway, I thought, well, I'm here and Martin bless him. He had a two year old and for some reason they had some father Christmas, so him and Willow were like skipping and chasing his son to or playing something. But I was feeding, breastfeeding Piper, and he came over and he's like I'm really sorry, but she needs feeding. So I sat in this seminar, got it. It's her as breastfeeding. Yeah, I'll never forget this consultant looking at me whilst doing the seminar, like didn't know where to look, and just surrounded by men in suits, and there's me, probably Pink or Red Coat, breastfeeding my kid.
Speaker 1:I was like oh my God, I fucking love you. The balls on that Jesus.
Speaker 2:Christ, I know.
Speaker 1:You've got no other choice.
Speaker 2:I've got no other choice, yeah. So anyway, that all happened and I met up with the consultant, who was a legend, and I wanted, if I was going to do this, I do things properly, I don't do things half like, half faster and I'm all in. So I spoke to the consultant. I think it cost me 10 grand consultancy, and if anybody wants to franchise their brand, you have to do it with a consultant. You cannot do this on your own Right and it will cost him about 10 grand. So, and then I spent I think I spent five grand on my franchise agreement, because that is so at the legal agreement.
Speaker 1:Yes, got to be one time.
Speaker 2:It's so important and it was all done with this one company who are brilliant, and they've done that subway and all these other things, so they knew what they were talking about.
Speaker 1:Can I ask you an intimate question? Did you finance that at the time? I got big reasons for Moorids to do it.
Speaker 2:Right yeah, so we ended up, I think we we knew that we wanted to grow, so we got a bank loan. I think it was about 40 grand yeah.
Speaker 1:To finance it.
Speaker 2:Because, although it was I needed to set up this franchise element, I also knew I needed stock and merch to sell to the franchises. So, I needed to increase my stock Calden. Yeah, create all of that. So yeah, that's basically how it went. Tell me about it. It took me about a year, but I was on my turn to live when I set it up.
Speaker 2:The first one was a client of ours, right? Yeah, so she was a client of one of my, my phana manager, jo. She was a client of Jo's and she'd been a client of Jo's for years. Every time Jo went to a different salon, she just followed her and she was a nurse and she was working in. She was working in Frimley and she worked in like the respiratory yeah, the respiratory ward. So her moon name is Matron Moon. Oh, I love her and she's still going. Yeah, yes, so her five years is up in October, september, october, five years, yeah, but she went through Cove. That was. It was a really tough time for her. She's had it harder than anybody else because she opened her franchise salon in October 2019 and then closed March Fuck yeah, yes, it's been really tough for her.
Speaker 2:That's not enough to get up on no no, no, and she also had bank loans for it and then had to get bounce back loans.
Speaker 1:Oh god, to cover the old bless.
Speaker 2:So she's really struggled and she's still surviving. You know, and I support her as much as I possibly can, but she was my pilot, so she got it half price because I needed to test that it works. So, although I tested the model to see if it worked from like one town to another, being remotely managed by me, I needed to test that the franchise worked and she was willing to take a risk, but for that risk she got it half price.
Speaker 1:And when was number two? Number two was Gigi.
Speaker 2:She was my, one of my staff members. She actually launched mid lockdown.
Speaker 2:You know that time when we had to lockdown after Boxing Day for like six weeks, local lockdowns yeah, we'd opened and she'd found this premises in Godelbing and I remember saying to her we need to have like a bit of a power about this. Do you want to hold off until this is passed or do you just want to push that fuck it button and go for it? And then if it closes, it closes, but just make sure that you put in your business rates in, yeah, and then if there's any grants, you get it. And she was like now, fuck it, let's go for it. So she opened the 5th of December and then had to close the day after Boxing Day, but we only closed for six weeks, but we managed to get her business rates application in in time, so she got the grants when she closed and she was fine.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and then I had Vanessa next. She is in Petersfield, she's a client of ours. She was really annoyed with me that she didn't know she doesn't really read emails and stuff and she was really annoyed that she wasn't the first. Yeah, really, she still tells me that to this day. And then so she opened after lockdown and then Kria opened Newbury last year and she found me on Google.
Speaker 1:She's found you on Google, so not she's completely.
Speaker 2:No connection at all. She's a nurse as well and she knew that she wanted a franchise. She's got a care company, her husband they made a decent amount of money in lockdown like providing care privately, and then she she's just an incredible business woman and her husband invested in a hit zone franchise A gym.
Speaker 1:The hit workout.
Speaker 2:Yeah, he invested in that and then she knew she wanted her own but they would keep it together as like the three businesses together. So, yeah, she got, she contacted me and we just got. We just hit it off straight away. I wouldn't work with someone that I'm not going to get on with because we're going to be working together for five years minimum. Yeah, so you pay that franchise fee to 24.905 but you get five years for the license and then you can renew after five years.
Speaker 1:What are the fees that are involved? Back to the franchise, or nothing else, or is there?
Speaker 2:So they, we also then bill five percent of net revenue Right Per month.
Speaker 1:Okay, yeah, so the fee per minute we will need to implement a marketing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, msf. Msf is management service fee. Right, because we're now, because originally I was doing it, because my own salons, I'm doing it anyway. But eventually it's not sustainable, because I'm actually doing twice as much work as I've ever done for marketing, but it's for all salon, so, yeah, I mean I've got yards doing emails constantly and it's for the whole group. So that's mad, isn't it really? Yeah, it needs to contribute to that salary and to the work, the overheads.
Speaker 1:What else? What have we missed?
Speaker 2:I know, yeah, that's the only fees. But they buy their products for me but they get get them heavily discounted, so they get the best quality products but at a discount rate which is on their best interest. And then as a franchisor, I make sure that we all work succinct and then if we're buying from suppliers there's a discount because we're buying as a group type thing, that's down to me to make sure that they all get the best, but you train them.
Speaker 1:So you're talking technical training for the beauticians, yeah, and for everyone in the team, yeah. What are the trainings?
Speaker 2:you do Management training. I do it once a year. At the minute it's like three days, but I'm going to be doing it twice a year because we're going to get busy.
Speaker 1:Is that normal for a franchise?
Speaker 2:or to offer that.
Speaker 1:No.
Speaker 2:Why do you do it? Because I give a shit. I want them to succeed and I want us all to manage the management is my background, my knowledge and there's a lot of sharks out there. There's a lot of people just after a quick buck and I've met so many of them, but I'm in this for the long haul, like I want them to succeed.
Speaker 2:I've said before, my biggest fear is overselling and under delivery, so it's my job as a franchise or to make sure they are successful. They have to do their own. Like you can't just buy a franchise and then get, sit on your backside and go well, I bought a franchise, why is it not working? You have to be proactive, you have to support your team, you have to grow, nurture, you could deliver great service, all of those things. But if I can help them by training their managers and their assistant managers and their senior therapist so that we all work collectively as a business, they're going to be more successful, aren't they? Which in turn, helps me. But also, the more successful they are, the better revenue they have, and then the more franchisees will look at it and go. That's a really, really good business model.
Speaker 1:I'm thinking a couple of things. One why isn't? I know I asked it earlier, but surely we need to lobby government to get franchise more on the agenda of business?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think so because there is a stat about how many billion it brings to the economy.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's going to be substantial because you've got the foundation there and the blueprint to be able to rinse and repeat.
Speaker 2:But a lot of people still don't understand it in the UK.
Speaker 1:No, I've listened to you for at least 10 recorded episodes, plus all of the shit that we chat in the outside of that, plus everything that I learned from you at the accelerator, and I'm still not OFA with what. I couldn't confidently talk about it to someone else, no fucking way. I could probably say more than anyone else, but that's because we've got, as a nation, have got such a poor understanding of the business structure, but when actually it's hugely beneficial.
Speaker 2:Well, it's the same right. It means that if you wanted to franchise wildbed which you could and potentially should but it means that that person can buy your franchise model but not have any marketing experience. So you can just choose an industry that you love. You don't need experience. I don't need beauty therapist running the business, as long as they have either service background, sales background, marketing or any kind of HR or business. As long as they can fill one of the pockets of requirements, I can teach them everything else.
Speaker 1:Yeah you can do the same. How much of that is about mindset, though. For that individual, your franchisee, I don't know what you mean, their mindset and who they are as an individual.
Speaker 2:Yeah they'll know what their skill sets are.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but for you, it's not just anyone, is it? It's got to be someone they will fit one of those pockets Like.
Speaker 2:Kria is an avid entrepreneur. Yeah, she has set up an Assettox clinic above. She runs the other, the gym, with her husband. She also has the care business. But I've helped her find the right manager to run the business so that manager will come on my management training. She can. It's not an investor. She'll be there and she deals with a lot of the problems but she doesn't have to be running it from a section. But then I've got Gigi, who doesn't necessarily understand the business as well, but she's a great people person and she's a therapist so she runs it from being in it doing the treatments.
Speaker 1:She's been in the trenches and she knows and she empathises and she's there, so it doesn't matter.
Speaker 2:And it means that if you set your business up to be franchisable, then I can just buy it. You teach me exactly how to do you your job because it works and you've made money from it. So then teach me an older, just as a little side note.
Speaker 1:Can we do that for Wild Bird? Or should we do that?
Speaker 2:You can do it, just kidding. So I was speaking. We use a laser company, right? Yeah, three of our salons have laser. I've been very particular about who I partner with as a franchisor. It's my responsibility to cross the T's and dot the I's. So I create all of the paperwork, all of the SOPs, everything that needs to happen, I get the best deal and then I let the franchisees buy in if they want it, right?
Speaker 1:So I create that. They have the option. They have the option.
Speaker 2:They don't all have to do laser, and actually I would suggest that they don't do laser until they've been open a year, because they need to build up there. It's like a 20 grand expense, so they don't want to buy into something straight away. They need to build up their database.
Speaker 1:Yeah, otherwise it's too much too soon, right yeah?
Speaker 2:I had a chat with the laser company and I met them for dinner on Sunday. It was really cool. We got talking. They're really interested in franchising their businesses and I was like you have all this different equipment, why don't you create a pilot's clinic with all your own equipment, get someone to run it, then use that and then franchise that. And they're like can?
Speaker 1:we do that. I was like, yeah, man, I'll help you.
Speaker 2:Because I love it, and actually I want the beauty industry I talk about because that's what I know. But I want the beauty industry to literally have a pick and mix. Yeah, you choose. If you want the massage company, it's a higher investment, higher turnover, higher profit. If you want a day to day salon, you know that Moorish belongs on every market, high street, market town, high street. Do you want a Guino salon? That's another one, but that's a skin specialist salon and it's a higher investment. Yeah, probably a higher profit, because the treatment values are higher. Yeah, but it all depends. The laser clinic, you know like I want it, so that you, instead of setting up your own, which you know 60% are going to fail, why not just go right? What sort of thing do I want to do? I'll do that. I'll just buy one of those.
Speaker 2:And then every high street, like you've got a Starbucks, a Costa, a Nero, everywhere you go into a horse and they're all in front of each other. Yeah, how about we all just have different things that everyone can just choose from?
Speaker 1:We could do it for anything and everything. Of course you can. Right, I've got a bit of a dickhead question. What are the downsides? What a franchise in, or buying a franchise, buying a franchise? Let's start there first.
Speaker 2:Okay, I would say restriction Right, because the franchise owner has last say, final say, and it can. It depends on the type of person you are. If you are really good at following systems and processes, franchising is brilliant, but if you want to create your own brand, your own legacy, might not work for you.
Speaker 2:So if you're a bit maverick, yeah, yeah, because you won't like being told what to do, Right? That's the biggest downside and you've got to see it as you know. Instead of you're giving 5% to the franchise or what that franchise is always doing to maintain the brand and grow and evolve, so that you're you know, the more Moomoo's salons I have, the better it is for my franchisees. Yeah.
Speaker 1:Because of brand awareness.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so that's what all that money's going into. It's not like I'm like walking.
Speaker 1:I've got my sack of money.
Speaker 2:I'm just going to the bank in my Ferrari.
Speaker 1:Like you couldn't be any further from the truth?
Speaker 2:Yeah, but it's about reinvesting and constantly growing, so that franchise is always more successful, and so is the brand as a whole.
Speaker 1:I guess it's like any business you've got to be careful with who you get into bed with, right, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I it was really interesting, Like when I went to that franchise think tank. It was fascinating that there was everybody from every type of industry. Yeah, we're all dealing with the same.
Speaker 1:Yeah, all doing the same problems. It's the same as business owners, though, isn't it? It doesn't matter what business, what industry it is. There's always consistent themes with what those challenges are. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and there will always be that franchise that's not pulling their weight as much, but there was. There will always be somebody that sat back going well, you told me I'd be successful, so why am I not successful?
Speaker 1:There will always be something To me. Can I offer you a reflection back?
Speaker 2:You sound like a hugely flexible franchise or I am, yeah, To my detriment sometimes, and I have been told off about it. There's a few things, because I met with Tim last week. Oh yeah, Hello.
Speaker 1:Tim.
Speaker 2:I'm going to put proposals together and I'm going to hopefully have him mentor in me. Woo Feels fair. Yeah, it is really big. It's a big hairy girl, but you know, I think it will be really valuable for me because he knows franchise better than anybody I've ever met. Yeah, and he really wants to see me get there. But he was questioned a few things and he was like you know, do you not want your salons to be a lot more of the same? I said no, you will never get me to change that. No, and actually that's a USP for me. Yeah, I don't want my salons to all look a replica of each other. Okay, and I don't know if that that is really unusual in the franchise space, because everyone looks at me and goes, whoa, what's the point in the franchise? And I was like but if they put their own stamp on it, surely they'll be more invested in their own business?
Speaker 1:But also, if you get, you get it right, which you do. If you're a moot, you buy into the brand anyway.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and you they. I sign off all paper. So first chairs, I sign it all off. Yeah, I want them to have that fun, that creativity, that's the best bit. So much fun and I want them to be excited about it. Yeah, I don't feel like the excitement is just from a booklet or a price list or whatever. Yeah, so I will never change that. But also, how can I be a trailblazer if I follow what everyone else is doing?
Speaker 2:Oh, you've got to Everyone's over there and you're going right fucking hell, it's over it, and I think that's like ignorance is bliss, isn't it? And I feel like, when you don't know so much, yeah, it's actually quite a nice place, because I'm like why?
Speaker 1:are you doing it all like that? Why is everyone doing it?
Speaker 2:the same. I'm going to try something different.
Speaker 1:It's really empowering.
Speaker 2:A little bit yeah.
Speaker 1:So when I asked about flexibility and how open you are to that, what I'm hearing is I'm putting myself into the shoes of being a moot and wanting to be a franchisee. Yeah, the biggest appeal, because I know you, is having direct access to you that won't last though. Because it's not scalable and not sustainable.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and Tim said this to me last week. He said when you get to 20 franchises, they're not even going to know you. And I was like what?
Speaker 1:What do you mean? Well, we'll meet once a year, won't we Sure when?
Speaker 2:you do your conference, you'll swoop in, do your bit and go out. And I was like one one, one one.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And he was like you need to be prepared for that because you cannot be on the phone. He goes you will always be there for your initial franchisees because you won't get away with it and you'll want to.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And he said but when you start selling 10 to 20 a year, those franchises are just going to know you vicariously or through your online training or whatever it is. And when I told KG that this morning she was like that really fucking excites me. I was like I don't know how I feel about that, but yeah, but that's because you've got, because I'm so in it, and so operations, and it's all you've ever known as well.
Speaker 1:So I don't want to, I want to look for the properties.
Speaker 2:I love all of that, but then I'd love Martin to do that as well, because he's really good at it.
Speaker 1:Well, the thing is, you've got wonderful people in your team at the minute.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And everyone is going to be with you throughout that entire scale up scale, and I really feel that this is.
Speaker 2:I've always had a really close team and I always manage like I would never make a decision on my own. If it's a big decision, I would always involve all the franchise partners, because I don't want to make a decision about uniform on my own, although it's fully in my rights in my franchise agreement. I can do it. I just want them to feel like they're part of something. I don't want them to just be told what to do, because then it just that would piss me off, but then I would be the worst franchisee. I don't think you would.
Speaker 1:I think you're doing so for this.
Speaker 2:I'd want to try and make it my own or do like my own way.
Speaker 1:You've got the flex in movies to do that.
Speaker 2:You kind of have, but that's why I've created a franchise, isn't it?
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And are you open to having master franchise? As well, master franchise. Am I using the right language? Yeah, well done, thank you, master.
Speaker 2:Franchise is a way of getting it to other parts of the world. Yeah, I know that movies would work brilliantly and I've kind of. It's been done so well in America and Canada there's waxing clinics. There's one that's so similar to my brand, she's got 130 in Canada and is tapping in the American market. It is done so well there. I really want to go to Australia, new Zealand and South Africa because they're the same as the UK in the respective. They're kind of just learning about franchise. Yeah, so you want to hit the curve? Yeah, but there's hardly anything in the beauty space.
Speaker 1:I'm sold, are you? Yeah, and we've never really spoken about this to this depth. So one, can I buy a franchise please?
Speaker 2:I would love one in Bedford. I just want to play that back.
Speaker 1:It wasn't. I would love you to have one, nicole. That was.
Speaker 2:I would love one in Bedford. I would love one in Bedford, but you've got too much on your plate.
Speaker 1:Let's just add another thing, yeah, so say that the perfect Moo franchisee is sat in the comfort of their own home listening to this. Yeah, right now, they don't know you Not very well. This is the first time they've heard you. Yeah. What are the three top tips that you could possibly give them right about now?
Speaker 2:If they're considering how, because a lot of people that buy a franchise don't even know they want a franchise. They just know they want their own business, so they know they've got some that burning desire, burning desire.
Speaker 2:They want something for themselves. But this is really good for people that are a little bit dubious or a little bit unsure of themselves and their skills. So they're risk profiles. Risk, yeah, because you literally have your hand held throughout the entire process so you and you're also told when you're doing it wrong and right. So those people that have been employed but know they want their own business, this is a banging solution. Franchise, what would you? What would you tell them? Three things, first of all, I would do some research. I think that is the most important thing, because you need to find out what it is that puts that fire in your belly. What sort of business would you want? Is it an admin type role because you can buy, like call centre franchise, for instance?
Speaker 1:A.
Speaker 2:PA franchise. Do you want to be on the road doing window cleaning? There's plenty of them. Do you want a salon? Do you want something creative? What sort of franchise do you want? The next is know your figures so understand what you've got, because you can't set up a business without your own income, without your own investment, so you need to know how much you've got.
Speaker 1:How much do you think you're willing to put? I'm really putting you on the spot.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Are you willing to put a figure on what you need to rock up to the table with?
Speaker 2:Yeah, like for Moeys, it would be about 15, 20 grand, if not not more.
Speaker 1:No, because you could get funding for the rest.
Speaker 2:So 15 to 20 grand base pot of your own, yeah maximum, because the bank will lend you 60 to 70% of what your overall expenditure will be.
Speaker 1:So what's the minimum you could rock up with then? Yeah, about 15 grand potentially, okay.
Speaker 2:But it all depends on the type of part for hours.
Speaker 1:Yes, this is for Moeys specifically, but if you've only got five grand.
Speaker 2:you can still get a franchise, but it'll be a smaller franchise. So it would be a man and a van type franchise, or it would be more of an admin, or, like one of the busy Lizzie's is a franchise. You know, the kids clubs, the stage coaches are franchises, like the Tots. Yeah, all of them, they're all franchises. So you just need to find your thing, your niche. What is it that excites you? What is it you're really fucking good at? And then go, I'm really good with people, brilliant. Now, where does that go? And then, how much money have I got?
Speaker 1:So they're the three things research figures and what the fuck do you want to do?
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, because it's not. You know there's, there's a franchise for everybody and it's just knowing what really excites you, like, where do you, if you have a vision for the next two, three, four years, what do you want to be doing and also, how much time can you put in it?
Speaker 1:So I did some research before we started today. Yeah, of course I did. It's really important Like this. I wanted to make sure that I. I was also nervous before today because I want to ask you really like open ended, valuable questions that are going to make a difference. So I started researching franchises. God knows what cookies I'm going to be served If I'm served none, then that tells me that there's another massive fucking opportunity because no one's doing it, but is there a way Can we put in the show notes?
Speaker 1:do you think these are the best places for you to research British Franchise?
Speaker 2:Association. Just go there. Do you know what? Didn't even come up on page one. Yeah, shocking, isn't it? I'm not registered, I'm not a member with British Franchise Association yet, purely because I'm not quite big enough yet For the money. It's really high investment and I don't really know what I get for that yet. And I know you can get a lot of support. You can get access to legal. You can get access to forums and all of that.
Speaker 2:And also I'd like to do my franchise qualification, my QFP Nice. I'd like to do that, but that's with the BFA. So that's all on my radar, because I really want to mentor people in the future to franchise their own businesses.
Speaker 2:That's another element because I'm so passionate about it and I think there's so much room for growth. Yeah, so that entrepreneurial person that creates a business as a brand, not just a business to work as a sole trader or have a small team, but that person that sees something massive franchises the best way to do it, I think, because then you can still get all the good feels about running your own business, like you can get people, other people making your money with your brand like, oh God, it's so sexy.
Speaker 1:I love this it's so nice to see you like truly in your own element.
Speaker 2:I know I could talk about a franchise forever and ever, and I really want to help the beauty industry understand it, because I just see so many salons opening and closing. Because they're technical people that are really good therapists, there's nowhere to go for business training in the beauty world nowhere. So until you've made it where you're making 100, 150 grand turnover, until you are there you can't really afford a coach to help you, whereas the business world is absolutely so you've got to know enough to get to that point in the first place to then be able to afford a business coach to psych.
Speaker 2:Just take it all out and just get your business training, everything set up so that you actually can run a business.
Speaker 1:So to repeat your word about you when you talk about it.
Speaker 2:It is sexy. I find it really sexy, but there's not enough people that see it as sexy.
Speaker 1:If you search for it, the brand awareness and the brand perception, the franchise shit. So dull isn't it. Oh my God, I was bored and this is. I was doing it for something, out of love.
Speaker 2:Every article is written by people that are selling advertising for franchise. There's a lot of portals like franchise sales, like supermarkets for franchises, and it was funny because I was writing as many blogs and articles as I can at the minute.
Speaker 1:And.
Speaker 2:I wrote one like setting up your own salon versus buying a franchise salon or business. I can't remember what I titled it as and when I was doing the research for this. I googled.
Speaker 1:Oh, did it come up, and it came up.
Speaker 2:Yeah, on the first page and it came up with.
Speaker 1:That's wonderful, but also what the fuck Like that means that there's nothing.
Speaker 2:if you look at the portals, I know I only done it like two months ago, but by increasing my blogs. I'm doing it for my SEO, but I've gone from 44th place to 13th now when you Google beauty salon franchise. That's epic Just by doing blogs, because there's nothing else out there. So, and also I love writing, I love creative writing and also I need to get it out into the PR world. I need beauty industry and other experts to kind of go ah, she knows what she's talking about. It's the business industry as well.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so stuck in this. Set up sole trader, limited company or partnership. What do you want to be Franchise?
Speaker 2:doesn't even enter. My operations manual tells you exactly how to do all of that. It's just mad. And you don't need trademarks because I've got them all, so you bought. When you buy the franchise, you buy the license for my trademarks.
Speaker 1:I'm almost annoyed and it's about half my own fault, but also I feel like the UK's government, probably as well as banks, could help with this massively.
Speaker 2:NatWest are all over the ship.
Speaker 1:Oh, they're yeah, and HAT is.
Speaker 2:PC, but they're both the big players with franchise lending and NatWest specifically love female founders, female franchising.
Speaker 1:Franchising yeah.
Speaker 2:So that's why when I done the NatWest Accelerator Program, they were like women, like a woman, you're a woman, are you okay? Yeah, yeah, female franchising this is exciting, yeah, and I've made lots of connections from that. But it's really cool because also the people I've met it's like they feel a bit protective because it's such a Secret there is. But there's so many sharks in the franchise world. There's so many people setting up a business, not doing a pilot, not having any proof of concept, not doing anything, and then selling this pipe dream so they can make a load of money and then fuck off.
Speaker 1:Well, it's like these social media ourselves.
Speaker 2:Oh my God, yeah you can have a six-figure business.
Speaker 1:If you just follow my 12-step program. It's going to cost extra.
Speaker 2:But look on Communist House there's nothing there, yeah. Or there's 20 million different companies. I wouldn't have thought we ever say that. I know it is because it really boils my piss, yeah, but yeah, when I go to these franchise shows, I'm very dubious about who I speak to and spend time with, so I tend to just stick with my business manager from that west.
Speaker 1:Hi, hello, friend. Yeah. So, amy Lewis, do you have any more to say on franchise? Any more parting gifts? Parting gifts? Hmm, let me consult my notes.
Speaker 2:I'm going to do a few of these stats because they're really interesting. Oh yeah, let's finish with the stats.
Speaker 1:33% of franchises run more than one franchise 30% of franchises, 33, yeah, oh sorry, 33 in a turret run more than one.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's a lot. So there, you can still be a maverick. So let's talk about the person that owns McDonald's. There is a franchise owner that owns all of the McDonald's, all of the KFCs and all the Bird Kings in our town. Yes, yeah, so you don't need to just have one business. You can be a massive maverick entrepreneur. Yeah, you can have different franchises, like Korea and her husband's done. Or you can have more than one salon, so you could buy the rights for New Zealand and be me in New Zealand. Set up as many as you want, for instance. Like that is exciting, yeah, I know, yeah. And have you ever seen the founder of the film? No, oh, my God, if anybody is interested in franchising, please watch the founder. What's he about? The guy Ray Crock Is it Ray Crock that's set up McDonald's?
Speaker 1:Oh, I think I have seen it a bit of very long time ago. It is one of my favourite films.
Speaker 2:Is it quite dark? No, at the beginning the thing is people look at him and think he's real sneaky, devious, like arsehole businessman. He's not. He just saw something that the owners didn't see, yeah, and they were like you want to something here? Why are you not doing anything with this? But they got in their own way, so he made a shit ton of money. They would have just stayed doing what they were doing anyway.
Speaker 2:I loved it. Oh, my God, I love it so much. Franchises have doubled in the last 25 years In the UK. Yeah, but that's not a lot, is it? No? So that's how slow it's going. Yeah, but I think it. My, I'm going to put out a what's it called? What Something to the world Universe. I'm going to put like a premonition out there. Yeah, I think that franchising will double again in the next five years. That's big. Yeah, I know. Is that because you're going to be trailblazing it? Maybe, but I just think people are becoming more aware. Yeah, because it also allows people to have a business that know that they are capable of having a business. And there's a lot of noise about being self-employed or having side hustles isn't there and all of this. But actually, people want to have their own business but are very cautious and I think franchising really fills that void, which is a majority of people that want their own business. Feel nervous, scared, worried all of that I know and 80% of franchise businesses remain open and trading after five years.
Speaker 1:That's massive, isn't that?
Speaker 2:mad, which is because I look myself and anybody that follows the BFA guidelines which we should if you're a legit franchise, we don't recharge after five years, so you don't pay your franchise agreement again after five years. Oh, do you know why? Why? Why, personally, I don't because when you've got to five years, you are really finding your feet, you're really starting to feel that money, you're starting to see the profit. Why would I come in and hammer you with another 25 grand? So what do you do? Nothing, just pay legal fees, carry on, have another five years, because I want them to succeed.
Speaker 2:But that is a BFA guideline. So if you are looking for franchise and they are trying to charge you after five years, be careful. I know right, because how cool is that? If you've made your money and you're like, yeah, yeah, I'm excited, I want to do it, I want to carry on and the relationships go in, my 25 grand, by the way, it's going to cost you another 25 because, also, you've done it all, you don't need any of my time anymore If you want to get another franchise. So we do discounted five grand discount on further franchises because you don't need me to do half the work anymore.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I can still support you. Yeah, but you don't really need me now, so have it cheaper, because it's not going to take me as much. So another beautiful thing about franchise is that you can grow it and then sell it. Yeah, so you're creating something that you can also sell as a going concern. It's an asset, it's an asset. And then I just sign off the next person. I don't get anything from that, I just get my franchise fee, so continue.
Speaker 1:So you could pump it, pump it, pump it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, grow it have all that exciting stuff and then sell it. So you're creating an asset and making a profit, and then you can sell it afterwards and just to talk about movies slightly more.
Speaker 1:You've got come in as a franchisee but then you've got your product, your training, everything to enable you to run that bricks and mortar as best as you possibly can. You give them the platform for success.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's epic I know, but it's so exciting and that's sexy, isn't it? It is sexy. And also, if you put that into, you know, relation to your business or anybody else's business, you can see it in a much bigger scale, can't you? Oh, yeah, my brain has gone.
Speaker 1:Don't play small. Don't play small. But also still very nervous to read the myth now that we've spoken about this. Thank you, you're welcome. You have been fabulous to interview. Yeah, here is the book of your life.
Speaker 2:Who are you going to wheel out, Julie?
Speaker 1:Julie from St Parkes, bring her out. What was it? Franchise, franchise, shizzle. I know right, I love it. I could talk about franchise forever. Oh, I loved watching you open up like a little clam for the second time, not a flower, just a clam. No, it's clam. Yeah, Is it?
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, amazing.
Speaker 1:Amazing.
Speaker 2:Amazing. We're going to do any highs and lows, ups and downs Of this week. Yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, on guitar. Oh, I don't know too tight. Can you go first please? Where's that deflect button? Yeah, totally worse, isn't it? No, okay, I can give you. I can give you a, keeping it real mama. Yeah, come on, I've had a. What day is it today, wednesday? Yeah, it's been a shit start to the week, literally. Yes, yeah, yeah, my, I was on training from Friday to Sunday at the weekend, which was good. It was epic and it is. I am actually allowed to talk about it.
Speaker 2:I feel like we need t-shirts that say it's epic.
Speaker 1:It is. We do say epic, we do say epic, I know we say epic all the time I know.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we should. You are epic, my brain's yeah.
Speaker 1:Neon hoodie. So I did. I spoke about this last time that I was on training I Secret School. I couldn't mention it, but I can actually talk about it. I was on training with a client, and that client is Richard Stone and Gemma Stone who run?
Speaker 1:Project Management Blueprint and it is all about how to build and develop property the right, compliant way. And there it was fucking eye-opening, genuinely eye-opening. To sit the course and the point of me sitting it is so that I can get into Richard's head, because he's the presenter on the course, and understand, really get to grips with the content. So I sat the whole three days Fabulous, wonderful, to flex the learning muscles in my brain, really, really cool.
Speaker 1:Friday, matt's parents had both Eddie and Hope. Eddie's usually a nursery but Matt's mom wanted to take him out. Take him out so she could have both of them together, which was wonderful. Until half an hour after I dropped them off and Hope started vomiting everywhere. Fine, we thought that it was just mucus because she's really like, bunged up at the minute, really snotty. Fast forward to quite a few nights of bad sleep because she's really, you know, she wasn't well and she did vomit all over her car on Friday night. But anyway, fast forward to Saturday Eddie vomits all over the carpet, all over the rug in the living room. We've got barely any carpet in our house. We've got one, that's fucking white and gray.
Speaker 1:What a knob. He vomits all over. Did it come out? Yeah, I think so, because I did the dishwasher tablet over the saucepan thing. The saucepan, you didn't get it anyway. Then what happened? A little bit of a vomiting blur, wasn't it Matt's mom and dad? They just popped in to drop something off. They were there at the same time when he's sick again. So now I'm thinking right, fucking brilliant, we've got definitely a vomiting bug, and now Matt's parents have got it as well. I feel really guilty about shit like that. You know, the shit that you can't control, that you worry about unnecessarily. That's me, dickhead number one over here. So that was a bit naff.
Speaker 1:Then fast forward to Monday. Eddie's off school because we need to give him the 448 hours. Hope's gone back because I was gone into nursery because she was clear Matt gets up. I don't feel well. I was like, okay, brain, he's got the vomiting bug, he'll probably be all right, because it's quite short for the kids, he'll probably be all right. What's actually transpired is that he's got flu. Matt had been with the hospital with my family over the weekend. My sister has now got the vomiting bug, got it last night. My niece has got it, but not got it bad. It's spreading its way through the fucking family. So now, if you go back to Matt, did Matt actually puke? No, he didn't puke.
Speaker 1:He felt nauseous, but then he's been wiped out by flu. He's literally crawling around on his hands and knees like full on fatigue, and all I'm thinking is please, god, please, god, don't let any of this shit touch me. I can't, I can't. It's like when you get illness in the house, right, what do I do with the business in that time?
Speaker 2:Well, it's not like you can do it, no but you don't want to get ill, right?
Speaker 1:No? So my list is as long as your arm at the minute, just the same way as yours is. Fast forward to Monday. Eddie Matt's like wiped out, still wiped out. Today, eddie's clean his fuck so I can get anything done. And now I'm in residual sleep deprivation and to-do list step. But it's fine because I'm filling up my love cup right now. I'm not getting anywhere.
Speaker 2:Much to do this, but I'm really happy.
Speaker 1:It doesn't matter, though. Like up there's things. Yeah, I'm behind on stuff, but everything's actually manageable. I'm not as overwhelmed as I was last week. I'm just a little bit tired. So it's been a bit low-ish, with a high of the course of the weekend, but I'm knackered.
Speaker 2:Oh, I'm so sorry. Don't apologize, this is just life though isn't it. Yeah, it is life.
Speaker 1:Tell me about your high of life.
Speaker 2:I've got one of each. Really, I don't know what you're going. My high was probably meeting Tim franchise expert. He is an expert and he made me see everything in a much bigger light than I'd ever thought of. And as soon as he was like, oh yeah, so within two years we should be looking at eight to ten a year, but then after two years you should be looking at 10 to 20 a year, and I was like that little emoji?
Speaker 2:Yeah, exactly, and he was like you say your strap line is every market town in the movies. How many market towns are in the UK? And I was like I have no idea he goes. I'd say that was probably your first point of call. Put that in your business plan. I was like, oh God, and then my low is based on business plan, really kind of. You know the minimum wage is going up, so stressful. I get it. I get why it needs to go up. I totally understand living, cost of living crisis and all this. I just feel like the fuck are we doing? So minimum wage is going up by 90. Well, how much is it? 10% or something. It's a pound, basically to a national living wage. I've always paid national living wage because I hire the national living wage, but now I am actually going to have to just pay my living wage, which really pisses me off.
Speaker 2:Challenges your values Because also we will, I think I've said before but we'll do a price increase alongside minimum wage going up because we have to cover it, which is annoying as hell because clients see a price increase and think you're just rolling back to my property.
Speaker 2:Oh, she goes back to the bank again. Do you know what I've done? The calculations of how much that increase in pay with the staff that I've got across my business is going to cost me? Do you know how much it was? It's cool 25 and a half grand, based on their current rate of pay, more than a franchise fee 25 and a half grand. So now I've got to calculate all of my services from last year, how many I've done of each, which is easy. It's reporting amazing. So we'll help me with that. Amazing, yes, we'll help me communicate amazing. So we'll do the research. And I need to pull a report of every treatment we done in both salons, put it together and then what the increase is and then how much that will drive. And I have to find a way of covering 25 and a half grand. But it's not just 25 and a half, because then I've got the on costs, the national insurance, holidays.
Speaker 1:That's just the wage, isn't it? The wage, just the wage.
Speaker 2:And I'm really angry about it because I get it People need more, they need to earn more, but what's the government?
Speaker 1:doing, but there's so many businesses.
Speaker 2:We are so stretched, we're paying off loans because we were told to close and we were told to get loans to survive and now we're paying them all off, and now we've got to put the pay rates up. And if you, what is it Like? Really high percentage? Isn't it Like 80% of the economy is driven by small business, small medium enterprises? Yeah, but how many businesses are going to have to force closure Because they're not going to be able to put their prices up enough to cover their salaries? And corporation tax has gone up? I mean, I'm not going to be even, I'm not even going to be getting getting to the point where I'm paying corporation tax to you.
Speaker 1:But the squeeze on businesses.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but also what's really pissing me off is that my revenue is going to go up because I'm putting my prices up, which means I'm paying more of that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so where's the money going?
Speaker 2:So I and you know I don't, I can't out-priced myself, otherwise I'll have no clients. So we're putting our prices up to cover these costs of staffing. But it's not I. We will, we will be okay. But I'm thinking of all those other salons that can't do that. They're not, they don't have the flex, they're not they can't jump from a 25 pound manicure to a 35, 40 pounds, like we are. But they could, but it's going to be really hard.
Speaker 1:Well, they'd have to start again with their clients, because they shake out, yeah, whoever they've got on their books.
Speaker 2:We're already at that price point where, if we put a pound or two, it will cover because of how busy we are, but for those businesses, those shops or whatever that pay for people to run it, everything's going to go up. So is this? I don't understand economy, economics as well, you know, but is this why we go into a recession? Because businesses are forced to close because they can't afford to pay the salaries that they're being told to pay, because they can't afford the loans they've been told to get, and then we have this massive stage of unemployment because there's no jobs. Is that what happens?
Speaker 1:Because the businesses can't afford to employ the people. I don't know, I don't know, I don't know. I don't also not very good at economics either.
Speaker 2:I find it fascinating, but you kind of think who is it that's making these decisions?
Speaker 1:I know yeah, quite often, Because you just think yeah, it's great.
Speaker 2:All the people get more money. I love you for that. That's amazing. But the people that are paying it? We are so squeezed, yeah, we're so stretched we're still paying like I don't fucking, what's it called business rates? For not doing, not getting anything. We don't even get a bins collected, nothing, just to be on a high street Like when is why? Is that still in place? Yeah, I know.
Speaker 1:Isn't it, madness?
Speaker 2:Yeah, and it's like let's squeeze these businesses that bring in 80% of the economy as much as possible so that they all go bust and then everybody just sits on no money at all. Yeah, Like I mean, maybe that's what's going to happen.
Speaker 1:Maybe we all Do. We need to get you into government, do you think? No, I don't know.
Speaker 2:Oh my God, I just wish there'd be people running it that actually understand what small businesses run, like you know yeah. Yeah, because it's so hard to make money anyway to have a living. But when decisions are made for you, you're kind of like who's there speaking for the actual businesses that this affects?
Speaker 2:because who is it that's there going? Yeah, let's just put minimum wage up. Oh, let's just charge this and everyone else will just have to put the price up. Why is there no one there going, but then all the businesses are going to go. Bust, you fucking imbeciles.
Speaker 1:It's not funny.
Speaker 2:But your approach is funny.
Speaker 1:Who is there going? Why are you all so stupid? I don't know. There's got to be a better way. There has, but it's highly likely that we'll have a change of government this year, right.
Speaker 2:I know it's annoying that we didn't even vote in anyway. Don't like to want to promise it.
Speaker 1:This trip is it.
Speaker 2:We're stuck with all these people making fucking decisions for us Like blah. And that my friends that's what you call a rat. That was a full on run. I feel better for getting it out. Yeah, but please we need somebody that's there going. Who's talking sense?
Speaker 1:Who's talking sense? It's like pregnant and screwed in the childcare.
Speaker 2:Yeah, because all my staff are like I can't even afford childcare and I was like welcome to the world. I don't know how much you paid, it's still in the same situation. Yes.
Speaker 1:It's so expensive Welcome.
Speaker 2:I mean, it's all changing now.
Speaker 1:I'm so annoyed about that, I know there's lots of people that are but little hope will get access. I'm really pleased for you, but also fuck you, Fuck you.
Speaker 2:I spent 1500 pound a month to put my two in three days a week. Yeah, yeah, I know, and I had no money. Anyway, I'm really pleased that everyone's going to start getting childcare. I think that's wonderful.
Speaker 1:She says genuinely, I'm really pleased. Sure, no, we're going to talk about next week, I don't know because now we've done our 10 episodes.
Speaker 2:It's like the end of a chapter of one isn't it?
Speaker 1:Shall we stop then Give it up, don't do anymore, fuck no. But now do we stop bringing people in. I think we should get Martin in.
Speaker 2:You do, don't you? Why do you want to get?
Speaker 1:Martin in. Do you want Martin in? Yes, I'm hearing a yes. I think it's a yes.
Speaker 2:Yeah, why do we want Martin in? I'm really intrigued Like I know why I want him in, but I know, oh dear, that innuendo there was really like to.
Speaker 1:I know why I want him in Sexy Jean, because I think that there is huge value. I actually want to ask Martin lots of questions.
Speaker 2:About how having me as a businesswoman affects him.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but not like you as an individual. You're wonderful, obviously, and you'll never have a nightmare at home. I think that would be an interesting conversation. If I feel like that, like I really want to hear what Martin's got to say, then so will lots of other people as well.
Speaker 2:I'd be really interested to hear how it's affecting, because I think I know, but I'm not in his head, so it'd be really interesting.
Speaker 1:It's probably like conversation that you've never really had before.
Speaker 2:No, I'm not going to turn around and say, oh, I'm just going to stop everything. By the way, how does this affect you? I've had my pipe dream and all of this wonderful stuff affect you, because I'm thinking it's all for the good, but actually it's affected him massively.
Speaker 1:Oh, yeah, yeah, in a good anabard way, probably, yeah, and I think that it's like, because we talk about him so much, I think that it would be only right that he's our first guest. He loves to chat. He does love to chat, also likes giving me. I'm a twat mug, but you know, called it you, it's true, I'm with you. Anyway on that note, thanks, nicole.
Speaker 2:Thank you for being such a great Thank you there you go.
Speaker 1:This is your life. Thanks, thanks for listening everyone. Bye, bye.
