New year, new career...

 

New Year, new career...

Daily Mail 31.12.2007

By: Linda Whitney

CHANGING your career is a popular New Year resolution, and a franchise can help you do it. Unlike many employers, most franchises do not require experience in their field, but don't just pick the one which promises the most money. It must suit your talents, too.

List your transferable skills. The most common skill required by franchises is sales ability, as you will always have to sell your goods or service.

Other than this, skills vary — a management franchise, which involves running a team of staff, requires different skills from a vehicle repair franchise, where you'll need practical skills.

'Ask franchises what training and support you will get,' says Sharron Davis of domestic cleaning franchise Kingsmaid.

'If you are considering a management franchise, you will need skills in people management, sales and marketing, administration, customer care and financial management. Ask if the franchise will train you in any areas where you have missed out.'

Kingsmaid is looking for more management franchisees to run cleaning teams. Set-up costs are £6,500. Think about the lifestyle you want. 'There are enough franchises available so you should be able to find one that is suitable for your particular skills and lifestyle goals,' says David Lester, author of Starting Your Own Business: The Good The Bad And The Unexpected (Crimson, £12.99).

If you want to swop an office desk for an outdoor life, consider one of the many gardening franchises.

If you want to work from home, recruitment and travel agency franchises can often be started from your home computer. You can often turn a hobby into a business. For fitness fans, there a numerous choices, including Energie Fitness For Women, which involves running a fitness centre offering 30-minute workouts.

Peter Croney, Chief Executive of Energie, says: 'Many of our franchisees have made big career changes, including one couple who were in accountancy and computer programming.' He adds: 'They all have skills in communication, organisation, a strong sense of public service and an open mind to learning new skills.' Investment in the franchise is £19,000.

Alternatively, you could put computer skills to use with Plum Planet, a franchise that means providing computer support and training to clients in their homes and at work.

Judy Blackett of Plum Planet says: 'You will need to demonstrate computing skills and ideally have some experience in training.' Investment is £15,000-20,000.

Increasingly, people looking to change careers are moving to more meaningful jobs. Shared Earth, the retail chain that specialises in fairtrade goods, is looking for franchisees to open outlets selling stationery, food, accessories and internationally handcrafted products.

You need £74,000 to invest.

Kingsmaid 0161 426 1440; Energie Fitness for Women 01908 607 605; Plum Planet 01737 554 560; Shared Earth 01904 655 314..

GYM FIXED IT FOR ALASTAIR

ALASTAIR KENDALL used a franchise to swop from a career in the City to one in the fitness sector.

Alastair, 42, (pictured left) worked for 17 years as an investment analyst with financial institutions such as UBS Warburg, until he was made redundant four years ago. 'I decided to change career to see more of my family,' says Alastair. 'I wanted to help improve children's fitness, so when I heard about The Little Gym I was interested.'

He now runs one gym at Hampton Hill, Surrey, and another in Wandsworth, South- West London. Both offer gymnastics sessions combined with songs, music and games in specially fitted-out premises, to children under 12 years.

Alastair, from Woking, Surrey, says: 'I feel my work is doing children some good, and the income is starting to become comparable with my City earnings.

'The Little Gym gives you a business model to work to, but you must research franchises so as to pick one you can be passionate about.'

The Little Gym 020 8958 7373..