Interview: “Building a business has been really interesting and we have learnt LOADS!”

Name: Jocelyn Close and Tori Lumb
Location: Farnham, Surrey
Date franchise launched: May 2016

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and what you were doing prior to buying a franchise business?

Jocelyn – I was a mum to 3 children doing events management and part-time maths teacher. Previous to this, I had a full-time career as an engineer for British aerospace and a medical device company.

Tori – I worked as a financial analyst in London and after our second child, I stopped work to bring up my children.

Why did you go down the franchise route?

Going down the franchise route was not a conscious decision. We both bought into the idea of the services and the difference we could make to our community whilst making some money.

How did you raise the finance? What training and support did you receive initially and ongoing?

We had the finance ourselves to buy the franchise and bought the cars on HP. We received training from Jack and Mel – owners of Driving Miss Daisy®, New Zealand, which was great and ongoing support from them too.

How would you describe your day-to-day role as a franchisee? What challenges have you faced?

Busy. Very busy. Driving, marketing, admin, finance you name it we do it!

Recruiting good staff is the hardest challenge we have faced, however; we have learnt to hold out as the best come along in time.

Has becoming a franchisee changed your life, if so how? What is the most invaluable piece of advice you could give someone looking to buy their first franchise?

Building a business has been really interesting and we have learnt LOADS! It has been a journey which we would not have experienced if we hadn’t gone into franchising. Our advice; recruit someone the day you start.

In your opinion, what makes a successful franchisee?

Hard work, long hours; doing it with someone else, always having a smile however bad your day is, as there is always someone worse off. Never giving up; persistence is key.

To learn more about franchise opportunties with Driving Miss Daisy across the country click here!