Five best home-based franchises to start
This guide will help you whether you've come here just wanting
to find out what's on offer in the world of home-based franchising,
or you're at the stage where you know it's definitely for you and
you need to pick a type of franchise. This advice
guide outlines the most popular types of home-based franchise,
looking at the investment and skills needed to start each, and the
pros and cons of different types and who they suit best. (Find out
more about home businesses or franchising.)
The most popular home-based franchises are:
- Cleaning services
- Children's activities and education
- Pet services
- Gardening services
- Online businesses
Cleaning services
According to the Cleaning Industry National Training
Organisation (CINTO) the UK cleaning industry is worth around
£10bn, and employs approximately 820,000 people. Which means we're
talking about a big industry with plenty of opportunity for people
like you. When running a cleaning service, you'll most often
be managing a team rather than doing the cleaning yourself. This is
ideal for the home-based entrepreneur, because all you need is a
small office.
The pros
- There is a fast-growing demand for domestic cleaning services,
and the need for commercial cleaning businesses is rising too.
- Even without the support of the franchisor, employees for
cleaning businesses are relatively easy to come by, because it's
the type of work that can be done by a wide range of people.
The cons
- Organising a group of people can be stressful.
- Competition is fierce within the industry.
Skills needed
With a domestic cleaning franchise, you and your staff need no
more experience for the cleaning side of things than you'd already
have through cleaning your home.
With commercial or specialist cleaning, you and your staff will
require training in a multitude of areas, ranging from the
operation of floor sweepers, to specialist carpet cleaning
training.
As with all businesses, you'll need to be familiar with basic business
skills such as bookkeeping, but sometimes the franchisor will
offer training in these areas. Always find out for certain before
signing anything.
Investment
Around £15,000, or less.
Who it will suit
You'll need to be good with people to manage your team and
clients effectively, and have a natural knack for organisation.
Try…
Belle Casa, a domestic cleaning business. It
asks for £9,950 for the franchise rights and equipment. It offers a
team of accountants and full training. Like all the examples
in this guide, Bella Casa is approved by the British Franchise
Association (BFA).
Ecocleen requires an investment of between
£5,000 - £10,000 initially, with an overall investment of around
£30,000. It provides accountants, a mentor, full training and (for
a small additional fee) a sales team to help you promote your
business.
Children's activities & education
If you have young children, but are hoping to start a business,
running a children's activities or education franchise is one of
the best solutions: allowing a balance between your work and
personal life.
The pros
- You have the opportunity to do something you're passionate
about, such as improving children's education and making their
lives more fun.
- Your children can be included in most of the activities, and
they can try out your latest ideas to give you an impression of how
they'll be received by others.
The cons
- Anyone who works with children will tell you it's hard work -
there's no time for a break when you've got kids to entertain!
- Parents trust you to take care of their children: you're under
a lot of pressure to make sure they're kept safe and happy.
Skills needed
The skills needed for these franchises vary, so always research
each company thoroughly before investing. You'll definitely need
experience working with children, though in a few cases this can be
as simple as raising your own. You will also need to familiarise
yourself with child safety laws, and have an up-to-date CRB
check.
Investment
The average investment is around £15,000. You may need to
buy equipment and toys on top of that.
Who it will suit
You must enjoy spending time with children! This type of
franchise is great if you have kids of your own, but not suited to
those with no patience. You'll need plenty of energy too.
Try…
Ugly Bug asks for less than £10,000 for the
franchise rights to its children's activity business. That includes
training costs.
Computer Xplorers, alternatively, asks for an
investment of between £20,000-£30,000, which includes a laptop,
software, and full training.
Pet services
More and more pet owners are turning to professionals to make
sure their animals get the best care possible. The pet sector in
the UK is worth well over the £3bn mark, and research by the Family
Pooch Index found the average dog-owning family spends £15,000 per
10 years on their four-legged friend!
The pros
- This is the perfect business for animal lovers, and those who
can no longer keep pets of their own (many retirees invest in these
franchises).
- With the booming pet industry, demand for these types of
businesses are continuing to grow, so there's no better time to get
started.
- Animal boarding is a great way to spend time with animals in
the comfort of your home.
The cons
- This isn't an easy job. Your hours will be long and you'll have
to do many unpleasant, scoop-related, tasks.
- Animal care is demanding: if you need to walk a dog every day
you can't enjoy many of the benefits home businesses have to
offer.
Skills needed
The required skills will vary depending on the type of business
and the particular franchise. You may simply need experience of
having pets, or you might need to have worked with animals
professionally.
Investment
Investment is often less than £15,000, and for many of the
businesses (eg. dog walking, pet sitting, pet feeding), little
equipment is required. This keeps your overheads low and allows a
quicker return on your investment.
Who it will suit
These businesses are obviously only suited to those who are
interested in animals. Franchisors don't want anyone who may give
their company a negative image, and will take time to make sure
you're right for the business. You'll need to be happy with the
company of animals rather than people - a pet franchise offers
little human interaction.
Try:
Barking Mad offers home-from-home boarding for
pets, and requires an investment of £13,350 to become part of the
franchise. For your investment you receive full training, your own
territory, uniform, and everything else needed to start a pet
sitting business.
Pet Pals asks for an initial investment of
£12,500 for its pet care franchise, and you will receive all of the
help listed above, plus assistance acquiring and financing the
purchase of a pet-friendly van.
Gardening services
Gardening services are becoming increasingly popular for
home-based businesses. They're particularly good if you're short on
space or like getting out and about - administration can be done at
home, but all other work involves travelling to your client. You
can choose from a wide range of businesses, specialising in
anything from garden design to weed killing.
Pros
- Gardening isn't all about small paid-by-the-hour jobs. You can
get sizeable contracts with councils and other large organisations
involving public spaces. This is a great money-earner, and a
fantastic way to build your reputation.
- Being involved in a franchise of this type often means you will
get the tools and materials required at lower prices, decreasing
the time it takes to get a return on your investment.
Cons
- Your business will be somewhat season-dependent, and the manual
work can only be completed during daylight hours.
Skills Needed
Experience is required for whatever type of gardening business
you run. We recommended working for a professional gardener, or do
training, before embarking on your own business. As with the other
businesses, basic management skills, and an understanding of
keeping accounts is also required. This may be taught to you by the
franchisor.
Investment
Between £10,000 and £30,000 is needed to purchase and equip most
garden service businesses, though that varies based on the
particular service you're running.
Who it will suit
Anyone who enjoys working outside, and has an interest in
gardening.
Try:
Tru Green lawn care require an investment of
between £10,000 and £30,000 for their business franchise license,
training, and equipment.
Urban Planters specialise in supplying plants
for office interiors, and ask for £23,950 for the franchise licence
for their business, which includes training, and equipment.
Online businesses
You actually don't have to worry too much about the technical
side of things with an online franchise business, as the franchisor
controls that. What you actually do varies hugely between
companies, from selling products, online consultancy, managing an
auction site and much more, though most are sales-based.
Pros
- This is a business that thrives in the home environment.
- An internet-based business requires very little equipment, and
after you have paid the initial investment, all you need are a
computer and a desk. There's no rush to hire staff, as you can
complete most of the work alone.
- You don't need much experience.
Cons
- Working by yourself in front of a computer all day can feel
isolating.
- It can be a real struggle getting people to actually visit your
site unless the franchise is well known. Make sure the franchisor
offers assistance with gaining traffic.
Skills needed
A basic understanding of using a computer and the internet is
required, however you will often be taught everything else needed
by the franchisor.
Investment
Investments range from under £10,000 to well over £20,000. You
also need to consider the cost of purchasing a computer, desk, and
broadband (if you don't already have these), as the franchisor will
rarely provide them.
Try
The Bidding Buzz franchise requires an investment
of between £10,000 and £30,000 for their eBay-inspired internet
business, which includes your own online space.
WSI ask for an investment of £36,800 for their
internet and technology franchise, including training, and
operational and marketing support.
Resources
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