News Text:

Balgowlah Businessman Jonathon Bull says becoming a franchisee can be a shortcut to success when you're starting a business.

In six years, he has gone from a sole operator of a window and gutter cleaning business, to managing about three contractors each day to granting his first franchise last month.

  And he said franchising was the best way to make the most of a growing number of customers without taking on more contractors, which he said had a number of pitfalls.

"I was doing a lot of organising and quoting for each worker." he said.

"Then there was paying their wages and handling last-minute changes and getting the right people to wor isn't easy either. I just kept thinking "what other way can I arrange things?""

Starting a franchise took more that a year of preparation for Mr Bull and a $30,000 investment. He now receives initial franchise fees and ongoing royalties.

"Franchisees are better motivated to go out of their way to impress clients, so the can build their own business rather than just impress the boss," he said.

And while franchisees receive training, guidance and more business recognition, Mr Bull said he enjoyed the change in lifestyle and focus on business development.

"As I was getting more customers it was just becoming more problematic with contractors," he said. "I'm not as well off with just one franchisee yet, but once I have three or four franchisees that's the point where I'm better off franchising and it's a better lifestyle."

Words by Danielle Nicastri

Picture by Simon Cocksedge

Published in the Manly Daily Wednesday August 10, 2011