Restoration Franchise for Couples UK Rainbow International Ltd

Geoff and Sharon Clarence (pictured), Rainbow International Franchisees of the Year 2006, explain here how their decision to Franchise with Rainbow has changed their lives…    

Tell us a little bit about you both…

I am 47 and Sharon is 36 and we are married with 2 boys Lewis aged 4 and Freddie aged 2. I have 3 children from a previous marriage David aged 27, Glen aged 24 and Natalie aged 16. David and Glen both now work in the business.

What is yours and Sharon’s career background?

Sharon is a marketing graduate previously working for large brands in the flooring, brewing and confectionary market place and I started my working life on the shop floor of a flooring manufacturer and eventually ended up as the sales director. Our backgrounds have had little or no direct involvement with either running our own business or indeed franchising.

Why did you choose Franchising?

We stumbled into franchising because a former colleague who worked as part of my sales team joined Rainbow International as a franchisee in 2001.  We kept in touch and after several visits to his home and business we decided to approach Rainbow International with a view to taking on a Franchise ourselves.  To be honest we were very nervous about leaving secure jobs and joining Rainbow.

How did you overcome this Fear?

The recruitment guy at Rainbow was very understanding and reassuring and convinced us that the move was right for us. Needless to say his predictions were right!  The critical turning point in the decision for both us was on the day we were driving away from the former colleague’s business to go back to our day jobs.  We looked at what he had built in less than 2 years and decided a Rainbow Franchise would give us the future we and our Family deserved.
 
Why did you choose a Rainbow Franchise?  

We never looked at any other franchise other than Rainbow, the company was sold to us by the former colleague and endorsed by the recruitment team at head office.

There were some transferable skills we could both take with us into our new business in terms of flooring (carpet cleans etc) and sales and marketing. Genuinely we had impeccable trust in those who were advising us and never looked elsewhere.

What is your average day like?

Running a Rainbow franchise means you get involved in every aspect of running a business from budgeting, through buying, technical and administration of the business, recruitment, training, sales, marketing and even IT management.

What are the Positives of owning a Rainbow Franchise?

There are many positives to running a Rainbow franchise in terms of a tried and trusted business model with cutting edge innovation; 

• We are in principle our own business with the help and support of a network of people.
• We have the flexibility to try new ideas on marketing for an example and have the backing of a brand leader in its field.
• We feel valued and understood by the franchisor and have at our disposal a network of like minded people to turn to when the need arises.

What initial Training did you receive from Rainbow?

Before even setting off in your own Rainbow franchise you are provide with a 3 week induction course that concludes with a exam to ensure that you are fully prepared for the day to day requirements of the job.

How does Rainbow Support you now?  

Rainbows structure means everyone has the support of their own business development manager.  This support includes;

• Regular regional meetings,
• Key front line training,
• Technical and administration support,
• A focused sales team,
• Direct lines to IT and employment law specialists should the need arise,
• An advisory council providing an avenue for ideas to shape the future direction of the business
• A direct line to the MD who you feel is genuinely interested in you.

Ongoing training sessions for all aspects of the business are organised by head office for franchises, administrators and technicians alike.

What are your plans for the Future?

Diversifying the business into the commercial cleaning and restoration sector, further expansion of our geographical area and the purchase of a purpose built business unit that we own.  Also we aim to focus on the development of key staff to fulfil greater roles within the business, in turn broadening their horizons and developing them into astute business managers.