Or just perhaps I can convince you a different type of road trip might be just what you need…. A van-based franchise.
A ‘Van Based’ or ‘Mobile’ franchise is exactly that – a business with all the benefits of a business format franchise but without the expensive and challenging responsibilities tied to a fixed premises of operation and the staffing it requires. Van based franchisees are often usually ‘owner/operator’ businesses or consisting of a small staff team. This means the franchisee is actively involved in the ‘doing’ day to day as well as the overall business management that can be expected within management franchises.
In short, your van is your desk, and the open road your office!
The old imagery of the white van man with his rolled up newspaper on the dash, and door pockets full of food wrappers is long gone. Van based franchising is advanced, professional and offers an entirely different path for prospective business owners with its own unique advantages to benefit from.
The variety of van-based opportunities is huge; dog walking, smart paint repair, for sale board servicing, mobile coffee, drain services, and oven cleaning are just a few of the options you can choose from.
The benefits of van based over premises-based franchising are significant too:
- Low overheads – working mobile from you van you wont have the costly investment of premises to worry about. No rent, no rates, and no landlords to worry about!
- Increased profit margins – with low overheads, and low running costs your profit margins will be increased. The assumption that premises based operations are more profitable is often not the case.
- Lower start up costs – a mobile franchise generally has significantly lower start up costs. With no expensive shop or store to build, the means the entry costs are usually lower and more accessible.
- Faster growth – if you are looking to scale quickly, van based is a great option. Working mobile means to scale only additional vans and staff are required, no additional premises.
- Flexibility – whilst you will be expected to operate your business inline with your franchise agreement, mobile franchisees experience greater flexibility to run their businesses successfully whilst still striking a good work life balance.
- Built in marketing – with a liveried van or car circulating your local area every single day, you become your own built in marketing tool. You’ll be amazed the amount of times you are flagged down by a new customer, or you spot someone taking a picture of your van for future reference.
- Out and about – If you are tired of being sat at a desk, van based franchising offers a solution that will see you in a different location every day meeting all kinds of new people.
Despite common misconceptions, van-based franchising is a well-trodden path by all kinds of individuals not just those coming from hands on backgrounds. Into our van-based network I’ve welcomed as many people from an office background and those from hands on – sales managers, HR professionals, and accountants have enjoyed just as much success as firefighters, carpenters and ex-forces individuals. All franchisors will offer full training as part of your launch process, so a lack of hands-on experience Is most definitely not a concern and can often be seen as an advantage.
Van-based franchises have one final ace up their sleeve – in many cases they are much quicker to set up and launch. Without the need for finding premises, negotiating lease arrangements and fitting out a new store, the lead time from making the decision to proceed to launching your new business can be considerably quicker as a mobile business.
There we have it then; the road trip you never even considered suddenly looks like quite the adventure. So before you start packing your bags and firing up the Harley for Route 66, perhaps the journey you really need isn’t strip of tarmac, but a mindset and business format that puts you in the driving seat of your business and your future.
