The marvellous thing about franchising is it enables people to take their professional lives in a completely different direction, should they choose to dive in and give it a go.
While many simply choose to take the professional skill-set they have developed over their career and use it to become their own boss, for others it represents an opportunity for a different career path altogether.
Take Jayne Tonkin. Once a financial advisor with two decades of experience in mortgage advice, and now the proud owner of a thriving Bright & Beautiful cleaning franchise.
Her journey from the world of finance to the cleaning industry is testament to the power of adaptability, hard work, and seizing those unexpected opportunities.
The transition to franchisee began during lockdown when she started professionally cleaning properties before re-letting them for her husband Chris, a property developer.
What started as a helping hand soon blossomed into a small end-of-tenancy cleaning business. She soon realised, however, that running a sole proprietorship was a lonely endeavour. It was during her search for a more structured business opportunity that she discovered Bright & Beautiful.
The Portsmouth Bright & Beautiful franchise proved to be just the right vehicle for the Tonkins’ ambitions.
“It was a perfect fit to enter the domestic cleaning market, merging it with our existing business,” Jayne Tonkin explains.
The franchise offered a unique proposition in the crowded cleaning market. Jayne was particularly drawn to… “The strong branding, eco-friendly products, fully employed staff, and the professional image as premium housekeepers that make Bright & Beautiful truly unique. Despite the numerous cleaning services in our area, Bright & Beautiful stands out with its premium and eco-conscious approach.”
The transition wasn’t without its challenges. In their first year, Jayne and Chris focused on stabilising the existing business, which had about 35 clients and two somewhat stretched staff members. They quickly implemented the Bright & Beautiful model and brought in two staff members from their previous business to help consolidate operations.
What followed was a year of significant growth and achievement.
“We focused on growth and building a strong team spirit. Through hard work and investment, we saw significant growth. By the end of the year, we had 10 housekeepers, including the two original staff who are now motivated team leaders. We more than doubled our regular clients, tripled our income, increased five-star Google reviews from three to 50… and one of our original employees was crowned National Housekeeper of the Year out of approximately 1,200 nationally. Shout out to Carina Morgan – we couldn’t have achieved this without you and Mandy Clarke.”
Their efforts didn’t go unnoticed – they also won the Business Transformation of the Year award. Jayne attributes much of their success to the support structure provided by Bright & Beautiful.
“The enthusiasm and dedication of the leadership have inspired us, and the comprehensive support, from marketing to staff training, has been instrumental in our growth and success,” she says.
The franchise’s business model, coupled with Jayne and Chris’s tenacity, has proven to be a winning combination.
Looking to the future, the pair have ambitious plans for the second year of business. They aim to double their turnover, expand their staff to 16 housekeepers, and have four teams on the road. The goal – among others – is to win the award for best growth at the Bright & Beautiful annual shindig.
To achieve those targets, Jayne emphasises the importance of following the franchise model, investing in marketing, and regularly training and improving staff. B&B also prioritises fostering a strong team culture and aims to be an employer of choice to attract the best staff in the area.
Jayne’s journey from financial advisor to award-winning cleaning franchise owner is more than just a career change, however, it’s a story of personal growth, adaptability, and the power of finding the right opportunity at the right time.
Her success with Bright & Beautiful demonstrates the potential for achievement in the franchise industry, even for those coming from entirely different professional backgrounds.
“With the proven business model, unwavering support from the head office team and our hard work, we’ve successfully doubled our client base, tripled our income, and built a motivated, high-performing team. The enthusiasm and dedication of the leadership has inspired us, and the comprehensive support, from marketing to staff training, has been instrumental in our growth and success.”
As the Tonkins continue to grow the business and inspire the team, their story serves as an inspiration to anyone considering a career change or looking to venture into the world of franchising.
With the right head office support and the right attitude to building the business, Bright and Beautiful has become all things to its hard-working leadership.
