For Diane Fowler, the path to franchise ownership was paved with careful research and driven by a desire to combine her passion for animals with a flexible, family-friendly career.
After an eight-month search evaluating hundreds of franchise opportunities, she found her perfect match in premium natural pet food brand, Husse.
“I looked at literally hundreds of different franchises over an eight-month period before deciding on Husse,” she explains, “and my main reason for choosing Husse other than that I wanted to work with animals was that I changed my Whippet onto Husse food due to some health issues mid franchise search and the differences I noticed in him were amazing. This change made me read more about Husse, Husse products and the nutritional aspects of it all and I loved the whole ethos.”
But the appeal went beyond just the food itself. As the mum of a young family, she craved the flexibility and work-life balance that came with being her own boss through a home-based franchise.
“I also wanted to work on my own and be my own boss and didn’t want to be responsible for staff members. Being a home-based option also gave me the flexibility that I was looking for to have a great home/life balance for my young family, working my own hours to suit.”
With those criteria in mind, Husse quickly emerged as the frontrunner. Diane was sold on its transparent, no-pressure approach from the offset.
“Husse UK head office were very transparent with me from my very first email and I feel they explained everything at each step of the way with no pressure or unexpected surprises,” she says.
The early franchisee experience
Even after doing her due diligence, Fowler says she initially felt out of her depth as someone without prior business or sales experience.
To build her skills and confidence, she proactively enrolled in courses to bolster her business knowledge.
“I didn’t come from a business or sales background, so I signed myself up for a few Business Gateway courses which helped me to understand things a lot more clearly and helped me to organise myself a lot better too.
“It also helped me with my confidence levels so that I could wear all the hats that I needed to and make me realise ‘I can do this’.”
Husse’s comprehensive training program and ongoing support also played a pivotal role in easing her transition to franchise ownership.
“The training I received at the start was very helpful as I was a bit like a rabbit stuck in headlights with nothing rushed and explained as many times as I needed it to be and the ongoing training and updates via Zoom. Also, any advertising or marketing materials I need created or revamped is always done promptly with nothing being a bother.”
It is the dedication from the Husse team that she highlights as a particular differentiator.
“The support from Head Office is first class with no phone call or email ever being a silly one. I have always received a quick response to any queries or questions no matter how small they are.”
A rewarding journey
A few years into her Husse franchise journey, Fowler has already checked off many personal and professional milestones. From upgrading her delivery vehicle to renovating her office space.
“I have had my franchise just less than three years and along with the differences that our food has made to countless dogs and cats which I love to hear about, I have also upgraded my work vehicle to a newer model and funded a garage conversion so that I now have a much larger and more functional home office / work / storage area and as a person, I have grown so much and feel like a much happier and healthier individual.”
Her ambition shows no signs of diminishing. She hopes to make Husse a household name for pet owners throughout her local area of West Lothian, expanding brand recognition of the health and nutritional advantages the products offer. Potential future goals include opening a retail storefront and hiring staff such as a delivery driver to support her growth.
Throughout the process, she has become a passionate ambassador for the Husse brand and franchise model. Her advice to prospective franchisees?
“If you would love to be an integral part of a growing and thriving pet industry with flexibility and job satisfaction all combined with the fact that you are your own boss and have the scope to meet hundreds of new people and also meet and help their fur babies in the process and get paid for it too then this one is for you. Husse provides you with the complete start up package so it’s easy to get started and there is support available whenever you need it.”
For those considering the franchise as an option she does offer one caveat, however: “If you are afraid of hard work and want things to just land on your lap, this probably isn’t the best option for you. It follows a great model and business structure with constant ongoing support but you do need to do your own work to make it successful.”
If you put in the work, embrace an entrepreneurial mindset, and leverage the power of a well-established brand and franchisor team, the potential rewards are attractive, she believes.
