What our Franchisee say about us!
Name: Patricia Barnett Location: Micro Franchisee, Oxted & Caterham If you are worried about taking the plunge and becoming a micro franchisee, then I would like to share with you the experience I have had with YogaBugs so far.
It was a big decision to buy into the group and I involved my family in my deliberations. I thought about it for quite a while and then met with the team in London to discuss it. I found the team to be very open, honest and fair. They had already worked out how much it would cost me and how much money I would make based on the number of classes I took per week. They talked to me about my area and concerns in detail. I signed up.
The next step was the training. With my hand on my heart I can tell you it was excellent. There were two strands to the training. Firstly, there is the business side. This was taught to us by Mark Goode. He is a really experienced sales and business person and he is an excellent teacher. The second part was the actual YogaBugs yoga teaching. We were taught by Nell - and she is truly superb. The stories that you actually deliver to the children are already written for you, although you can have a go at writing your own if you want to. We worked in detail on postures, class management and how to teach in a fun and engaging way. I really loved it.
But there is more. As a franchisee you are given access to a database that has templates of letters, flyers, posters, pictures and postures that you can use freely. It has been really well thought out and put together.
As someone new to this I feel I have been really looked after and I have been given an excellent start and loads of support.
I wonder what will happen next!
Name: Lynn Exley Location: Management Franchise, Rutland, South Lincs, West Norfolk & Fenland Names and ages of children: Abbey 14, Kate (step daughter) 20, Harry (step son) 18
What has been the most challenging aspect of running your own business so far? Keeping the work life balance, it is easy to become consumed in running the business at the expense of time with the family and running a home. I will be employing a cleaner! What has been the most rewarding aspect of running your own business so far? Knowing that, as a direct result of me buying the business, hundreds of children in this area have had the experience of attending YogaBugs classes and benefitted from them in many different ways. I truly believe that by reaching people on a different level with all the benefits regular yoga practice can bring, we have the capability to change the lives of children and families for the better. Also it feels great when a deal comes together. What are your top tips for someone wanting to set up their own business? Be prepared to put the time in, make sure everyone in the family is right behind you, build a team around you who hold the same vision, be prepared to speculate to accumulate. Working from home can’t be easy, how do you stay focused? I have always worked hard in my career so it comes naturally just to get on with it. I think it is important to take time to look at what you have achieved and adjust plans accordingly, my husband has an amazing capacity to listen, support and motivate without judging. What drives you and keeps you motivated? I want this to be a success for myself, my family and my teachers and I will do whatever it takes to make that happen. When did you start your own business? Dec 2008 How often do you work? How much time do you commit? Around 8/9 hours daily. How does the job fit around your family life? It’s a bit of a juggling act but you are in control of your own time so if you can’t fit it all in there is really only one person to blame.
Where do you carry out your work? (home/office) Dad’s old oak desk, bookcase, large noticeboard, laptop, printer, Blackberry, fax all very snug on the landing. Who do you most admire in the business world? And why? Probably Sir Alan Sugar, as he doesn’t put up with any nonsense and gets things done but he seems like a very genuine, caring person underneath. Where do you see your business in 3/5 years time? I have a large geographical area which I am already expanding, I feel I will need around 20 teachers and more administrative support for the day to day operation, to free up my time to develop the business and play more golf! Yoga has been around for 1000’s of years this is not a passing phase the more people who have the chance to experience the benefits the better for the health and wellbeing of the country. If you could spend a day with anyone famous who would it be and why? Tiger Woods, to gain a few tips to bring my handicap down.
How did you come up with the idea or How did you hear about the business? The school I was working as a School Business Manager for was looking to introduce yoga as part of the Healthy Schools Award. After a considerable search it was clear that no one was teaching Yoga to children in our area. My own yoga teacher mentioned YogaBugs and I rang Head Office to see if there were any local teachers or if I could train. As the franchise area had not been bought the answer to both of these questions was no. How much is the franchise? I asked… and by the end of the phone call I knew there were going to be some changes in my life! Do you get support/training? Yes lots from Head Office at the set up stage and always at the end of the phone. Are there any downsides your business? Sometimes best laid plans fall apart for example if a teacher becomes ill and can’t take the planned classes. Or customers make last minute changes to times and venues. It can feel like there are a lot of plates spinning at once, which is where it is vital to have the support of a team around you, you can’t do everything yourself, as my husband keeps telling me. Would you recommend this business to others? Yes but only if they have the vision, determination and support of others to make it happen.
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