Home is where the work is (Daily Mail franchise story)

Home is where the work is

By: Linda Whitney

WITH the family budget increasingly stretched to breaking point, more women are looking at setting up in business for themselves.

Many franchises and business opportunities welcome women, and offer flexible ways to work around a family.

The rising cost of living has led to a surge in the number of Avon representatives. Anna Segatti of Avon says: 'As well as cutting back on outgoings, fitting in a direct-selling job, such as working for Avon, enables people to supplement their income by increasing the hours they work.' You can join Avon's 170,000 representatives, of which 95 per cent are women.

Typically you start off selling to family and friends, earning £1 for every £4 worth of sales. Some representatives earn up to £50,000 a year.

But before you start, think about how much time you can realistically devote to the business and the cost of any childcare you need.

Make sure you get the full support of your family - lack of family support is one of the most common reasons that franchises falter. If you want to work from home, think about whether you have the space and the IT equipment to cope with a business. Not all franchises supply computer hardware.

Fitness fans can consider a franchise with Rosemary Conley Diet And Fitness clubs, but you must have time to run at least ten fitness and nutrition sessions in local venues each week.

Investment is £21,737.50, including the cost of taking an exercise-to-music qualification and a Certificate in Applied Nutrition and Weight Management, accredited by Liverpool University. (The cost falls to £19,530.85 for those who already hold the exercise-tomusic qualification.) You can turn caring experience to good use with a Pauline May franchise, arranging parties in local care homes to sell specially designed garments.

'Being a caring person is more important than sales experience,' says Pauline Sargeant of Pauline May, where training includes visits to homes with existing franchisees.

Investment is £25,000, including £5,000 worth of stock.

Relevant experience is invaluable when it comes to running child-focused franchises. Little Gym franchisees run centres offering a gymnastics programme for children aged four to 12 - which evolves with a child's cognitive and motor skills development.

It's full-time, but you can take on staff to run the gym and manage it from home. The investment of around 220,000 includes training, equipment and marketing support.

MANY franchises are home-based. Travel Counsellors provides a travel service from home, using a personalised website and packaging and marketing software provided by the company.

Training includes access to a 12-month travel academy programme, and investment is £10,000. If you love markets, Cherry Tree, a new franchise, involves selling Forest Products' awardwinning jams, pickles and chutneys at local markets and county shows, but also to trade customers such as pubs, delicatessens and hotels.

You manage your own time to suit your market and your life, and the £15,570 start-up cost includes equipment and stock.

AVON 0845 601 4040; Pauline May 01535 664 917; Little Gym 020 3239 0080; Travel Counsellors 0800 195 7024; Cherry Tree 01308 458 111..

SALLY FINDLAY, 39, runs a Recognition Express franchise with her husband Adam, in East Molesey, Surrey.

Engineering graduate Sally had never thought of running her own company, but after careers in teaching and project management, a friend suggested franchising.

'I wanted a business, though I had no idea about which sector to start in, but franchising takes care of that as you are buying someone else's tried-and-tested idea,' says Sally.

She chose Recognition Express, a £30,000 franchise that involves manufacturing and marketing badges, signs, business gifts, awards and promotional products.

She appreciates the freedoms self- employment brings. ' Only a woman will understand this, but now I can wear sandals to the office with no fear of damaging my promotion prospects.' Recognition Express 01530 513 300..