Mum's the word for new business (Daily Mail franchise story)

Mum's the word for new business

Daily Mail

By: Linda Whitney

SEVEN out of ten stay-at-home mothers will be back at work sooner than expected because of money worries, but almost all of them are looking for flexible work. Buying into a franchise could be the answer.

Cosmetics company Avon, which funded the 'mum-economics' study, is seeking representatives to sell directly to customers. It costs £15 for a starter pack and training.

Women with experience of looking after children might enjoy childcentred franchises, which you can usually fit around a family.

Franchisees with Pop Stars Academy, for instance, teach children aged five to 12 hip-hop as well as street and modern dance and provide dance-themed parties.

You don't need dance experience, as you recruit trained dancers. Nor do you need to be a pop star — though you might meet a few.

S Club 7 star Bradley McIntosh opened the Chiswick franchise last month and Nineties pop stars Lee Brennan, former lead signer of boyband 911, and Lindsay Armaou of girlband B*witched are franchisees. Cost is £9,995, plus £4,000 for equipment.

Marion Ullrich from Money Music, whose franchisees run music sessions for children, says: 'As well as communications skills and a love of music, it's essential you are business-like, too.' Investment is £9,500.

Outgoing types looking for a new challenge might consider Whizz Bang Pop, a new franchise looking for pilot franchisees to become children's entertainers. The £7,595 fee covers training.

Don't be afraid to look outside the traditional women's sectors. Glynis Santos, who runs a Mail Boxes Etc (MBE) franchise in Glasgow, says: 'This is a business that a woman can run just as well as a man. I've never noticed any differences in attitude to me.'

MBE franchisees run business services centres, offering everything from document finishing to couriers. Investment is around £60,000.

Women passionate about helping others might suit a Dietcare franchise.

Dietcare offers one-to-one slimming plans for individuals, and it is expanding through franchising.

The £14,750 investment includes training to Royal Institute of Public Health (RIPH) standards.

Your local knowledge could help you set up a Raring2go franchise, publishing a free magazine with information about local events and services for children. Investment is from £5,000.

Caroline Dinenage, 37, who runs the Recognition Express Southern franchise with her mother Beverley, producing branded marketing items for businesses, found that having a baby boosted trade.

'A week after having my baby, Freddie, I had to meet Network Rail,'

Caroline explains. 'They were so impressed by my attitude that they asked me to help put together a pack of branded gifts for employees going on maternity leave.'

The company is looking for more franchisees with £30,000 to invest.

• Avon 0845 601 4040
• Popstars Academy 0870 850 6018,
  
• Monkey Music 01582 766 464,
  
• Dietcare 0161 292 4918,
  
• Raring2go 0121 765 3405,
  
• MBE 0800 694 2026,
  
• Whizz Bang Pop (Smiles Entertainment) 08450 17 10 77,
  
• Recognition Express 01530 513 300,
  
• CNA 07909 533 726..
  

DISHA SOLANKI invested in a CNA International executive recruitment franchise in September 2008 after a career in the pharmaceutical industry.

She timed the start-up to coincide with completing her Masters in Business Administration, when her son, Hrish, was less than a year old.

'Starting a business is stressful at first, particularly as a new mum, but going into business with a franchise means you get support from the franchisor,' says 29- year-old Disha (pictured), from Solihull, West Midlands. 'CNA helped me deal with the red tape of starting up, which was a big help, because I had not been in business before.'

Disha specialises in the pharmaceutical sector to take advantage of her existing knowledge and contacts, and has developed her business enough to take on two new staff. Debbie Smith, of CNA, says: 'Recruitment suits people with empathy and listening skills traditionally associated with women. You can start a CNA franchise from home, which suits people with a family.' You don't need experience and investment costs £30,000..

Find out more about ideal franchises for mothers here...