Igniting a spark for an ambitious entrepreneur
Gareth Southard long felt that he had maximised the potential of his successful career working for British Gas, yet he still felt like something was missing. An avid lover of the outdoors and classic cars, Gareth knew there was an opportunity waiting for him in the unlikeliest of places – one that would allow him to achieve financial success while equally complementing his passions. Despite launching during the worst floods Wales had experienced in decades, soon followed by the UK’s first lockdown in 2020, in the face of adversity, Gareth has maintained his positive and fresh outlook as an ambitious entrepreneur.
Since launching in February 2020, Gareth has found remarkable success as the franchisee of My Window Cleaner (MWC) Newport. Even in the face of unprecedented circumstances, Gareth has proven the resilience, security and viability of MWC’s business model. Turning over upwards of £3,000 against a plan of £900 in his first month as a franchisee, Gareth’s business has continued on its upwards trajectory in full flow ever since.
“I get asked all the time, ’Why buy a franchise? Why not just do it yourself?’ and the answer becomes so obvious once you’re introduced to a brand as sophisticated as MWC,” explained Gareth. “From my first meeting with the franchisor, I felt right at home and knew that the brand’s potential was something I couldn’t miss out on. Franchisees become a member of the family with a completely personalised approach, and I immediately saw the opportunity to grow an incredibly rewarding business.”
Founded in 1996, MWC introduced the UK to the future of the cleaning industry. The FIRST and ONLY window cleaning franchise brand, MWC has established itself as an exciting, highly profitable opportunity through identifying and leveraging a gap in the market. Offering customers, a trustworthy, sophisticated window cleaning, gutter clearance and pressure washing service, MWC is a true family-feel franchise with good old-fashioned values at its heart.
“During my first meeting with MWC, I really appreciated the fact that we hardly even talked about the financials. I was completely sold on the brand’s values, ethos and attitude towards business - it made it even sweeter when I was eventually enlightened to the unmissable financial rewards! I was met by scepticism from my family and friends at first, including my sister – but she now works for me!
“What I really love about being a franchisee is the chance I get to nurture relationships with my community, which I never had the space or time to do in my previous roles. I’ve now built my business to the point where customers are referring my services to more people in the area, which is a testament to the trust that being a MWC franchisee helps you to build. These factors, coupled with the MWC model, make it the obvious choice for prospects considering joining the franchise industry.”
Whether it is their first business or whether they are a seasoned entrepreneur seeking pastures new, franchisees are encouraged to fully exploit the success they can achieve within their territories by building a team of passionate and enthusiastic operatives. MWC’s approach of championing exceptional customer service is continuing to set high expectations for a service provider that has traditionally been met with negative experiences. Through recurring income and multiple revenue streams, low overheads, an impressive scope for growth and ongoing development, the opportunity for franchisees is huge.
“The MWC franchise model is designed to help franchisees achieve success from day one. The training covers everything that’s needed to run a profitable business, from best industry practices, customer service, marketing, and more. This has enabled me to establish a strong foundation which in turn has helped me to meet my objectives and goals ever since. But what’s better is that, once franchisees become fully operational, they become experts that are always accessible to offer support and guidance to the rest of the network. All MWC franchisees contribute heavily to assisting one another, and it’s made running a franchise business so much more rewarding. We all bring unique perspectives and skills to the table, which allows us all to grow and succeed together.”
Today, a network of 24 franchisees operates across the UK. Sophisticated branding, systems, operations and processes have established MWC as the LEADING voice in a saturated market, which has seen the franchise receive over 4,500 gleaming 5-star reviews from happy customers. With each franchise territory equipped with the industry’s best equipment and with full access to MWC’s £650k online management software, ‘Gloria’, franchisees have all the tools to become profitable at a consistent rate.
“The franchisor is fully committed to maximising the potential of technology. Having been a franchisee for three years, I’ve seen Gloria develop into a vital part of the MWC operation, and she’s constantly being added to and improved. Gloria is one of the biggest benefits of being a MWC franchisee – it’s a state-of-the-art piece of software that helps the whole network run successful franchise businesses.”
An active member of his local community, Gareth has fully maximised the financial and personal potential of MWC and frequently goes above and beyond for his customers and local residents. Using his service to benefit the community by cleaning dirty road signs, planting Ninja Daffodils in the area and contributing to a Climate Action Project by reducing carbon through environmental projects, Gareth’s business has flowered to truly become a root of the community and his lifestyle.
“I have big plans for growth in the next few years. I’m now in a position where I can consider taking my business to the next level with more vans, opening more employment opportunities and ultimately serving more customers in the community. It’s so important to me to grow a sustainable and rewarding business. That’s made even better by the fact I can continue loving my healthy work-life balance, getting into the mountains and tinkering with my classic Mini Cooper!”
If like Gareth you are searching for an opportunity that will help you achieve financial success while enjoying a healthy work-life balance, visit: https://www.mywindowcleanerfranchise.co.uk/
