My franchise story: Turning trauma into triumph

ActionCOACH UK franchisee, Cassandra Bodington, realised she needed to share the story of her entrepreneurial journey so other business owners wouldn’t face the same kind of ordeal she did

In 2013, as Cassandra Bodington attempted to run her sandwich shop from a hospital bed, she realised things had to change. When she was well enough to get back to business, two goals were set: getting the business to a point where it could operate without her and, when it reached that point, ensuring other business owners didn’t have to go through the same stress.

“I was misdiagnosed with an internal rupture, collapsing one day, and ended up needing eight hours of life-saving surgery. I focused on getting myself fit for work and spent a lot of time putting in foundations to ensure the business wasn’t dependent on me. After 18 months, both me and the business were healthy again, and the time came to sell. I realised that I had to share my story and make sure other business owners wouldn’t face the same kind of ordeal,” explains Cassandra.

Making the moves
Drawing on her experience in customer service and running her own business, Cassandra thought about what she would do next. She was intrigued by ActionCOACH, after getting a recommendation from her accountant, and began to research further into the opportunity.

“I’d never heard of ActionCOACH before, but it was exactly what I was looking for,” she says. “Yes, I was my own boss again, but it was nothing like before – I’d be able to build up a successful business that wouldn’t fall apart without me and I’d get to help other business owners achieve the same.

“I worked hard for the first two years, securing a handful of clients. And then in 2017, my daughter was born, flipping my whole world upside down as a single parent. When I was ready to return from maternity leave, I had a serious conversation with myself. If I was going to do this, then I was going to be damn good at it.”

Becoming triumphant
It was almost like a switch had been flicked. “I received a sudden burst of motivation and set myself an immediate goal of getting 15 clients who connected with me on a personal level, intending to double my monthly client income to £20,000,” says Cassandra.

“As a single mother, I’m passionate about helping those who are facing the same challenges as I did. I love being a mum, and my daughter provides constant motivation – she’s my daily reminder of why I love what I do. The support I receive from ActionCOACH to be a mum, whilst building a successful business, is amazing. I knew this was a benefit of a franchise, but I’ve got to be honest and say I didn’t quite expect this level of support. It’s exceeded everything I ever imagined.

“ActionCOACH has given me the flexibility to properly enjoy my downtime, working just three days a week. When I switch off from my business, I feel a sense of great satisfaction around the difference I’ve made in my local community.”