“With 108 regular clients, my business is now well established in Stoke-on-Trent”

Thanks to the Time For You cleaning franchise, Phil Wright is a proud business owner with a great work-life balance

What did you do before you became a Time For You franchisee?

I used to work for Sainsbury’s in the retail sector – 26 years in total. They called me a veteran when I left. I would work all hours of the week, including nights, early mornings and, worst of all, weekends. It was never an eight-hour day and in one of the roles, I was travelling 500 miles a week and staying away from home on several nights too.

How did you come across Time For You?

I was flicking through a magazine while sitting in a doctor’s surgery one day when I came across a bright yellow advert that featured a screaming lady. It jumped out of the page at me and I knew my life was about to change.

I had 26 years of redundancy money sitting in the bank and a franchise opportunity that looked too go to be true. My wife, Max, was more than sceptical. I had already dabbled in a couple of things and her patience was wearing thin. I, however, was rather excited.

How did you research the business?

I read a lot about the company and spoke to as many existing franchisees as I could. I also ran a spreadsheet on the numbers and couldn’t quite believe what I was seeing. It was right up my alley. After meeting Freddie and Ruth Rayner, the founders of Time For You, I signed on the dotted line and have not looked back since. With 108 regular clients, my business is now well established in Stoke-on-Trent.

How easy is the business to run?

The business model is incredibly simple to follow. You market yourself well, people call you up, you treat them like human beings, you provide them with a quality cleaner and they pay you money - again and again.

When it comes to the actual running of the business, this is where the real beauty of the model comes in.

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying ‘the more you put in, the more you get out’ - this is so true of Time For You. You can adjust pretty much every aspect of the business to suit you, not just the time element, but also the financial side too. It truly is flexible. The system will work wherever you are. Stoke-on-Trent has some of the most deprived areas of the country and money is tight for a lot of people, but there is always someone in need of our service. If it can work here, it can definitely work elsewhere.

How has becoming a franchisee helped you balance work and family life?

I have two children, Kai and Shay, and never miss anything to do with them growing up now. I see every parent’s assembly, watch every show, take my eldest to football and we all play together. I couldn’t have done this in my previous working life.

At a glance

Established:

  1997

Number of franchised outlets:

  217

Location of units:

  nationwide

Investment range:

  £14,750 (plus VAT)

Contact:

call 0845 300 9074