Former Royal Marine swaps conflict zones for kitchen showroom franchise

David Ward (pictured) has swapped conflict zones in Europe and the Middle East for a Dream Doors kitchen showroom franchise in the West Country.

David left the Royal Marines as a lieutenant colonel after 30 years’ service and helped run the Royal Marines charity for years after that.

He says: “I joined the Marines because of the challenge and because I wanted a physical, outdoor job. It allowed me to serve all over the world - in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo and Northern Ireland, among other places.”

Wanting a second career after leaving the military, “it was just a case of finding the right moment to take that step,” according to David, who adds: “I have always wanted my own business and always wanted that business to be people centric and related to home development in some fashion.”

Dream Doors specialises in replacing doors, draws and worktops to breathe new life into tired kitchens, as well as offering full refits. It also refaces and refits bedrooms.

The company has over 90 showrooms in the UK and was purchased by multi franchisor Neighborly, formerly the Dwyer Group, in 2019.

David believes franchising is a great fit for people from military backgrounds.

“Franchising takes strong project management skills, which you need in the military, and it’s a way to combine the ability to manage people and serve people,” David says.