24 Hours in the Life of a Home Based Franchisee

Sophie Cole, writer

Published at 23/12/2017, Updated on 04/05/2022 , Reading time: 6 min

24 Hours in the Life of a Home Based Franchisee — Photo © aleks-marinkovic-HKNtySNAULI-unsplash.jpg

Running a home based franchise gives you lots of flexibility around your workday. Most franchisees work an 8-hour day, but how you spread those hours is up to you. Here’s an example of what your day could look like.

When Andy Yuill, a franchisee from Lockforce, and Alan Trewhitt, a Rosemary Bookkeeping franchisee, were asked what most attracts them to franchising, both said the flexibility. “I am my own boss and get to manage my own time,” says Andy, while Alan’s grateful to be able to build his hours around his family.

Franchising offers lots of flexibility when it comes to working hours, especially if you run a home based franchise like tutoring, bookkeeping or consulting. You’ll set targets with your franchisor every month, but otherwise when you get the work done is up to you.

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How your day may look running a home based franchise

The early birds: 06:00 – 08:00

If you’re most productive in the mornings, when things are quiet and there are fewer distractions, this might be an ideal time to start your day. Early hours like these work well for franchises where your clients are up early too (like a gym franchise or coffee van franchise) if you need to tick off admin tasks or could use the block of time to focus on important work before phones and inboxes get active.

The coffee-firsts: 09:00 – 11:00

Maybe you’re a night owl, need to start your day slowly, or have a school run to do. In that case, your day could start later.

Depending on your personality type – and the type of franchise you run – you might want to use this block of time to start seeing clients, saving your afternoon for lighter tasks. According to one study, this window is ideal for people like accountants, plumbers, IT technicians and electricians, as this is when they feel most productive.

Even if you’re not seeing clients, you could use this time when you’re feeling refreshed to tackle harder projects. Ever heard the expression ‘eat the frog first’? It means using the first part of your day to complete tasks you least enjoy doing or ones that are the most intensive. That way, you don’t put them off until later, when you’ll be more tired and less motivated to do them.

If you are more productive in the afternoons, however, switch it around. Tend to lighter tasks first, blocking off the afternoon (and setting your out of office) to get the big jobs done.

The worker bees: 12:00 – 15:00

Most franchisees work in this window. Interestingly, the same study shows that 11:54 is when the average British person feels most productive, while 12:42 is the creative peak.

Kids are at school, clients are available and by now your day is in full swing. It’s a good chunk of time to attend to client-based work, whether that’s meeting with them directly or managing emails, and handling creative tasks like social media marketing or strategy.

Winding down: 16:00 – 18:00

Unless you run a fitness, tutoring or beauty salon franchise from home (catching clients after school and work), this is the time you’ll usually start wrapping up for the day. Or, if you’re one of the early birds, you might already be done, freeing you up to collect kids from school, attend after-school activities, head to the shops, prepare dinner or just have the evening off.

The night owls: 20:00 – 22:00

It’s unlikely you’ll deal with clients at this time. And if you needed the afternoon or evening to help with homework, walk the dog or head to the gym, now is some extra time to catch up.

Working on your business in the late evenings has the same benefits as the early hours – there are fewer distractions. And if you’re the type that’s most productive once the moon is out, this a great time slot for you.

Examples of home based franchises

Does all this talk of flexi-time sound appealing to you? There are lots of different home based franchises you could start exploring. We’ve already mentioned some examples above, but here’s a list of some popular ones in our Point Franchise network, plus some information on getting started.

Jam Coding

Jam Coding is a type of tutoring franchise, which runs workshops with children to teach them the basics of computer coding.

Becoming a Jam Coding franchisee: Even if you have no computer or teaching experience, you can still become a franchisee. You’ll receive full training and support. The only requirement is that you enjoy working with children.
How much you need to invest: You can get started with a minimum investment of £4,000.
What you get for your investment: While you’ll initially attend a three-week training course, you’ll have access to ongoing sales and business management support, including 20 supported school visits to learn the ropes. You’ll also receive fundamental software and hardware, including stop motion and robotic equipment.

Your Mortgage Plus

Mortgage broker franchise Your Mortgage Plus gives you the chance to become a fully qualified residential mortgage and protection broker. You’ll work with homeowners to find the best deal for their property and earn a generous commission (on average £2,500 per case) on top of standard fees.

Becoming a Your Mortgage Plus franchisee: You don’t need any previous financial services experience of qualifications, including CeMap, as you’ll undergo full training as part of your franchise package.
How much you need to invest: From as little as £9,995 you could become part of the Your Mortgage Plus network. There are a number of different franchise packages to choose from, depending on your ambitions, current budget and level of assistance required.
What you get for your investment: You’ll initially attend a three-day training course before working towards a full CeMap and CAS qualification. Whenever you need it, you’ll be able to access ongoing development, support and training and will have a dedicated mentor and back-office team to help you find and deal with clients. You could also enjoy additional income streams by diversifying into other products, including life insurance and equity release.

Business Partnership

When you join Business Partnership, you’ll be able to advise owners on the sale of their businesses, working with one of the UK’s leading independent business broker networks. In particular, you’ll help SMEs with business sales, valuations, acquisitions and exit planning.

Becoming a Business Partnership franchisee: Existing franchisees have come from a variety of backgrounds, including finance, accountancy, engineering, marketing, wholesale and even the care sector. There isn’t a tick-box of qualifications, but you’ll need to have credibility in at least one business sector and an understanding of what makes a good business.
How much you need to invest: £20,000 will bring you into the Business Partnership network, with some additional budget needed for working capital to see you through your first year. Franchisees typically break even in the first half-year.
What you get for your investment: You’ll be able to learn from some of the UK’s best brokers, receiving training from senior partners. You’ll also get all the software needed to run a totally portable office.

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More resources

There are many reasons why choosing a home based franchise could be the right move for you. The added flexibility of setting your own work day allows you to be the most productive and effective version of yourself, which in turn makes your work day all the more rewarding.

Want to find out more about what it takes to become a franchisee? Check out our latest articles.