Jackson Fire & Security shines a light on franchisees

Jackson Fire & Security tells the story of the savvy investors behind its Sheffield branch.

Henryk Matysiak and his son Alex only launched their franchise in September 2019, but they’ve already managed to develop a successful business, even during the Covid-19 crisis.

When they joined the security franchise, Alex was working mainly in construction. Meanwhile, Henryk had clocked up years of experience in the fire service, both as a firefighter and in the HQ. Over the years, he earned a teaching degree and health and safety training certification. He’d also run a Subway branch in Sheffield’s Parkway Retail Park, gaining valuable expertise as a business owner.

After completing training in July and August 2019 and launching their unit in September, the pair were soon faced with the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns. Unfortunately, Henryk caught the virus during a holiday in March, but a quiet few weeks for the business gave him the chance to recuperate.

But thanks to the stable levels of demand for the franchise’s services, Henryk and his son were soon able to reach and even exceed their sales targets. Henryk said,

“There’s a legal requirement for fire safety, and security solutions will always be needed. No matter what’s going on in the world, there will always be a demand for what we do.”

Within the business, Henryk concentrates on managerial tasks while Alex gets involved with day-to-day operations. Now, they can offer a few words of advice to those considering joining the franchise.

Henryk said,

“You need to be willing to work hard, but don’t be afraid to take that next step, whether it’s making the initial decision to go ahead, or deciding to recruit for a key person you need or whatever it is.

“If we can do it, anyone can! You really don’t need to know all of the technical side when you start out. You pick up a lot on the way but you don’t need in-depth knowledge, you’re there to run the business side.”