As Schehrezade Davidson can testify, it doesn’t take long to start your own business - with enthusiasm and Zine at your side, success is assured.
Having launched her business with the Zine Franchise network just under a year ago, Schehrezade explains why she hasn’t looked back.
"I spoke to Charlie Butlin, Zine Franchise Manager, at the beginning of February and visited Zine HQ a few weeks later. Having been suitably impressed, I paid my fees in March and was trained on April 4 and 5 2013. So as you can see, it was a bit of a whirlwind process.
"I then pushed hard to get out there and net some clients. Having managed to book 10 clients by the end of June 2013, the financial results are significant – the largest net fee will be in the region of £4,000.
"Having been a Fund Manager in the City until the end of 2010, I was interested in finding a franchise that encompassed a growth area in the technology segment, and one where I was responsible for servicing the client directly with flexibility in terms of working hours around my home life (the team will often find me emailing at midnight or early in the morning). I felt that I could leverage my experience in analysing companies – small and large – into providing the best offering to my potential clients."
My expectations have been exceeded by the Zine franchise package and the team
"Having commissioned websites myself, I knew exactly what to do in terms of delivering a superior client-focused responsive service – I would not be able to do this without the excellent support from team at Zine.
"If you are interested in a growth segment where you can deliver a great offering to a wide set of clients, I would recommend go for it. I’d recommend talking to other franchisees to obtain an idea of what it is like working with the team on a daily basis. Zine works for people who are motivated and enjoy the internet space."
Working with the Zine team is great
"They are responsive, good humoured and technically very good. The two most exciting moments were my first website going live and then delivering an amazing site for a very exacting client. It has been good to see robust structures being put in place to manage growth – important for me if my business continues to grow too.
"My plans for the future include a roster of high calibre clients who see Zine as part of their business and integral to their success. I want to win larger clients as time goes by and I would hope that most of my new clients come via word of mouth. In addition, a key parameter for me to focus on is not to lose any clients."