Why Choose A Franchise

 

You have made the big decision: you need to change your life. No more 9 to 5 (or 8 to 7 more usually), no more being at the beck and call of other people who expect you to be right there in the office, virtual or physical, ready to do their bidding. It is time for a new something where you can use your skills in your own time, making your work fit in around your life rather than the other way round. You always knew that ultimately you wanted to strike out on your own. 

 

Here you are, with all these amazing skills and fantastic experience gained while working alongside senior people in corporations and energetic entrepreneurs – and it would be a shame to let it go to waste. Rinsing your assets is the best starting point. You learnt that one from all the bosses you ever had. 

 

You’ve decided you’re going to be a Virtual Assistant. 

 

So the options are go it alone, or buy into a franchise. 

 

Let’s look at the pros and cons of both. 

 

If you start from scratch you do need to do everything: decide a business name, build a brand, define your USP, build a website, set up your channels, compete in the marketplace, find an accountant, attract business, retain business, do the work, bill it, pay your bills… And you need to do it all on your own without anyone to bounce off. It’s brilliant because it’s all down to you, but can be scary and lonely too. Suddenly the grass seems greener with a secure office job with guaranteed income and chatty colleagues. 

 

But please hold on to your dream of independence, because there is another way and it’s the business in a box. 

 

Specifically, our Pink Spaghetti Business in a Box. 

 

Franchises have had a bad rap over the years and often with good reason, because they can be very costly and take a cut of your profits. You find you’re still more or less on your own, working like mad to pay off your franchise costs before you even start to make money for yourself. However, the idea does work because it’s big business globally, with huge numbers of individuals buying into ready-made structures that speed up the starting point for a business. Always check the numbers and speak to other franchisors which you have found independently. 

 

At Pink Spaghetti we thought hard about what would work for us, because we wanted to build a long-term success story that people would want to be a part of. So, you get all the things you would expect: 

 

● A distinctive brand (in our case, over 10 years in the making) 

● A website (with a brand new revamp in our case) 

● Social channels promoting the franchise 

● Outstanding and ongoing training and support. 

 

In addition to these essential franchise basics, you can expect the following as well, which we like to think are compelling: 

 

● Clearly defined market 

We started off knowing where we fitted in best, which was to offer our skills to small business owners who were growing fast but struggling with time and skills and who were not at the point yet where they could justify employing someone full- or even part-time. This market definition has not changed since we started over a decade ago because it is proved to be right. We have however added private individuals who either need a personal assistant to help with running their life or with hosting a major family celebration. 

 

● Reasonably priced 

We aim to be fair and reasonably priced because we know from research that women especially find it harder to raise the money required for starting a business. We want to support women like ourselves, so putting a major financial barrier in the way doesn’t make sense. That doesn’t mean we say no to any male virtual assistants either! If you fit in, you’re welcome. 

 

● Friendly Community 

Through Pink Spaghetti, each VA can offer clients not just her or his own skills but also access the specialist skills within the community. Our small business owners love this because it makes so much sense. We also make great friends across the network, get together regularly and provide morale-boosting support. You’ll be pleased to know this is not a ‘lonely franchise’. 

 

● Approachable franchisor 

We really love hearing that we’re approachable because that’s important to us! Enough said. 

 

● Proven business model with ongoing training 

We know our model works because of what our franchisees say and what their clients say. It is possible to make a good living within reasonable hours and we offer training opportunities because we want our VAs to be considered the best in the business. 

 

● Genuine autonomy and flexibility 

The precious freedom to decide how you are going to carve up your day is not to be underestimated. No longer will you miss out on special family events because you couldn’t have the day off. It’s your call when you work. 

 

We think that the experiences as described by a few of our VAs below really confirms why a franchise is a great way to start a business. 

 

Nicola was happy to confirm: “My quality of life is far better. I have a great support network who can help with guidance or picking up the extra work I may have, I have ongoing training and a development plan in place to ensure I am able to grow my business, I get to spend quality time with my family and I absolutely love everything I do.” 

 

Kelly said, “I knew I wanted a ‘business in a box’ - something that was set up and ready to go. A Pink Spaghetti franchise provides all the necessary training to make sure you have the skills to gain clients but it does not stop there. They provide ongoing support and, with the wide network of Pink Spaghetti franchise owners, there is always someone who can answer a question which means you never have to say no to a client." 

 

And Abbie really sums it up with these words: “I have more variety and exposure to different businesses. I love the support I get from the franchisors and the wider franchise group, meeting so many lovely ladies and having them as sounding boards. I can go for afternoon tea anytime I want, I don’t have to request a day off, my time is mine to manage as I deem fit. I also have some nice clients who send me flowers!” 

 

If you’d like to read more about their experiences of being a Pink Spaghetti Virtual Assistant, it’s all here. 

 

When you’ve finished reading come and join us – we’d love to welcome you! 

 

To find out more about joining us all you need to do is get in touch with us today.