WO: Tell us about yourself?

CV: I’ve grown up and lived in London all my life and I currently live in Harrow in northwest London. I was a bit lost during my younger years, yet somehow got a Degree in Material Science and Management. I attended a graduate training program at BAE Systems and I’ve been working in Supply Chain Logistics since.

I’ve worked various roles in Project Management, Lean, Supply Chain Improvement, Audit, and Purchasing in the Aerospace industry and then I fell into IT projects working on cloud-based platforms. Since leaving the Aerospace industry, I felt I wanted more from life, and then I found World Options.

Outside of work I am busy with my family, I like to keep active and try to find different ways to try and keep my steps up and keep moving. I am my worse enemy, as sometimes as I push myself even when I don’t have time.

**WO: How did you learn about the franchise opportunities that World Options offers?**
CV: I found out about World Options through research. I wanted a home-based business — one that could work around my family, so I thought World Options could be the right fit. I spoke with people at WO a few times before visiting the head office and then I took the leap and gave it a go.
WO: **How did you find the process of purchasing a World Options franchise to be like?**
CV: It was a smooth process in purchasing a World Options franchise. Everyone was very helpful in answering all our questions.

WO: What was it that attracted you in wanting to buy a World Options franchise?

CV: It was a mixture of having the flexibility of being able to work from anywhere, having a lifestyle business that can work around my family and being able to grow a business without geographical restrictions. I also wanted to work with small businesses, as I knew how supply chains work. I thought I could prosper by owning a World Options franchise.

WO: Having been a franchise owner for 7 years now, what changes have you seen in the market, and in running your franchise in general?

CV: Customers tend to look for great customer service and great prices. I’ve tended to lose customers mainly due to price, as I have spent a lot of time on providing a great customer experience.

I discovered very early you cannot do it all, at some point you need to seek help to allow you to grow. You also need to focus on ways to make things easier, adding sticky plaster over cracks is not a long-term fix.

WO: **What do you feel is the key to being a successful franchise owner?**
CV: It’s a numbers game and you need to find new leads continuously and convert leads into prospects and customers.
It’s a tough gig World Options.
I did not realise how tough it was until twelve months in.
I hate giving up and experiencing failure. So I evolved a few times to find my way of managing things. The key to success is finding what you are good at and doing it well and finding people to perform tasks that you don’t like doing or aren’t great at.

WO: What can we expect to see from your franchise in the coming months?

CV: I expect myself to be in the top ten franchises in the coming months. I’m also looking to also grow the sales team as well. I am finding it difficult to find good people who can find and close deals.

WO: Do you have any advice for someone looking to buy a World Options Franchise?

CV: Do your research and go in with your eyes open. Sales are not for everyone, I found it tough initially and hated calling out for the first twelve months. You need to be comfortable on the phone and be able to be a consultative salesperson. You also need to give it a good nine to twelve months before you start to see some good earnings.