My background was in the quick service restaurant industry and I'd been on the corporate side of franchising for years. Korina's background was in customer service, so we had a lot of skills in areas like operations and finance and knew how to deliver good customer service.
We'd also had the chance to work with each other for a year beforehand, so we knew we could go into business and work together. We've always wanted to become business owners and wanted the stability and experience of a well-established franchise to support us.
We looked at all of the established coffee franchises but landed on Robert Harris for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it was a brand that had longevity - over 60 years in the industry.
Secondly it was down to the people. It seems like a cliché to say it but the people we engaged with when we were making our decision were 'real people' - and that went for both the corporate personnel and the existing franchisees that we spoke to while we were doing our due diligence. For us, the brand just seemed to fit.
What are some of the factors you think have made you successful as a franchisee?
I think some of the factors come back to some simple basics: passion, determination, hard work and surrounding ourselves with the right people. But both Korina and I love what we do, and when you can find something like that, it's not really work.
We've also been able to create a lifestyle that gives us a degree of flexibility, because Korina can work hours to suit the children - we have two young boys - and if we want to take days off during the week we can.
I think another factor is we work both 'in' the business as well as 'on' it to make sure we exceed our targets - both operational and financial. We came into the business with a focus on building a solid reputation and growing a base of loyal customers, and that's been an ongoing focus for us.
I think we've also made this business a success by working closely alongside the franchisor, and the other franchisees within the network. We don't want to reinvent the wheel and it's the networking that really helps strengthen the brand as a whole.
What are some of the challenges, particularly with being a franchised business as opposed to an independent?
There are some challenges when you're part of a franchise group. Sometimes the wheels of change can move slowly. Yes, it's our business, but the decisions that we make can have wider implications, and so there are processes we need to follow when we want to implement any changes.
Sometimes other challenges can be because you're part of a franchised network. If someone visits a Robert Harris cafe in another part of the country and has a bad experience then this could - and through no fault of our own - have a negative impact on your business. You're only as strong as your weakest link.
But I think they're challenges that you can overcome if you're willing to have ongoing, robust communication with the franchisor and other franchisees to help improve standards and customer perception of the brand. It works both ways too because when someone has a great experience in our cafe, they feel more confident and more trusting of the brand as a whole and are more likely to visit one of our other cafes.
What are your three top tips for success as a franchisee?
1. Be passionate - if you don't love what you do, then why do it?
2. Be a leader and a strong communicator - this applies to your employees, your customers and your franchisor.
3. Take risks and learn from your mistakes - enjoy the journey and don't take life too seriously.
Coming up in Your Business: When, why and how do entrepreneurs come up with their ideas? And how do they turn that initial idea into reality? If you've got an interesting story to tell about how you came up with your business idea, drop me a note: nzhsmallbusiness@gmail.com
