Do you want to be a social entrepreneur?

If you want to live and work with purpose, owning an InXpress franchise may give you the opportunity you’re looking for

Do you have aspirations to change the world, but find work keeps filling up your time and taking up your energy? You watch what’s happening on the news and pass by people in your community knowing there’s more you could do to help – if only you had more time, more money, or more energy.

You may be one of the many for who the idea of ‘working to live’ is a misnomer, which doesn’t sit right within your concept of job satisfaction – you want your career to fulfil a purpose, not be a means to an end. So how can you achieve this?

One way you can find purpose is through business ownership. This might seem like a strange way of looking at things, but running your own business could put you in a position to actually make a difference – either with your time or finances. In fact, many entrepreneurs are looking at how they can build social enterprise into their business plans.

Being a social entrepreneur doesn’t mean you have to operate in a traditionally ‘caring’ sector. Nor do you have to come up with a new idea to change the world. It could be as simple as building a strategy that will allow you to fulfil this sense of purpose in your business plan. This is something that many InXpress franchise owners have chosen to do, as they align their goals with the InXpress Gives Back business value.

What does this look like in practice?

Based on what our actual InXpress franchisees are currently doing, here’s how you could build on your desire to make a difference through your InXpress franchise:

Supporting your local community

One of the easiest ways to use your business to make a difference is on a local level. For example, Lisa, who works at InXpress North Surrey, knows from personal experience the importance of accessible defibrillators to save lives. Through her recommendation, the InXpress network sponsored the installation of two defibrillators with more being planned.

Donating through your business

Every November, InXpress runs a Penny Per Shipment campaign. Franchise owners donate at least 1p from every shipment throughout the month to charity. For some of our franchise owners, 1p isn’t enough, and they choose to donate more – including Carlene who owns InXpress Swansea.

Using your business to support charities

For InXpress Gatwick owner, Matt, the desire to support a local charity was important. As a parent, Matt immediately saw the value of Little Lifesavers, which teaches children basic lifesaving skills. InXpress donated funds to the charity collectively, but the father-of-four also donates his time as a volunteer, helping to teach children these crucial skills.

Using your knowledge to make a difference in an emergency

As the owner of a logistics business, you’re in a unique position to step in when a customer desperately needs your support. For example, Alex from InXpress Birmingham South was able to rescue a specially-adapted race wheelchair for one little girl and her dad when it was stranded in Norway. InXpress was their last resort – the company had been recommended by a regular customer who values its services.

Having the time to give back

You may prefer to be more hands-on, like Vanessa, who works alongside her franchise-owning partner at InXpress Manchester South. With their pet whippet, Ellie, Vanessa volunteers with Pets as Therapy, providing a calming presence every week for children and those living with dementia.

Sponsoring international projects

There are, of course, people much wider afield who need the support of people like you with a heart to give back. Every year, Maria and her husband Gerry, owners of InXpress Milton Keynes, donate the money they used to spend on Christmas cards for customers to charity. In 2021, they donated money – matched by InXpress Gives Back – to a children’s home in South Africa so orphaned children could enjoy their Christmas.

A few months later, Maria went out to meet the children, where she offered practical support, too.

Giving back as a mentor

Of course, giving back your time and money can also be matched by giving back with your energy and knowledge. InXpress offers a mentoring scheme to provide you with maximum support when you first start your new business – this perfectly complements the training programme you’ll be enrolled in and is designed to give you the confidence to grow your business, so you can achieve your goals. Many franchisees choose to invest back into their acquired skillset and confidence when they have reached a level of business success and can share their experiences.

Giving back as a woman in business

InXpress is a global brand with inspirational women running their InXpress businesses around the world. As a result, the franchisor has launched an online international women’s conference, connecting 170 women within the network so they can empower each other. Within InXpress Women, you’ll find role models sharing ideas, setting inspiring goals and pushing for success, helping you achieve your own business goals. Women like Zoe Kirby, who won the InXpress Women’s Overall Global GREAT award, and has inspired many women both within and outside of InXpress with her business acumen, commitment to supporting others, and by achieving her goals.

At a glance

Established:

1999

Number of franchised outlets:

440 globally

Location of units:

  Global

Investment range:

  £35,000 plus VAT

Minimum required time investment:

  At least 18 months as you build your customer base

Contact:

  Ben Kirby, 0800 195 2125