“The best of both worlds, operating independently but within a group of like-minded people under a reputable brand”

John Knight knows all too well about building and selling a business, given that he has sold four of his own. Thus, it was a no-brainer for him to join the Business Partnership network

“As an entrepreneur by nature, the Business Partnership is a good fit for me.

“I love business and the franchise allows me to use my skills and experience to help clients achieve the maximum exit value for their business.

“My own business career began in advertising, marketing and brand licensing and, over the past 30 years, I have been instrumental in building and selling four of my own small businesses, which means I have a thorough understanding of all aspects of growing and developing a business.

“Together with my consultative approach, this gives me a USP when talking to entrepreneurs and hopefully will set me apart from other brokers in my area.

“I became a Business Partnership franchisee in April 2016 and was fortunate to take over the Birmingham South, Wolverhampton and the West Midlands region from managing director John Hatt.

“As John had done a lot of networking over the years, the area was well established and this gave me a good start. My main interest lies in small SMEs and corporates and I intend to concentrate my efforts on the £1m to £12m turnover level.

“When I became a franchisee, I received training with the senior partners at three locations – Worcestershire, Taunton and Cheshire.

“One of the things that attracted me to the franchise is that several of my fellow regional partners have been doing this for a long time, some for well over 15 years, so I know that I can easily get advice whenever I need it. There are lot of franchises out there where the thinking is quite short term and people don’t tend to stay around for very long if things don’t work out but the Business Partnership is a refreshing contrast to that.

“Everything is going to plan for me and my Business Partnership commitments fit neatly with my business consultancy work and I’m based at home, which is another bonus. I am left to get on with my work without interference but can call on help if needed. Likewise, I’m happy to lend support and help to other partners, if I can.

“It really is the best of both worlds, operating independently but within a group of like-minded people under a reputable brand.

“As I’m in my early 60s, I can easily see this being my last business and this franchise is ideal for someone with a business or financial background who is keen to generate a good income before retiring or in semi-retirement.

“My advice to any potential Business Partnership franchisees would be to choose your networking opportunities carefully as there are many networking groups but only five days in the working week. Building relationships with accountants in your area is also key as they are usually the first people to hear if a business is going on the market.”