“We’ve come out as two people in our forties with a great business”

Thanks to Revive!, Dan and Natalie Normanton are proud owners of a thriving car repair management franchise

When they started their family, Dan and Natalie Normanton of Revive! Trafford were looking for more flexibility in their work, without sacrificing time with their children.

They got that and much more with a thriving car repair management franchise, employing six technicians and building a secure future ahead of them.

Insight

In 2007, Dan and Natalie had their first baby on the way. With help from their family, they decided to start their own franchise so that Natalie could help run the business from home. Dan was employed as a technician by another Revive! franchisee, so already had an insight into the opportunity available.

Neither Dan or Natalie had run a business or gone to university. But they knew how much support they’d get from head office on establishing and growing a successful business. It was that desire to stay at home and have the flexibility around their family that gave Dan and Natalie the inspiration to invest in a franchise.

Natalie’s hours are flexible, so when their children were young she could work when they were having a nap or when they were doing other things at the weekend. Running their Revive! franchise means Dan and Natalie are both able to spend time with their children every morning and every evening.

Encouragement

Dan and Natalie manage a team of six technicians in total: four SMART repair technicians and two dedicated alloy wheel repair technicians.

They both credit the support from the business development team at Revive! head office for helping their business grow - they wouldn’t have pushed themselves outside their comfort zone without encouragement from the franchisor.

Thanks to their franchise, Dan and Natalie have been able to buy a bigger house by the school they wanted their children to go to. They go on the holidays they want to go on, they’ve got a nice car and they live in a nice house in a nice area - financially, they’re happy.

Natalie says: “The franchise has been brilliant for us. The support we’ve had has been really good throughout. Going in as two people in their twenties who had no idea what we were doing, we’ve come out as two people in our forties with a great business.”

Challenges

2020 brought unforeseen challenges when the COVID-19 pandemic and the UK lockdown hit.

The strong relationships Revive! has with its franchisees became even closer during this time, with regular calls and updates, online training and ongoing support to help franchisees navigate the furlough scheme, as well as the various types of government support available.

Revive! immediately suspended all royalties and charges and focused on paying national account money to keep cash coming in. Weekly online meetings were held to keep spirits high, while extra training was provided covering a range of subjects and safe working practices piloted so the network could get back to work.

“It was frightening going into lockdown, but support from Revive! UK was invaluable, from sorting out our furlough claims and providing training to keeping us informed through regular Zoom calls,” Natalie says.

“I can’t imagine what it would have been like to be an independent business at this time.”

At a glance Revive! Auto Innovations (UK)

Established:

2004

Number of franchised outlets:

55

Location of units:

nationwide

Investment range:

£32,000

Minimum required capital:

£20,000

Contact:

franchising@revive-uk.com