InXpress success story: From night school to buying my dream family home

Personal dreams and business motivation combine for a beautiful life-changing moment for Chloe Vant-Abbott

While attending night school to study accountancy whilst her son slept, Chloe Vant-Abbott was determined to never let her circumstances define her. She set about making changes and an amazing family opportunity soon came knocking at her door.

“I’m a woman who, when I want something, I’ll go out and get it; I hate being told I can’t achieve something – I feel like I have to prove them wrong!” she explains.

Chloe had been working, part-time, as a trainee accountant when her dad, Stuart Vant, opened InXpress Cambridge, in September 2019.

“He spoke to me, asking if I wanted to be involved in the business. At first, I was reluctant, but he explained this would be a chance to earn some real money for me and my son.

“With it being a new business, with very little margin, I quickly learned if I brought in more money, I’d earn more so it was a no-brainer. And, I was really excited to work with my dad – although initially, I imagined myself rolling-in whenever I wanted, having long coffee breaks with friends, or going to the gym before making calls!”

Armed with the knowledge she could effectively set her own wage, Chloe became a woman on a mission.

“I decided everyone in our territory needed to know who we were – even if we couldn’t help them yet. I remember jokingly asking another company’s rep to leave my patch – he was literally on my doorstep!

“But, I wanted every business around us to have a real awareness of who we were. This wasn’t just a job – I was living and breathing it, because when you’re writing your own pay cheque, it becomes a game-changer. Once I signed up my first customer, I was hungry for more!”

Chloe says she’s not a natural salesperson and, like most people, hates being sold to. So, for her, it’s about being true to her authentic self with her customers.

“The moment I see a sales email ping in, I delete it. So, I wanted things to be different to attract new customers. Part of who I am is about being honest. If I don’t know something, I’ll find the answer. We’ll find a solution, which means I’ll make sure I have all the information to-hand so they can make an informed choice. It’s also about being available whenever they need me – I won’t switch off until my last customer closes for the night.”

Four years later, Chloe’s passion for what she does shines through. Her motivation to be more than what society told her she could be, paired well with her desire to enjoy life with her son, new husband, and wider family.

“This included finding the right family home,” she says. “I’ve always rented; my husband, James, was in the army so often moved around whilst I stayed local to the family. The idea of owning the home of our dreams, and escaping the renting rat-race felt worlds away.

Having a goal in mind often makes it easier to know how to budget and save, so you can achieve your dream.

“We knew where we needed to aim… I just had to pick-up my game to make it happen. Thankfully, the InXpress sales model enables me to do so, and because dad genuinely loves his customers, he makes it easy to attract new ones.

“I’ve also learned to identify an opportunity and to be proactive. For example, in December, a supplier had major disruptions to their delivery service. I knew we could offer their customers a business-saving solution. As a result, in December I hit my personal best of £42k margin for one month.”

At this pace, Chloe knew she wouldn’t experience many more problems with securing their dream home. She and James also experienced favour with the new build home they were interested in, which saw a £40k reduction to the asking price.

“I look around me, and have to pinch myself!” Chloe says. “I’m sitting in the kitchen of our new home, which we own, in the centre of town we both absolutely adore, knowing I’ve worked hard to help us achieve this!

“My husband does the school runs and works around Freddy’s routine, however I love that he’s as motivated as I am – working towards a degree, whilst serving in the army and doing consultancy work around school holidays. He’s given me the freedom and confidence to pursue my dreams, as a woman and a mum.”

Chloe believes having the right people around her is one of the keys to her success, as she grows in her career as a woman in business.

“I look at my friendship group, and all the women are incredibly successful, which inspires me too. It’s all about our mindset, our support network, and believing the sky really is the limit. In the future, I will have my own franchise, but for now my goal is to help dad build InXpress Cambridge.”

If you’re wondering if you have what it takes too, Chloe believes you do!

“We can do this! We can be mums and smash it. When you have a supportive network who embrace you and encourage you, the only limitation is your own mindset,” she says.