e x c l u s i v e interview
What was the biggest
Lara: But they’ve got to be passionate! In terms of what products we’ll be
challenge you faced in
expanding for the franchisees, our next
becoming a franchise?
Where are you currently stage will be to develop a programme
Nell: I think probably trying to maintain
franchising? for the teen market, the over 65s and
a teacher-training programme and also
Lara: Our furthest source is Scotland; the corporate market.
develop and promote the franchise. We
we’ve also got Northamptonshire,
stopped doing teacher training outside
Hertfordshire, Surrey, the Sussex/Kent It’s funny, sometimes you have to
the franchised areas, which was a big
area, London, including north London pinch yourself and think how has this
decision as it was an income stream.
and east London, and Staffordshire. happened? I know Nell and I talk about
Most recently we just signed somebody ourselves, but we couldn’t do it without
Lara: We made that decision in
up in Exeter. our team, Emilie and Chantal. They are
September and stopped the training in
absolutely brilliant. They are tireless and
December, so from the beginning of
Nell: We’ve divided up territories totally committed.
January, we have been 100 per cent
according to population and target
focused on franchisees.
audience. We’ve geographically What is the secret to
mapped the country so that every your success?
Were you worried about
territory has 50,000 children under Lara: I’d have to say just believing in
losing the personal touch
the age of 12 with the same socio- what you do and being passionate about
and unique factor?
economic structure. it. We have definitely had our moments
Nell: I think we have learned a lot along
when the chips are down, but just
the journey, particularly in the past
Nell is obviously the yoga believing in yourself gets you through.
<
six months. At the start we embraced
guru and Lara the business
anyone that wanted to listen to us; now
guru. What makes your
we are much more discerning.
partnership work?
Nell: It’s a great dynamic, but I think
Lara: Definitely. It is obviously Nell’s
humour and respect are fundamental
baby and I came as aunt! We are
to any relationship. If you can’t have a
both very protective. There have been
laugh and you don’t respect each other,
people that we have said no to. It is
you are never going to get anywhere.
always debateable from a commercial Lara has brought to my eyes the most
point of view when you do that. When fantastic opportunity. It is a very good
someone is offering you money and partnership. The nice thing is that we
wants to buy a franchise, it is really can get cross and upset with each other,
hard to say no! I think because the but also have a lot of fun together.
system has existed for so long, it has
been quite easy bringing people in
What is your vision for
and adapting them to it. We have
the future?
designed a sophisticated database
Lara: This year our plan is to really
Nell and Lara have clearly built
structure that embraces content
consolidate our network. We’ve now
a successful business and are
management; it has an e-marketing got 16 people on board; by the end enthusiastically embracing
solution, financial solution and of this year we’d like to have that up
franchising as a route to rapid
internet facility to communicate with to about 40. We are looking at master
growth. But with this success,
the teachers. franchising overseas and we have
they have neither lost sight
of the personal touch or the
already got interest from the Middle
passion and zest for life with
What do you look for in East, the UAE, North America, Canada,
which they started. I can’t help
potential franchisees? US, New Zealand, and Australia, as well but admire (and even envy)
Nell: Motivation, ambition, as five or six EU countries.
their approach that allows
organisation of business skills. I think
them to accomplish great
it helps to know about yoga but it is We are also looking at expanding the
things while still achieving a
healthy work-life balance. I
absolutely not essential. By the time range of services that we offer over the
have the impression this is just
you have gone through the training next couple of years. The nutritional the start of a great journey for
you’ll have a very good idea of what route is something that we’ll probably
two friends.
it’s about and how to promote it. explore through brand-licensing.
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