We caught up with new franchisee, James Ekhator, just one month after he joined us.

Having always wanted to run his own business, James was attracted to eDivert because of the type of services that were offered. He liked the broad variety and also the fact that he would learn skills related to every part of the business. He also liked the flexibility as he explains here:

“I am an engineer by profession and I’m now transitioning between that and becoming a business owner. To do that, I need to run both activities side by side for a short time and the flexibility offered by eDivert makes that easy to do. I’m a part-time engineer and part-time eDivert but I plan to move to full time eDivert as soon as possible.”

In terms of his early experiences with eDivert, James found one thing really stood out and that was the training he received.

“I’m delighted with the training I’ve been given. It has helped me understand how to set up and run my own business. It includes everything from how to register the business to running the finances and I now feel totally confident in something I had no real experience of before.”

James has taken on his first client during his first month, showing what a quick start an eDivert franchise brings.

“I’m really pleased to have got my first client so quickly, especially as it was someone from my own network. However, I wouldn’t have spotted the opportunity if it weren’t for the mentoring I’ve had from eDivert.

eDivert’s receive mentoring from a professional mentor if they buy into the Elite package, to help them work through the steep learning curve that comes with this new role. James explained how this mentoring helped him understand how to pitch the services to prospects.

Another option available to franchisees is the chance to work within eDivert’s own franchise network. Franchisees can choose to carry out projects for one another, something which is particularly useful is they can trade those tasks they’re not so keen on. James used this opportunity to experience some of the services that were new to him.

“I spent some time delivering some of the telephone answering services within the eDivert franchise network and it meant that I could better understand what I needed to deliver to my clients.”

In terms of advice to anyone considering buying in to a franchise business, James is clear:

“I’d say you definitely need to do your homework to ensure the business you choose is one that is right for your own needs. I’d recommend asking as many questions as you can – eDivert were very happy to answer loads – and speak to some existing franchisees too.

Once you’ve researched it and you’re happy, absolutely go for it. It’s a great way to start a business and be certain you have all the structure in place to be a success.”