Going from the security of being an employee to self employed was a big step BUT ActionCOACH showed Roger what was achievable.

Setting up his own business seemed daunting but Roger Pemberton felt ready for a change and decided to go for it. He’d been paid a lump sum when he left Premier Foods aged 49 and used this to buy his ActionCOACH franchise.

Although he wasn’t specifically looking to buy a franchise, Roger felt the ActionCOACH brand would accelerate his coaching business. “I’ve always worked for major brands I appreciate the real strength that comes from having a strong brand name behind you. I felt it gave me the best of both worlds – the backing of a major brand but the freedom of running my own business.”

“ActionCOACH encourages you to keep learning and training, so you continue adding value to your clients. For someone like me that’s really appealing.”

Going from the security of being an employee to self employed was a big step but cash flow forecasting tools supplied by ActionCOACH showed Roger what was achievable.

“In the early days I obviously had some insecurity, especially about winning clients. I felt like I simply had time, a phone and lots of businesses to speak to that I didn’t know. It was down to me and that was a little scary. You think ‘I know it has worked for others but will it work for me? Can I make it work?’”

Roger discovered that he could: “If you learn the system and tools and trust them, it works! Of course you can’t sit back and expect things to just happen, you must be active and really focused on selling and marketing – but it was fine putting in the effort once I understood what I was doing and where it was taking me.”

“By month four I could take money out of the business to pay myself and by month 18 I had a very secure, stable coaching business. I was comfortably earning what I’d been earning at the height of my corporate career, and I was doing it on my terms, with no major commute.”

It was at this point that he decided to move things up a gear. In February 2009, as part of Roger’s development, a top, highly experienced ActionCOACH started coaching him, focusing on how Roger attracted and retained clients. Since then his roster of clients has expanded to 14 and spans all sectors, from a will writing firm, joinery business, renewable energy and horticulture companies through to an IT web designer and a stainless steel manufacturing company.

According to Roger, while the financial rewards are fantastic, it’s the client work that has delivered the real highs. Roger has helped one of his clients get both their business and life back on track.

“My client is in her sixties and had been running her company with her husband when he left her. She understandably took her eye off the business. By the time I got involved it was struggling. I’ve worked with her to get it back into good shape. It has been a tough time for her but she’s now looking forward to running her business and has really rediscovered her enjoyment in work and life. To impact on peoples’ lives in this way is tremendously rewarding.”

With his ActionCOACH business, Roger also has his own life plan in place. He plans to stay coaching for a further 10 years; meanwhile he has the beginnings of a property portfolio. Thanks to the expansion of his coaching business over the past 3 years he has been able to buy three properties and he plans to buy another over the next 18 months.

So, looking back does Roger think the choice he made four years ago was the right one?

“Absolutely, it’s great to be doing my own thing. I’m making a real difference to the businesses I coach, I’m in charge of my own future, I’m free, fulfilled and financially secure – not many people can say that.”