Nonlinear route to starting your own business

Linear careers are a thing of the past. But does this mean you can’t run your own business? Not at all! With the backing of a Mr Charger franchise, you can change direction, and start something new.

Career progression has changed enormously, over the last few decades. You may have experienced this, as you’ve climbed the ladder of your personal success. The power to map out your career, and choose where you’re aiming, according to what you value most, is more easily achievable, today. If your idea of success lies in running your own business, then with the support of franchising, you can reach your goal. If your idea of success is a portfolio of businesses, then take a look at Mr Charger, just like our newest franchisees, Lorraine Ellis and Satvir Saran, have done.

The friends and business partners met nearly 16 years ago. Lorraine had initially started her career in software engineering, before working in the City in IT management. After having children, Lorraine stepped into the world of franchising, where she experienced different brands. “As my children grew older, I had this burning desire to do something for myself,” Lorraine says. “I knew it was something I could be successful at.”

Satvir, on the other hand, has over 15 years’ experience in residential development planning and project management. She has a degree in Business Information Management & Finance and has applied this successfully in her current businesses. She is also raising three children and enjoys being able to be there for them. “Lorraine and I formed a really strong friendship,” she explains. “About three years ago, we had the idea of starting a business together, and we’ve never looked back.”

Lorraine and Satvir have created a business portfolio which is as varied as their careers. “Lorraine said “We started in telecommunications, but having traded throughout the pandemic, with all the challenges it brought about, we made the difficult decision to move on. We thought about the kind of industries which would be future-proof, before investing in a children’s nursery franchise in 2021 – quite a personal decision, because we first became friends when our children were at nursery.”

However, as the business partners built a strong team around them, Lorraine and Satvir found themselves ready for another project. “We have an incredible management team running the nursery, so started thinking about our next step toward the end of the year, discussing other industries to explore as a business opportunity,” Satvir continues. “This is when we came across Mr Charger, which ticked all our boxes: A business model which is delivering results, in an exciting industry, with long-term prospects.”

Based on their past experiences with franchising, Lorraine and Satvir knew this was the right opportunity. “We love franchising; it’s proven to work for us, fitting around our work-life balance and family commitments, and provides us with a great model to follow. Mr Charger delivers on these, and is a strong brand operating in a growing industry,” Lorraine says. “Electric driving is an exciting industry to move into, and we’re super-charged and ready to go. Plus… I really love all things tech!”

Neither Lorraine nor Satvir have electrical engineering experience, but this isn’t a hindrance to how they can manage their Mr Charger franchise. Their new business will not only provide EV charge points around Croydon, Kingston Upon Thames, and Mitcham, they’ll also be providing work to skilled electricians, as they grow their team of installers. “There’s a time, in the not-too-distant future, when every vehicle will be electric. Customers will always be there, and we want to make sure we have enough installers in our team to meet the demand, as it increases over time. We’ve identified a strategy which we believe will work for us, and are looking forward to a strong first year.”

If your career is as varied as Lorraine and Satvirs, but you’d like to explore running a future-focused business for yourself, you can reach out to Mr Charger by clicking below: