“I needed a change, I wanted to do something different. I wanted to be my own boss.”

Former technician Nathan James wanted more. More for his family, more for his future, and more freedom in his life.

He was brave enough to do something about it.

“I wasn’t on bad money but I wanted to earn more to provide for my family. I was at the same garage for the last 13 years, so it was a huge step to leave – a bit of a shock to the system!” says the Walsall-based Mac Man.

“I thought I needed a change, I wanted to do something different. I wanted to be my own boss. It was about having a bit more control and being able to earn more money.”

Driven by those desires, Nathan hasn’t looked back since he started his business.

“I’ve got twins, they’re 20 months old now, and a 13-year-old stepson as well. It’s hard work with the business and the kids, but it’s so worth it. If it works out as I plan, my partner can also join me in the business in the future.

“Things are going really good, I’m loving it. It’s doing even better than I thought. It’s booming.”

Personal touch

What does he put his success down to?

“Me! Just being the person I am, offering good deals to people. I’m good with people and I don’t pressure people to buy anything. I show people the products I’ve got and wait for them to be ready for them. If you try to force people into a hard sell then it turns them away from you.

“You’ve got to know your customers and know their needs. I tend to listen to conversations and ask them what they’re looking for next, then I look out for deals on them. When I’ve got a good deal I’ll go back to them and ask if they’re interested.

“I think my background helps, because I understand exactly what my customers need.”

Having a mechanic background might have been a big help, but becoming a Mac Man is still a transition.

“It was scary,” Nathan says. “You don’t know what’s going to happen. My territory had been vacant for a couple of years, but I knew I could build faith in the Mac brand.

“I kept going back to garages week in week out, they see that I’m here to stick around and that’s helped them trust me. That’s also helped get them to buy as well, once they know you’re going to be here for a long time – I told them that I’ve invested my money into this, I’m not employed by Mac, I’ve invested my own money into the business so it’s not like I’m going to disappear.”

With over 175 franchisees in the UK alone, Mac Tools is well set up to help people make the transition into running their own business, and Nathan’s quick to say how much that experience matters.

He comments: “The support has been great to be honest. The training was really good, taught me how to use the computer systems and the Mac credit system. I also learned some product knowledge that I didn’t know! You never stop learning, let’s be honest, there are always new things to learn about.

“Steve Higgins, the training manager, is very good, he’s a nice bloke and a great trainer. The regional manager has also given me great back up.”

It’s good to talk

And it’s not just about the support from head office – Nathan’s found the franchisees like to chat with each other a lot too!

“Especially one guy, I speak to him every single day, sometimes two or three times a day!” he says. “If you’ve had a good day or a bad day, it’s good to share it with someone else who understands. Sometimes we call each other to tell the other about what we’ve sold. In the van on your own it can be hard, so it’s always good to get ideas off other people.

“If I’m struggling to sell something then I can ask and he’ll give me ideas, and vice versa. We also help each other out, if I’ve got something in stock that he needs then he can give it back to me sometime later.

“A few of us are in a WhatsApp group and it’s great to share our experiences. It really makes a difference.”