Brighton franchisee, Dave Tester, is Mail Boxes Etc.’s new “franchisee of the year”. The award was made at the recent franchise conference in recognition of Dave’s outstanding success, his many achievements since opening his store in January 2006 and the rapid progress he has made in developing the business.

In addition, the award recognises Dave’s huge contribution to Mail Boxes Etc. (MBE) and the network as a whole.   He is part of the franchise’s consultative Marketing

Group and shares best practice with others in the network.  He has introduced new products and services and, also, identified new opportunities for his centre, which have been adopted by other franchisees.

Dave Tester was chosen from MBE’s network of over 100 High Street “one-stop” business service centres across the UK and Ireland.  MBE in the UK is part of a global network of more than 6,000 outlets.

Unique in UK franchising, MBE offers local companies and members of the public a wide range of quick, easy and cost-effective business services that include specialist packing and parcel delivery all over the world, mailbox rental, digital colour copying, professional lithographic printing, document finishing services, stationery, office supplies and postal services.

Before joining MBE, Dave enjoyed a varied career.  He worked in the Middle East, USA and the West Indies for over 20 years as a petroleum inspector in the oil industry.  While based in San Francisco he decided to change direction and indulge his passion for food and cooking by training as a chef in New York.  He returned to San Francisco, where he ran his own catering business and cookery school and also cooked in one of the city’s most famous restaurants before deciding to come back to the UK.  He set up a food manufacturing business, which was subsequently sold. 

Dave then started a business selling insurance products to ex-pats around the world until new compliance regulations were introduced that made it very difficult for any small business to operate in the financial services sector.  He sold it to an insurance company and then started to consider some new options, including franchising, which he already knew and understood.

“I went to a franchise exhibition and met some franchisors, although none of the businesses held significant appeal until I went on to the Mail Boxes Etc. stand.  I already knew MBE from my time in the USA,” Dave said.  “It seemed to offer great variety and I could see the potential for making a sound business out of an MBE franchise.  In the past, I had worked for an auction house in Bond Street, so I had some experience of this sector and realised how important a reliable pack and ship service is.

“I understood the value of the other MBE services and how they meet the genuine needs of local businesses.   Since opening three years ago, I’ve discovered that the demand is escalating, especially for courier services and mailbox rental and, recently, for our Ordnance Survey-approved mapping and data service,” Dave continued.
 Speaking about the award, Dave said: “I am delighted to receive this award and give thanks to my staff and to my partner Sachiko without whose help, patience and hard work it wouldn’t have been possible.”

MBE’s recruitment consultant, Chris Gillam, congratulated Dave on his success, commenting:  “We’re delighted to announce this award.  Dave’s personal success is well deserved and he has made a big contribution to MBE, demonstrating his commitment to his own business and to the network as a whole.”