Rob has recently become the owner of a Bristol and North Somerset ActionCOACH franchise after being made redundant.

Rob Carter, a supportive father to his son, Tom, lives with his wife and ‘Rodney the Labrodoodle’ dog in Bristol. 

Whilst studying quantity surveying at Bristol Polytechnic, Rob decided it was not for him and embarked on a long career in management. His job in a local pub sparked his interest in hospitality and he took on a position in pub management for a number of years. 

Rob went on to run his own Cafe business but quickly found that setting up a business without the right support and backing can be extremely difficult. However, undeterred by this unfortunate experience, Rob became an Operations Manager at a luxury bathroom manufacturer and distributor. Rob eventually became CEO of that company, but after 16 years of service he was made redundant by mutual consent. Rob then decided to put his extensive business management experience to good use.

“ActionCOACH seemed like the perfect next step for me because coaching and training staff in business management had been a prerequisite in my role as CEO. The difficulties I encountered with my cafe business have been a big help because they have given me first-hand experience of owning a failing business and how to deal with financial problems. 

“I had worked as a consultant for 12 months prior to joining ActionCOACH but gained very little satisfaction from the short-term relationships with businesses that the job offered. I had been looking for a way to start my own business and read an article about franchising in a magazine. I found the statistics concerning failure rates of start-ups versus franchises compelling.

“Those statistics stuck with me and consulting had taught me that I would need support, community, systems, processes and training. These factors, including a greater chance of success behind a recognised brand, made joining ActionCOACH a straightforward decision for me.”

ActionCOACH, as the world’s number 1 coaching franchise, has a unique approach to coaching which has benefited business owners around the world. The end result being more time, better teams within their companies, and most importantly – more profit. Becoming an ActionCOACH franchisee has proven to be a rewarding career move for many. You can help share your knowledge of business operations to an even greater number of companies in need. 

“Whilst researching, I found the competition to be a million miles behind ActionCOACH. If you are looking to invest in a business coaching franchise, why would you not invest with the global leader?! ActionCOACH also back-up their accolades with excellent business practices and methods. I was particularly impressed with the 14 Points of Culture displayed on their website and knew that I wanted to be part of a company that worked to that mantra! I also spoke to several ActionCOACH franchisees who supported my research and helped with my decision. I signed up with ActionCOACH within two months of finding out about them.”

Rob’s initial training began with 10 days in Las Vegas where he learnt how to launch and market his franchise through case studies and proven business systems. ActionCOACH also provide on-going support through regional, national and global conferences and of course a 1-2-1 Action Business Coach to help you succeed.

“My advice to anyone looking to buy a franchise is to do plenty of homework and not spend forever doing it. Get on with it and make a decision! I would also advise new franchisees to utilise the resources available to them. Even if you only have a part-time franchise, it is really important to run it like it is your only source of income. I have seen some people treat their franchise as a hobby and then blame others, including the franchisor, if it is not profitable.”

As well as helping business owners turn their businesses around with ActionCOACH, Rob gives back to the community in other ways. He sits on the Bristol & North Somerset Board for Young Enterprise and fundraises for Ryan Bresnahan (A Life for a Cure), a charity that supports research for a meningitis vaccination.

Rob was recently voted Business Adviser of the Year 2012 for Young Enterprise in the South West, a national charity that brings business into schools. Following on from his recent awards success, Rob’s objective for the future is simply, “To be the Number One Business Coaching Organisation in Bristol and North Somerset.”