On the surface, it may seem that starting a franchise could carry more risk than being in employment but Paul Foster, an Auditel franchisee since 2011, has found the opposite.

Auditel is the UK’s pioneer of strategic cost management. They assist and educate clients to make smarter buying and management decisions, leading to business longevity and growth. Franchisees become invaluable, outsourced board level members of the companies they serve.

“When I found Auditel, I wasn’t really looking for a franchise and I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. I had various ideas but I spoke to a neighbour who was an Auditel franchisee and thought it sounded interesting so I went to visit the team at Head Office.”

After working in printing for a number of years, Paul realised that the internet was quickly taking over this industry and it would soon be a very different business.

“As you get older, your job becomes more and more risky. I was working for large corporations who were making lots of people redundant and I just wanted to take control of my own future. I feel more secure now that I’ve started an Auditel franchise than I ever did in employment. Many people think that working for a large corporation gives you security but that’s just not the case anymore. With such a turbulent economy in the UK, many businesses are making redundancies so careers are no longer as secure as they were.”

Paul has a wealth of experience in business process and outsourcing to a large corporation but hated the environment and wanted a more secure future. Paul left the corporate world behind because he wanted something secure that he knew would allow him to continue developing his skills as well as learn new skills and enjoy a variety of the work.

“When I was looking for a new opportunity I was looking for places that would allow me to use my existing skills but the attraction of Auditel was that it was something I didn’t know. I am risk averse but the challenge and excitement of doing something new really appealed to me.”

Although he wasn’t originally looking for a franchise opportunity, Paul relished the opportunity to take on a new challenge with Auditel, and to benefit from the variety that being part of their network can bring. Paul also wanted more security in his working life which was something he’d never managed to find in employment.

Many of Auditel’s franchisees invested in their franchise because they wanted to take control of their future and do something for themselves. Investing in a franchise gives you the opportunity to benefit from a proven business model and enjoy a more secure future.

One of the benefits of becoming an Auditel franchisee is the ability to call on the expertise and knowledge of over 200 consultants in the Auditel network. Paul is able to take advantage of the network and work on joint venture projects which allow franchisees to utilise each other’s expertise to improve their own services and offering.

“In employment, you can very easily fall into a specific sector or niche but, if the world changes, that niche can change or become completely irrelevant. Investing in a franchise has allowed me to eliminate this and, as part of the Auditel network, I can be sure that they will continue innovating so that our services and processes are always relevant.”

Not only has becoming part of the Auditel franchise helped Paul to utilise his existing skills in a new area of business, it’s also provided him with a better lifestyle. The Auditel franchise can be built in a number of ways to suit individual franchisees. Some franchisees choose to operate from home and work on joint ventures with other franchisees whilst others employ and build a team of staff around them. Whatever the individual goal, the Auditel franchise opportunity can be built to suit.

“My lifestyle has improved all round. I work from home so there’s no commute. I do work longer hours but that’s by choice! I can be around my family more often and be on-hand for help if it’s needed because I don’t have to travel all the way back from the office.”

“For me, the biggest benefit of Auditel is that you have access to a whole network of franchisees with varying experience, knowledge and skills that you can call on at any time. Many people will look at Auditel and decide to become a consultant themselves rather than invest in a franchise but you would never have access to as much information as a one man band. You can joint venture with other franchisees to access more client work and benefit the network as a whole.’

“Auditel provide a framework and ongoing training and support that makes you feel enthused and drives your knowledge and learning. It’s refreshing to be constantly learning new skills. The great thing about the Auditel franchise is that you can build it in your own way as long as it fits with the framework and the success of the network as a whole.”