What Franchise Issue 21.1

Total investment: £23,975 + VAT Established: 1984 Number of outlets: 70 Location of units: Nationwide hy did buying a Molly Maid franchise feel like the right move? I’ve always liked the idea of franchising and being your own boss, but with the backing of a trusted name. One day, I turned to my wife, Charlotte, and just asked, “If you could run any kind of business, what would it be?” Her answer? “Cleaning.” That got the ball rolling. From there, I started digging into different options and kept coming back to Molly Maid. It just stood out – professional, values-driven, and the level of support was clear from the start. I’m all about people, and the turning point was meeting Aaron, our Business Development Director. After chatting with him and seeing how seriously they take support, I had a gut feeling this was the place for me. What was the training and onboarding like? Training at head office was brilliant – super welcoming and just great to meet the team in person. It really helped me feel part of the Molly Maid family straight away. After that, my Business Advisor became my go-to for everything. She’s been incredible, always just a phone call away whenever I’ve needed help. That support really gave me the confidence to get going. What was your launch week like? It was such a buzz. I’ll never forget the excitement of securing those first few jobs – there were definitely a few celebratory fist pumps! I made it a point to really listen to what each customer needed. Some wanted a deep clean, others just needed regular top-ups. One early client even cried happy tears after their first clean. Moments like that really stick with you and gave us great momentum. How’s business going now? We hit the ground running and it’s going really well. One big lesson has been learning to roll with the highs and lows. I naturally like to stay busy, so I’ve had to be patient on the quieter days. But even then, I stayed proactive. One afternoon I just grabbed some flyers, hit the streets myself and got two new customers from it! It’s all about keeping the energy going. Has the support fromMolly Maid made a difference? Absolutely. We’re even helping to shape a new software system for things like scheduling and payroll, which is exciting. The head office team’s been super responsive, and I’ve had personal calls from both the CEO Kevin and COO Jonathan, just checking in and offering support. That personal touch says a lot about the culture here. Any advice for someone thinking about buying a franchise? Franchising’s not a walk in the park – it takes a lot of drive and the ability to juggle everything, from customer service to team leadership. But if you love a challenge and enjoy building something from scratch, it’s incredibly rewarding. My tip? Be ready to get stuck in, lean on the support around you, and stay the course. What you put in, you’ll absolutely get back. W FRANCH I SE OVERV I EW Cleaning homes &building dreams C L E A N I N G S E R V I C E S Molly Maid franchisee Jethro Allen shares what life’s been like since joining the brand, and why he hasn’t looked back Minimum required capital: £7,000 +VAT F O R F U R T H E R I N F O R M A T I O N Aaron Watson Awatson@mollymaid.co.uk 01628 583765 75 WHAT-FRANCHISE.COM MOLLY MAID Behind the Brand | PARTNER CONTENT