Charley Gregio is a Touch Up Guys franchisee in Joondalup, Perth.

Month and year your franchise opened?

July 2009

Why did you choose this franchise?

The franchise was bought to my attention through a friend and after investigating the business and comparing the competition I met with the franchisor. I liked what I saw.

What were your expectations when you started?

At the time the economy was looking pretty bad and there was doom and gloom wherever I went. My expectations were first up to keep me in employment and meet my familyÕs needs. Secondly, the aim was to find time to spend with my family as they are quite young.

What has been the biggest challenge?

The challenges for me were not that great as I had some experience in retail which gave me skills in dealing with the public and later on in life I worked in mining in a management capacity which gave me skills in organising my time and business.

What are your goals for the next 12 months?

Firstly I want to get as much experience as possible and then build the business to make money on my investment. I aim to have more than one van.

What has surprised you about the franchise?

The ease really; training was excellent and prepared me well and any answers I need are only ever a phone call away. The work was not that hard to come by and I really donÕt have to work that hard for my money in comparison to previous occupations.