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From electrician to store owner: how two franchisees made it happen

Sarah Stowe

Best mates Chad Rankin and Todd Lightbody may not be typical Snooze franchisees but they have ended up as multi-site franchisees for the bed retailing chain.

Working as qualified electricians for 11 years, the duo had always spoken about pursuing a new business adventure together – but with no professional experience outside the mining industry, how did they do it?

How did you become franchisees?

“Having worked in various mine sites across Australia for over a decade, Todd and I really didn’t have much experience when it came to running a business. We’d both reached a point in our lives where we were hungry for change and up for a challenge, but weren’t sure what the launch pad would be,” says Chad.

“Todd and I had friends who owned a Snooze franchise in Western Australia and told us about the Mandurah store opportunity. We identified the gap in our business skill set, and agreed a Snooze franchise really suited us. With a proven business model securely in place, we immediately had access to support, training and direction, which was invaluable in getting us started in the early stages,” he explains.

Chad and Todd took over Snooze Mandurah in May 2013, an acquisition in Western Australia that would soon form part of the well-performing Snooze store portfolio operating there today.

Did you always intend to be multi-unit franchisees?

“Never did we see ourselves becoming multi-site owners, but when offered the great opportunity and having realised the strength of the Snooze brand we knew we were ready to drive our business to the next level,” says Chad.

In August 2014, the pair proved they were moving from strength to strength with the grand opening of their second store, Snooze Cockburn, adding again to the brand’s retail footprint in WA.

Changing roles

With more than a year’s experience of running their own Snooze store, Chad and Todd hit the ground running with their second outlet, applying the knowledge and expertise they had gained since becoming franchisees.

“Fortunately, and I suppose naturally, we’ve managed to settle into the new store a lot quicker. It’s been exceptionally efficient being able to streamline our established operations at Mandurah with the Cockburn store to form a fully functioning multi-site business.

“We since found we are better suited to different roles. Todd now fulfils the duties of an operations manager and bookkeeper, whereas I focus my energy in-store, training staff, implementing sales promotions and managing product on the shop floor,” says Chad.

What kind of support did you get?

“Snooze has been overwhelmingly supportive; offering strong levels of communication and guidance,” says Chad. The pair are confident the franchisor will continue to help them grow their business.

The support has included access to exclusive products and services, sales and product training, business management support. national pr and marketing programs, IT support, vendor finance assistance to approved applicants and NAB and ANZ bank accreditation.

What advice do you have for other franchisees?

“The best piece of advice I can give is to have a clear plan in mind and just have a go at it; take a leap of faith!

“We face daily challenges, but the most important thing to remember is it’s OK to make mistakes. We’ve learned a lot through our errors, and ultimately these have shaped the success of our Snooze journey,” says Chad.

Achieving goals

Chad and Todd now have plans to progressively appoint others within the business to alleviate the workload as they continue to grow their retail footprint.

As eager businessmen, Chad and Todd say they’d definitely consider further expansion in the future.

“We have had a go at something that was foreign to both of us; we were two electricians diving into unknown waters. Being multi-site owners is a testament to the goals we set and achieved, and the support the Snooze business has provided us with, something we are both very proud of,” says Chad.