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Newbie franchisee shares secrets to running an award-winning business

Sarah Stowe

Inside Franchise Business: Ashley Weekes, award-winning Swimart franchiseeHow do you buy a franchise and within a year become a double award winner? Swimart Jindalee’s Ashley Weekes has the answer.

Weekes was a big winner at this year’s Swimart Awards, held in Hong Kong, picking up both the Queensland Franchisee of the Year and Australasian Franchisee of the Year.

The awards are judged on elements such as store presentation, compliance, marketing activities, and revenue growth over the financial year.

How did you build your business so fast to achieve a double award in 12 months?

The whole team went back to basics whereby we reviewed all the systems and processes and rebuilt and streamlined them to ensure we were providing prompt and efficient service to our clients. This led to some great support from new and existing clients, who enjoyed our renewed focus on serving their needs in the most effective manner we could.

What tips did you receive that have made a difference to the operation of the business?

Some of the best advice was to empower and trust the team to do their job and only intervene when necessary. Also, some key advice was to ensure we had sufficient working capital to negate the effect the seasonality of the business has on cashflow.

Was the business a new or existing site?

Swimart Jindalee was established in 1996, and has enjoyed the loyal support of the local community over a long period of time.

Did you have retail experience?

My wife and I have had varied roles in human resources, finance and accounting, with no previous retail experience. We have relied on the skills gained in those roles, plus customer service skills gained in prior roles to help grow and manage our business over the past 18 months.

Who is in the business and how are roles divided?

We currently have a large and varied team (both permanent and casual to fulfil the seasonal requirements of the pool industry) working across our service arm and the retail store; this includes a store manager, service manager, sales consultant, service technicians and retail assistants.

What has been the biggest challenge you have faced in the first 12 months?

Definitely juggling the competing demands of running a small business, including stock management, effective merchandising, product training, and cashflow management.

“Swimart has an effective franchisee support system, through online and face-to-face channels,” adds Weekes. “As well as formal support from Swimart, I was allocated a mentor store where you receive hands-on training with them but also a year of support where you’re able to call them with any questions you might have.

“I have really enjoyed the challenge of running my own business and was initially attracted to the pool and spa industry as it has a mix of retail and mobile services, which diversifies the revenue stream. We’ve also added to the product range by selling spas,” he says.