How did a part-time job turn into a lifetime passion for this Quest franchisee?

When Melbourne university student Catherine Mapperson took the role as a casual hotel receptionist, she never expected to fall in love with the industry.

“I started with Quest not out of any desire to work in the accommodation industry. I came back to university to finish off an honours degree and needed a weekend job that would pay penalty rates,” she jokes.

More than 20 years on, Catherine is now the face of a new generation of Quest Apartment Hotels franchisees, helping to shape the evolving accommodation sector. From humble beginnings as a receptionist, Catherine quickly rose through the ranks to become property manager, before making the leap to Quest franchisee.

“It was originally going to be just a 12-month thing, but because Quest was such a fast-growing company at that time, opportunities just kept opening up,” she says.

“I had to make a decision and I thought the whole Quest model looked like a good direction go with.”

Modest to begin with, her original 15 apartment property in South Yarra set the foundations for what has become a lifelong franchise journey with Quest.

Quest for success

After four years operating the business, Catherine made the decision to upgrade, adding a second franchise to her portfolio. The addition saw her team of three staff grow rapidly to accommodate the new Quest on Dorcas site. But despite it all, Catherine reveals she never once felt overwhelmed by the jump in responsibility.

“The Quest format for franchised businesses is pretty straightforward, and that’s the really beauty of the system,” she says.

“It’s not just a case of ‘you buy the business and here’s the system’. There is ongoing support, research and development for the life of your journey with Quest and I think that is the thing that stands the business in good stead; that it’s backed by proven success.”

Industry changes

Where Catherine has the drive, Quest has the vision. The multi-unit Quest franchisee says the brand’s willingness to adopt new technologies and commit to innovation is something that has allowed her business to stand the test of time.

“I’ve seen a lot or different uniforms, logos and branding, so visually I’ve been there for those updates over the years,” she jokes.

Like most industries, the last decade has seen the accommodation sector experience a period a rapid evolution, highlighted by a rise in digitisation.

It’s a far cry from her early days at South Yarra, Catherine reveals.

“We used ledger books at the start, where we would rule in bookings with a grey, lead pencil, and if we needed to amend them, it meant getting the eraser out. We didn’t have internet, no emails, all bookings were done over the phone.”

Quest franchisee business growth

Earlier this year, Mapperson successfully extended her portfolio for a third time, launching her largest venture to date; Quest St Kilda Rd.

“Because I opened Quest on Dorcas as a greenfield site, I forgot about some of the pain and stress of opening a new business,” she says.

“Not that I underestimated that St Kilda Rd was going to be a challenge, but it’s certainly been extremely busy.”

What has made the experience easier, however is geography. Catherine’s latest venture is less than 2km from her existing location, meaning the hands-on Quest franchisee can cover all bases at once.

While Catherine’s Quest experience provided her with the tools to hit the ground running, Quest St Kilda Rd is a big step up from her previous operations. Her existing franchise, Quest on Dorcas houses 58 apartments, whereas the St Kilda Rd venture has 104.

“There are long hours involved, in the first month or two it’s not uncommon to be working 15 to 20 hours a day, but that foundation period is the most important time to be focused and make sure that you really set your business up for prolonged success.”

However, for all the industry updates and internal advancements, if she had he time again, Catherine reveals she wouldn’t change a thing.

“The foundations of Quest; hard work, honesty, commitment and dedication have not changed. If you value your core business, where that comes from, what that does for your brand and what your brand can do for that market segment, it helps you to have a clear focus of where you need to be.”

Ever wanted to get into an accommodation business for yourself? Take a look at these fantastic franchise opportunities.