STAND 306
FRANCHISING CHANGED OUR LIVES!
Find out more about Go-Kart Party visit them on Stand 306 or go to www.go-kartparty.co.uk or call: 0870 116 2000 Little did Nathan and Steve Martindill know that their visit to The Franchise Show, at ExCel in London (in February 2011), would change their lives – completely! The brothers are now the proud owners of adjoining Go-Kart Party franchises in Devon & Dorset, with third brother, James managing the Dorset franchise. James explains: “I had been living and working in Spain; promoting new residential developments as they became available for sale but had decided to come back to the UK to take a law degree. I had just graduated and was looking for employment when Steven asked me to manage his Go-Kart Party franchise. It is quite a leap from lawyer to running your own business, but I’ve found that my marketing and sales skills, from my time working with overseas properties, the time management and critical thinking skills, I improved during my degree study, have been invaluable.” Both franchises launched and began trading in May 2011. James and Nathan’s time is spent building the business through indoor parties and outdoor events.
With the help of their franchisor many indoor venues, across their territories, were secured and marketing in place, making sure bookings rolled in from the start, and they are loving it.
party or event and in a market worth an estimated £216 million, the franchise business is the brand leader with low overheads and high earning potential. Nathan investigated the Go-Kart Party opportunity thoroughly and, as the figures and confidence in the business stacked up, his brother Steven became interested in investing too, but he wasn’t looking to leave his job. This is when the third brother James, 32, was brought in to manage Steven’s territory in Dorset.
Go-Kart Party specialise in GoKarting for a children’s themed
Nathan had spent 16 years working for an advertising
“
So far, it is really very promising and enjoyable. We’re spending our time promoting the parties and last year, I only had 4 days off during the summer holidays, because of the demand in our areas to have the Go-Karts at events, but the benefits I have gained through working for myself, while under the watchful and supportive eye of my franchisor, are invaluable – and I still had the buzz of starting up on my own!
agency. “My job hadn’t really changed for five years and I was really looking for a new challenge and a change in my life. I really wanted to start my own business but, living in Devon, I wasn’t sure what business would be enjoyable as well as profitable in my area. Go-Kart Party was the only business that excited Nathan, during his visit to the show, although he had spoken to a number which were very good businesses that he could easily have made money with. Nathan, Steven and James are living examples of how a franchise can become a family business. Asked what advice they would give to anyone thinking of buying a franchise they all agree that you must carry out your own checks, seek the right legal advice, organise your financing early on, and work with your franchisor, do not try and reinvent the wheel. The franchisor has a proven business model that works IF you follow their advice.
www.thefranchiseshow.co.uk SEPTEMBER 2012 THE FRANCHISE SHOW | 37