being part of the McDonald's brand. On my way to work when I see the McDonald’s sign and I think ‘that’s my business’.
Why Franchising?
Previously I was in the corporate world running a big business in the US, and I wasn’t happy. I had to travel continually which was stressful, exhausting and took time away from my family. I left with a deep-seated knowledge I had to work for myself. I looked into Franchising in the U.K. and started with a pizza Franchise which I ran successfully for 5 years. This gave me the experience of running a Franchised restaurant and satisfaction of proving myself as a business owner. I was now ready for a new challenge and McDonald’s offered me the chance to fulfil my ambitions to develop and expand a new business.
The McDonald’s Difference
McDonald’s experience in terms of developing and training Franchisees and supporting them through the process really sets them apart. It’s intensive, you start as a crew member and do every role up to shift manager. I really enjoyed it, you learn to work with everyone and you’re treated just like another member of the team. The most important thing you learn is how to interact with the people. There’s lots of different personalities within a McDonald’s store and what really surprised me was how much fun people have.
My McDonald’s people
The attraction to McDonald’s was the support it provided, the size of the business, and the brand. I understood the banks were willing to lend 75% of the initial investment. This was a very important part of my decision making process as I wanted to grow the business. I was surprised at the competitive rates the banks provided. I was supported by McDonald’s when talking to banks. Within 12 months I opened my second restaurant, which is a newly built Drive-thru. It’s been busy, hectic but with the second restaurant I’m starting to feel I’m moving forward at a real pace.
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Reema Mavani
For Reema, being a Franchisee gives her the chance to empower her people.
