“Not only has Oast House helped me get customers, they’ve been there every step of the way in helping me set up my business,”

Having previously worked in nursing care where the hours are unpredictable and long, Josey wanted to find an opportunity that would enable her to spend more time with her family.

After starting her Oast House Farm Snacks franchise, she’s not only increased her income and reduced her working hours, she’s also found a new drive in life.

Josey explains: “I’m getting married later this year and that was the push I needed to recognise that I needed to get my weekends back so I could enjoy time with my family and husband-to-be. As soon as I spoke to the team at Oast House Farm Snacks I knew this was the right fit for me. With the low investment I could afford it from my savings and the fact I would be earning an income from day one meant it was a low-risk business.”

Josey is now enjoying the freedom of being able to set her own hours. “I like to get up early so I often get to my first customer by 8am, but I’m home again by 3pm,” she says. “I enjoy being out and about talking to people so the fact I’m able to see the same people regularly is great for me.”

The biggest challenge for Josey has been understanding and managing the computer systems and bookkeeping side of the business. She’s found the support from head office invaluable from helping her register as self-employed to getting her systems up and running.

“Not only has Oast House helped me get customers, they’ve been there every step of the way in helping me set up my business,” explains Josey. “In my first week I made double the income I’m used to, which was an amazing boost and I’ve got a better balance between work and family so it’s definitely been a good move.”

Being able to support her local hospice has also been a huge motivation. She says: “I didn’t realise how much money the hospice needed to raise privately so I’m delighted to be able to help them.”