Scott Jarvie’s Snap-on Success Story

Scott Jarvie discusses how Snap-on has given him the opportunity to manage his workload more efficiently.

“All it takes is dedication!”

Scott Jarvie is the definition of hard-working and it’s a badge he’s worn proudly for 30 years. After leaving school, he went straight into full-time employment, working his way up through the merciless world of corporate sales. In early 2017, the single dad found himself tired of the constant travel, tireless regime and lack of opportunity. He knew the time was right to finally start the business he’d been considering since the nineties. Months later, he launched his Snap-on franchise in West Lothian, Scotland.

“I don’t know why I didn’t launch the franchise sooner, to be honest. I’d been thinking about it since before my kids were born and they’re 24 and 14 now! Initially I was concerned that my lack of experience with the tools would hinder me, which is why it took me a few decades to take the leap. Once I realised that all I needed was a lot of dedication and a good work ethic, it made perfect sense. I was born to run a Snap-on franchise.”

Another skill that would stand Scott in good stead when the time came to start his own Snap-on franchise was his ability to manage his workload efficiently. As a self-employed salesman, he had spent all of his career being held accountable for his own targets.

“I’ve worked for myself since I left school, which would probably overwhelm a lot of people, but I’ve always enjoyed it. I’m a real workhorse and thrive under pressure. When I was working in sales, it wasn’t uncommon for me to set myself almost impossible targets but I carried on until they were met. I was a real jack-of-all-trades too, selling everything from clothing to household goods, gold, property and even stocks and shares. Once you equip yourself with the necessary customer service skills, the rest will fall into place – whether you’re selling a tin of baked beans, or a five-bedroom house. I’m a chatty and friendly guy, so the sales side of things came naturally to me.”

Despite his unquestionable success during his three decades in the industry, Scott became disillusioned with the constant pressure and workload. The role often saw him travelling the length and breadth of Scotland, spending days at a time away from his daughter, Tayla, and son, Mason.

“Truthfully, I was tired of living out of my car and I was missing out on watching my kids grow up. It was just no life – something had to give. I was working in the clothing trade and just felt myself falling further down the rabbit hole. If I didn’t get out of the industry soon, I was convinced I never would. I got chatting to my mate from school, who had been running his own Snap-on franchise since his early twenties. When we met up, we’d end up talking about work, so Snap-on had always been a hot topic.”

Snap-on is the world’s number one professional tool brand. They are the leading global manufacturer and distributor of tools for the professional technician. Franchisees sell the most sought-after tools in the industry and deliver outstanding customer service to technicians up and down the country. Their fantastic business opportunity offers you the chance to be your own boss whilst being supported by an elite team of industry specialists.

“My mate had been very successful in the years that he’d been running his Snap-on franchise, so I often found myself considering the opportunity. I guess you could say I fancied a slice of the success for myself! In spring 2017, we had the conversation again but, this time, the timing just felt right. My kids were a bit older – Tayla had moved in with her boyfriend and Mason was at secondary school – so I would have the time to invest in getting the franchise off the ground. I got in touch with the franchise team at Snap-on who, like me, understood that my background in sales and my personability would suit their network down to the ground. There was a territory availability not far from where I live too, which would put a stop to the long drives that I’d been doing for years. It was like the pieces of the puzzle fell into place. I launched my franchise in August 2017.”

Before Scott could get out on the road, he would have one last long-haul trip to make, as Snap-on franchisee training starts with ten days of classroom-style training in the US. Afterwards, franchisees visit Snap-on’s UK head office in Kettering to meet the staff who will support them on a daily basis and collect their very own custom-built mobile store! Once out on the road, one-to-one training continues with a dedicated Franchise Developer who rides with franchisees for their first five weeks. As part of a six-month intensive onboarding process, new franchisees receive a further 31 days of on-van support from a Sales Developer and Business Manager over the following five months. That’s 51 contact days in the first six months!

“The training was thorough and a little intense, if I’m honest, but as a complete tool novice, that’s what I needed. If I could give advice to any other newbies who are about to embark on their franchise training, it would be to just to take it all in. Don’t skim over anything and don’t assume you can cheat your way through the training by retaining the odd nugget of information here and there. Take it seriously, work hard and listen. It’ll set you up in the best way possible.”

Once Scott had collected his own set of wheels, he got back to the familiarity of home and doing what he knows best – making sales!

“One of the best things about being a Snap-on franchisee is the support you get. They map out my routes, meaning I can concentrate on fulfilling orders and marketing the franchise. I’m constantly encouraged to be the best that I can be and my sales developer has been particularly instrumental in getting me to where I am today. I don’t come from an automotive background so my background in sales is my trump card. Saying that though, you really don’t need to be a mechanic to get ahead at Snap-on. When it comes to the tools, I’ve got no idea what I’m doing half the time, but the banter I have with my customers keeps the sales coming in and Snap-on support me with everything else. They even helped fund some of the start-up costs. So you see, there really is no excuse for not starting a franchise!”

Snap-on are one of the only franchisors in the UK able to help our franchisees to fund the purchase of the business. We do this through our in-house bank, Snap-on Finance. This fully regulated finance house eliminates the need for the High Street banks and after all, who better to invest in your franchise with you than your franchisor?

“My plans for the future are simple really – put in the hours and reap the rewards. Next year, I want to take on a second van which I’ll hire an assistant to run. I love working hard, for an honest wage, and making my kids proud of their old man in the process. Starting a Snap-on franchise was just the change in career that I needed. This is me now, until I retire. And I couldn’t be happier.”