“I wouldn’t want to start a business without a brand or backing because no one would know who you are! Mac Tools has a widely recognised brand name and a customer base which is already established, you just need to build up your reputation and visit the customers in your area.”

Daren Emmons has been running his Mac Tools franchise in Gosport since March 2015. With previous experience in sales, Daren knew that he had the relevant skills to help him build a successful Mac Tools franchise. He was looking for an opportunity to run his own business, be close to home and spend more time with his family.

“Before joining Mac Tools I was working in sales in cranes and lifting equipment but also had experience in IT and telecoms in account management and sales. I’d had enough of the corporate world and wanted a business I could run from home but I couldn’t find anything in Telecoms or IT. I wanted to be in control of my own business and have something I could make a good living out of without having to have employees.

“Although I know it’s not essential to join the Mac Tools network, I think my sales and customer service experience really helped me. The most successful franchisees tend to be those who are good with people and have had previous experience in customer facing roles. However, if you don’t have the experience, Mac Tools will provide you with everything you need to succeed.

“Franchising really appealed to me because there’s a lot of time and effort involved in starting something on your own. I wouldn’t want to start a business without a brand or backing because no one would know who you are! Mac Tools has a widely recognised brand name and a customer base which is already established, you just need to build up your reputation and visit the customers in your area.”

Mac Tools is part of Stanley Black & Decker, the world’s largest hand and power tool manufacturer, a $12 billion global organisation. Mac Tools franchisees are trusted distributors of what are considered to be the best quality tools on the market to customers such as car dealerships, automotive repair shops, manufacturing units and engineering companies.

“I did quite a lot of research into various different franchises but I kept seeing a Mac Tools van driving around in my local area. I looked into oven cleaning and various other man in a van franchises as well as a few smaller franchises but you’re never sure if the smaller ones are established enough. I wanted something that was proven and that I could get into quickly, with a customer base already in place. I didn’t want to have to do physical work in order to earn money so Mac Tools suited me perfectly. It took me around 12 months to decide to buy my franchise. I was on a great wage before but I’d had enough of the corporate world and wanted to spend more time with my three children.

“I took on a business so that I could spend more time with my family and make a good living whilst working for myself and being in control of my own destiny. I am getting there gradually. I do spend less time working now than I did when I was in employment but, when you’re a business owner, there’s always things to sort out such as stock checking and making sure my van in in good condition. With Mac Tools, I can do all of that while I’m at home and still have my children around me.”

Mac Tools ensures that their franchisees are provided with everything they need to launch and run their businesses successfully. With a comprehensive training programme and support that stretches beyond launch, franchisees know that they will be able to hit the ground running when they join Mac Tools.

“For my training, I spent two weeks at Head Office and I also went out on a couple of van rides so that I could chat to franchisees and get a much better idea of how the business works on a daily basis. I also had my Field Manager out with me on the van for my first two weeks. It was great to have someone in the van with me and it was really useful. Some franchises would charge extra for that but it’s included in the franchise fee with Mac Tools. Mac Tools was definitely the right decision for me.”

“My advice to anyone looking to buy a franchise would be to make sure it’s something you will enjoy doing. If you’re a one-man-band and you hate your job, it will make it very difficult for you to get up in the morning. You need to be self-motivated for this business because you don’t get bookings or customers calling you, you have to physically get up and go to them. You should also be people oriented and talkative. You deal with customers on a daily basis so it’s important that you have the confidence to talk to them.”

“I want to get more customers and continue growing my business. I have space to grow but there’s only so much you can do as a one-man-band. I have no plans to have a second van on the road at the moment but it’s a possibility if I can find the right person to look after the van.”