Mike Schofield has just joined Ed’s to run his own gardening franchise business in Redditch and Stratford-upon-Avon. Mike comes to us with twenty-two years of gardening experience, gained through working for a charity to train people with special needs to provide commercial gardening services. This is what Mike has to say about his decision to join us.

“I love gardening and I certainly can cut a mean lawn edge with a small strimmer! However, I also know that I might not have the necessary skills to run a successful and profitable gardening business. The two things are really quite different.

I stayed in my last job for such a long time because I found it extremely rewarding. However, deep down I’ve always wanted to run my own business, to build something that was truly mine. I’ve thought about this long and hard. I’m not afraid of the risks of starting my own business and wouldn’t have been scared to ‘go it alone’.

After all, when I was younger, I took my wife and young children to Madagascar to take up a job as a manager on a development farm and we loved the challenge of that. However, I am realistic and my decision to join Ed’s was because I just know that I’ll do so much better with a strong brand behind me.

I know I shall also benefit greatly from the business support and sales and marketing expertise that are part of the package. I am used to having a steady income and I’m doing my level best to make sure that I can sustain that security into the future.

I’ve had a very good insight into how things are done at Ed’s and it is clear that this is a professional business that knows exactly what it takes to help Operators deliver what they need to be successful – and delivering excellent gardening services is only one part of the equation.”