Getting Started

Franchisee Training & Launch

Once you’re ready to go, we’ll arrange a comprehensive training package. The training programme starts with a week of office-based training at our head office, followed by intense “in the field” training in grounds maintenance.

You’ll also spend a week working with one of our established franchisees, before we support you with a full local marketing launch in your territory to help you bring in sales from day one.

The training and launch programme includes:

Week 1 – 5 days of Head Office training & business plan refinement
Weeks 2 & 3 – Grounds Maintenance Training with our Leyland Depot Operational Team
Week 4 – Franchisee mentoring – a week spent working with an existing franchisee in their patch
Week 5 – Territory Marketing Launch

Initial Investment & Finance Options

The initial Franchise Fee is £43,000 + VAT. You’ll need £10,000 – £15,000 in working capital.

Finance Options

Many of our franchisees have started their journey with the help of finance from external sources. The following sources have all been used to raise finance for an Envirocare franchise:

Bank Funding:

Banks often view franchising favorably and will lend up to 70% of the setup costs.

You’re buying into a proven business model, so banks will generally regard a franchise purchase as lower risk than a start-up. Make sure you approach the bank’s specialist franchise department. We can help you with your business planning and application as part of the matching process.

New Start Loan Company:

A government-backed finance, support and mentoring programme for start-up businesses of those less than 2 years old.

Our Franchise Matching Process

Step 1 – Initial research – Our franchise website

We’ll send you a copy of our marketing literature and franchise prospectus. And, of course, you’ll be going your own research into franchising, perhaps through the BFA, a consultant, or by considering other franchise options. Let us know if you’d like us to point you towards some useful sources of information. Your own research into franchising, other franchise options – we can point you in the right direction!

Step 2 – Phone Conversation with our Commercial Director

Once you’ve done some initial research, we’ll arrange a phone conversation with our Commercial Director for an initial chat about whether Envirocare could be right for you, and a chance to ask questions. The next step will be to invite you to complete our Confidentiality Agreement and Initial Application Form and arrange a Discovery Session at our Head Office in Lancashire

Step 3 – Your Discovery Session and Initial Interview at our Head Office in Leyland, Lancashire

Taking place over half a day, this is an opportunity to come and meet our Managing Director and our Head Office team to discover more about our model, see our Depot and get to know our people. We’d encourage you to bring a partner, family members, professional advisor, friend or anyone else who you think can help you get the most out of the session. We’ll also interview you so we can evaluate your skills assess how well you might fit our model. This is part of our ethical approach – we’d rather identify any skills gaps “up front” so we discuss them and agree how to support you and help you to understand where you are a great fit, and where you’ll face the biggest challenge.

Step 4 – Field Research!

We’ll give you contact details for the our network of franchisees so you can do your own research. We won’t “stage manage” this bit – just allow you some time to talk as many of our people as you feel you need to.

Step 5 – Follow-up Meeting

Follow-up meeting to answer any final questions following the field research and make decisions on which territory to proceed with and timelines.

Step 6 – Offer and Acceptance of an Envirocare Franchise!

All being well, we’ll issue an offer letter and invite you to our Head Office to sign a Heads of Agreement and pay a deposit. Then we can make a start ordering equipment, searching for a depot location and arrange your training, business planning and launch.

The right match

Investing in a Franchise is a big decision for both parties, so we follow a rigorous journey of discovery to make sure it’s right for you and us. We only launch a few new franchise areas per year to ensure we can support you effectively and grow our business at a measured, sustainable rate.
It’s a vital part of an ethical franchising model.

We don’t believe there’s such a thing as the ideal person/people. Our franchisees come from a range of professional backgrounds, ages and aspirations. But we’ve been franchising since 2010, so we do have a good idea of some of the key attributes our successful franchise businesses share.

Four of the most important are:

1. You don’t need to be an expert gardener or Grounds Maintenance professional! Our training includes intensive operations training. But you do need to be prepared to get your hands dirty! You need to be practically minded, reasonably fit and enjoy working outdoors to get the work done in the early stages and get your business off the ground. And of course, an interest in horticulture will help.
2. You don’t need to be an expert sales person, but you do need to be confident and driven enough to develop new business in your area and follow the methods we’ll train you in.
3. Once you get past the initial launch, you’ll be employing people, so to successfully grow you need to be able to willing and able to lead a team of grounds maintenance operatives. We will provide the HR support and give you support, but day-to-day, you’ll be the boss!
4. Drive and commitment! It’s not an easy option, but if you’re prepared to work at it, follow our model and become part of our family, there’s no limit to what can be achieved.

Of course, it’s not necessarily the case that these attributes all exist in one individual. Our model is based upon an individual franchisee and in many cases it’s a single individual running the franchise. But some of our franchisees are partnerships or family businesses where the work is shared between a husband and wife, mother/father and son/daughter.

The Startup Package

Our franchise model is designed to enable you to get up and running straight away. Our startup package (the cost of which is included in your initial franchise fee) includes:

• Grounds Maintenance and Winter
• Maintenance Equipment
• Laptop computer and business software
• Vehicle Livery
• Trailer
• Business Stationary
• Uniforms and Protective Clothing
• Accountancy for your first year from our Accountants

We’ll also support and advise you in setting up leases for your first van and a suitable base/depot location.