Minesh Kathard was one of the first InXpress franchisees in South Africa, joining the network in July 2013. Here, Minesh tells us why the InXpress opportunity was the only one for him and how he’s relishing his life as a franchise owner, along with the flexibility it has brought to his life!
After working in the retail industry for many years, I decided I wanted to make a change to my work-life balance and that I wanted to run my own business, initially from home. So, in 2012, with no idea of the type of business I wanted to run, I attended the Business Opportunities and Franchise Expo (BOFE) with my wife.
There were so many franchises there, including the larger businesses – McDonalds, KFC etc – and some smaller ones across many varied sectors. However, none felt suitable or immediately appealed to me and I walked past most of them – until I came across InXpress.
I had no experience of logistics or courier services, but I did have a strong sales and management background and, as I chatted to the InXpress representatives, my interest was sparked – and the rest as they say, is history!
At the start, I had no money to hire any staff and besides, I felt it was key that I got to grips with the business fully myself, before hiring anyone else. I attended the intensive Boot Camp training which InXpress give to all new franchisees which helped build up my confidence and after six months in the business – doing everything from cold calls to door knocking and invoicing – I knew the business inside out!
A couple of months later, I hired a part-time employee to help with customer service and sales. Six years later, and I now have a team of eight people, who help with sales, customer service and telesales. As the business continues to evolve, I am in the process of training another sales rep.
Having a franchise has changed my life so much! In the beginning it was tough as it does take a few months to start making money, but I was prepared for that and it was worth it for where I am today!
The flexibility of running my own business has made the most difference though. I’m a golfer and if I want to finish early on a Friday and play, I can! I also have so much more time with the family as I am not stuck in the 8am to 5pm cycle of corporate life.
With an InXpress franchise, you reap what you sew. You do need to work hard – especially in the early days – but the rewards will come in abundance if you do. I still have a long way to go, because I know that the sky is the limit, which drives me every day!