Maximising the Return on Your Franchise Investment

Introduction

Whether you’re starting a business ‘from scratch’ or investing in a franchise model, one of the key questions you need to be asking is: “How long will it take for me to make back my initial investment?”

How Long is a Piece of String

It’s very hard to say how long it will take to make a return on a franchise investment as there are so many factors at play – the type of franchise you’re investing in, the training and support you get pre- and post-launch, the effort you put in as a business owner… to name but a few.

As a general rule of thumb, though, you should be able to make back your initial investment within the minimum term of your franchise agreement. Most investors, though, will want to realise a return much faster than this – and the good news is that many franchises will!

We can’t answer for other franchise opportunities – and nor would it be right for us to even attempt to. What we can tell you, though, is that our Cat Butler franchisees take on average between 3 and 6 months to make back the money they put in to get their business off the ground. Lots of them have actually done it much faster than this.

Helen, The Cat Butler Wirral – Made Back Her Investment in Four Months

Former secondary school teacher Helen launched The Cat Butler Wirral in July 2023. Leaving behind a successful career of 26 years, investing in a The Cat Butler business marked a significant change for Helen. It’s a decision, though, that she hasn’t looked back on even once!

Despite having no previous business experience, Helen enjoyed a busy start to her new business venture, taking on over 50 clients and making back 83% of the franchise investment fee in the first eight weeks alone.

By the end of September, Helen had made back all of the money she invested… plus more! “I really do feel like that cat that got the cream!”, said Helen.

Jane, The Cat Butler Radlett – Took Just Two-and-a-Half Months to Break Even

Jane decided to walk away from a 36-year career at the top of the international fashion industry to follow a different path. Seeking something “more rewarding” with a better work-life balance, Jane launched The Cat Butler Radlett in March 2023.

Just two months in, Jane had over 100 clients on her books and was already recruiting staff to keep up with demand. In just ten short weeks, she had made back her initial investment, and her business has continued to grow since.

Jane credits her success to the training, support and mentoring provided by Cat Butler founder, Sandra James. Of course, there’s absolutely no doubt that Jane’s hard work also played an important role, too – but what an incredible story!

How Does This Compare to a Start-Up?

When Sandra started The Cat Butler 8 years ago, she had to do so from scratch. There was no existing website, no brand of which to speak, no proven methodologies or established processes to follow. Although she quickly gained success, the path to breaking even was much longer – not to mention more difficult – for The Cat Butler founder.

“It took me close to a year to break even,” explained Sandra. “There were a lot of things that I had to learn – and a lot of costs involved in getting the word out there and making the business fire on all cylinders. I don’t regret it for a second, but the road to profitability certainly wasn’t as easy as Helen or Jane!”

Sandra’s story is still an impressive one, especially when we consider that only 1 in 5 new businesses survive the first 12 months. It’s still a far cry, though, from some of her franchisees who have been able to turn a profit in just a matter of weeks.

The Cat Butler Franchise

If you would like more information on becoming a franchisee with the Cat Butler, fill in our short form below to request a brochure and learn more about our unique cat sitting franchise opportunity.

Our franchise brochure gives you plenty of industry insights and, in particular, a useful comparison between joining a franchise or going it alone.

Sandra James

Owner & Founder

The Cat Butler was set up by Sandra James in recognition of the fact that a stay in a cattery can be unsettling for many cats and also their owners.