Lara - The Cat Butler Franchisee in Leighton Buzzard

Introduction

• Your name and age: Lara Bradford (48)
• Name of your The Cat Butler Territory? The Cat Butler Leighton Buzzard
• When did you launch your The Cat Butler business? October 23rd 2023
• What did you do before you owned your The Cat Butler business? Television Editor
• How many Cat Butler staff do you employ? 2 (as of February 2025)

Why did you decide to leave your previous job?

I had worked in television since leaving university in 1997, it's such a dynamic, creative and fast-paced industry and I absolutely loved my job. However, it's a very unforgiving environment for a female freelancer with children - in fact, a disproportionate amount of women leave television once they start a family. I battled with contracts, commutes and getting fair pay for a number of years before accepting a number of work-from-home, customer service-type roles which fitted much better with family life. But when my last contract ended unexpectedly, I knew I had to find something more fulfilling.

Why did you decide to buy a The Cat Butler franchise rather than set up on your own?

From the moment I saw the Cat Butler advert on Facebook, I was immediately struck by the brilliant branding which really stood out. Then once I had chatted with Sandra the franchisor, I knew that to build up to her level of expertise and knowledge of the market would take me years - time I just didn’t have as I wanted to hit the ground running. Having an established and successful business model with a proven track record really appealed to me, as did having the support that a franchisor can offer. 

3 months in, how is your business going?

I’ve been really pleased with the amount of enquiries and bookings I’ve had in the first few months of trading - I’ve even had customers who have rebooked already which is great. Getting 5-star reviews from customers is such a great feeling! 

Is it everything you were hoping it would be? Are you making a profit?

I’m absolutely loving it so far - I’ve met some lovely clients and some truly adorable cats! I was a bit worried about how I would manage balancing running the business with busy family life, but it’s been very manageable - even over the Christmas period. 

What have you found most challenging and how have you overcome it?

Starting the business as we headed into winter was quite a challenge - invariably it’s dark when I visit my cat clients and you’d be surprised how many people have lights in their house that don’t work, or doors that are difficult to lock or unlock! Luckily the weather hasn’t been too bad yet but I’ve also had to contend with floods and icy roads as I’m carrying out my visits - hopefully, the house where I slipped over on the path doesn’t have CCTV! 

What has been your biggest success as a new business owner?

Having clients that have already rebooked within the first couple of months, that’s a sign that people are very happy with the service you’re providing. And also having customers who have told me their cat is extremely shy and I may not see them for the duration of the booking - their reaction when you send them videos of their cat enjoying lots of fuss and attention is brilliant!

What advice would you give to someone thinking of buying a The Cat Butler Franchise?

If you’re passionate about cats and have a strong work ethic then you won’t find a better business to own and run. The business model together with the training provided is truly excellent and you’ll be wondering why you didn’t do it sooner!