OPC's Youngest franchise shares his 25th birthday with the group

When Ryan first started working, he always had it in the back of his mind that he wanted to have his own business, a venture that he could make something of one day and be proud of. For him, the franchise route seemed like the best option as the business model was already in place. He shares his journey with the Original Poster Company Franchise so far.

“I chose the OPC franchise as the greetings card market is still very strong and growing each year. OPC had been around for a long time and that proved to me that they had a strong business model that worked and would give me the foundation to be successful.

Before I took on my franchise I worked for a telecommunications company where I worked in sales, managing accounts and providing companies in the broadcasting, military and government industries with standard and bespoke communication systems.

When it came time to raise the funds to purchase my initial franchise, Bournemouth, I approached the Royal Bank of Scotland with my business plan and I applied for the funds through the enterprise finance guarantee loan which is backed by the government, the process was very simple and the support from RBS has been second to none since.

I had my initial training at the OPC head office where there was both theoretical and practical training on the role of the franchisee. After the initial training, my Business Development Manager (BDM), physically helped me set up my business and thereafter accompanied me on my calls to customers providing support, until I was confident enough to continue alone. Becoming a franchisee has changed my life. It has probably been and still is one of the biggest challenges I have ever taken on in my life. A lot people my age wouldn't want to take on a franchise as it comes with a lot of responsibility, self-discipline and hard work.

To me, OPC stands apart from the competition with extremely high quality product at very affordable prices. The ranges we supply have been thoroughly researched to ensure that they follow current trends in the market and most importantly satisfying the needs of our customers. OPC continually provides me with information of what is happening in our market and which products are performing well.

I recently took over the Salisbury territory after having owned the Bournemouth patch since 2014. My short term plans are to continue improving the current stores in my network by introducing new ranges and freshening up the displays to help improve sales. My long term goals are to expand my customer base in both areas and continue growing.

Would I do it again? Yes! I think it is a very good experience and really pushes you to the limits as you face challenges each day, but you know that there is always support and assistance for whatever situation may arise. Having a franchise has given me the opportunity to achieve my dreams and make them a reality.”