Rob, Clear Brew Chelmsford franchisee, shares his journey

We welcomed Rob to the Clear Brew team back in 2022. Since then, he has been busy building his business and reaping the rewards that come with being his own boss. We wanted to share his journey and recently caught up with Rob for a quick Q&A. Here’s what he had to say…

What did you do previously, before becoming a business owner with Clear Brew Ltd?

My background is pretty far removed from what I do now; I worked in retail head office roles for many, many years. I have gone from 9-5 high street fashion office working for someone else, to working in cellars making my own hours and most importantly making money for myself rather than someone else.

What made you consider investing in a franchise with Clear Brew?

I had looked at various franchise opportunities for a couple of years, but they had either been expensive to buy into or had been high risk. Clear Brew was affordable, scalable and, when I spoke to the existing franchisees, I discovered a positive group that spoke well around the work/life balance which was a high priority for me.

What has been your best business achievement in the past year?

I am proud to have built the franchise to a level which has meant I now have a technician working with me, juggling my workload at the same time as ensuring the technician is working the hours they need and given the support required. This is a major part of the longer-term business plan for Clear Brew Chelmsford; as the customer base grows, more staff will be required to keep them happy.

What do you like about the Clear Brew business model?

For me there are three key elements of the Clear Brew model:

Affordability – The initial payment was within my budget and the monthly management fees allow me to keep growing the business without getting hit with high charges.

Scalability – As a business owner you can grow your customer base to the level that suits you, there are so many pubs, clubs, restaurants etc in every area.

Support – As someone that had only ever stood on the “fun” side of a bar before I had no idea what beer line cleaning involved so it was reassuring to know that there was a network of franchisees and technicians on hand to help with any issues that might arise. Alongside this, the central office team is there for all the business needs; there is an app which provides information on how to quote for work to hiring for the first time.

What difference are you making to businesses that you service in your local community?

Some of my customers are first time pub owners, taking the task of beer line cleaning off their hands not only ensures the job is done to a very high standard, but also allows the owner to focus their time on the day to day running of their business. It’s also very satisfying when you find a cellar that is has been unloved and you can see the improvement almost immediately. All this whilst saving that customer money!!

Please tell me about the support you have within the Clear Brew franchise network.

There are WhatsApp groups supporting everyone. It doesn’t matter if you are a complete newbie to hospitality or a seasoned veteran, everyone comes up against something they haven’t seen in a cellar before sometimes. As I hadn’t worked in the industry before I have found it essential at times to be able to send a quick message out to the group and know that within minutes, I would get replies helping me out. I have also been able to make several very good connections with colleagues that will also happily take a phone/video call when needed.

What have you learned most about in the past 12 months?

I now feel confident in cellars and how to navigate around many issues that I may come across. I know not to panic when something unexpected does happen and that there is nearly always a way of working it out, however, if it’s not something I can work out, there is always the network to ask.

What business goals do you want to achieve in the next 12 months?

So far Clear Brew Chelmsford has built a strong customer base and the workforce has doubled (ok, it’s gone from 1 to 2 but that’s still doubling