Kevin is our new and proud owner of We Love Pets Harrow. He has been discussing starting a We Love Pets business on and off with Ryan for over four years! Let’s find out more about Kevin with our introduction interview.
Why did you choose a franchise over setting up your own business?
Kevin knew he wanted to run his own business, but his wife said if he was going to do it, he had to do it through a franchise so that he had the extra support to succeed with his venture (fantastic advice).
Running a business had been on his mind for 10 years. He first contacted Ryan 4 years ago and now is the right time to take the plunge and finally become a WLP franchisee. He needed the backing of the franchise to get his business up and running as quickly and smoothly as possible.
Did you look at any other franchises and why did you choose WLP?
Yes, Kevin said he looked into many different types of franchises, not just pet care, such as Coffee shops and furniture restoration. Ultimately, pet care was the direction he wanted to go in. “We Love Pets was the best pet care franchise that I researched, I found that many others did not have the professionalism, experience and expertise that WLP had” – says Kevin
He enjoyed speaking with Ryan. He found him to be very knowledgeable, reassuring and honest. “His passion for pet care, the franchise and his franchisees were very clear.“
What did the word ‘franchise’ mean to you before you came across We Love Pets?
A franchise to Kevin meant that the business had gone through all of its teething problems and is able to offer real advice, solutions and support. Kevin had been looking in to franchise for many years and is a pet lover so he knew that WLP was the best choice for him as it offered so much and ticked all of his boxes.
What was your day to day like in your previous role, and why did you decide to switch paths?
Kevin’s day-to-day work is very very stressful. He is a national manufacturing sales manager and it is a very full on job, even when Kevin gets home he is still working. It involves a lot of travelling , 25,000 miles a year! One of the main reasons he wants to leave is that he wants to get out of the sales industry and in to the service industry. “I want a career that is more rewarding“.
How long had you been thinking about changing your career and why?
Kevin has been thinking about this for a very long time, this decision is 10 years in the making. He has been a salesman for 42 years and now wants a career that is not target driven. He is 60 years old now and feels the time is right.
Do you have any pets of your own?
Yes, Kevin has a gorgeous dog named Bailey who is a Cocker Spaniel and Patterdale terrier mix breed. He has always had dogs and cats from a very early age.
What do you love most about your area?
It’s half an hour from London so it’s the perfect mix of country and city life. The people in Harrow are very lovely people and there are lots of dog owners. There are lots of green spaces and dog walking areas such as King George Park in Bushey, Mill Hill Park in Mill Hill and Centenary Park in Stanmore.
What have you done in the past that you think will help you in your new venture?
In the 90’s Kevin was a business owner and in the Travel industry where he had 15 members of staff. His business specialised in flights and helped people travel across the world.
As the managing director of his own business and with 42 years in the sales industry Kevin has a lot of life experience in recruitment, running of a business and has developed great people skills. Kevin is a naturally social person, which will help him grow his WLP franchise.
What hobbies or/and interesting fact do you have?
His main hobby is drinking a lot of coffee at the moment with his current job aha! He also plays tennis twice a week.
An interesting fact about Kevin is that he was on a prime-time reality show on BBC 1 called show ‘Shop Well for Less’. His wife was a bit of a shopaholic and the show showed them how to shop well for less.
Which are your favourite animals?
Kevin said he has always been a dog person – so definitely dogs!
What’s your biggest achievement in life?
Kevin run his own business for 20 years which was very successful and is very proud of this.
What do you think will be the best part of your job as a We Love Pets franchisee owner and what are you most looking forward to?
Kevin is most looking forward to not having the 9 to 5 routine and being able to control his own hours. He is excited about the new adventure and being able to grow his WLP business as big as it can. He is excited to work with dogs all day every day as he finds that dogs have always been attracted to him and he thinks they can definitely sense he is a dog person.
