“WE MAKE monthly sales here that outstrip annual sales at some standalone kitchen firms; running your own business makes you realise you wouldn’t want to go back to willful employment.”

After working as an engineer for most of his life, Simon Herbert took the leap into running his own business two years ago and opened Dream Doors Gloucester.

Despite being drawn to franchising for some time, Simon said no one was more surprised than he was when he decided to take on a showroom for the UK’s #1 kitchen makeover company.

Simon said: “I had been in and out of engineering roles for about 18 years, but I never really felt comfortable working for someone else.

“I was made redundant from an engineering role for Toyota in 2007 and started an advertising business that I ran for seven years.

“I ended up going back to Toyota for two years, but it wasn’t really for me. I went back to save up some money; I was getting franchise newsletters at the time and I saw this opportunity with Dream Doors.”

Simon added: “If someone had told me: ‘You’re going to end up working in kitchens’ I would have laughed – the only kitchen I was into was my own! 

“But after experiencing running my own business, the thought of going back into employment - I just couldn’t do it.

“The biggest positive with Dream Doors is the support that you get from head office. With Dream Doors you get the safety net of the business model and everything else that comes with being in a franchise business. 

“We make monthly sales here that outstrip annual sales at some standalone kitchen firms; running your own business makes you realise you wouldn’t want to go back to willful employment.”

Dream Doors is looking for more talented franchisees like Simon who are ready to represent an industry-leading brand.

There are just 19 new franchise territories available nationwide, particularly in the North East, North West, Yorkshire and Scotland.