Franchise Success Stories

Father and daughter team Bob and Claire Urwin opened their Martin & Co franchise in Oxford in October 2006. "Over the previous 10 years, I had built up my own property portfolio," says Bob, who used to run his own newspaper publishing business before merging it with a local broadcasting company and floating it on the Alternative Investment Market in 2003. "Claire had always been interested in the sector and used to help me manage the properties - so a lettings business seemed like the natural thing to do."

Using his local media contacts, Bob was able to ensure that the new venture was launched in a blaze of publicity, and it has enjoyed a high profile ever since, with success to match. "As part of the initial setting-up of the franchise, Martin & Co provided us with a very detailed 5 year business plan, and in the first year we exceeded our turnover target by a third.

The venture is a real family affair. While Bob focuses on business generation, including market appraisals, Claire (who has a BA in Business and Management from the University of Central England) is one of the three negotiators, while Bob's wife takes care of the administration.