Case Study - Rob and Hilary Evans

The In-toto franchise at Cheltenham has chalked up over 20 successful years in business. Run by franchisees Rob and Hilary Evans, the Cheltenham showroom was initially launched by Hilary’s mother Carol in 1987, and today enjoys a fantastic reputation for stunning kitchen design, top quality products and outstanding personal service - from first enquiry through to final installation.

An excellent living

When Carol retired in 1999, Hilary decided to change career direction and take over the franchise. Previously a chartered accountant, she earned very good money, but worked all hours and felt that she had no real quality of life. The In-toto franchise offered Hilary the opportunity to work for herself, the satisfaction of building the business, as well as making an excellent living.'

Rob subsequently joined Hilary in the business, bringing a fresh set of skills to the team. 'I have a PhD in physics and worked in the nuclear industry,' he says. 'Whilst Hilary’s corporate accountancy background meant she was able to introduce a robust business structure based on targets and costs, I had extensive project management and design experience and was a strong communicator. Accordingly, Hilary takes care of running the business and I look after the customers!'

Turnover has doubled

The Cheltenham In-toto showroom is ultra modern and largely attracts young, professional, affluent customers, Rob confirms. As a result, the value of the kitchens they design has grown significantly, and turnover has doubled since Rob and Hilary took over. 'We are ambitious to grow and develop our business further and so we keep abreast of market trends and make sure our showroom looks fresh and features the latest styles,' they say.

Both agree that financially and emotionally the business is a substantially more rewarding than their previous careers. 'Obviously there are higher risks in being self-employed, but rather than being a small cog in a large machine, now I can see a job through from initial brief through to final installation and get great satisfaction from the end results,' Rob concludes.

Flexibility to work around the family

'The flexibility we’ve gained from working for ourselves means that Hilary can spend time at home with our young children, and instead of fighting our way up the corporate ladder, we’re enjoying creating wonderful kitchens and receiving plaudits and warm recommendations from our many happy customers!'

Grand Designs

One of In-toto Cheltenham’s kitchen designs was shown on the first programme in the new series of Grand Designs on Channel 4 lately. Due to planning restrictions, Tim and Zoe Bawtree’s new house could only be two storeys high and therefore the kitchen and a lot of the living space had to be built below ground. The Bawtrees asked Rob Evans from Cheltenham to design their kitchen in an “eye catching, yet warm and welcoming” way. This was achieved by using warm tones of Zebrano wood and servo drive drawers that do not require handles.