Case Study - Jay Belam
Jay Belam, 31, joined the army as a vehicle mechanic in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, where he spent nearly 7 years, before moving on to join the Army Physical Training Corps.
He spent his last six years in the Army as an Exercise Rehabilitation Instructor rehabilitating injured soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan, before deciding to leave the forces and realise a long-held dream to open his own business. He set up his SMART repair business, Revive! Guildford, repairing scuffs and scrapes to vehicle bodywork and alloy wheels, in October 2010.
Why did you want to work for yourself?
“After 12 years in the Army, where I’d been housed, clothed and essentially protected from the commercial world I was ready for a new challenge. I also felt that moving every two years was not fair on my young family. My eldest son, Oliver starts school next year and I wanted to be able to put down some roots.”
“My goals have always been to join the army, become a mechanic and to work for myself so I’m delighted that I now have the opportunity to achieve that dream.”
Why did you choose a franchise?
“I ask myself that question every time I pay my franchise royalty fee! But then I look at everything Revive! has done for me and continues to do and I’m thankful. They give me so much support, from doing my book keeping and invoicing, to giving me sales and marketing advice, and there’s work from the national accounts too. Above all the training is worth its weight in gold.”
“The training was so thorough and progressive, and it didn’t stop once I’d completed my initial 5 weeks of training. I must have called my trainer twice a day for the first two weeks, and he was always helpful and supportive, which was great whilst I was finding my feet.”
Why did you choose Revive!
“I decided I wanted to work with vehicles, because it’s an area I’m familiar with, but I’d never done any bodywork or spraying before. I was used to superb training in the army so one of my first priorities was finding an organisation that could train me properly. As soon as I visited Revive! and saw their training facilities I was impressed. The team were very friendly and professional and I had a good feeling immediately.”
How are you finding the transition from being in the army to running a Revive! franchise?
“It’s a challenge coming from such a cosseted environment, where you get a pay cheque regardless of how hard you work, to having to hunt for every penny. But that’s why I left, because I wanted a challenge. I wanted to grow a business of my own and build a team. The buck stops with me now and although it can be scary, I’m providing for my family and I’m proud of what I’m doing. I have no regrets at all about leaving the army.”
“The only thing I miss is the banter. My customers like hearing my army stories though!”
Did the army prepare you for running your franchise?
“The army equipped me with some great practical skills and useful business skills, like time management, people management and a good customer service ethic.”
What would your advice be to a serviceman or woman thinking of leaving the forces to set up a franchise?
“Make sure you’re happy with the consequences because nowadays, once you’ve signed off, you can’t go back. And do your research to find the right franchise to fit what you can do and what you like doing. I spent 12 months making my mind up.”
