From solo enterprise to joining something bigger
When you start a business, there inevitably comes a crossroads moment. For Tom Crockatt, this led him to invest in life-changing security for him and his family, with InXpress.
In 2023, Tom Crockatt made a move that made complete business sense to him, having taken over his parents’ logistics company when they retired, in 2020. Now in his third year, Tom has seen steady growth to the family business, earning himself the
Rookie of the Year award in 2025.
For over three decades, Tom’s parents successfully built up their logistics business. But during the challenges of 2020, they lost their key supplier which led to a loss in customers and income. Although the business was still performing, they had lost the energy to rebuild their business. At the same time, Tom, who was, at the time, travelling around South America with his now wife, Lara, was trying to decide what he would do when he returned to the UK. So, when his parents offered him the opportunity to take on the family business so they could retire, Tom provided the energy and passion to rebuild it.
Identifying the growth opportunities
Having come across InXpress, as a competitor over the years, Tom was aware of who InXpress was. But his main focus was on how to grow more quickly than he was, and how to acquire new customers, so he spent time researching whether the franchise could help him. “InXpress work with several well-known and trusted carriers offering customers shipping solutions, at competitive rates, for both domestic and international shipping. I wanted to understand if their franchise model could help me take my independent business to the growth levels I knew we were capable of.”
Tom soon recognised the opportunities the InXpress franchise presented him with. “I’d had a conversation with someone who told me, ‘If you can learn how to grow the business, then you’ll always have a successful business. And if you can’t learn how to grow the business, then you’ll never have a successful business.’ That was the harsh truth,” Tom says. “With InXpress I could clearly see they had the means to not just help me grow but offered a more secure model for my business.”
So, he joined the network, bringing his business under the banner of InXpress. “The last two and a half years have been a steep learning curve! Although I’d had industry background and was already working with one of the carriers InXpress uses, there was much to learn about the InXpress operation, systems, and sales process. Not just for myself, but for my salesperson who had to learn new sales methods, and for the customers I was bringing with me. I wanted to learn how to grow my business, and how to manage each aspect of my business, InXpress Camden, rather than relying on others to know it. This way, I believe I could keep tabs on how well we are growing.”
Believing in what you do
Ready to push himself beyond his comfort zone, Tom was joined by his InXpress business coach, Jason, in March last year, who guided him through a new challenge for acquiring new customers. “We went door-knocking for the first time; my wife Lara and the baby joined us. It was a brilliant experience! Once I’d seen Jason do it, I realised I could do it! I think my biggest barrier had been a lack of confidence around how to do it, so seeing him in action and listening to how he spoke about InXpress helped me see what can be achieved. I’ve gone out consistently, since, and it’s working well for InXpress Camden – not least because I can give my sales team some solid leads.”
Expanding his range of services
When Tom first started with InXpress, he’d been heavily focused on domestic shipping (it made up 95% of his business). One of the changes InXpress highlighted, was the need for Tom to diversify his services. “InXpress has spent time developing relationships with multiple suppliers, making the purchasing power better for us to offer customers. I think, this is probably one of the biggest benefits of joining InXpress. They’re also in a stronger position to negotiate rates; I’d noticed, prior to joining InXpress, our rates were going up rather quickly, which isn’t the case for us, now. The more products we sell the stickier we become to them for all their shipping solutions. Plus, it makes good business sense, as we get more revenue from it.”
And the result?
Last year, Tom enjoyed 21% growth of the business and has expanded his team over the last two years. “What we offer to businesses is a really good product. The businesses I speak to and who’ve started working with us have recognised the benefit we offer them, with their shipping needs, and they’re happy with what we do for them. It’s gratifying to know we’re genuinely helping our customers, which brings me more confidence.”
From solo to connected
As an independent business owner, Tom was trying to work a lot of things out alone. By joining InXpress, he’s now part of a network of like-minded business owners with people who truly understand what is needed to achieve growth. “When you’re out on your own, you don’t really have anyone to throw ideas around with or to learn from. You’re just muddling through, trying to do what you think is best, but without much guidance. The other InXpress franchisees are brilliant, building successful businesses for themselves. I remember going to my first Regional Meeting and I thinking how smart and professional everyone was, then at the Sales Convention it was clear I was connecting with people who really know how to grow. So, I’m learning at every stage.”
And as a new father…
Tom’s biggest driver is spending time with his family. “Being with my baby daughter is so important to me. Running my own business has given me the flexibility and freedom to do this. I tend to finish around 5pm most days, so I can pick her up from her childminder, then we’ll have dinner together with Lara, who also has her own business. Early on, the baby would sometimes join me in the office, which is just one example of the flexibility you get from owning your own business.
