This month, horticultural franchise Greensleeves is celebrating the arrival of an experienced gardening professional, Dawn Mohr, to the network. Dawn has become the proud owner of Greensleeves North Somerset. The resale sees the previous owner, Stephen Hook, hang up his overalls after 13 illustrious years with the brand.

Despite the saying ‘Nothing in life is risk-free’, joining a franchise offers significantly increased success rates compared to starting your own business and going it alone. This is even more true when you are taking on an established franchise via a resale, like Greensleeves North Somerset. Dawn’s savvy purchase means she’s starting out with a franchise that already services more than 1,600 lawns and carries out more than 8,500 treatments a year.

Before emigrating to the UK last year, Dawn had run a gardening business in South Africa for the past 20 years. It is fair to say that when it comes to grass, she knows what she is talking about!

“After moving to the UK, I decided I wanted to find a job to keep myself motivated. Because of my previous business in South Africa, I knew I had great customer service skills and tonnes of knowledge to offer the gardening sector. After doing some digging – pardon the pun – I decided to apply for a job at my local Greensleeves,” explained Dawn. “As it transpired, Steve had decided he was looking to retire and sell the business. Having the opportunity to take on a Greensleeves territory with an already established customer base was too good an opportunity for me to miss out on, and I decided to buy the business from him.”

“Steve and I came to an agreement which enabled me to be involved in the business, doing admin work before the sale, so I could learn the ropes. Since completing the handover and joining Greensleeves, everything has been great. I have just completed my training, which was very informative, and the team is incredibly supportive. My husband has also joined me in running the business. Together we are looking to take the North Somerset territory to the next level,” said Dawn.

According to the British Franchise Association, almost 1,700 franchisees a year join member brands through resales. With over 50% of UK franchisors now offering resales as a route to entry, more and more buyers are able to take advantage of stepping directly into an already well-established business.

“We are so grateful for all the hard work Steve has put into Greensleeves North Somerset over the past 13 years. He has left the business in an incredible place for Dawn. We are looking forward to seeing what fresh ideas she can inject into the business,” said David Truby, the Managing Director of Greensleeves. 

“As far as I’m concerned, this resale has worked fantastically for everyone. Steve has received a significant lump sum for his well-deserved retirement, Dawn takes on an already successful business, and Greensleeves has another committed, ambitious franchise owner who is likely to propel the business to even greater heights. Over the last 23 years, our network of franchisee-owned lawn care businesses has gone from strength to strength. The Greensleeves brand is synonymous with giving lawns across the country the makeovers they need and deserve, I have no doubt that Dawn will be an incredible asset as we continue our growth,” added David.

For more information, visit www.greensleevesfranchise.co.uk