I am a qualified Accountant and prior to joining TaxAssist Accountants I was a senior consultant with a privately-owned investment consultancy business, prior to which my career was spent working for US banks in the investment funds space in Dublin.
Having made a lifestyle choice to move home from Dublin, I made the decision to consider self-employment and specifically franchising. It was as a result of this, I came across TaxAssist Accountants and I haven’t looked back since joining in July 2010. I opened my Limerick city shop in November 2010 and my business has grown year-on-year and I now employ four people. I can safely say I would not have built up such a business was it not for the support of the franchise model, the shop front visibility in a prominent location being the major contributor.
Active sales and marketing have also been a key contributor to sales growth. While it wouldn’t come natural to me, you really have to embrace the brand's USPs and immerse yourself in the local business community. This is made easier by the constant support that I have received from the Support Centre. Being part of TaxAssist Accountants has given me access to excellent sales and marketing training, tried and tested campaigns and adverts and sales approaches that do work.
For me, not being from a traditional accounting background, it was great comfort to know the helpdesk was always at hand to assist with any technical queries. I have had great support from the Support Centre, that is always on hand to answer any queries I have, or to bounce ideas off of, whether these are technical or general practice management queries.
Before I opened, I spent nine months doing due diligence. My advice to anyone considering the franchise option would be to talk to as many people as possible before you make your decision, as the more information you have the better.
Roy Finucane
