Name: Niall Murphy     
Company Name: Mocha Beans Coffee Franchise
Location: Forster Street, Atlantic Language School, Tuam (Soon to open)
Length of time in operation: 18months

Professional background before becoming a franchisee:

Various management and regional management positions

Why did you become involved in franchising:

Wanted to be my own boss with a recognised established brand behind me which had purchasing power and a strong support team

Why did you choose this franchise business:

A very good brand in my area, relatively new and a growing business

How did you research the company before setting up:

I visited the various coffee houses, did research through their website and had a few very helpful sit down meetings with the owner/director which impressed me on a personal basis. He told me about all positives and negatives of the trade without dressing it up.

How did the master franchise help you starting a business in Ireland:

Site location, site selection, training of my team and myself, full operations manual including all relative paperwork, systems and procedures.

Does the master franchise continue to help you on an ongoing basis:

I can have daily correspondence with the Director, Operations Manager and Administration Manager. Quick phone calls or an organised sit down meeting is easy to arrange. Most queries are dealt with very quickly.

What difficulties did you face starting off:

There were no major difficulties

How did you overcome these difficulties:

Any minor ones were dealt with by a quick phone call that was always answered

What advice would you give to others who have just started franchising or are looking for a franchise business in Ireland: 

Be sure to research thoroughly, talk to existing franchisees and make sure to get all the negative as well as positive points of starting up a franchise. Survey the area you intend to set up in and always have realistic targets for your starting period.

For further information, please see our listing on this site.