From Phones to Properties

Despite their vast experience in a range of industries, it was real estate and the security of the property market that whet the appetites of business partners Rob Hammond and Martin Mellor, of EweMove Colne Valley and Wakefield East. Having run a successful telecommunications franchise together, Rob and Martin launched their EweMove franchise in April 2021 after both endured negative experiences with other real estate agencies and their staff. Inspired by the prospect of combining passion, personability and business experience to create a seamless house-buying process, their EweMove franchise has gone from strength to strength in the space of just 12 months.

Coming from the telecommunications industry, where performance indicators are very visible, the standards Rob and Martin set as business partners have been projected onto their EweMove franchise, as the pair have already managed to expand within just a year. Now, driven by wanting to improve the standards of estate agency provision in their area for customers seeking the human touch, Rob and Martin, along with their team of Sally, Shelley and William, are well placed in the EweMove flock.

“You can see how much of an impact EweMove is making in the industry,” explained Martin. “Rob and I both share a real pride for our business and what we’re doing for people in our communities but we also have the additional advantage of being able to bounce ideas off one another. As business partners, we’ve been able to establish a scale and buffer, not only to support one another but to establish a healthy, friendly competition. This has kept us motivated and we like to push one another while we continue to establish our EweMove franchise as a leading estate agent in the area.”

“When we first looked at EweMove, I wasn’t sure if estate agency was right for us,” said Rob. “It’s an industry that can carry a bit of a reputation. So, we went back and did our due diligence – Martin even went to the Sheep Pen, and it gave him so much confidence in the brand. EweMove is a franchise to do business with. It’s an entrepreneurial brand and you aren’t restricted as businesspeople at all.”

Franchisees can choose to work as a single operator or build a team of passionate and enthusiastic estate agents. Their approach of one agent seeing the home-moving journey from start to finish with a client supports the delivery of consistently high standards, selling houses faster than other estate agencies, and for more money.

“But what’s best about EweMove is the hybrid model, which resonates throughout the whole franchise. From the ‘business in a box’ idea, to being easily accessible to our customers both online and in person. That’s how we operate as consumers now, so it makes perfect sense. Even the way we’re supported by other franchisees within the network - our franchisee Facebook page, Flockbook, has become our go-to port-of-call for any help we need, as the EweMove community couldn’t be more supportive!”

Today, a network of over 170 franchisees operate across the United Kingdom. The unique branding, that appeals to those fed up with the norm, has established EweMove as a strong voice in a crowded market, leading to the franchise receiving over 14,000 five-star reviews on Trustpilot.

"Our successful first year with EweMove couldn’t have been achieved without the fabulous franchisee training we received. The Sheep Pen didn’t let the pandemic slow things down, as our whole training was delivered over Zoom for three weeks in digestible chunks that didn’t get in the way of our lives outside the business,” explained Martin.

“I still use my notes from training now!” added Rob. “I’m not one for sitting at a desk and learning from a textbook, so it was great to have that training delivered in such a rewarding and, most importantly, useful way. Of course, the real learning doesn’t start until you’ve actually launched, but we were given all the resources we needed to establish our strong foundations as a business and, most importantly, how to be adaptable in the industry. The training was so important in setting us off on the right foot, especially because we didn’t have any experience in this side of the property industry.”

With each franchise territory licensed to reach around 20,000 houses, EweMove franchisees are well equipped to become profitable at a consistent rate. This, along with strong branding attached to their successful operations, has enabled the estate agency to become universally known for being a trailblazer in the industry.

“What’s great is that we haven’t been limited to the resources we are provided as franchisees,” said Martin. “While the Sheep Pen is still there for us, they really do encourage us to be entrepreneurial and allow us to become the experts in our own areas. It’s rare that you’d find such a successful franchise model that gives this much freedom to its franchisees so, regardless of the financial rewards, it makes so much sense to join.

“If someone is thinking about joining the network, you have to buy into the non-traditional nature and culture of the brand. You don’t need to be an expert but if you have that motivation and spirit, you really will be given everything you need to be successful.”

As businesspeople with diverse CVs and busy family lives, it is important that their business complements their lifestyles. With a flexible model that is set up to strike a healthy work-life balance while being equally profitable, EweMove franchisees, like Martin and Rob, are given all of the tools they need grow their businesses at a rate that suits them best.

“Ultimately, you’re your own boss. We have kids and family, and they always come first. It’s great to be a part of a franchise where you can grow and develop as fast or slow as you want. We were fortunate that cash flow wasn’t a huge issue, so we were able to invest a lot. If you can run a business, franchising is brilliant because the ground work has been laid for you in terms of branding, operational processes and set up. We want to be in a position where we can step back and allow our franchise to run itself, which the Sheep Pen supports fully should that be your goal as a franchisee,” said Martin.

“The flexibility is really valuable and, as a tried-and-tested model, it’s great to become a part of it. You’re given everything you need to build a well-established local business within your five-year franchise agreement. The franchise fee you pay is for the quality of the systems - we don’t need to reinvent the wheel. I’d like to have a business that employs a lot of people and be a go-to local employer. We want to create more jobs and become known for being an honest, likable business to work for and use as a customer,” concluded Rob.

If, like Martin and Rob, you’re passionate about creating a sustainable business that is a key pillar of your community get in touch with our friendly team today.