After 42 years in retail management, Andy Spellar has finally realised his long held dream to be self-employed. Initially, Andy planned to build on his experience and open a shop, but he found that the costs involved were simply unaffordable. Accordingly he widened his search and began to look for a business opportunity that would better suit his budget as well as his aspirations for independence and flexibility.

"I shortlisted four or five different franchises," he confirms. "Most were owner operator, low overhead formats, but having visited Autosheen I was so impressed with the professionalism of the management team and the fantastic quality of the service, I decided very quickly that this was for me."

Andy is one of Autosheen's newest recruits, having only joined the UK's leading mobile valeting specialist in October. Only a few months down the line, Andy has been delighted with the strong support he's received, his growing repeat order customer base and  the tremendous job satisfaction he's experiencing as his own boss.

"I absolutely love it!" he declares "I wish I'd done this years ago. I'm working really hard, but it's by choice - there's no pressure on me from anyone but myself, and for the first time in my working life, my income is directly related to the hours I put in. You get out of your business what you put in and extra hours mean extra reward."

This year Autosheenhas grown further and the emphasis on quality and specialist services has continued to attract those affluent customerss that are least affected by the current economic climate.  One the great strengths of the franchise is its proven resilience influctuating business conditions

What also sets Autosheen apart is its independent accreditation by the Institute of Motoring Industries (IMI) Awards, which means franchisee training is second to none. Furthermore, as part of the highly regarded Farecla Group, specialist manufacturers of surface finishing products, Autosheen is able to offer services to customers well beyond traditional valeting.  Farecla's well established reputation in the marine industry, for example, has enabled Autosheen to develop a dedicated marine valeting service range that opens up a whole new income stream for franchisees like Andy, who is based in the Norfolk Broads.

Other specialist services include paint defect restoration, machine polishing, minor scratch removal, detailing and application of Tribos protective coatings, which safeguard paintwork, glass, gel coats and upholstery for cars, boats, caravans and motor vehicles - even planes!

Autosheen's new Tribos contract is expected to generate substantial additional work for franchisees, and was awarded to the company in recognition of Autosheen's dominant national brand position, customer service based infrastructure, independently verified quality standards of service and the reputation of "Queens Award for Enterprise Winner" Farecla.

Tribos is the lastest addition to a strong portfolio of national accounts for Autosheen, which includes the Royal Mail, More Th>n, Zipcar and most of the largest leasing companies in the UK. According to Managing Director Paul Fennell, access to this lucrative contract work provides franchisees with a good stating point and a solid platform for future growth.

"Of course, investing in a franchise is not the same as having a job, and franchisees are expected, with our help and support, to develop and build their own local customer base; Having said that, our national account work can offer a valuable additional revenue stream," he says. "The new Tribos account adds to our service offering, generates extra income opportunities and also burnishes Autosheen's national reputation as the leading brand in our industry."