We love meeting business owners in Stevenage. This week we sat down with Nirmal Thakker, the franchisee of Rosemary Bookkeeping in Stevenage:
What inspired you to start a Rosemary Bookkeeping franchise, and what drew you to the world of bookkeeping?
I have an MBA and have always worked in sales and finance, but I had to work part-time for childcare commitments.
For the last ten years, I have worked with NHS 111, and I still do a little bit with them as a Team Leader and manage a team of about 25 people. But this is all in working for others, and I wanted to do something for myself.
So, after having another child, I thought I needed something that I could be proud to grow and manage with my skills and ability. My husband is a Chartered Accountant, and my entire family is full of accountants. Hence, numbers are in my blood. A friend of mine then suggested Rosemary Bookkeeping to me as an opportunity as he had done a lot of research during COVID and found Rosemary a fit for me as a service that focuses on being a friendly and local bookkeeping service, which suits my values and personality. That is when a Rosemary Bookkeeping franchise came into the picture, drawing me towards the world of bookkeeping.
Why did you choose Stevenage as the location for your franchise? What makes it a great place to run a bookkeeping business?
Since studying at the University of Hertfordshire, I have lived around the Stevenage area, so when I was enquiring about the business opportunity locally, Rosemary had an available territory here that I could purchase and make my own with their support. Hertfordshire is full of small to medium-sized businesses competing with bigger companies and do not have much time to focus on their books and business expansion. Hence, I can support these businesses at a lower cost to give them time back to develop themselves and still be up to date with their books for the accountants at the end of the financial year.
What is your favourite part of running a bookkeeping franchise in Stevenage, and what keeps you passionate about the work?
I am very social and have always liked talking and meeting new people. My bookkeeping franchise allows me to do this and learn about people, their business, their growth and their hardships. In turn, I’ve learned how to develop my business and learned things from my clients. I have recently joined a couple of networking groups to meet new people, make connections, help others, and refer businesses to each other. This keeps me connected to the people, which keeps me passionate about the work, as I care about helping them and doing my best for them.
How does Rosemary Bookkeeping support small businesses in Stevenage, and how do you feel this impacts the local community?
There’s a lot that local businesses have to focus on, and for some people, maintaining their books can be a real challenge and a job too far, especially with financial deadlines, fee reporting and liaising with external bodies – which can sometimes be intimidating if you aren’t confident in legislation and processes. At Rosemary, I can be a supportive presence and person who, because of my experience and local base, understands their experience and can use my expertise to take that job and stress away from them so they can focus on their business and not worry about the books.
On the franchise side, Rosemary’s PR and Marketing Team is always on top of the game with advertising. Because of Rosemary, I can talk about my experience today, and people can hear my story and be confident to trust a local and friendly bookkeeper for their business needs. So, it’s a win-win situation.
What challenges did you face when starting your franchise, and how did you overcome them?
I initially had to focus on building trust within the running businesses that might have been using other bookkeepers and trying to understand their needs. But, as said earlier, I love getting to know people and the personal and friendly touches of the “Rosemary Way” help me build that trust and gain business.
How do your background and experience help you provide valuable bookkeeping services to your clients?
My previous sales and finance experience helps me understand the demands of the clients and the route to fulfilling their needs. When you talk to an individual, they buy from you because of who you are and not for what you sell them. Hence, I have always tried to talk clients into their needs and fulfil them most efficiently using my expertise, and I think they respond to that and feel they can trust my experience.
Can you share any memorable success stories or moments when you felt your work truly made a difference for a client?
How can I ever forget my very first client in Letchworth Garden City? I remember walking into his shop and introducing myself. His face went red, saying:
“I think today is my lucky day, as I was thinking about getting a bookkeeper because of the amount of work that needs to be done in a short time for my accountant, and here you are. You are like a god-sent gift to me.”
He also left me a lovely review on Google afterwards, so I know I followed through and he did get the help he needed.
What do you think sets Rosemary Bookkeeping apart from other bookkeeping services in Stevenage?
As mentioned earlier, Rosemary is more of a family than a traditional franchise. The entire team (whether it’s the head or other Franchise owners) talk to each other as if we have known each other for so long, and the support is incredible. Other Bookkeeping companies work for just money, whilst Rosemary works on relationships, and the money automatically follows.
How has your franchise evolved since you started, and what are your goals for its future in Stevenage?
It’s my second anniversary this year with Rosemary, and I want to be able to use it to support myself and my family while being in business for myself but not by myself. Once my kids grow older and go away to university, we will need to keep ourselves busy, and Rosemary was the best thing I have done so far in my career. I have not regretted even a second since getting the franchise.
What advice would you give to someone considering starting their own franchise, especially in the bookkeeping industry?
For any business, whether it’s bookkeeping or not, it will be required for a business owner to go out and meet people, socialise and be presentable to gain the trust of others. Once this is achieved, business will come, and nobody can ever stop you from growing. Be honest with yourselves and with your clients, as this will take you to the top of the ladder.
To contact Nirmal, visit here
