Extra Help signs new husband-and-wife team

Extra Help has welcomed husband-and-wife team Carol and Richard Waterhouse to its growing franchise network.

The couple, who are based in Macclesfield, will run the new home-help and domestic services franchise in East Cheshire.

Prior to joining Extra Help, Carol worked as a registered nurse for 35 years and Richard enjoyed a career in IT, including working for The Co-Operative Group in Manchester for 26 years.

However, in 2015, a family bereavement prompted the pair to re-evaluate their lives.

“One or two things happened in our personal and work lives that made us decide to try something new,” says Richard.

“We both felt that it was the right time to find something we could do that would actually make a difference.”

Carol and Richard wanted to concentrate on providing services to their local community.

As neither had run a business before, however, they were reluctant to start from scratch and decided to look into franchising, in order to take advantage of an established business model and receive additional support from the franchisor.

Since launching their franchise in December, Carol and Richard have been busy promoting their business, including organising a leaflet drop and advertising in a local magazine. Carol has made contact with social services, as well as their local council’s dementia reablement service.

“What I like the most is that every day is going to be different,” says Richard.

“I’m used to pen-pushing and doing the same thing, day in, day out, and I love the idea that each client will have their own unique requirements.

“We’re planning to start small in Macclesfield and grow our business at our own pace.”