Not everyone manages to live out their dreams. Lewella and Richard Long, however, not only fulfilled theirs, but now they’re helping others achieve theirs, with a new Transworld Business Advisors of Norfolk franchise.
Some people dream of establishing a successful business, others dream of building something which is popular in the local community, whilst others dream of living in another country. For married couple and business partners, Lewella and Richard Long, not only did they dream of these things; they made them come true! “We started in business, together, in our early twenties,” explains Richard. “Now, over 25 years later, we’ve built up and sold two businesses, moved to North Carolina in America for four years, where we started a third business, before returning to the UK earlier this year. We were ready for a new and exciting challenge, and found a way to combine our experiences and passion.”
Richard and Lewella came across Transworld Business Advisors upon their return to the UK, and during the global pandemic, invested in the opportunity presented by the franchise. One which they could see for themselves was continuing to be a success, in spite of the lockdown. “Transworld Business Advisors is a global brand, with over 250+ franchise partners supporting business owners with their exit strategies,” explains Henry Ziff, Managing Director of Transworld Business Advisors UK. “Essentially, we support the sale of a business from one owner to the next, by finding the right buyer, and facilitating the sales process so all parties are happy with the outcome.”
Having personally experienced the support a business broker offers to an emotionally-charged process, Richard and Lewella knew they wanted to help other business owners. “It is a really personal decision – selling your business. Having been through the process ourselves, Lewella and I understand the challenges business owners face when it comes to selling their business. Especially when it is something you have personally invested your time and emotion into, for maybe twenty or thirty years. We found the right people who eased much of the burden of the sale process for us; so, now we want to be the ones to help others with their life-changing decision.”
By drawing from their own personal experience, and the expertise of Transworld, Richard and Lewella have an excellent advantage over their competitors, which their clients will benefit from. As Henry explains, “Transworld is built on 40+ years of helping to sell businesses. We’ve mastered how to ease the pressure, so our clients have the freedom to pursue their personal dreams, as well as goals for the sale. We train our franchise partners to identify how to best support their clients. Finding the right buyer is, obviously, half the battle. To help our franchisees with this, Transworld has a buyer database they can access, making finding the right person a little easier. We also encourage them to engage in local networking, so they can add their own clients into the global database.”
The unique support offered to new franchisees, compared to other networks, is the ability for co-broker. “This helps to instil confidence in our new franchise partners, especially if they don’t have the personal experience of a business sale, like Richard and Lewella have. By working with one of the others in the network, our franchise partners, and their teams, gain valuable experience to build their confidence. This, in turn, helps them to grow their business.”
For Richard and Lewella, they already have a number of clients they are starting to draw alongside, and are looking forward to closing their first deal.
If you are interested in finding out how you can also support business owners with achieving their dreams, speak to Henry today. Call 0203 911 0159, or email [email protected].
