ABOUT
Our Franchisees
Our franchisees come from all walks of life, and many had no experience of working in the industry before. However, they all have one thing in common: they’ve found success with a Cafe2U franchise!
Meet some of the people who have transformed their lives for the better with Cafe2U:
Amanda & Steve Lawrence, Cafe2U Braintree
Amanda & Steve are an especially fascinating franchise team as their only experience of the coffee world before joining Cafe2U was very much on the other side of the counter. In fact, their lives before becoming mobile café owners could not have been more different – they were both in senior roles at major UK banks!
Amanda was the first to approach us following a redundancy from the bank in 2020, and really threw herself into the opportunity. She had long been attracted by the idea of running a coffee shop, but after looking into the Cafe2U franchise further, she soon realised a mobile café could offer her a huge number of advantages, not least lower overheads and less stress than managing a premises and staff.
Our training and support gave her an incredible head-start, but her sheer drive and ambition has carried her through to where she is today as one of our top performing franchisees. In fact, her new business was so successful, her husband decide to leave his high-level job and join her in the business in the middle of 2021!
Amanda & Steve have since been awarded Franchise of the Year, not just once, but twice in a row.
“After sitting at a desk for ten years, it’s hard work but very rewarding. I love the freedom of being self-employed and the support I receive from Cafe2U is invaluable.”
Bernard Sullivan, Cafe2U Biggleswade
Bernard worked in retail for almost his entire life but, after taking redundancy from his role as a Senior Store Manager in 2021, he was ready for a new challenge. Something which would put him firmly in charge of his working life and future – which is when he discovered Cafe2U.
Having never been self-employed before, this was a big leap for Bernard, despite his extensive experience in working in customer-facing roles. The Cafe2U franchise was not only able to equip him with all the skills and tools he needed to become a mobile café owner, but also give him the confidence to succeed. He hasn’t looked back since!
Bernard now has big plans to expand his business in the near future by adding a second van and maybe bringing in a business partner to help him grow. Thanks to the support the Cafe2U franchise can give him, the sky’s the limit!
“I could talk for hours about how positively becoming a franchisee has changed my life. It has changed my outlook and it’s rewarding for both my health and mental health. My family and friends have noticed how it has changed me, I smile so much and am very excited when talking about my business and plans.”
Scott & Emma Colmer, Cafe2U North Kent
Like so many others, Business Consultant Scott Colmer’s work was badly hit by the effects of the pandemic, and he soon found himself in need of a new income. Seeing this as an opportunity, rather than a crisis, he felt the time had finally come to use his considerable management experience to launch his own business. Scott wasn’t sure what this should be at first, but was already well aware of the huge advantages that being part of a well-established franchise offered over going it alone.
Scott’s wife Emma, then a School Counsellor, also began to feel she needed a career change, so they both began to research their options and were quickly attracted to the idea of a mobile café business. They found the perfect franchise in Cafe2U who were able to offer them a robust business model, an excellent reputation, and a way to build a bright future with all the expertise they needed to flourish.
Launching a new business straight out the pandemic sure wasn’t easy, but Scott and Emma look back on the decision as the best they ever made. Not only have they built a rewarding new career, but are more able to enjoy the work-life balance they’ve always wanted.
“Becoming franchisees has absolutely changed our lives. I have three children and a dog so having the extra flexibility that being your own boss affords you has given us a much better work/life balance.”
