From Employee to Franchisee: How Fin Shaw Built a Thriving Business with More Than Loft Ladders

I have always had a drive to progress and running my own business has always been a goal of mine. After some time, I realised franchising was a great way of getting into business, and as most people do when looking into franchises, I spent hundreds of hours looking at the various franchises on the market. All I knew was I wanted to build a business that could support me and my young family. 

I was working for Liam and Kelly at the pilot franchise covering Nottingham, Derby, and Sheffield as an installer and after a while, I was offered the role of operations manager. This experience was highly valuable to me as I was learning the ropes of what it takes to run the operations of a More Than Loft Ladders franchise. The faith that Liam and Kelly had in me at the time showed me that they wanted me to succeed and that they were there to support me through my journey. Having worked with Liam for a while I gained a great understanding of his leadership style and it felt like a great combination of get out there, give things a go, use the tools and skills you’ve gained and I’m here for support when and if you need it – and as a result I had confidence in myself knowing that the support is there should I need it. This was a massive plus for me because I thrive off the feeling of independence, backed by a solid support network.

The support from the national brand has been a massive contributor to my journey so far as a franchisee. Without the continued support and mentoring that I have received and continue to receive from Liam throughout my whole journey with More Than Loft Ladders, I wouldn’t be where I am today. The support, encouragement, and advice is there when I need it and the work Liam puts in behind the scenes is immense. There is continual development constantly happening behind the scenes, from building relationships that will be useful for the network to fine-tuning the MTLL brand, there are always new and exciting improvements being made. 

The biggest challenge for me when making the transition from employee to business owner was not knowing how things would turn out. I overcame this by talking with family and with Liam – the advice given to me was what you put into it, will reflect what you get out of it, everything you need is there you just have to put the work in. This filled me with confidence because I knew I had the work ethic to make it work and with the support from the franchise, the process was very smooth and enquiries were coming in before I knew it!

MTLL has the potential to be what you would like it to be, you just have to be willing to take it there and the network of existing franchisees reflects that. The current network ranges from owner-operators to much larger managed operations where the owner can be much less hands-on. For me, the business is like a car and MTLL is the Satav. You must look after the car, maintain it, give it the right fuel and it will drive how you’d like it to. MTLL helps you find the path to your destination.

The goal for my business is to create a company that is desirable to work for and I believe having the backing of the MTLL franchise is what will make this possible for me. I aim to employ a few installers and bring my partner on board so we can build a thriving business to support our growing family and give us a much better work-life balance.

My customer’s reactions are a main driving force for me. They are consistently stunned by their loft transformations and even at the quote stage, I’m often told the value for money is excellent. The space we can create is so useful to our customers and being able to access this space safely and confidently is why our customers come to us. Our range of products and the quality of our installations sets us apart. We are loft professionals, and we can confidently back this up by installing high-quality products with great care and attention to detail, creating a seamlessly pleasant loft transformation for our customers.

The advice I would give to someone considering investing in a More Than Loft Ladders franchise is, to be confident, ask questions, and talk to people, the right people. There is so much that can be said for a conversation when the right questions are asked and answered. For me personally, it wasn’t just an investment in a franchise it was an investment in people. The initial conversations I had with Liam and existing franchisees built the trust and gave me the confidence to take the leap. The chances are if you’re looking at investing in a MTLL franchise, you have a decent understanding of what it may take to be successful and how MTLL can help you get there. If you take this understanding and communicate it to the right people, you’ll solidify your thoughts and gain confidence in your decision. I now look back and wish I’d known this was the decision to make, it can be nerve-racking when making big decisions like investing in a franchise and I wish I were able to look ahead to see where I am now.

More Than Loft Ladders is well suited to a driven and ambitious person who isn’t afraid of taking advice and learning from others. The network is full of like-minded franchisees who want the best for one another, which means where possible, sharing lessons or advice from their own operations in order to benefit others. The most successful franchisees are the ones who can adapt to changes and delegate tasks, utilising the network’s useful tools, systems, and relationships. 

More Than Loft Ladders is the ‘franchise with a conscience’ and they don’t just say this because it sounds good, they embody its meaning. I’ve had many conversations with Liam where it’s been clear to me that my success and the success of everybody at MTLL is why Liam does what he does. What benefits each franchisee and their employees is what benefits MTLL as a whole and this feeling has been consistent throughout my journey from employee to franchisee. I am very grateful and proud to be part of the MTLL network. It’s the best professional decision I have made.

Fin Shaw, More Than Loft Ladders Franchisee (Nottingham East and Lincolnshire)