Francis and Anna Meynell from Norwich joined PPP in March 2013 and now have three Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) and 19 tenants, with a fourth property recently purchased.
What did you do prior to franchising?
Anna was an environmental consultant, advising industry on legislation, and I was a management researcher as well as a property developer. We had both left our corporate careers behind us to set up a bed and breakfast and at the time I was also carrying out a sizeable property development project for us. It was a fantastic experience and we knew we wanted to do more with property but wanted to know how we could benefit from some reliable income.
What attracted you to PPP?
It was the opportunity to benefit from some reliable and solid income using a proven business model. We went to the Discovery Day and met with the management team and some other Partners. What came across was a generosity of spirit and a shared story of success that really reassured us that this was something that we could trust.
Obviously it was a big commitment financially, but it was something that could give us the income we needed at a time when we were starting a family.
When did you join and what have you achieved so far?
Anna and I joined at the beginning of 2013. We now have three properties and 19 tenants that we are actively managing and we've just gone sale agreed on our fourth house.
What are the benefits of working with your partner?
PPP allows a husband and wife team to make joint decisions together and build their own business, which is fantastic. Just like I couldn't do this business without PPP, I also couldn't do it without Anna.
What strengths do each of you bring to the business?
Anna and I both have our own sets of experiences and skills that we bring to our business partnership. I'm involved in the operation and day-to-day running of the business mostly, while Anna has taken a step back to bring up our children. But we do come together when we've got important strategic decisions to make. I also completely rely on Anna when it comes to tenant communications, especially when it involves sensitive situations. I'm more hands-on, but being with PPP has meant that Anna has been able to be the stay-at-home mum that she's wanted to be and we're both thrilled with how it's supported us in starting our family.
How do you fit work around family life?
We have two young girls and since we started, we've grown in confidence and built up our portfolio so that things now tick along much more smoothly. So I'm finding that I can spend much more time with the children and fit in tenant viewings and such around their needs, which is great.
What kind of support have you received from the franchisor?
We've experienced incredible support from the staff at head office and the expertise that they have and the people around them have. Within the network itself, there are lots of people who have various backgrounds and knowledge bases that we've found absolutely invaluable. There is no way we would be doing what we are doing now without the help of PPP and the network.
How has PPP changed your lives so far?
The fact that we've been able to set up this successful business together and be our own bosses has given us a great deal of confidence. It's given us a business that we can be proud of in terms of what we are providing - we're meeting a basic need and we're doing it in a conscientious way that means we can sleep well at night. It has met our expectations financially and we're now in a position where we do have a reliable income. It's helped us to relax about the future and has given us the security to be able to pursue other interests.
Video testimonial - Francis Meynell
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNHGX8wmXaw
