Julia Mann: PC Pal

Julia Mann has set up a nationwide PC maintenance franchise business. Find out how she source help and training before setting up the company.

PC PAL will run franchises in every part of the country after the initial success of operating the business in the Solihull area. Julia Mann is now looking for people interested in buying a franchise or managing a franchise in different parts of the UK.

Setting up the business

Before taking the big decision, Julia attended a Be Your Own Boss workshop run by WBDA in Solihull to encourage more women to become entrepreneurs. Julia, aged 33, explained: “I used to do publicity and marketing work in the IT department at Coventry University but I was made redundant. 

"I attended the course when I wasn’t too confident in myself to go out and sell to people. I started talking to the other ladies and realised everyone was in the same boat and had the same concerns. It was great to bounce ideas off other people and get advice on specific issues because it doesn’t matter what business you are setting up, it’s important to have confidence."

Moving the business forward

“My husband, Jat, and I will be running the nationwide PC maintenance franchise business. There are two types of franchises available and we will provide full training for each.

"The first is for people who will operate in their own territory with a liveried vehicle, fixing PCs and looking after their own marketing. These people may already be fixing PCs for friends and family but need not have official qualifications as we will provide all the training needed.

“The other type is a management franchise where someone, who doesn’t want to fix computers themselves, has the skills to build a bigger business by employing several engineers in a larger territory and co-ordinating their diaries. Launching a new business is an exciting time and it has been a massive learning curve.”

To request further information on the PC PAL franchise please email JoinUs@pcpal.co.uk