"Daily Poppins is easy to run and can be grown at your own pace!"

Aleksandra Koziol

After witnessing her cousin's success with a Daily Poppins franchise, Aleksandra Koziol decided to invest in one of her own in January 2009 and is now turning over £8,000 a month. "My cousin Agnes Gasecka, the owner of the Basingstoke territory, introduced me to the Daily Poppins concept," recalls Aleksandra. "Initially I worked as a cleaner in the business, and over time worked my way up to become a supervisor. I really enjoyed working with Agnes and I was impressed with her growing success.

"When I moved to Guildford I decided to seize the opportunity and start up my own Daily Poppins franchise. I knew the concept worked and liked the idea of being able to work for myself from home. Before the launch I attended a comprehensive training course and since then have had ongoing support from the Managing Director of Daily Poppins Nigel Bearman.

"Business is going really well, I have two cars on the road and I am now in a position to invest in a third. As my own boss, I have more independence and love the fact that I can work flexible hours around my family. The Daily Poppins franchise is easy to run and can be grown at your own pace - I would definitely recommend it!"

Jo Pope and Anne Wharton

With their monthly turnover doubled to £14,500, Daily Poppins franchise owners Jo Pope and her mother Anne Wharton have invested in a second territory and are working towards an annual turnover of £240,000.

"My mum and I decided to run a business together because we have different strengths that complement each other," explains Jo. "I was aware of the benefits of franchising through studying for my business degree and I thought it would be a great way for my mum and I to become our own bosses using a tried and tested formula.

"I needed a business which I could run from home alongside looking after my two young children and management franchise Daily Poppins fitted my requirements. Daily Poppins has a strong brand image and an excellent support structure in place, which we felt would help us get off to a good start. To prepare us for the launch of our franchise we attended a two-day intensive training course in Reading. This covered all aspects of the business such as the software package and staffing to the cleaning system used.

"We launched our Exeter-based franchise in July 2008 and now have four cars on the road, which service two territories: Exeter and Taunton. Our sustained growth and ability to expand into a second territory in July demonstrates the fact that Daily Poppins is a recession-proof concept. Having your home professionally cleaned is not considered a luxury service anymore, if anything it is more of an essential service for dual-income families who want to be able to spend quality time together.

"Once we hit £240,000 we plan to get a fifth car on the road and will consider moving the business from my mum's house into a commercial office. Running your own business is very rewarding - I enjoy interacting with the customers, being able to provide a quality service and of course, the financial benefits!"

Reported by Jess Sturman