Lisa Tobias started working for Domino’s Pizza while still at school. Now she runs four franchises in the west of Scotland with a turnover of £2m and employs 120 people.
After dropping out of university at 19, she joined the company full-time to manage one of its shops before deciding to go for a franchise of her own.
“University wasn’t for me but my parents were disappointed when I dropped out, so I thought I’d better prove that I could do something worthwhile,†she said.
But while Tobias wanted to run her own business, she is adamant that she wouldn’t have taken the risk without the backup of a franchise such as Domino’s.
“If I’d gone to the bank with an idea for a pizza delivery shop, I am sure it would have been difficult to raise funding,†said the 27-year-old.
“Domino’s gives you support and the bank knows the company, which increases your chance of success.â€
Despite troubled economic times, Tobias is planning to open more stores. Domino’s is now Britain’s biggest pizza home delivery chain and recorded a like-for-like sales increase of 10% last year. Profit forecasts for the chain, which operates the UK and Ireland franchise of the global brand, currently range between £22.3m and £23.2m. Read more.