Revive!’s newest franchisee, Gary Watson from Maidstone, started his career over 30 years ago in the oil and gas industry. However, in recent times his had come to the conclusion that he was tired of working for other people and wanted to build something of his own, so he began his search for a way out and a new beginning. Having been a car enthusiast all his life Gary took a lot of pleasure in driving cars, but hadn’t really explored the opportunities in working on them before. After discovering Revive! he saw a fantastic opportunity to enter the Automotive industry in a really important and underappreciated segment.
Gary did a lot of research into franchising before choosing Revive!. Spending 2-3 years researching the different business choices on offer, Gary had decided that he wanted to take the knowledge and experience that he had garnered over a 30-year career and build something of his own. He chose Revive! because of the strong support structure behind the business that would help him on his journey as a business owner. Through his research into other industries, he found the support on offer was surprisingly limited. Gary also chose Revive! due to the significant reputation the company has both among customers and other businesses in the industry, with over 45,000 Trustpilot reviews with an average of 4.9 stars the company was clearly well respected and offered premium customer service levels.
As he prepared to launch Revive! Maidstone Gary undertook an extensive training programme provided by Revive! in which he learned how to run his new business and grow his customer base. Gary enjoyed all aspects of his training and found the standout points were the more technical parts of the job. As part of his tuition Gary was put through the basics of paint preparation, polishing and over how the painting process happens. This training was particularly impactful as he had never appreciated how complex the job was and it reminded him of the clever skills all technicians possess.
One of the prime decision factors Gary faced when deciding to go into franchising was the increased flexibility the job would provide him, allowing him to spend more time with his family. He still puts in 100% of his energy to the business but its on his terms rather than a manager demanding his time and effort. Previously he would spend a lot of his time on planes in foreign countries, running his own franchise lets him build his workday around his family and in turn build his employees workdays around their families.
When it comes to growing the Revive! Maidstone business he wants to really make an impact in the Maidstone area, moving quickly from his first two technicians to five in 2026, increasing again to 10 in 2027. Gary sees a massive opportunity in the Smart Repair sector of Maidstone, with an increase in jobs and work providing a massive chance to expand his business. Gary has lived and breathed the Revive! Core values and sees them as an excellent guidepost for anyone looking at jumping into franchising.
Keep an eye on the latest news from Revive! Maidstone on their socials here: facebook.com/revivemaidstone1
For more information about franchise opportunities in your area please get in touch with our team here: revivefranchise.com/contact-us/
