Using retail experience to buy a business

Dan's career began in optics, but it wasn't long before he found himself exploring new horizons. "I was a Dispensing Optician originally, but I hit a bit of a glass ceiling," Dan explained. "The only way to make a career out of it was to own my own business, but that wasn't really in my sights at the time." Instead, Dan ventured into the world of retail, mainly supermarkets, working for various brands and gaining more skills along the way.

Balancing work and life

One of the key turning points in Dan's career was his decision to prioritise work-life balance. "Travelling to London every day wasn't fitting in with the work-life balance I was trying to achieve," he shared. This realisation led him to search for roles closer to home, even if it meant a significant change in his career path. He began working in managerial positions a various supermarkets growing his retail expertise - "I did a couple of years as a night shift manager and then moved on to days, working my way up to store manager."

The Specsavers opportunity

Dan's journey with Specsavers began with a timely LinkedIn message from Paul, a member of our Partnership team. "Paul noticed my retail experience and reached out to me," Dan recalled. "I was surprised he didn't even know about my background in optics!"

This encounter led to an assessment process to become an approved business owner with Specsavers, where Dan's extensive retail and people management experience shone through. "I had enough residual knowledge and enough retail experience to carry me through the assessment."

Financial considerations

The financial aspect of buying into a business can be daunting, but Dan found the support he needed through one of Specsavers’ recommended partners. "Initially, I thought, 'Wow, that's the price of a house. How could I possibly afford that as well as my house?'" Dan admitted. However, with the help of a specialist lender, he was able to secure the necessary financial support, ensuring the purchase price was appropriate and make his dream of owning a business a reality.

Advice for aspiring business owners

"If you've got the relevant experience, your experience should shine through” he said. "Look after your customers, make sure they're the priority, and engage and empower your people."

Now, Dan’s attention has turned to growing the next generation of partners from within his team, “I've already started sowing the seeds to people about this big secret that is Specsavers partnership," he said with a smile. "For some people, it sounds too good to be true. And it isn't too good to be true. It's just good and true."