How often do you work?
Whenever I am asked to and most Saturdays. The introduction of Memory Treasures means there is a steady stream of work, but obviously Christmas and Father's Day are much busier.

How does the job fit around your family life?
This is the perfect job to fit around family life. The children go to bed approx 7 pm and I am then free to engrave, polish and make up jewellery. If I was invited to a group or party after Theo's birth I would ask the hostess or group leader if it was ok for me to bring him.....to date no one has said no, in fact, they are very welcoming.

What did that investment buy?
That bought me the territory (postcodes) and the equipment I would need and also the training to do the job and market the product successfully.

Do you get support/training?
The support from Head Office is fantastic...no question too daft and any queries always answered really quickly. They are excellent at supporting me and ensuring I can keep my customers happy. Finally, the support from our closed Facebook Forum and other franchisees is great too....you can ask a question, have a rant or put forward a top tip and share your success with everyone. 

Are there on-going costs?
That's down to me...obviously, it's important to market yourself well in your area and to do this you need to distribute flyers and perhaps take out an advert in a local paper or NCT magazine. I have definitely found that the more you put in the more you get out....the sky is the limit.

How much do you earn (roughly)?
My typical sales for a year are about £60,000.

Do you advertise?
Yes, we do...NCT magazines and a local magazine called ABC have been very successful for us. Also before we go into a shopping centre we put an advert in the local paper the week before saying we will be there. This has also proved very successful. We also try to ring all the nurseries in our area and ask if we can send leaflets to them for the parents. This is a very successful way of marketing yourself and you are only paying for the leaflet and the postage. I have also developed relationships with funeral homes, hospitals and other institutions where our Memory Treasures brand is relevant.

What is the best thing about Smallprint for you?
I absolutely love the product... seeing someone's face when you hand them their treasured item is the best feeling ever. You get to meet some great people and have lots of fun and I love being my own boss.

Are there any downsides to the job?
Honestly, there aren't....you get out what you put in and it's just a great way to earn a living.

Would you recommend this franchise opportunity to other Mums?
Without hesitation and have done so to 2 of my friends both of whom are now part of the Smallprint family and loving it.