Joining only 2 years ago under the Express Pros SA franchise, Clive Reid has already built himself an empire. Not only owning one Express office but two!!
Meet Express’ Linbro Park & Kempton Park Franchisee, Clive Reid, and read his inspiring success story since partnering with Express Employment Professionals.
I happened upon the staffing industry by fluke in 1999 when I applied for a job at an agency in London. They offered me the opportunity to run the staffing solutions at one of their clients, a cosmetics and fragrance factory in West London. Thus began a fulfilling career in temporary employment services, with dynamic staffing solutions, and practically applied human resources. I remained a staffing specialist in the United Kingdom until the end of 2004 when I took a giant leap of faith and returned home to Johannesburg, South Africa. A decision I embrace every day.
What followed was 15 years in a South African company within which I applied my skills and developed my career, up to a point that led me to want new challenges and the desire to have a firmer control of my future. So, in December 2019, I took another giant leap of faith and exited my position as an executive at my previous employer. The process began of acquiring an EXPRESS EMPLOYMENT PROFESSIONALS franchise. The introduction and entire process, from making an enquiry, to completing the franchise agreement and setting up my office was seamless, exciting and extremely efficient. The master franchisor supported me every step of the way and continues to do so.
I officially opened my doors on 2 March 2020, a mere three days before the first documented case of COVID 19 was announced in South Africa. I had employed three people as part of my strategic plan, and I was not prepared to allow COVID to stop my progress, nor use it to renege on my responsibilities – from the day the doors opened, I did not miss one full payment of salary for any staff. The ‘show’ had to go on. We applied ourselves, believed in ourselves and trusted one another. This gave us the challenge and opportunity to achieve the Fast Track growth trajectory through the hard lockdown of 2020, something I don’t think any of us believed we’d complete. But we smashed it and achieved in 17 weeks what most franchises aim to complete in 26 weeks! We were ecstatic to learn that we are the first South African franchise to ever achieve these Fast Track milestones!
With hindsight, I find the achievements of my team remarkable but also inevitable. The Express Head Office supports and invests in us, as business owners and staff, helping employees grow and develop. The marketing support, IT systems, financial backing and extensive payroll experience by Head Office, along with the advice and partnership among franchisees throughout the country make for smooth and collaborative client support. Combine all of this with a dedicated and hard-working team, the results were, and remain, inevitable!
Our clients deal directly with business owners every step of the way which makes us extremely agile in our decision-making and very flexible in our negotiations. We constantly strive to make a difference in the lives of our associates and our clients.
Since the anxious but determined days of the 2020 lockdown, I have opened a second franchise and am extremely proud to employ eight staff members, all of whom are being developed by both myself as the franchise owner, and by the Express University that provides endless training and development
Choose Express, you’ll truly EXPERIENCE THE DIFFERENCE. Respecting people. Impacting business.