David and Dawn Jarvis, Hastings, E Sussex

After 23 years with the Bank, the last thing David Jarvis thought was that he would be working with pets. Redundancy was on offer and he and his wife, Dawn, saw this as the opportunity to try something different. Dawn, housewife and mother of their three children, longed for her own challenge and a joint business venture meant life was about to change. That was in 1996, and over 10 years on they are running a very successful Oscar Franchise in Hastings.

With no knowledge of the trade, pets, pet food or nutrition they were attracted by the potential of the Oscar concept. The benefits of the purchasing power of a large organisation gave the smaller business greater strength and, combined with desire and determination, the Jarvis family have never looked back. David says, "This would have not been possible without the back-up support provided by Oscar and following a proven system is the only way to succeed."

Neil and Lorraine Stapleton - Honiton, Devon

Neil and Lorraine Stapleton have got it sussed: a business tailored to suit their own lifestyle with the added bonus of making money.

Neil always had the inclination to set up his own business - in anticipation that its eventual success would provide a joint income for them both, while spending more time with the family. Neil made a point of reading franchise magazines and features detailed in the Daily Express before attending the British Franchise Exhibition. It was that all-important meeting with Oscar that established that Neil had found an opportunity that meant he could work in his own area of Sidmouth and at an entry level to suit his pocket.

With the main ingredients of determination, hard work and enjoyment, Neil is now a full-time Nutritional Advisor delivering pet food, treats, and healthcare products, while also microchipping pets. Lorraine works at home, responsible for the administration and taking customer calls, as well as managing the family.

David and Karen Bass, Congleton, Cheshire

I spent 30 years on track with the railway network then redundancy called a halt to my career. At my age I was not ready to retire, even though there was an uncertainty as to what I could do. I was drawn to communicating with the public – I could relate to that so I started to investigate via the Internet.

My first call to Oscar prompted an excellent response; everything was clear from the start. I had no illusions that it would be easy and, after establishing the quality of their products, I was assured that my investment was in good hands. While taking advantage of their reliable support, the rest is down to me and of course my wife, Karen, who will take care of the administration.

Jo Richardson-Stow - Burbage, Wiltshire

 I discovered franchising and Oscar through my work with Business Link and the British Franchise Association’s website. I have played the field and travelled throughout my working career,concluding that one day I would be my own boss. The idea of having help to build a business with back-up support was clearly the way I needed to go and Oscar responded in all the right areas.

I researched every avenue, from attending seminars to exhibitions, comparing the different approach from different organisations. I want to be successful while allowing time to fulfil my ambitious hobbies - I aim to achieve this while representing a successful product.

Claire Taylor, South Manchester

 My long term ambition was to work for myself and it took me couple of years to research the market. The British Franchise Association was my point of contact, via the internet, followed by reading magazine after magazine. I had always appreciated the many benefits of franchising and recognising that the high risks of starting a business were well covered helped to secure my future with OSCAR.

Lesley Lavin, Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire

As a qualified Midwifery Sister I worked two nights a week in the Neonatal Unit. In longing to end the night work I needed an escape route and the only way out was to have my very own small business.

The Internet was a very good avenue to explore and very quickly I found Oscar, I guess because I am an animal lover - I have two dogs and two rabbits. It appealed immediately for a number of reasons but certainly the outlay suited my budget. My husband, Barry, is a Consultant Catering Advisor and he kept his workload to a minimum in order to help set up the business. We have worked hard towards our current situation, where he has now gone back to work full-time and I take responsibility for juggling home life, family, pets and the business.

Brian Hulme, Stockport, Greater Manchester

 I spent twenty-seven years chasing my tail in search of a product that was worth promoting, and a job that would be totally rewarding. Getting out of the rat race gave me time to consider a number of options, all of which led me back to Oscar. Hence, I fitted into the job with a realistic approach.

This helped me to exceed proposed targets in my first year, taking advantage of making sure that Iwas noticed in all the right places.I have found something I really believe in, while offering a guaranteed personal service to my very deserving customers.

Steve and Miriam McGarry, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria

We are no strangers to understanding the meaning of care because, as a combined team, we hold 19 years experience in local authority social services and 26 years in nursing. Transferring that to pet care we knew that we were good potential for OSCAR, especially as we love our pets.

Having exhausted my energy in social services it was time to move on and, after great deliberation, we realised that franchising offered the security and support of promoting a much larger business. We took our time to decide on our future and OSCAR was very obliging, giving us the opportunity to see behind the scenes, meet with and talk to other franchisees.

We are totally committed to our investment and in so doing have taken a course in advanced animal nutrition – all because we really do care!