Directors & Consultants (A-Z)

Jon Hill - director

Jon Hill's forward thinking ideas and entrepreneurial business skills have led to him managing, creating, owning and subsequently selling a number of successful businesses. His senior level experience includes:

• Business Manager of Hampstead and Highgate Express - Home Counties Newspaper Group
• Owner of Wilfred Neal Ltd. Building Renovation Company specializing in cottages. The company ran for ten years and was successfully sold in 1984
• Owner of Michael K. Howard Ltd. Advertising Agency which became one of the largest UK based agencies employing over 180 staff. In 2005 the company was sold for £12m.

Since 2005 Jon has been integral in expanding the 'Garage Conversion Company' a successful franchise operation converting domestic garages into living space and now the UK's leading specialist in this field. Additionally Jon also has interests in substantial property development projects in Bulgaria.

Jon Hill brings a wealth of experience to the team, a down-to-earth approach to business and has excellent contacts in the Financial and Investment sectors.

Tim Mott - director

Tim Mott enjoys a challenge, and with business experience built through hands on management in both the corporate world and the franchise Industry in the UK, he has developed a "We don't have problems....only solutions" attitude to business and those clients and colleagues that work with him.

Tim started his career with Merchant Bankers Chase Manhattan Bank, gaining a good knowledge of fundamental financial and corporate structures.

He broke into the franchise market piloting, and then developing the automotive franchise brand Autoglym, resulting in total UK coverage and a well developed and sound network of franchisees.

Working with many franchisors over recent years helping the development of individuals and corporate business, Tim finds the best route forward for his clients based upon his own experience and his investigative nature.

Tim understands the requirements of the relationship between consultant and client.

Mike Gratwick - consultant

Began his career in advertising and marketing with Foote Cone and Belding before embarking on an outstanding career on retailing during which he worked for major retailers such as the John Lewis Partnership and The Burton Group (now known as Arcadia).

His Franchise experience spans:

• Working with Coppernob as Commercial Director with responsibility for Franchising.
• Mike Gratwick spent six years as a Specialist Retail Consultant before being head-hunted to join Hammicks Bookshops with the specific brief to launch the first ever book retailing Franchise.
• He joined Franchise Link following on the take-over of Hammicks by Ottakers Books.

Retail is detail and this maxim personifies Mike Gratwick's approach to Franchise Consultancy where he has built an enviable reputation.

Alan Farrar - consultant

Alan Farrar has owned and operated both franchisee businesses and a master franchisor business over the last 20 years. The franchisee business operated nineteen shops covering the famous brands of The Body Shop, Levi Strauss, Benneton, Tie Rack and Puccinos coffee bars.

His other company Famous Franchises, bought across from America the master franchise for the Starlog sci-fi and fantasy stores, opening company and franchised outlets.

Alan personally, did some early consultancy work on franchising for Lego.

Alan graduated in Economics from London University and prior to running his own business full-time, had director level positions in sales and marketing with Gillette and Spillers Foods and as M.D. of Cinzano.

He is a member of the Institute of Marketing is a qualified business performance coach and has demonstrated that he can apply practical business know how to small and large companies alike.

Martin Stout - Online Consultant

Martin has worked within the online world for the last 12 years, when Google had only a dozen employees and search engines thought they had to become a portal with links to everything on their homepage to succeed.

Having started as a website developer before moving on to manage design & development teams at both agency and client level. Martin has a rarely achieved level of understanding of your online business needs. For the past 5 years Martin has been working with many companies to improve their Search Engine Marketing plans and ensuring that their websites are 'Google friendly'.

His online communications experience includes:

• Worked as the Online Communications Manager for a large FTSE100 company in the leisure industry
• Manager of the Senior King Interactive Agency, part of the Michael K Howard Group
• Google Adwords certified since 2001
• Currently manages the online campaigns for several franchises including the Garage Conversion Company

With the internet taking over as the medium to do business in every franchise has a need to ensure their online presence is the best it can be. Martin can help you achieve that by giving you an honest accurate assessment of where you are and what you can do to improve.