It’s 8 a.m. on a foggy Tuesday. The village of Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat, in Haute-Vienne, is slowly emerging from its torpor. Avenue du Champs de Mars, Laura Royère, 24, a young dark-haired woman with straight hair and sparkling eyes, raises the iron curtain of her Oya Fleurs boutique. Then, she takes out plants and bouquets to place them in the outdoor displays. “After cleaning the floor of the shop, I sort, rinse the vases, water the monsteras, succulents and other terrariums that need it, explains the one who became an Oya Fleurs franchisee on October 14, 2022. Everything must be impeccable. for the opening, at 9 a.m..”
Shortly after, a van pulls up in front of the store. Coming from the Netherlands, she brings fresh flowers and young green plants every week. “It allows me to renew my stock,” says Laura, who knows how this brand works like the back of her hand. And for good reason: with her Bac Pro in garden products in hand, she entered it as an apprentice in 2017, at the age of 17, to follow a CAP in apprenticeship, a professional certificate, then a master’s certificate. Particularly gifted, she won the title of best apprentice in France in 2017 and was rewarded in two categories at the French Florists’ Cup in 2022.
She took over the shop from her boss, who retired
After a year as an employee, she learns that her boss wants to enjoy her retirement. She naturally offers him to take over the business, which had joined the franchise network 2 years ago. “After an internship with a florist in third grade, I always dreamed of owning my own shop,” says the young woman while making a bouquet of red roses for a client. To make her project a reality, Laura approaches Oya Fleurs, which helps her put together her file, from February 2022, in order to find funding.
The brand’s development manager accompanies him to refine his presentations, enhance his experience, highlight his knowledge of local customers and their habits… “As I had to contact three banking establishments, I made an appointment with that of my former boss; the one where I already had my personal accounts and another chosen at random, she says. To each, I had to provide a project study; a business plan with figures the sums I brought and those I wanted to borrow… Fortunately, I already had a solid clientele!”
For his part, the network development manager contacted the franchise centers of the three banks concerned in order to support his case. All answers are positive. The future franchisee decides to stay at the Banque Populaire, where the store already had its accounts, “The borrowing rate? I was unlucky because they went back to this period, laments Laura. While my adviser m had presented a rate of 1.2% in June, it rose to 3.2% in October, at the time of signing.
To become an Oya Fleurs franchisee, the young woman borrowed 52,250 euros over 7 years and brought 12,750 euros out of her own pocket. The total cost of taking over the company therefore amounted to 65,000 euros. “I found the process simpler than expected,” she rejoices. I was new to this.” Like what to talk about money is not easy, even for a trader…
An article from the “Franchise” special issue of L’Express. On sale since March 16.