EXCERPT
The Export Gardener
by Richard
Harrison
Description
Tasked with bringing an iconic Australian gardening franchise to the
United Kingdom, Richard Harrison arrives in the medieval market town of
Sevenoaks in Kent not knowing a weed from a wisteria.
His subsequent adventures are a rollercoaster of laughs and tears, from
cutting down the wrong tree and solving a seemingly impossible watering puzzle
to the bombshell that ended it all.
Excerpt
It was conceived as
a great adventure. Live overseas for a few years and concentrate on what I had
enjoyed doing most in my twenty year advertising career. I would work as a
copywriter with an ad agency in the UK, while my wife furthered her legal
career. Weekends would be spent editing my novel, travelling abroad and writing
post cards home to the envy of family and friends.
That was the plan.
The reality became
working as an office temp, commuting from South London, where I shared a flat
with Catherine and her partner Deborah. Catherine was from Sheffield. She was
pleasant, friendly and worked as a teaching consultant. Deborah was from
Brazil. She spoke broken English and threw a decent left hook.
It was my by then
ex-wife that alerted me to the Jim’s Mowing opportunity. She was working in the
franchise department of a leading UK law firm and dealing with a group of
consultants who were in the process of establishing a platform for Jim’s Group
in the UK.
I knew of the
business but nothing about it, before I was introduced to a fellow called Brian
Duckett. Brian was the head of Horwath Franchising and he explained that Jim’s
needed someone to launch its business concept in the UK.
I thought it sounded
like an exciting opportunity and we arranged to meet the following week in the
foyer of the Novatel in Piccadilly. He drove from Oxford. I caught the bus in
Streatham.
We sat down over tea
and biscuits, all the while serenaded by a woman dressed in a ball gown and
playing a harp. As you do when the conversation turns to lawn mowing.
Brian opened his
laptop and proceeded to explain the structure of the Jim’s franchise model. A
concept that started with lawn mowing and had since spawned nearly thirty
different divisions. He focused very much on its middle tier investment
opportunity. Or at least I did. I could become what he called a Regional
Franchisor, a role whereby I would secure exclusive rights to various Jim’s
divisions of my choice within a specific geographic area.
Thereafter, I would
be free to operate my own business, while selling individual franchises to
other people.
Mowing and (to a
lesser extent) Dog Wash appealed and it certainly made sense to operate a
franchise myself. Doing so would provide me with an income and generate a
degree of awareness. It might also establish a measure of credibility, as I
figured if I could do it, anyone could.
I had absolutely no
interest in gardening, had barely mowed a handful of lawns in my life and
couldn’t tell a weed from a Wisteria. But hey, how hard could it be?
Praise for the Book
"If a good laugh is what you're looking for, then this is most
definitely the book to pick up. The story of an Australian, uninitiated in the
art of garden care, had me laughing out loud and I could not put it down.
Without wishing to give too much away, The author's engaging writing style,
left me wondering what else would happen, at the turning of each page. From
washing dogs, letting flats and tending people's gardens, this book has it all.
Christmas is taken care of, as I'll be buying copies for everyone this year.
You'll not be disappointed. I look forward to another enjoyable book, by this
author." ~ Amazon Customer
"This is a marvellous story of an Aussie Abroad, winging his way
through an adventure of discovery of his new and unfamiliar surrounds, the
often eccentric characters he meets along the way, holding onto his dream of
transplanting the iconic Aussie 'Jims Mowing' franchise, whilst his stunning
recollections of those times come to life with a great sense of humour, I
smiled all the way and couldn't put it down. A must read." ~ Amazon Customer
"This was a great book to read over the Christmas - New Year
holidays; a chapter a day was perfect! There are many very funny stories about
the author's experiences setting up and running a gardening franchise in
south-east England, and some interesting insights into how the franchise was
set up and how and why it all went bad. Don't be put off by the picture on the
cover: it makes sense when you read the book!" ~ David Meagher
"A fantastic look into the life of Richard Harrison. An Australian
born eventual advertising expert, who after visiting the UK, came across the
chance of expanding the iconic gardening franchise Jims Mowing. Having no
experience within gardening, this great read looks into the highs and lows of
Richard, a man who clearly never gives up! I couldn't recommend this book more
and can't wait for his next one!" ~ Mr.
M. Fenton
"The funniest book l have read for ages, will definitely recommend
to my friends." ~ Roma Twort
About the Author
Richard Harrison was born in Melbourne, Australia, and currently lives in
Hastings on the Mornington Peninsula.
He lived for ten years in the UK where he launched and developed the
iconic Australian garden maintenance franchise "Jim's Mowing", operating a franchise in Sevenoaks, Kent, where his clumsy
gardening endeavours and general misadventures became the subject of The Export Gardener.
Other than writing, Richard has two great passions - horse racing and
cricket. He is a regular race goer and a premier grade umpire with Cricket
Victoria.
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