"I love being a Driver Hire franchisee”

Flexibility – along with a desire to improve her financial security – was one of the primary reasons behind Harriette Wood’s decision to buy a Driver Hire franchise. “My son Luca was only 6 months old when I bought the Driver Hire Stockport business. With the high costs of childcare, I needed something that had long-term potential in terms of earnings growth. I also wanted to be in the driving seat of my own life,” says Harriette.

Growth potential

“I was drawn to Driver Hire because of its strong reputation,” says Harriette. “It has a proven business model, and I could see the growth potential. I learned that the logistics sector employs over 300,000 people and contributes £13.5bn to the UK economy. And franchising appealed to me because I can use the support and resources of an established network, combining that with my entrepreneurial drive. Growth is driven by hard work and quality service.”

Recent data from the BFA (British Franchise Association) shows that women now make up 40% of all UK franchise owners – a sharp increase on the 2005 figure of 20%. Of new franchise buyers in 2024, 34% were women, more than double the figure in 2005. This reflects a general trend which is seeing more women turning to self-employment. In 2007, women made up 27% of the UK’s self-employment workforce; today the figure is 37%.

Delivering on the promise

Whilst Harriette took over what was an already successful franchise – she’s taken it to new heights. Turnover has doubled, and her business achieved a very impressive £2.3m turnover in 2024/25. She finished in the Top Ten of Driver Hire’s performance league table and was presented with Driver Hire’s ‘Franchisee of the Year’ award at the company’s 2025 annual conference.

“When I started, I only had one member of staff. I’d no local family support – they live overseas. Flexibility was minimal due to the needs of the business and the size of my team. I often worked 60 hours per week, so it meant long nursery days and then school clubs for Luca. As the business grew, I eventually was able to recruit an additional member of staff which made life somewhat easier.”

Before starting a family, Harriette had worked in the property sales and lettings sector, which had given her a good understanding of customer service. However, recruitment and road transport were completely new to her. “My initial challenge was understanding the industry. I had to learn quickly, developing an understanding of what clients and drivers needed most. Recruitment and logistics are both highly regulated, so I also had to meet industry compliance standards."

Balancing work with family life

The luxury of two members of staff didn’t last long. During Covid, Harriette was back to one member of staff. She worked from home, balancing work with parenting her son. When they went out for the permitted daily walks, Harriette would still have to take business calls. “I’ve been there for Luca throughout,” says Harriette. “I’ve attended parents’ evenings and sports days – only missing out on a handful of occasions. It did mean answering calls whilst there, but it helped me run my business and not miss important milestones. Now he’s at school, I’m able to pick him up every day. Luca has become an unofficial member of the Driver Hire Stockport team. Over the years he’s been a regular visitor to the office – allowing me to work and spend time with him.”

On average, Harriette and her four-person team find work for 70 drivers every week, supplying a large and well-spread customer base of around 85, including several blue-chip clients.

“Over the years I’ve developed a team who provide excellent operational support – meaning they can handle the majority of client and candidate tasks. But it’s still hard work,” Harriette continues. “I can’t always plan the hours I work, but I am in greater control of my life. Franchising has delivered the flexibility I needed to manage work time and family time. For instance, I’m able to collect Luca from school.

“He’s now nine years old and has grown up alongside my business,” Harriette reflects as she looks back on her life since 2017. “I love being a Driver Hire franchisee. There’s a real franchise family with other offices always ready to help me out – as I am ready to help them. And it’s now delivering financial stability for us both, and other rewards too. Looking back, Driver Hire was entirely the right decision.”

If you see yourself in Harriette, why not click the button below and get in touch to see if Driver Hire is the right fit for you?