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Interview to Malene Thomassen, from Flexa
November 28, 2010 by admin
Filed under Interviews
We interview Malene Thomassen, Country Manager at Flexa for Denmark, Poland, Romania, Cyprus and Greece.
You can find the franchise sheet here.
How and where started making business?
Since 1972, FLEXA has manufactured functional and flexible children’s furniture made from high-quality solid wood. Our main office is located in Hornsyld, Denmark and we have factories in Estonia and China.
We also have subsidiaries in France, Spain and China. Through this network of subsidiaries, we sell children’s furniture in over 25 countries.
Why decided to start franchising?
After many years of experience with producing and selling children’s furniture, Flexa has developed a comprehensive assortment of furniture. In 1972 the idea was to build a flexible bed, but over the years the concept has expanded to also contain wardrobes, chests of drawers, textile, lamps and much more. In the late 1990’s Flexa prepared a concept suitable for franchising and in 1999 Flexa opened its first franchise shops in the US and in Asia. The year after, in 2000, the first European Flexa shop opened in Nice, France. The concept has been further developed and expanded ever since, based on experience, market trends and demands.
How many franchises do you have?
Today Flexa has 140 franchise shops worldwide and 40 of those shops are located in Europe.
What makes you different from other competitors?
The core product at Flexa is the bed made of solid pine wood. The concept is that once you have purchased a Flexa bed, it grows with the child. The single bed stands on the floor, then it can be build up as a mid-height with a slide and tower, further up as a high bed with a desk underneath and then down on the floor again for the teenagers. The Flexa assortment also includes Oeko-Tex marked textiles, which are free of chemicals and other harmful substances. Furthermore, Flexa offers wooden furniture for storage and other accessories. Because of this concept, our customers are loyal and keep coming back to our stores to update the children’s rooms.
Flexa aims to be the preferred brand and partner for the furnishing of children’s rooms worldwide. To reach this goal we produce furniture of a high quality and provide a high service level which leads to satisfied and loyal customers.
Why are you interested in franchising in Bulgaria?
The choice of Bulgaria as our next market for franchise shops is based on experience. Today Flexa has great experience with shops north of Bulgaria in Bucharest, Romania and south of Bulgaria in Thessaloniki and Athens, Greece. We see opportunities in the Bulgarian market for quality products to the children’s rooms.
Are you planning further expansion in other countries? If yes, which?
Flexa seeks to expand on both existing markets and in new markets.
What are your expansion plans in Bulgaria?
Expansion plans are made together with our franchisors. One advantage of making franchise corporations is that our partners have the needed knowledge and experience on the local markets to make realistic business plans. Therefore, Flexa is interested in entering the Bulgarian market – but the extent and speed is not decided beforehand.
What’s the profile of the franchisee/Master Franchisor are you looking for?
We are searching for partners who have:
The necessary market knowledge: We expect that our franchisees know the opportunities and threats on the local markets
The will and drive to start up a new business: We expect that our franchisees are willing to work hard for success
In depth retail knowledge and experience: We expect that our franchisees have learned about own strengths and weaknesses, through practical work within the retail business
The necessary capital: We expect that our franchisees are realistic about finance. The investment level depends on factors such as location and size of shop
A clear and concise business plan: We expect that our franchisees make a considered investment and take all factors into account
A shared understanding of our values: We expect that our franchisees share our values and that we work by them as a team
In this economic crisis, what are the main advantages of a franchise like yours?
The main advantages are based on the fact that you will be joining a team with great experience to build up successful businesses, even in challenging times.
We adapt our business to the environment we live in, crisis or not.
We work with 140 shops in times of recession; we have experience with the crisis.
We have tested the concept, less of a risk for you
We focus on creating customers who are loyal, also during a crisis
You get a persistent support from your country manager
You can freely use our marketing department, free of cost
You have a close relationship with our dedicated staff, not a call centre
You are free to do local marketing, targeted your area
Our concept is constantly developing to fit the supply and demand in our markets
Tags: Denmark, Flexa, franchises in Bulgaria, Furniture, Malene Thomasson
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