Having successfully achieved numerous sales targets both individually and collectively as a sales manager, it felt like the time was right for a new challenge and thus I made the decision to leave my role of Head of Retail Sales at one of the UK’s leading courier companies.What I had not considered was a virus that was about to send the world into melt-down and the UK into a lockdown, just three weeks after we started, COVID!
Despite months of research, meeting with various courier franchise providers, a certain Warren Ferguson and speaking with my various carrier contacts and industry friends, I took a decision to set up Retail Distribution Services (t/a RDS eCommerce), a ‘Multi-Carrier, Carrier-Neutral’ shipping provider of courier services.
Of course, there was many a time where I had considered whether I had made the right decision, whether I should give it all up and move back into full time employment, or to even go ‘cap in hand’ and ask whether my former employer would re-employ, to then furlough me.
Thankfully, I choose to stick with it, to work through all the challenges that we faced in the early months, to give RDS every chance to succeed.
As anyone will tell you, the first 12 months in business will always be the most challenging, certainly the most difficult 12 months of my working career, however they have also been the most rewarding, in generating over £1m in revenues within our first year.
Not bad when you consider that I was Sales, Marketing, Account Management, Operations, Customer Care, Credit Control & Accounts Payable, all in one.
Thankfully we now have a team of the above and are well placed to take the business to the next level, in helping others to join in the successes that we have.
This has enabled me to focus on the next chapter of RDS, in partnering with Warren Ferguson to form RDS Global Solutions, a highly lucrative courier franchise offering.
What with Warren’s 15 years’ experience in courier franchising, my 14 years’ experience in ‘reselling’ courier services and most recently, the success that is Retail Distribution Services, we are now helping others to succeed in owning an RDS Global Solutions franchise themselves.
Darren Barnard “Having previously worked with David for a number of years at CitySprint, I experienced first-hand his drive and ambition to succeed. As a result, we achieved some great sales numbers and earnt some decent commission along the way. So when David approached me, to see whether I’d like to work together again, but this time, as my own franchise business, I jumped at the chance.”
My focus is very much now on helping others to achieve the same great things, in having their own courier franchise and overseeing their own destiny. Having the opportunity to be your own boss, work the hours that suit you and enjoy the significant residual earnings, month on month, year on year.