Franchisor Interview - Women in Franchising - Interview with Judy Behl of Scenic Blue
31st August 2007
Coming from a farming background, Judy’s choice of degree -Agricultural Food Marketing at Newcastle University – was entirely in keeping with her rural upbringing. However, once she had graduated she opted for a very different career path to her farming parents. Femalefranchise.co.uk interview Judy Behl to discover her path to success in the historically male-dominated franchise industry.
What is your career history?
Judy kick-started her career with the National Farmers Uni
on where she took up a position as Group Secretary, advising farmers and growers on every aspect of their business ranging from employment to marketing to taxation matters! Shortly after leaving university and embarking upon her “official career” at the NFU, Judy began to show the tell-tale signs of her entrepreneurial tendencies, starting up a clothes business called “Rummage” with two friends, based at Mansfield Market.
During her 12 year stint with the NFU, Judy amassed a wealth of invaluable business knowledge and during the latter years, began to sow the seeds for launching her own landscape gardening business – but one with a marked difference. In 1992, with her husband Ted, she launched The Landscape Company, and in 1994 quit her role with the NFU to focus her energies on the new venture. In the early days of building The Landscape Company, to ensure a regular injection of income to keep the business afloat, Judy worked as a Branch Secretary on a freelance basis for the Institute of Directors.
In 1997 The Landscape Company launched its landscape gardening franchise concept and in 1998, the company celebrated the recruitment of its first franchisee. In 2000 the company changed its name to Scenic Blue to ensure it had a secure and protected brand name. The company’s founding principles were to educate customers to appreciate that landscape design was not merely the domain of the affluent minority and to dispel the myth that the service was only accessible to those with lots of money – and acres of space!
People buying in to the Scenic Blue concept are not necessarily avid gardeners per se – but they are passionate about enjoying the aesthetics of their outdoor space and extending their interest in style and interior design – to their home’s exterior.
Were your parents self-employed / entrepreneurs?
Both Mother and Father were farmers, who displayed entrepreneurial traits in terms of their willingness to try out new systems / procedures within the business in a bid to making a living in an area where drawing an income out of farming represented an uphill challenge.
What made you want to run your own business?
As a natural born leader and someone who is always keen to challenge the boundaries, it was inevitable that Judy would ultimately end up running her own business. As a true entrepreneur, she relished the prospect of launching a business which exploited the massive commercial potential for a previously untapped market sector. With 85% of UK householders possessing a garden (23.5m) and several million rating gardening as their favourite pastime it was evident that gardening featured heavily on the majority of householder’s agendas – yet until the inception of Scenic Blue, the opportunity to develop a national brand to service the landscape & garden design needs of “Joe Public” had not been identified.
What were you the challenges you faced?
The most critical challenge has always been the underlying need to finance the business idea – from launching the initial pilot to expansion plans for the Scenic Blue network, the toughest job has been the amount of management time and effort required to focus on the financial aspects of the company and the on-going need to source the necessary funds to support a growing business. Also to a lesser extent, establishing a business in a traditionally male dominated industry sector has represented a significant challenge at times!
What support did you get?
None from the banks!! The best support has come from loyal family and friends.
Do you / did you have a Mentor?
Through Scenic Blue’s membership of the BFA Judy came into contact with Melvin Lusty (former chairman of the BFA and current board member). Melvin has mentored Judy for many years and his extensive knowledge and experience of the franchise sector has proved invaluable to Judy on numerous occasions. Judy cites the success of Rosemary Conley and Anita Roddick as a further source of inspiration.
How do you manage commitments of 
business / family / relationships?
It’s not easy! Judy employed a nanny to help her with the running of the household and care of her children when they were younger. Her commitment to her children meant that in the early days she had a carry cot under her desk and took a baby to meetings with her! But she cites the need to accept a less conventional approach to the working day as the main secret of her success, often working well into the night to ensure a job gets done, but not at the expense of her family.
What have been the highs & lows?
Highs include the successful sale of the Scenic Blue network to Marshalls Plc in December 2006; Gold, Silver and Silver Gilt medals at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show; industry recognition in the guise of 13 BALI (British Association of Landscape Industries) awards / Horticulture Week’s Landscape Contractor of the Year award; witnessing the growth and success of Scenic Blue franchisees / Scenic Blue employees. Lows include enduring times when cash has been tight; recruitment of franchisees who are unable to achieve business success working with the Scenic Blue proposition.
What brought you into Franchising?
The way in which the NFU was structured provided Judy with a basic insight into the benefits of operating a franchise and it was during her employment with the organisation that she first hatched the plan to build her own network of landscape gardening franchisees.
Tell us a little about your franchise
Scenic Blue is the UK’s only landscape gardening franchise. It was established in 1997 and now has franchise territories covering the UK, trading under the Scenic Blue brand, each one delivering quality landscape design and construction direct to the customer. The company prides itself on its unrivalled commitment to offering a highly creative and enthusiastic service, balanced with the promise of unsurpassed professionalism and reliability.
The company boasts an award winning national garden design team who have won numerous accolades including a Gold medal at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Last year, the company was purchased by Marshalls Plc and is now a Marshalls Specialist Business. Marshalls is the headline sponsor for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and as such, Scenic Blue now plays a high profile role at the world’s most celebrated garden show.
How do you see franchising helping women into business?
Franchising offers women a more flexible way of working and the ideal opportunity to manage a successful business career balanced with family commitments. However, buying a franchise or setting up a franchisor business does not lessen the amount of hard work and commitment required to achieve success.
Hints & Tips for women thinking of starting a franchise
- Seek out advice from business colleagues who you respect and admire
- Invest time preparing a detailed business plan
- Set realistic goals / be honest with yourself about what you might be able to achieve
