Owning a franchise had never really been on the agenda for Jackie and Shaun Astill, until they came across the Paleo Cafe brand in April last year. 

Six months later in October 2013, the husband and wife team opened their first franchise in the Brisbane suburb of Paddington.

“It [franchising] was not even on our radar. In fact the birth of our second child was the ‘next big moment’ we were anticipating for our family,” says Jackie.

“It all happened so quickly and evolved so naturally from the moment I walked into the original Paleo Cafe in Cairns in April 2013.”

When she visited the Cairns store, Jackie was informed the concept had just started to franchise, yet thought the prospect of owning her own business was out of reach.

“I took a flyer from her [franchisor Marlies Hobbes] only to be polite because I knew we certainly could not afford one and I was heavily pregnant at the time. Who would have thought that we would be opening our own cafe that same year!”

Jackie and Shaun were eventually able to realise their dream of owning a Pale Cafe ranchise with help from family.

“It was all perfect timing for us. Our family was given access to money that was going to be used to buy property, but when the opportunity to buy a Paleo Cafe franchise became available, we opted to seek further information into doing so,” she says.

The pair is well versed in the Paleo lifestyle, and were confident the franchise would prove successful in Brisbane as it offered a point of difference.

“After we met the franchisors and learned more information relating to the structure of the business model, we were certain that this was the brand for us,” Jackie explains.

Jackie was impressed with the quality of initial training offered by the Paleo Cafe team, and says the franchisor support is ongoing.

“As well as receiving a detailed operations manual and onsite training, the ongoing support has been amazing. 

“Like any new business, with so much information to absorb, it can be overwhelming and much can be forgotten. I believe that this aspect of it is unavoidable but the reassurance of the support is why we are going so strong. There is such a positive acceptance of our brand in the community hence why we are constantly kicking butt,” she adds.

Jackie loves working with her husband Shaun, and their skill sets complement one another perfectly.

“We work very well together as both have brilliant talents, on opposite ends of the spectrum. My talent lies in customer service and hospitality, whereas my husband is very knowledgeable in the human resources side of things.

“My role is to manage the everyday running of the business as well as setting up operational systems. My husband works full time at another job and helps out our business when I need him to,” she says.

As a mum with two young children, how does Jackie balance her work and personal commitments?

“It all comes down to perception,” she says. When I am at work, I am at work. When I am at home with my family, I am at home with my family. 

“We have a six month old daughter and three year old son. Initially it was tough to not mix the work and home life but as the months have gone by we have come to realise the value in separating the two. We have amazing family support which is a huge contribution as to why this works so well.”

Jackie aims to eventually move away from the day-to-day operation of the business and instead focus on how she can continue to improve and develop it.

“We see ourselves branching out and opening another Paleo Cafe. We would like our businesses to be self-managed.”

In addition, she has personal ambitions for 2014. “A big goal for us this year would be to go on an overseas family holiday.”

Images: paleo-cafe.com.au