Just a few months into a new business venture, Gbola Laoshe, has taken things to new heights – by moving to the Bedford Heights Business Centre.
Gbola bought the Driver Hire Bedford and Huntingdon franchise back in November. Before his most recent move to the Heights, Gbola has travelled a long way.
He’s originally from Nigeria, where he gained a Law degree. However he didn’t get the opportunity to practice due to family reasons instead had to run the family’s transport business for several years, before moving to the UK. Prior to buying his Driver Hire franchise, Gbola was a consultant working in IT, most recently for Lloyds Bank on a regulatory development programme.
“I come from a family of entrepreneurs and have always liked the idea of running my own business. Of course franchising offers a less risky route into self-employment, says Gbola. “I came across Driver Hire whilst researching a number of other potential franchises.”
Initially, Gbola was working from temporary premises at Driver Hire Northampton. “Obviously I want to be on the spot for both customers and candidates, so moving to Bedford has always been my plan. My new base at Bedford Heights is perfect. It’s a thriving commercial hub with businesses ranging from start-ups to established companies. I want to ensure that local people looking for work in Bedford and Huntingdon, can access our services easily. My new offices provide a warm and welcoming space for customers and drivers, with easy access to conference rooms for business meetings and a quiet area for one-to-one candidate registrations.”
“My move has given me added drive and motivation to develop great customer relationships. I’m really looking forward to growing the business here in Bedford and Huntingdon,” Gbola continues. “Driver Hire offers clients a unique and hard to match combination – a local owner-operated business with the back-up and strength of an established national company. Success is all about treating customers so well they won’t want to go elsewhere.”
A recruitment company, Driver Hire is the UK’s largest specialist supplier of temporary and permanent drivers and other logistics staff to the road transport industry. Established for nearly 40 years, it has a nationwide network of similarly franchised offices covering the whole of the UK.
If one of Driver Hire Bedford’s customers is short of staff – perhaps because of illness, holidays or seasonal demand – Gbola will supply them with a suitable replacement.