Alan Franks considers himself a lucky business owner. Firstly, he makes money. And secondly, he gets to tap into the wisdom of his counterparts on a daily basis.

For the past six years Alan has owned and operated a Bedshed franchise in Mornington, Victoria in partnership with his son Elton.

At 62, Alan has a wealth of retailing experience, having worked for a large electrical retailer before making his way into the furniture and bedding sector. He is also a former owner of a stand-alone furniture business, which by his own admission, "was very hard going".

"As a stand-alone, you don't have the benefit of a well-known brand, you don't have the buying power you get as a franchisee and you certainly don't have access to national marketing support. But you get all of that with a Bedshed franchise, and that's why I came on board," he says.

With contacts in the bedding business, including some who owned their own Bedshed franchises, Alan was confident his Bedshed venture would be profitable.

"I've also been around long enough to know hard work is an essential ingredient to making money.  I'm not an investor, but rather a very active and involved business owner," says Franks.  "And I've found as long as we put in the effort, we certainly reap the reward."

Franks says that while Bedshed appeared to be the new kid on the block, the company was clearly growing and that offered a good opportunity to get in on the ground floor.

"Being a nimble business, it also has the ability to make fast decisions and change direction quickly. The result is a much more effective and efficient business which meets franchisees' and our customers' needs," he says.

Bedshed's democratic structure also gives franchisees the opportunity to have their say, according to Franks.

The company's import program, for example, encourages franchisees to participate in overseas buying trips.

"We get to be part of the decision making, which is crucial when you're the one talking to customers about their needs on a daily basis," he says.

Alan and his franchisee counterparts also benefit from centralised marketing support and the ongoing advice and expertise of Bedshed's management team.

"They're always on hand to advise on store layouts and help us brainstorm ideas. I run my own show but good, practical help is always on tap," he says.

According to Alan, running the business in partnership with his son means he can balance work and lifestyle very effectively. "I usually work a 40 hour week and I can take good chunks of time off when I want to," he says.

"It's a good partnership because Elton and I share the key attributes required to run a successful franchise. We have people skills and passion combined with a willingness and ability to learn and that's why I think we do so well."