With a checklist in hand, one Willington man searched for two years, drove the length and breadth of the Britain and relocated his family to find his perfect store.
An ‘unintentional’ Post Office owner is celebrating a successful first year and offering advice to anyone else thinking of buying their own business.Raj Nagubadi bought the Londis store in Willington last year.
He never planned on buying a Post Office but the shop was the first one in a two-year search which ticked every box on his checklist.
One year on, the shop is thriving and Raj is enjoying being part of a strong community.
“The really good thing was we didn’t lose any customers when we bought the store even though the previous owners had been here for 20 years,” said the 41-year-old.
“They like us and they like the store which has a long history in the area. We are blessed to have such loyal customers.”
However, getting to this stage hasn’t been easy.
Raj was living in London when he started his search for the perfect shop to buy.
His search took him two years and put 40,000 miles on the clock of his car but eventually, with the help of Ernest Wilson, the leading agent for businesses for sale in the UK, he found what he was looking for.
The hard work, however, was just beginning.
Raj had to relocate with his wife and two children to take on the shop and then learn how to run his own business.
“It was a really tough time for the first two to three weeks but we were able to cope,” he said.
“We were working really long hours – 6am to 10pm most days. It is just very hard work and even if you have experience in the business and know the products, running your own business is completely different.”
Now, the family’s dedication has paid off and they are celebrating a profitable first year.
So what advice would Raj offer to anyone else thinking of buying a business?
“You need to think about whether you have the skills to take the business to the next level,” he said.
“Be willing to relocate to find the best possible business and make a tick-box list of your 10 top priorities and stick to it.
“I didn’t compromise on my list at all – you have to get it right otherwise you will lose money.”
Raj also said he would recommend Ernest Wilson to anyone looking to buy a business.
“They were very helpful and always responded so quickly to any questions I had,” he said.
“Ernest Wilson is definitely the best place to go to choose a business.”
Ernest Wilson is helping people in Sunderland fulfill their dreams of becoming their own boss and buying a business with Post Offices and convenience stores on the market now.
Ernest Wilson offers free one-to-one consultations where buyers can discuss their requirements and tailor their search to find the right opportunity for them.
For more information on how Ernest Wilson could help you find the right business visit www.ernest-wilson.co.uk.
