Mike's Experience

Why did I join LCF Clubs?

Basically, I have always loved France, ever since my first school trip there as a young boy and some fantastic summers camping in the south of france as a 17-20 year old with all my mates!

I had it in mind that I would become a school teacherm however my career took me down a very different path, first with the civil cervice and then with a bank. I had a fantastic time at the bank, however the money was not that brilliant and all of my old friends had very good, well paid professional careers.

One evening, whilst looking through the job adverts, I noticed the Club Français advert asking for Club Français teachers or Organisers - it appealed to me immediately as I had always wanted to be a teacher, loved France and was a very organised person.

I applied to join and John Ellis came to see me - I was immediately impressed especially by his nice big car! I decided that in view of the fact I was working full time I would join the organisation on a very low key small scale, almost like a hobbie.

I approached my old Primary school first of all and could not believe when one of the teachers was still there!! Anyway, I explained who I was, all about Le Club Français and the fact that I used to go to the school (pulling on the heart strings!). They liked what they saw and agreed to allow me to distribute a mailshot. The response was amazing - over 50 replies, 4 clubs instantly - I could not believe it! The start had to be delayed whilst I searched for and employed some teachers and once in place I got my calculator out to work out the profit - wow what a great start I thought!!

I continued to approach a couple of schools at a time having about a one in three success and using the teachers I had already employed to take the lessons. Very quickly numbers grew, I was working all day at the bank and until midnight on LCF to keep up with the admin work and was earning a nice little income - but something had to give.

I applied to work part time at the bank (m ornings only) so I could spend more time developing the language business which worked perfectly - leaving work at 1.00pm then working on Le Club Français. The only problem was working part time the bank meant that progression would be very limited so a decision had to be made - develop Le Club Français or develop my career at the bank.

In May 2002 I took the biggest decision ever, having two children ages 2 and 6, no savings and my wife only bringing home a limited monthly income, I resigned from the security of the bank and decided to 'go for it' in a big way with LCF.

To be honest, lots of people thought I was crazy. Still I thought with envy of all my mates with their nice cars, great income and lovely houses and (knowing that money isn't everything) asked myself why I was not in their position even though I did better at school. It must be down to ambition and suddenly knowing my nice regular income from the bank had ceased, ambition and drve would now determine the development and income from Le Club Français.

I did not look back - marketing all the time, visiting schools, phoning schools - lots of new clubs starting and the business went from strength to strength. We now have a fantastic business teaching after school and lunch time French and Spanish clubs plus in-school curriculum French and Spanish in a number of schools and we will soon be starting an adult Spanish club for the National Health Service.

I am very very busy all the time but you cannot beat the flexibility - I am always there for my children at school to watch Sports days, assemblies, etc, we can holiday when we want to for as long as we want to and I never miss any of my beloved football matches - I could never have had this life without Le CFrançais.

Although I did not get my big house, Le Club Français has enabled me to have lots of wonderful exotic family holidays, send our two children to private school and generally have a very good life so to anyone who is thinking about joining or who is unsure, I would say 'GO FOR IT !!

Mike Meacham

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