Avni
Wallington, Surrey

Mobile: 07983 522166
Phone: 0208 669 1352
Email: avni.patel@silverdazeuk.com

Avni first discovered Silverdaze on a routine visit to the local library with her children. Enchanted by the "uniqueness" of the Jewellery Avni soon became a regular and loyal customer of Vicky's. A year later in August 2007 Avni made the decision to become a franchisee: "I just love the Jewellery and that's all there is to it!"

"If you believe in any product, you can sell it." That's what I truly believe! From a very early age I was always interested in the family business and desperate to get involved. By the age of seven I had talked my way into my father's shop and soon developed a strong sense of work ethic to the business. I don't think I could ever sit back and do nothing, my husband would prefer that I concentrated on the children and had plenty of leisure time, but that's just not me; I enjoy working. So much so, that when my husband bought his own Coffee Republic franchise, I was there helping him to set up the coffee bar. He now runs his own very successful franchise. After 25 years of working for a major high street bank, the latter 10 on a part-time basis, I decided in January 2009 to dedicate myself to my own franchise.

Shopping is my passion and perhaps for this reason being a Silverdazer doesn't feel like I'm working. I just enjoy my job so much and it doesn't interfere with my children. I'm able to drop the kids off and then go off and do a company sale or coffee morning. My husband is very supportive, so when I go out to do a party in the evenings he really appreciates being able to spend quality time with the children. On average I usually do about 2 events a week and always take July and August off to make the most of the summer with the kids. When I get very busy, extended members of my family are happy to step in and help. I think I'm a very lucky person!

I'm very outgoing and I like socializing and meeting people. I'm not in the business for the money I'm just passionate about the Jewellery and like to think that I am offering a valuable service to my customers. Let's face it, how many other companies go out and take their product to the customer? The more I go out and about the more regular events I get and the more I get to know people by name and find out about their lives in general. I feel like I've developed a real sense of community and this has led to my customers being very loyal to me. For example, when one of my customers is wearing Jewellery that is not Silverdaze, they almost feel like they have to apologise. "I bought it on holiday, but the quality is just not the same!"

Anything can happen in my job, you just never know what to expect! Once, not long after I'd started I did a corporate event in a large multi national company. My expectation was that this was going to be one of the best events I had ever done. I got there and the lifts weren't working. I had to lug all my Jewellery boxes up several flights of stairs. I was exhausted and at the end of the day I had made just £8...I felt like I was going to burst into tears! A few weeks later I did another sale at an office where they stuck me out in a corridor and supplied me with one small table. I only had enough space to display half my stock. As you can imagine I was at the end of my tether and about to give it all up, but guess what? I took £1,700 in just a couple of hours. Talk about going from one extreme to another. But then variety is the spice of life is it not?