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To mark International Women’s Day this year, we talked to one of our many successful female managers and franchise partners, Monika Hryn who, with her partner Alex Ifidon runs two thriving PACK & SEND centres in central London.
Monika has worked in retail management for more than 20 years. She and Alex decided to become PACK & SEND franchise partners after Alex had spent several years working in different branches across the south of England.
“It was Alex who brought the idea to the table,” says Monika, “and after long discussions, we realised there was a good opportunity.”
They opened their store in Hammersmith, West London, in October 2021 and following their success in this location they took the decision to branch out with a second store in January 2023 – this time in Central London’s busy Oxford Circus.
“What I like about being a PACK & SEND franchise partner is that it gives me the freedom to make my own decisions,” explains Monika.
That autonomy also brings with it responsibilities.
“The challenges of running a business never really stop. You come across different issues all the time. You just need to be very strategic and resolve them one by one as they come your way. You’ve got to be on high alert all the time and very agile in tackling each issue as it arises.”
One such challenge was the fact that the Hammersmith branch opened at the end of 2021, when individuals and businesses everywhere were reeling from the effects of the Covid pandemic.
“Despite this, we did have a good start, and a very successful 2022,” says Monika. “This inspiring performance gave us hope that we could replicate our success by opening a second store in Central London,” she says. In the event, this was more of a challenge than she and Alex had anticipated.
“Oxford Circus had a very different and difficult start. We didn’t expect it and we weren’t prepared for it. There was several factors involved – some of which we are still dealing with – but we are recovering now and doing better each month. Progress is steady.”
With both centres located in the midst of a cosmopolitan city, no two days are alike and the customer base isn’t clear-cut. “We have a varied customer mix,” says Monika. “Often we are dealing with individuals who want to ship personal effects and we also have a lot of customers shipping art and antiques.”
Acknowledging that it can be tough for women juggling careers and personal responsibilities, particularly in retail, Monika sometimes finds the work-life balance challenging:
“I am a full-time working mum with a young family (I have two children aged 6 and 8) and it’s sometimes it’s tough,” she says.
“I think the challenges will be different for other women depending on the stage of life they’re at and their responsibilities outside work. For me, planning ahead and putting contingency plans in place helps make full-time work possible.”
Monika’s advice to other female would-be entrepreneurs is to give it a go.
“If you like working in a fast-paced environment, are up for a challenge and relish problem solving, you will enjoy running a PACK & SEND centre as much as I do.”
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