Jacob Standen runs the Portsmouth ComputerXplorers franchise. At 24, he’s a young business owner who is pleased to have “grabbed the opportunity to shift gears and sit on the other side of the fence”. 

Jacob hadn’t long graduated from university when the opportunity to buy the franchise he had been working for came up.   

“It was the excitement of doing something new — something that wasn’t a clear-cut path but offered real potential,” Jacob says about his decision to buy.  

The History and Medieval World graduate had no previous experience running a business, but he was more than familiar with the ComputerXplorers brand, its values, and work of bringing fun computing classes to kids. Values and a vision Jacob strongly identifies with. 

Jacob’s franchising journey began even before he graduated, back in 2020. He started out delivering ComputersXplorers classes as a teacher for Stuart Hartley, the company’s current CEO, who was a franchisee for Southampton at that time. 

“It gave me great insight into the day-to-day operations and the impact we had on young learners who need those skills for jobs that don’t even exist yet! In 2021, when the Southampton franchise owner bought the overall brand, I began working more closely with the CEO. That relationship gave me a deeper understanding of the business as a whole, and when the opportunity came up to take on the Portsmouth area, I felt ready to step up and take ownership of something myself.” 

Jacob’s experience in the classroom meant he had total confidence in his ability to deliver educational and engaging lessons consistently. But he knew there were operational aspects he needed to learn. For which, he was grateful to have the support of the franchise, HQ team and official partners.  

“The financial side of running a business was something I hadn’t had much experience with, so that was a big learning curve. Understanding cash flow, accounts, and financial planning took time. At first, the terminology alone was overwhelming, but I learned not to be afraid to ask for help. Our franchise partnership with Elevate Accountancy has come in useful – having experts I can call for advice makes a big difference. The key is having the confidence to admit what you don’t know and being open to learning it. That’s when things really start to click.” 

Since stepping up, Jacob has leaned further into the franchisee network. He makes time for regular catch-ups and ideas sharing with neighbouring franchisees. He also represented ComputerXplorers at the BFA Conference, where he was able to offer his perspective as a franchise owner who’s come up through the ranks. 

The teacher-turned-owner is also passionate about and proud of building long-term relationships with local schools. Every new after-school club Jacob has launched has also sold out. This led to Jacob bringing on board his first full-time instructor, a significant milestone. 

“My experience delivering classes helped to build my confidence to lead other people in doing that and to give people the confidence to do it themselves.” 

As the franchise continues to grow, Jacob explains his focus is on consistently working on new ways to evolve classes, always putting the learning experience and relationships at the heart of his plans. 

“Above anything, the children need to be having a good time, and we also make time to make sure that all of our teachers and all the people we work with, the adults, are happy as well.”. 

On a personal level, while Jacob didn’t initially plan to become a business owner in his twenties, he appreciates the control it has given him over his work-life balance. He’s also enjoying being the driving force behind his success and working towards a clear vision.  

“My goal for the future is to have an even bigger impact on the city.” 

For other employees who are perhaps also considering stepping over to the other side of the fence, Jacob shares this advice: 

“Commit to it. Don’t underestimate where you are now — entry-level roles are the best place to build experience. Show up consistently, stay curious, and keep pushing yourself.” 

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