Franchise World | Autumn 2023

Bridging performing arts and franchise potential through work experience

Andy Knights, chief executive of Stagecoach Performing Arts, delves into the significance of exposing young minds to the world of franchising and the crucial role employers play in providing valuable work experience

10

Creating an effective operations manual

While numerous books have explored franchising a business or selecting a franchise, there has been a notable gap – until now The definitive guide on the operations manual, the most significant tool after the franchise agreement, has finally arrived

12

Why do we love pets but cautious about investing in a pet care franchise?

Kevin Thackrah, director of Petpals, provides a fresh perspective to debunk common myths to encourage pet lovers to consider investing in a pet care franchise

20

Creams Café announces nationwide franchise agreement with Tesco Cafés

This new partnership will see Creams opening within Tesco Cafés as shop-inshop spaces, a first for both brands

21

Sustaintable auditing with Stockcheck and its sister, Stocktake UK

Hospitality stock auditing has never been in more demand as businesses are looking to maximise profitability –a sector that could suit franchisees looking for a more balanced work, family and lifestyle

23

Franchise World magazine

Britain’s longest-established franchise magazine, founded in 1978, covers franchising from the perspective of the two parties – franchisees and franchisors, both prospective and existing.

© 1978 - 2023 Franchise World

Franchise World ISSN 0144-0543

Autumn 2023 - No 238

Readers should seek advice from a qualif ied accountant and solicitor before parting with money, or entering into f inancial or contractual commitments Information in the magazine is provided in the main by franchisors/advisors and readers should not rely upon it without having personally verif ied it at source The publisher does not

Paris Baguette is a rising player in the UK market

Since its debut in the UK, Paris Baguette’s French-inspired menu has proven to be a compelling draw for customers For aspiring entrepreneurs, it also offers a compelling opportunity to be part of a dynamic and innovative brand

29

Manjit triples turnover with One Stop

One Stop franchisee, Manjit Gill, who switched his two stores to the wellknown convenience retailer, says his biggest regret is that he should have made the transition a decade ago having now tripled his turnover

31

Body Fit Training sees milestones and momentum fuelling success

The Australian fitness franchise reports impressive growth as it celebrates the launch of its 250th fitness studio, expanded its footprint into Hong Kong and welcomed three new Londonbased franchisees

32

Editorial Nick Riding nick@franchiseworld co uk

Advertising Jane Eyles info@franchiseworld co uk

Franchise World, Highlands House, 165 The Broadway, Wimbledon, London SW19 1NE info@franchiseworld co uk www franchiseworld co uk

make any representation about the viability or otherwise of the franchises, or advisers, mentioned and does not accept any responsibility, or give any war ranty, representation or assurance that statements, conclusions and opinions expressed or implied are accurate or valid

Page 39

Franchise director leads by example with Caremark franchise investment

Mark Thompson chose to becoming a franchisee of Caremark, after two years recruiting others to join the home care provider

34

Ovenu obser vations and traits from conference

Following the Ovenu annual conference this year, our invited guests made some very prudent and interesting observations about the franchise network as a whole reports, its founder, Rik Hellewell.

37

The National Franchise Exhibition

The UK’s flagship two-day franchise event, supported by the BFA, offers an inspiring line-up of franchise brands and presentations to kick-start your entrepreneurial ambition

39

NIC Ser vices sponsors the BFA’s National Franchise Sur vey 2024

The BFA has announced the launch of its latest national franchise survey and for the first time it is sponsored by a franchisor, NIC Services, the provider of commercial cleaning services

42

Tappy Toes expands its award winning franchise to Dubai

The pre-school children’s activity provider, Tappy Toes, launches in Dubai. It’s sessions follow the UK early years foundation stage framework that focuses on supporting child development through class activities

43

Page 47

ADVISORY ARTICLES

How franchising works: the two sides of the stor y

The final part of this series, looks at franchising from the franchisee’s perspective

By Cathryn Hayes, franchise director,

Revive! Auto Innovations 17

Approaching the bank for finance

Investing in a franchise can be an exciting step but many people find it difficult to approach a bank for finance This article will help you to approach a bank in a confident way

By Gillian Morris, UK head of franchise, HSBC UK

25

‘Key tensions within the franchisor/franchisee relationship’

The recent BBC investigation into alleged working practices at McDonald’s, highlights some key tensions in the franchise relationship. In the light of the allegation franchisors should review employment structures of their franchisees

How to successfully expand your franchise

The role of a franchise accountant and broker offer a winning combo of financial smarts and strategic insights to successful expansion advises d&t

By Jack Hayes, franchisor relationship manager, d&t 51

Building brand awareness and measuring success

Brand awareness in your market sector is paramount to success But when “awareness” is so intangible, how do you find a metric to measure success?

By Chelsea Smith, content writer, Mayfly Inter net Marketing 53

Q&A to put you on the right track to buying a franchise

The fundamental issues of franchising. By

Nick Riding,

editor, Franchise World 56

By Gordon Drakes,

partner, Fieldfisher 27

Creative solutions for franchise resales amidst shifting interest rates

As UK interest rates influence borrowing costs and financial feasibility of a business, franchise buyers and sellers are finding themselves in a situation that calls for innovative solutions, such as deferred payments

By Michael Bohan, managing director,

Franchise

47

Resales

BECOmE aN EXPLORER

✓ Fully Flexible, work from home

✓ Part of the largest independent travel agency in the UK

✓

Low overheads, high profits

✓ Star t from just £4 ,995*

✓ ABTA/ATOL Protected

✓ No experience needed, full suppor t and training

FRAN C AN HISE SE OFF R, S , SAVE UP T £2

E O 000

Find us on Facebook or explorer travel.co.uk

EXPLORER fRANCHISE

together with H AYS T R AV E L

Start a travel franchise with Explorer Travel together with Hays Travel

Explorer Travel opened our doors in 2005 as the f irst online travel franchise in the UK with just one goal, to provide an affordable and flexible solution for aspiring entrepreneurs wanting to star t their own travel businesses and enjoy the ultimate work/life balance

We provide ever ything that you need to establish a prof itable business from ABTA bonding, to websites to back off ice systems and much more

If you’ve ever dreamed of a career in travel or r unning a successful business from home, but have never taken the plunge, then now you can do both with no experience required Your passion for travel and your dedication to making dreams come tr ue will be the most impor tant factor for your future success.

Although we do not require any off icial travel experience, we do look for people that have some customer ser vice or sales backg round or are comfor table speaking to potential clients This is a business that is rewarding on many fronts but that passion will be the biggest skill set you will have and use

As we are online, your location is not impor tant and this is a tr uly flexible business that can be operated from anywhere

We are the only travel franchise to be owned by Hays Travel, the largest independent travel agency in the UK and today we have over 100 home-based franchisees operating their own ABTA bonded agencies

Becoming an Explorer Travel franchisee gives you the flexibility and freedom to live the life you want, while managing your own successful travel business from your home

All of our franchisees ear n high commissions and enjoy exclusive industr y perks, including free overseas trips, holidays at heavily discounted rates, booking incentives and places on various travel events through the year. ➥

TRAVEL FRANCHISE

What is included?

We offer two bespoke packages dependant on your strategy and requirements

Both packages come with a whole host of features including the ability to book ever ything from cr uises to rail trips, ski and winter spor t breaks, adventure and escor ted tours, hotels, villas and apar tments, UK cottages and coach trips, car hire and transfers, city breaks and much much more

You will have access to over 400 trade suppliers so if you have a client that wants a Disneyland U S holiday or a safari in Kenya we have product for you to sell

We will also provide you with your bespoke website and the ability to trade with your own name if you should wish Alter natively, you can utilise our already established Explorer Travel Holidays brand.

We offer leading technology when it comes to our back off ice systems and you will be selling travel that is f inancially protected for your clients.

Training and support

This is where we come into our own under the Hays Travel Ltd. umbrella.

You will initially embark on a f ive day induction training course delivered by a dedicated training depar tment This depar tment lives and breathes travel and they will impar t as much knowledge as they can over this initial period

You will lear n how to use our systems, how our booking processes work, the supplier we work with, marketing strategies, social media and most impor tantly, how we make money and g row your databases

Once you have completed our induction training course you are good to go booking travel for your clients but the training and suppor t does not stop there You will have a dedicated Business Development Suppor t Team (BD) of four people who are in place specif ically to suppor t your franchise You will be on a six week mentoring scheme following

the initial course and our whole aim is to get those bookings flowing and your business off the g round

We also have a whole host of training modules and videos, training events that you can attend (optional) as well as the ability to book specif ic help sessions with your BD team Whether you need help attracting new clients, assistance with your social media platfor ms, you would like to add content to your website or would like a business review, you can book these in at a time to suit

We work hard to ensure you g row with us and establish a prof itable and sustainable business for years to come And best of all, some of our top ear ners operate this business around other commitments or lifestyle plans

Franchise fees

Our packages star t from £5,995 plus VAT and we can help with f inancial suppor t if required Along with your initial franchise fee, if you are doing this as your main income, you will need working capital for at least six months due to the way in which travel bookings are generated

However, you will have all the tools and suppor t you need to recoup your initial investment within 6-12 months dependant on your strategy, motivation and dedication to your new venture

Your monthly management fees will be £99 which includes your system licence fees, indemnity insurance, hosting fees and much more This business is all about low overheads so there are no other costs charged from our end.

Why choose Explorer Travel?

We honestly believe that we can offer you the best overall travel franchise in the UK With the backing of Hays Travel, the investment in technology and the overall ability to suppor t our franchisees on a daily basis, we are conf ident we have the best platfor m for your success now and in the future

Being owned by the largest independent travel agency in the countr y gives us access to some of the best commercial deals with our trade par tners We also get

“I love being an Explorer as I am my own boss, learning about the world and being around for my children as they grow up ” Bernie T

“Joining Explorer Travel 14 years ago was the best decision I ever made I am able to do a job I love so much, for a company that I am so passionate about, with people that are like my family I have a great work/life balance, which enables me to be a mother to my son and work school hours Thank you Explorer Travel for everything ” Vicky W

“With a great support from the management team, exclusive agency offers and discounts, training programmes and roadshows, it’s easy to be an Explorer ” Agne S

“Since buying my franchise in 2012 it has been hard work but it has paid off and I now have a thriving business However, I couldn’t have done it without the amazing help, support and at times humour from our marvellous Admin girls Veritable founts of knowledge and always ready to assist. ” Jane W

Click here to view our video testimonials

access to exclusive holidays and travel products and don’t forget, that brand value that clients recognise and tr ust

On top of that we are all about flexibility

Your work/life balance is impor tant and this is a business that can be operated around your cur rent commitments and lifestyle Whether you are operating on a par t-time basis or looking to go all in, we can 100 per cent guarantee you will be suppor ted through your jour ney

And there is no better time to join Business is booming and our franchisees are more in demand than they ever have been

Come along to one of our online Discover y sessions to f ind out more n

imagine@explorertravel.co.uk

https://explorertravel.co.uk

Don’t take our word for it, hear from some of our existing franchisees.

Pvovle partners with Jennifer Aniston

Pvolve, the omni-channel f itness franchise, repor ts that its f irst global adver tising campaign features its brand par tner, Jennifer Aniston, the wellknown actress

The campaign ‘A Strength That Sets You Free’ highlights Pvovle’s unique f itness method redef ining what strong means, looks and feels like, from the sculpted results members see to an enhanced mind-body connection that they benef it from

Rachel Katzman, founder of Pvolve, said: “We’ve been anticipating the launch of our global campaign and are incredibly proud to share it today with consumers ever ywhere. This campaign emulates the strength people get when they engage in the transfor mational Pvolve method that is all-encompassing, empowering, enduring and freeing, not matter your f itness level or age ”

Aniston joined Pvolve originally as a member in 2021 before par tnering with the brand this year She comments: “I hope ever yone tries it and experiences f irsthand how incredible your mind and body will feel working out in this way. No matter your f itness level, you can

star t where you are I think you’re gonna love it!”

Pvolve explained that its differentiated functional f itness method, along with its patented and proprietar y equipment, delivers a different kind of strength, rooted in a deeper understanding of the biomechanics of the body

The company adds that the benef its of its modality can include improved overall

strength, coordination, mobility, balance, better postural alignment and movement longevity By adding resistance training through its proprietar y equipment, Pvolve’s method also helps to improve muscle tone, muscle endurance and overall musculoskeletal health – from head to toe

Pvolve members can join live and ondemand classes or attend in person at any of its cor porate or franchise studios, giving members flexible and convenient classes at a time that suits them n

www.pvolvefranchise.com

Bridging performing arts and franchise potential through work experience

Franchising provides a pathway for young people to explore exciting career oppor tunities, whether as a franchisee or an employee. Understanding the potential of this business model early on can shape the future prospects of students, making them well equipped for success in the ever-evolving job market

Andy Knights (left), chief executive of Stagecoach Perfor ming Ar ts, delves into the signif icance of exposing young minds to the world of franchising and the cr ucial role employers play in providing valuable work experience

Many young people today have heard about franchising but often lack a comprehensive understanding of it By offering hands-on experience within a franchise, work placements provide invaluable insights into the inner

workings of the business-for mat franchising model

At Stagecoach, we r un a prog ramme for work experience placements, which has already welcomed three par ticipants this summer, including two Stagecoach Perfor ming Ar ts students.

Stagecoach student, Eva, who attends the Godalming school, is among those who par ticipated in work experience at our head off ice this summer During her placement, she had the oppor tunity to engage with various teams including education, events, HR, franchise recr uitment and marketing

“I’ve been a Stagecoach student for 11 years, driven by my love for the perfor ming ar ts,” said Eva “I decided to

do my work experience at head off ice to lear n about what happens behind the scenes, beyond just the perfor mances

“I’ve heard about franchising before but never really understood what it meant until I got this hands-on experience Now, having spent time here, I’ve gained a clearer picture of how the franchising system works, connecting the dots between the business aspects and the creative magic that happens on stage.”

Given the outgoing nature of many of our students, it is no sur prise that depar tments like events management and marketing became clear favourites at head off ice

Chelsea, a student from Stagecoach Far nham on her work experience

I’ve heard about franchising before but never really understood what it meant until I got this hands-on experience Now, having spent time here, I’ve gained a clearer picture of how the franchising system works, connecting the dots between the business aspects and the creative magic that happens on stage.

placement, comments: “If I were to work in a Stagecoach school, I think I’d like to be a drama or singing teacher for Fur ther and Main Stages students

“However, after getting a glimpse of how the specif ic teams handle marketing and events management, I’m intrigued by the idea of working in a head off ice setting,” adds Chelsea.

‘Strong bonds’

At Stagecoach, we take pride in witnessing the g rowth of our students into teachers, managers, and even Principals, exemplifying our commitment to their development The fact their children often follow in their footsteps and become Stagecoach students fur ther emphasises the strong bonds and lasting impact of our educational prog rammes

This jour ney from student to Principal ser ves as a testament to how we not only nur ture perfor ming ar ts skills in our students but also showcase the potential of our franchise oppor tunity as a viable career option for their future

One alumni who has experienced the jour ney from student to Principal is Catherine Tracey, franchisee at Stagecoach Horsham From experiencing the fun and friendly classes as a teenager to witnessing f irst-hand as

a teacher the tried-and-tested business model that suppor ts its Principals, it was always going to be Stagecoach for Catherine:

“When I looked into taking my love of teaching to the next level, I considered star ting up my own business or investing in other brands that offer similar oppor tunities Stagecoach was the only one I pursued because after looking at all my options, it was clear that it was the most solid and reliable

“I also knew other franchisees who were making a living from it, so I knew it was possible It’s also so popular Stagecoach has so much histor y, and there will always be an appetite for activities that develop children’s conf idence I knew my business would stand the test of time ”

Through our commitment to providing

work experience placements and by highlighting the inspiring student-toPrincipal jour ney, Stagecoach prides itself on actively encouraging young people to consider franchising as a fulf illing and promising career path

By offering invaluable hands-on experience and sharing the success stories of our for mer students who have evolved into accomplished teachers, managers and Principals, we aim to provide a clear understanding of the benef its and oppor tunities that franchising can offer.

Our commitment to nur turing this connection between education and entrepreneurship strives to shape a new generation of aspiring franchisees and Principals poised to make their mark in this dynamic industr y n

https://stagecoachfranchise.com

When I looked into taking my love of teaching to the next level, I considered starting up my own business or investing in other brands that offer similar opportunities Stagecoach was the only one I pursued because after looking at all my options, it was clear that it was the most solid and reliable.

Creating an effective operations manual

Crafting a meticulously written operations manual empowers franchisees to thrive and expand their businesses. It equips them with the knowledge, guidance, and suppor t necessar y for success

Yet, to tr uly capture the essence of your business system and foster engagement among your franchise teams, it’s time to revolutionise your approach to planning and creating this invaluable resource.

In today’s digital landscape, people g ravitate towards content from their peers rather than traditional cor porate sources This shift is driven by relatability, authenticity, and tr ust With declining tr ust in businesses and an increasing reliance on peers, peer-to-peer engagement has become paramount

This is principally magnif ied among younger generations, such as Millennials and Gen Z, who consume shor t-for m video content heavily They are the YouTube, Instag ram, and TikTok generations

To effectively attract and retain these younger generations, it is cr ucial to cater to their shor ter attention spans and prioritise peer-to-peer engagement By adopting this approach, franchises can position themselves as desirable options, appealing to the preferences of these emerging demog raphics

While numerous books have explored franchising a business or selecting a franchise, there has been a notable gap –until now The def initive guide on the operations manual, the most signif icant tool after the franchise ag reement, has f inally ar rived

Penny Hopkinson, the author of Manual Magic: Create the Operations Manual

Your Franchisees Need to Succeed, shares a unique approach honed through 35 years of direct collaboration with SMEs, multinationals, and social

enter prises This g roundbreaking book unveils the precise strategies for str ucturing your manual, identifying cr ucial content, and aligning it with the franchise ag reement’s ter ms and conditions

Hopkinson dispels the misconception that procedure manuals must be dr y, cumbersome texts nobody reads She reveals how you can cultivate an engaging knowledge-sharing environment, empowering all team members to par ticipate, lear n, and g row actively This approach is scalable as your franchise continues to evolve and expand

The M-A-G-I-C

These MAGIC principles hold the key to unlocking success and prosperity through a practical and effective operations manual:

Mastering the business system

Achieving consistent brand standards

Generating prof its

Implementing best practices

Complying with business processes and policies

Penny Hopkinson founded Manual Writers International in 1987 – a consultancy dedicated to planning, structuring and creating engaging operational content In 1989 she was invited to join the British Franchise Association (BFA) as an Affiliate Professional Advisor to set an operations manual gold standard for members

Since then, Hopkinson has created hundreds of operations manuals and in 2011, she was awarded a Companion of the BFA in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the development of franchising in the UK manualw@aol com www manual-writers com

Within the pages of Manual Magic, you will discover how to:

● Capture the essence of your business system, ensuring effective replication across your franchisee network

● Develop precise and eff icient Standard Operating Procedures for all core processes

● Streamline operations, reduce er rors, boost productivity, and deliver a seamless brand experience to your customers

● Cultivate a lear ning-centric environment through cutting-edge tools and techniques

Prepare to be immersed in the world of Patisserie Pénélope, where the magic of stor ytelling and the practicality of resourcefulness converge. Chapter 5 utilises this f ictional brand to illustrate Manual Magic’s central theme

But that’s not all. By scanning a QR code, Hopkinson g rants readers access to her Manual Magic Library, a treasure trove of tools and resources Here you’ll discover case studies that offer a glimpse into other franchisors’ challenges and triumphs, providing valuable lessons that can be applied to creating an operations manual. n

Manual Magic: Create the Operations Manual Your Franchisees Need to Succeed will be available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback for mats from 3rd October Follow Penny Hopkinson on linkedin com/in/pennyhopkinson or sign up to be notif ied about the Amazon Best Seller Campaign dates on the author’s website:

www pennyhopkinson com

‘Discover Your Tomorrow’ with the BFA

“

AS the largest and oldest franchise association in the UK, we have spent the past 45 years establishing and maintaining the highest standards in franchising Fast forward to 2023 and in January we were proud to unveil our brand-new look to our members and the public, reinforcing our position as the ‘go-to’ hub of franchising in the country

Our organisation is diverse, inclusive, ambitious, and confident Not only do we have over 300 franchise brands that have met the required standards to attain membership, but we are also central to the education of the franchise community in the UK through our Academy and our QFP qualification Every month we host educational events be they online for all members to attend or one-to-one with members, helping them to expand and grow in an ethical, sustainable, professional way

Our thirst for knowledge and pursuit of excellence is stronger than ever and we are proud of the association we are today

Whilst some of you may already be members, others may not be, and to you we would say, welcome, come and check us out, we are here for the good of all franchising in the UK and we’d love to have you on board to support you in your franchising journey

Some of the benefits of being a member of the BFA include credibility and trust as our membership signifies you adhere to our strict code of ethics and professional standards, access to resources, including industry trend analysis, guidance and franchise support, networking opportunities at our various events throughout the year and educational programmes to help develop essential skills.

Plus, legal and regulatory support both from us and our legal advisors, promotion and exposure through our PR and digital marketing channels, advocacy and representation, professional development through our QFP qualification, industry recognition amongst your peers in franchising and support for growth from our experienced team

Over the next couple of pages, we’ll be looking at some important news from the BFA and highlighting a few lesser known areas of BFA membership By the end, we hope you’ll have a better understanding of who the BFA is and what we do and, if you are interested in joining us, franchisor, franchisee, advisor or supplier, we’d invite you to visit our website www thebfa org or contact our membership team to find out more

Pip Wilkins Chief Executive Officer, British Franchise Association

The BFA in numbers

115 – Established Members

129 – Expanding Members

52 – Emerging Members

15 – Inter national Members

87 – Advisor Members

35 – Supplier Members

1,181 – Franchisee Members

26 – Events we put on each year (average)

16 – QFP training modules we r un each year (average)

14 – Staff who work for the BFA (plus four outsourced positions)

303 – People who attended our 2022 annual conference

446 – People who attended our 2022 our annual awards

180 – Women who attended our 2022 EWIB event

What is the role of the BFA?

The British Franchise Association (BFA) was for med 45 years ago in 1977 by a g roup of the largest franchisors in the countr y After a series of actions by disreputable franchisors, the g roup decided it was time to set the standards in British franchising and restore its reputation They for med a board and drafted a code of ethics that sat alongside the European Code of Franchising.

For the past 45 years, the association has existed to lead the charge and influence change in UK franchising whilst also showcasing the oppor tunities for businesses and individuals to transfor m their lives, no matter what their backg round or star ting point was. The core aim being to promote high-quality ethical business-for mat franchising

The BFA rebrand

In 2023 the association went through a major rebrand It was felt that, after six years of Pip Wilkins, Chief Executive Off icer, at the helm, much had changed

BRITISH FRANCHISE ASSOCIATION

inter nally to moder nise the association, making it more diverse and inclusive, but that may not have been communicated to the outside world.

The aim of the rebrand was to communicate those changes and to create an association f it for pur pose in 2023 The rebrand included a new website and a renaming of the membership categories It also gave us a chance to redef ine our pur pose, vision, and mission

● Our Brand Purpose – To empower people to make a positive impact on the world around them.

● Our Brand Vision – To establish ourselves as the hub for franchising in the UK

● Our Brand Mission – To provide an educational space and accreditations that are gover ned by our high standards and code of ethics

Renamed membership categories

Whilst the benef its of the membership categories have not changed, the names have.

The membership changes mean:

● Full Members have become Established Members This does not mean that their g rowth is complete, but it does mean that they are tr uly established and are at a critical mass in the UK market

● Associate Members have become Expanding Members because that is literally what they are doing, expanding their networks across the UK

● Provisional Members have become Emerging Members because this best describes the brands that are star ting out and emerging into the franchise market

● Our UK Developers have become International Members, which are the inter national brands entering the UK market.

● Our Aff iliate Members have become BFA Advisors because, after all, this is the g roup of people who provide advice and guidance in franchising.

● Our Supplier Members did not need a name change and neither did our Franchisee Members.

All categories got a new logo to tie in with the rebrand

The re-accreditation process

Joining the BFA is not a case of ‘membership for life’; members must continue to adhere to the ethics and standards as laid down by the association.

The BFA has a rolling process of rechecking members ever y three years

As sometimes, but rarely happens, if a member is found to be non-compliant then the membership team will investigate, and appropriate action will be taken.

Dispute resolution

Disputes can happen in any business setting and franchising is no different To help members avoid costly legal proceedings, the BFA offers a threepronged approach to dispute resolution:

● Infor mal conciliation

● Mediation

● Arbitration

Informal conciliation

Infor mal conciliation is the f irst and cost-free r ung on the BFA’s dispute resolution ladder We see less than 10 cases a year and most achieve an amicable result In its simplest for m, facilitated by members of the BFA, infor mal conciliation is an attempt to get the two sides back to a positive dialogue.

Generally, the two sides will write to us stating their case and we will attempt to bring the two sides together to discuss the situation amicably Nothing that

happens in infor mal conciliation is legally binding and it does not replace professional legal advice

Mediation

If infor mal conciliation has not worked, then members can opt for our Mediation Ser vice, or miss out infor mal conciliation entirely and go straight there

Mediation is a low-cost way to resolve issues without going for the more costly and legally binding Arbitration Scheme

During mediation, an independent third par ty is brought in to facilitate the negotiations between the two par ties

The mediator can not award money or make any decisions but simply brings the two par ties together to f ind a commercial solution that is acceptable to both par ties. However, if a settlement is reached and recorded in writing, then it can be f inal and binding

Either par ty has the freedom to walk away during mediation and all negotiations take place on a ‘withoutprejudice’ basis and par ties are not forced to settle their dispute during this process

Arbitration

The big ‘Daddy’ of the three, arbitration is the f inal, more costly, and legally binding option for settling disputes

The good news is we ver y rarely get to this stage (just one in the past 10 years), with members generally f inding a solution with infor mal conciliation or mediation f irst

When a member asks to use our Arbitration Ser vice, the BFA will appoint an independent, third par ty arbitrator to oversee the proceedings

The arbitrator will, according to the Arbitration Scheme’s Rules and the Arbitration Act provisions, listen to both

sides then, much like a judge, and will make a r uling and award costs if appropriate The arbitrator’s word is f inal, and their decision is legally binding and enforceable.

Arbitration over litigation?

Although we do not offer litigation, any number of our BFA legal advisors, listed on our website do For infor mation, here are a few broad differences between arbitration and litigation.

● In arbitration the arbitrator is a neutral third par ty whereas in litigation the decisions are made by a cour t of law

● Arbitration proceedings are generally less for mal and more flexible, which can lead to quicker resolutions

Litigation follows cour t proceedings which can result in longer and more complex processes

● Arbitration is generally held in private, and the details of the dispute are not

made public; whereas litigation is held in open cour t and the details may be on public record

● An arbitrator can be chosen with experience in your f ield of business, whereas litigation cases could be heard by a judge or jur y with no experience in your business sector.

● A deal made through arbitration can’t generally be appealed. Litigation r ulings can be over tur ned through various appeals processes, potentially elongating the process

● Arbitration is expensive It is a lot more expensive than mediation and quite often more expensive than straight litigation.

As you can see, the BFA is a vibrant, integ ral par t of the British franchising landscape

Ever y day our team works with brands of all sizes, from high street names with hundreds of franchisees to our emerging members, taking their f irst steps into franchising and we offer each the advice and suppor t we have become famous for

As we enter into Q4, with EWIB, Encouraging Women in Business, our national conference and the BFA HSBC British Franchise Awards 2023 in the diar y, we have much to look forward to

If you would like to be kept in touch with what is happening at the BFA please sign up for our monthly newsletter at press@thebfa.org and we look forward to seeing you at one of our events ver y soon n

Whilst some of you may already be members, others may not be, and to you we would say, welcome, come and check us out, we are here for the good of all franchising in the UK and we’d love to have you on board to support you in your franchising jour ney

● Pip Wilkins with Emily Price, Chief Operating Officer of the BFA.

How franchising works: the two sides of the stor y

By Cathr yn

,

When the word ‘franchise’ is mentioned, many people in the UK think of a series of blockbuster films or railway operations But, my two part article looks at the world of businessformat franchising, from the perspective of both sides – the franchisor (Franchise World Summer issue) and the franchisee

According to the British Franchise Association (BFA), business-format franchising, is the granting of a licence by one person (the franchisor) to another (the franchisee), which entitles the franchisee to trade under the trademark/trade name of the franchisor and make use of an entire business package, comprising all the elements necessary to establish a previously untrained person in the business and run it with continual assistance on a predetermined basis

A strong and successful business-format franchise should provide:

● An established market for the franchisor ’s products or services

● Proven sales, marketing, and operational procedures

● The benefit of an established business name

● Training, ongoing support and help in running the business

● Where appropriate, help in finding, fitting out and furnishing premises

To be successful, both parties need to benefit from each other. In this issue, I am going to look at:

Franchising from the franchisee’s perspective

Starting a business on your own can be risky and there are a large number which fail However, buying a franchise can reduce those risks and give you a greater chance of success

As a franchisee, you have the opportunity to own and run a business under an

established brand with a proven business format and market A well-established franchise should provide all the essential elements for a successful business, except the most vital piece, the person who will run the business The missing piece is you – the dedicated and motivated franchisee

Advantages

● You own your individual business but have the benefit of a recognised brand name and a blueprint to follow

● A good franchise offers business systems and products/services which have been market tested and proved to work. As a result, the risk of your business failing is usually greatly reduced

● The franchise package you receive at the outset will normally include training, operations manuals, book-keeping and accounting systems, marketing guidance and ongoing support You will, therefore, not have to spend time or money developing these

● You should also receive practical help in setting up and launching your new business, so you are more likely to avoid any major teething problems

● Depending on the type of franchise you are buying, you should benefit from bulk buying and the negotiating capacity of the franchisor, and have an established, reliable source of supply

● Your business will also benefit from the franchisor ’s advertising and promotional campaigns.

Disadvantages

● There will be costs to pay for the franchise licence and other start-up costs which you will have to fund

● The franchise is governed by a legal contract which will outline your obligations in detail and means that you must run your business in strict compliance with the franchisor ’s specifications

● As the success of your business grows you may want to expand and grow further, your neighbouring areas may already be occupied by other franchisees

● If other franchisees damage the brand name or image of the franchise, this could have an impact on your business too

So, how do you check out a franchise?

The first step is to assess the franchisor and its business When you take up a franchise you are entering into a long-term business relationship, so it is very important that you spend some time looking into the background and performance of your prospective “partner” You should check how long the franchisor has been in business and in franchising

background and performance of your prospective “partner”.

About the author

Cathr yn Hayes is the Franchise Director at Revive! Auto Innovations and has over 25 years of franchising experience

Previously Head of Franchising at HSBC, followed by a shor t-term senior role at the British Franchise Association, Hayes has a high profile within the sector, contributing regular ar ticles to the franchise press and other business media

cathryn hayes@revive-uk com www revivefranchise com

Hayes

Franchise Director, Revive! Auto Innovations

When you take up a franchise you are entering into a long-term business relationship, so it is very important that you spend some time looking into the

ADVICE FOR FRANCHISEES

A good franchisor wants you to be happy and confident that you are making the right decision and will welcome your enquiries as evidence of your good sense Be cautious if the franchisor attempts to deny you the time to do your research and tries to rush you into a decision

The BFA offers a free online training course which will help you to learn about important legal and financial considerations, as well as what franchisors look for in a prospective franchisee www thebfa org/discover-franchising

Research

Review financial information on the franchisor, including its audited accounts

In the case of a new franchise, you should look carefully at the performance of the pilot operations If there are no pilots, you are entitled to ask what you are getting for the franchise fee and how the franchisor can demonstrate the feasibility of the franchise

Talk to the franchisor about the performance of existing franchisees and the franchisor should be willing to let you have a list of franchisees to contact

You should do some research into the market for the products/services in your chosen area and what the future growth could be The franchisor may have carried out market research in your area, but you should also do your own, ensuring that you understand what the business potential is and can identify and understand the strength of your competition

Support

Critical to your likely success or failure is the level of support and training provided by the franchisor, both at start-up and on an ongoing basis

Support from the franchisor can include accountancy packages and advice, national and local advertising, regular communication and meetings with other franchisees, new products, service and market information, and ongoing training Most franchisors will put on annual national conferences, and some have franchisee associations

There should be a comprehensive operations manual, which gives you guidance on all aspects of running your operation An important aspect to consider is what help, if any, does the franchisor

give in respect of any staff recruitment and staff training you may have to undertake

Some franchisors will train your staff for you while others will train you to train them, and many will provide some training and guidance about general employment issues You will also need to consider the legal and regulatory issues, particularly in relation to the public and employees, such as insurance, health and safety, tax

Your franchisor should be able to signpost you to some support services if necessary and should keep up to date with any changes that may occur from time-to-time in the laws and rules that could affect your business

Franchise contract

The next step is to consider the legal implications of the franchise contract This is a very important document as it sets out the rights and obligations of both you as a franchisee, and your franchisor You should receive a copy well in advance It is strongly recommended that you seek independent legal advice on the contract from a solicitor specialising in franchise agreements

You would not normally expect a franchisor to amend the terms of the contract to suit you as franchisors generally prefer to have a standard contract for all their franchisees However, having the contact vetted is not a waste of time as it is important that you fully understand its terms and limitations. If you do not like the contract, you are, of course, free to walk away

Financing

The next step is to examine the financial aspects of the franchise These broadly speaking fall into two categories – the start-up costs and the projected income and profits Looking at the start-up costs first, it is important that you identify the total amount of money required to get the business going, including any working capital you will need

Against the costs will be set the amount of cash you can put into the venture, leaving the sum you will need to borrow It makes sense to do a full review of your own personal financial situation, ensuring you know how much you need to take out of the business regularly to pay yourself.

You must be prepared to take a realistic

view of what type of franchise you can afford as you will need to put in a stake yourself, the bank will not lend 100 per cent of the funds required

Having established the start-up costs and your borrowing needs, you will then have to look at the potential earning power of the business on a realistic basis Does it justify the level of investment that it calls for and how long will it take you to recover the investment?

Projections

You will need to ensure that any profit and cash-flow forecasts prepared by the franchisor for your franchise cover all the likely costs, including borrowing and that they are based on realistic figures, normally the performance of existing franchisees This is also a good opportunity to look at fees you need to pay on an ongoing basis

Borrowing money

Deciding to start a franchise is a big step and one of the hurdles for many, is approaching the bank for finance Of course, there is a lot of work to do to before you, or your bank, part with any money You will need to research your chosen franchise thoroughly, making sure that it is the right one for you and that you are fully aware of what is involved

You will also need to ensure you can afford the franchise you are interested in, and that the business offers a good return on your investment Decisions on how much you are prepared to invest, and whether you will draw on savings or financial support from your family, should all be made before going to your bank

You will find that for an established franchise system most major banks will lend up to 70 per cent of the start-up costs, while for new franchises the figure will probably be around 50 to 60 per cent

You should approach your bank having considered or prepared the following: -

● How much will you be able to borrow? Prepare a full list of your personal expenditure: mortgage, car finance, household bills, etc This will show how much money you will need to take out of the business for living expenses

● What security can you offer to back up your loan? You might, for example, have a life policy with some value, or have equity in your home

● Start preparing your business plan This is a vital document to obtain finance from the bank Your chosen franchisor will often help you with this As part of your business plan, you will need to prepare cash-flow forecasts for the first couple of years Your franchisor will help, but you need to be sure that you understand the figures, what they are based on, and how much turnover needed to break-even.

The bank will look at several things before agreeing to lend to your new franchise venture Although they will all have their own requirements and approach, this is a broad outline of what a funder will look at:

Who are they lending the money to?

The bank will look at your qualifications and track record; your financial resources; and assess whether they think you can run the business The franchisor will also have considered these qualities to ensure you are a suitable franchisee The bank may ask to see statements from your personal bank and will need to see your identification documents such as a passport if you are not already a customer of theirs

How much are you asking to borrow?

As well as considering how much you would like to borrow, the bank will also consider the purpose for which the money will be used, including working capital, stock, premises, or vehicles and of course the franchise fee

The funders will also consider whether there is sufficient demand for the product/service you will be offering and look at the type of finance you are looking for (overdraft, loan, or a package of financial services), as well as how much you are personally prepared to invest in the business

Normally, you will be expected to contribute towards the total start-up costs from your own resources, but it is important to get the balance right Often, start-up business owners underestimate how much they will need to borrow to make the business successful, so it is important to put a realistic case to your bank Your franchisor will normally help with setting out details of the start-up funds required and the preparation of cash-flow forecasts

Repayment: Funders will always look closely at how the business is planning to

Normally, you will be expected to contribute towards the total start-up costs from your own resources Often, start-up business owners underestimate how much they will need to borrow, so it is important to put a realistic case to your bank Your franchisor will normally help with setting out details of the start-up funds required and the preparation of cash-flow forecasts

repay any borrowing so your plan should show how you plan to do this Will repayment come from future trading profits, after allowing for all your other financial commitments, or from the sale of an asset? Does the cash-flow forecast show that you will be able to afford to repay the loan? What assumptions have been made in the cash-flow forecast? What level of sales are needed to break-even and are they achievable? Is there a contingency plan for any setbacks?

Security: Depending on the amount of the borrowing, banks will often ask for some security for the loan This will only be used if the business fails to repay the borrowing but if you are providing a guarantee or a second mortgage over your property, you should take independent legal advice

As a potential franchisee, you should be in a better position than someone setting up a start-up business from scratch, especially if they have never been self-employed previously

You have the backing of a proven business format, plus the track-record of how similar franchisees are successfully operating their businesses, to show the bank in support of your loan application.

So, there we have it – the two sides to franchising – a business in which both need to be fully committed to their responsibilities to each other and both need to succeed if the franchise is to survive and prosper

Take the time to look at all the different types of franchise available and think carefully about what you would like to do

Running your own business is hard work, even with the support of a strong franchise network behind you so you should look for something that you will enjoy as you build your new future n

BFA HSBC British Franchise Awards 2023 finalists

THE British Franchise Association (BFA) has announced the f inalists in the BFA HSBC British Franchise Awards 2023 The awards, sponsored by HSBC, celebrate the success of franchisors and franchisees in the UK

The winners will be revealed at an awards dinner in Bir mingham at The Vox Conference Centre, Resor ts World, on Thursday 9th November 2023 after the association’s annual conference

Gillian Mor ris (left), UK head of franchise, commercial banking, said: “Shor tlisting candidates for awards is one of the toughest challenges of the year I was really impressed at the diversity of entries across brands and sectors, which is a g reat testament of the strength and reach of the franchise industr y ”

Pip Wilkins, chief executive of the BFA, commented: “We were ver y impressed with the overall standard of entries we received this year Generally, we shor tlisted more entries than we usually would, which was a testament to the overall strength of the entries we received ”

Highlights of the award categories

Franchisor of the Year Award: ActionCOACH, Agency Express, Driver Hire, InXpress, Mathnasium, Premier Education.

Emerging Franchisor Award: Canopy, Get a Drip, Rise, The Cat Butler.

HSBC Best in Class Multi-Unit Single Brand Award: Home Instead (Suhail Rehman), Pret a Manger (James Lipscombe), Swimtime (Ter ri and Andrew Vince)

HSBC Best in Class Multi-Unit Brand Award: Adil Group (Raja Adil), Goldex Investments (Diljit Brar), Iceking (Angelina Mouralidarane) n

Why do we love pets but cautious about investing in a pet care franchise?

By Kevin Thackrah, Director, Petpals

Pets have become an integ ral par t of our lives, providing loyalty, emotional suppor t and a much-loved source of joy. With such a deep connection to our pets, it seems only natural that people would be drawn to the idea of working with animals

However, a paradox emerges when we consider why so many pet enthusiasts hesitate to invest in pet care franchises, despite their passion for animal companionship

In this ar ticle, I will confront the misconceptions and doubts that some people have about the f inancial viability and potential for long-ter m success in a career centred around pets. I will provide a fresh perspective to debunk common myths to encourage pet lovers to consider investing in a pet care franchise.

Myth 1: Investing in a pet care franchise is only for animal experts

Extensive knowledge in the f ield is rarely the sole deter mining factor of a franchisee’s success. While being wellversed in pet care can cer tainly be advantageous, the key factors that deter mine the prosperity of a franchisee are pure drive and deter mination.

At Petpals, we recognise the impor tance of a passion for pets, but we also understand that being a cer tif ied exper t is not a mandator y requirement We provide comprehensive training and suppor t to our franchisees, ensuring they acquire the essential skills and knowledge to operate a thriving business

By joining a franchise, you gain access to a proven business model and a suppor t

network that empowers you with the necessar y tools and resources to build a successful pet care venture, regardless of your prior exper tise With deter mination, dedication and the suppor t of a triedand-tested franchise system, any driven individual can thrive in the pet care industr y

At Petpals, we operate as a management franchise As a franchisee, your primar y responsibility is to oversee a team of skilled pet care professionals You have the flexibility to choose whether you engage in ser vice deliver y or delegate those tasks to your team members, enabling you to focus on the overall objective of managing and expanding your business

Myth 2: Pet care franchises have limited earning potential

Pet care franchises are often mistakenly seen as merely a “lifestyle” option for people passionate about pets, lacking tr ue ear ning potential However, market trends and statistics consistently highlight the promising prospects for a prof itable business venture in the pet care sector

According to recent statistics, a

staggering 53% of UK adults now own a fur r y or feather y companion in 2023. Even more striking, 23% of these pet owners revealed this was their f irst foray into pet ownership With the increasing number of pet owners and a g rowing focus on pet well-being and happiness, the demand for top-notch pet care ser vices is on the rise

With a wide range of ser vices such as pet sitting, boarding and dog walking, pet care franchisees can tap into multiple revenue streams and capture a signif icant share of this expanding market As more pet owners seek reliable and professional ser vices to meet their pets’ needs, franchisees who have aligned themselves with a tr usted brand can provide comprehensive solutions

At Petpals, franchisees often become multi-unit investors, allowing ambitious entrepreneurs to expand their presence, cater to a more extensive customer base across different locations and maximise their bottom line

Myth 3: Pet care is a saturated market

Competition is an excellent sign for continued g rowth, not a war ning of a

● Kevin Thackrah

PET CARE FRANCHISE

crowded f ield Ongoing trends of increased dog ownership, higher pet spending and healthy consumer attitudes about pet well-being mean the market is nowhere near saturated

Successful pet care franchises stand out by offering unique propositions and exceptional customer experiences, including personalised ser vices, innovative ser vice offerings or an emphasis on specif ic aspects like ecofriendly practices or specialised pet care exper tise

In line with our commitment to innovation and staying ahead of the competition, we have recently introduced electric vans to our Petpals fleet By incor porating electric vehicles into their operations, franchisees can demonstrate to an increasingly environmentally conscious consumer market their dedication to eco-friendly practices and distinguish themselves from local competitors by offering a sustainable pet care ser vice

Fur ther more, our franchisees are empowered to think outside the box and explore creative ways to enhance their business and differentiate themselves in the local market

This flexibility allows franchisees to tap into niche markets, introduce unique ser vices or address specif ic customer needs that other local competitors may not meet By embracing this entrepreneurial spirit, Petpals’ franchisees stay ahead of the cur ve and continuously adapt to the evolving demands of pet owners, fur ther solidifying their position as leaders in the industr y

Investing in a pet care franchise opens up a world of oppor tunities, enabling you to combine your passion for pets with the fulf ilment of r unning your own business. Do not let the misconceptions deter you With Petpals, you are equipped with the necessar y tools to embark on a rewarding jour ney and make a signif icant impact on the lives of pets and their owners while achieving your entrepreneurial aspirations n

www.petpals.com/purchase-a-newfranchise

Creams Café announces franchise agreement with Tesco Café

Tesco Family Dining Ltd , has signed a nationwide franchise ag reement with Creams Café, the desser t café brand, to introduce a new offering to customers alongside its in-store Tesco Café outlets

Following the success of a standalone Creams Café in Tesco Extra Streatham in South London in November last year, this new par tnership will see Creams launching within Tesco Cafés as shop-inshop spaces, a f irst for both brands.

The f irst Tesco Café-r un Creams’ to open are Tesco Extra Gateshead in Newcastle and Tesco Extra, Mar yhill, Glasgow

Under the new ag reement, the cobranded cafés will offer Creams’ full 24flavour gelato selection, alongside its signature desser t range of waffles, milkshakes, cookie dough, crepes and sundaes.

Tesco Café will continue to provide customers with its core selection of

breakfasts, light meals, hot and cold beverages, as well as an extensive range of baked goods

Diners can expect to f ind welcoming Tesco Cafe ́ interiors alongside the vibrant accents that are synonymous with Creams Café, including eyecatching fluorescent detailing, g raff itiesque street ar t motifs, skateboards and neon signage

Everett Fieldgate, chief executive of Creams Café said: “We are delighted to be chosen as Tesco Café’s f irst ever franchise par tner – it marks a signif icant moment for Creams and provides a huge oppor tunity to expand our reach to new audiences and cement our position as the UK’s favourite desser t restaurant brand We can’t wait to bring joy to customers of all ages with our vibrant, showstopping desser ts ”

Cur rently, there are over 300 Tesco Cafés across the countr y. n

Benefits of the Stocktake UK Franchise include:-

Our top Franchise partners earn over £125,000pa Work regular hours Monday to Friday

‘A sustainable stocktaking business that you can shape around your desired lifestyle’

Become a professional hospitality stocktaker with the UK’s leading franchisor – Stockcheck and sister company Stocktake UK.

We’ve been proving a natural prog ression for many senior hotel, pub and leisure, food & beverage managers, who are seeking a more balanced work,

“Operating the franchise is an enjoyable and challenging experience

Not every day is easy, there can be difficult situations to deal with and early start times, however there are benefits of a Monday to Friday working week, with evenings free.

A franchisee’s diary can be built around their own life working with their own clients to help them build a better business, which is hugely rewarding Long term relationships are built with our clients, resulting in a high retention rate and creating a stable income.

Matthew McGuire - Stocktake UK, Lincoln

family, and leisure lifestyle for over 30 years

‘Ideal and seamless move’

The skills acquired from within the licensed trade and hospitality sector make for the ideal backg round to move towards your future career as a selfemployed Consultant Stock Auditor

The move is ideal and seamless, as you’re star ting a new career without leaving the industr y completely

With a self-managed diar y, you’ll use your people skills to meet a variety of different clients and work in a varied environment ever yday

You’ll likely have years of experience in the trade and know the industr y inside out – so why not tr y putting your experience to use by becoming your own boss and r unning your own stocktaking franchise?

A stocktaking franchise represents an exciting and rewarding business oppor tunity for most senior licensed trade professionals, all backed up with our tried, tested and proven stocktaking suppor t We already operate a network of over 70 franchisees nationwide

Hospitality stock auditing has never been in more demand as businesses are looking to maximise prof itability by taking advice and recommendations from a professional who understands their business already

Being your own boss and working regular hours to suit can reap rewards, with Stockcheck’s top franchise par tners enjoy a tur nover of over £125,000 per annum and with franchise investment

levels star ting from as little as £11,999 plus VAT, what’s not to like!

We’ll provide you with full residential training, all the equipment you need and you’ll have the suppor t of our head off ice team who have over 30 years of industr y experience

Franchises are available throughout the whole of the UK. No matter where you’re based, you’ll have the oppor tunity to build a sustainable stocktaking business that you can shape around your desired lifestyle.

Stockcheck and Stocktake UK’s franchises are geog raphically based and your franchise fee includes marketing rights to your franchise area, an extensive equipment list required to car r y out stock auditing assignments, printed business stationer y and, state of the ar t dedicated, industr y leading specialist software which is always under in-house development to fur ther enhance the quality of ser vice we provide.

An impor tant aspect of any franchise is the quality of back-up and suppor t ser vices offered by the franchisor Providing technical, networking and marketing suppor t for the life of the franchise, our experienced head off ice team ensures the success of your franchise business.

As the leading independent stock auditing business in the UK, our franchisees benef it from a wellrespected and established brand name in the market place with many national companies and multi-site operators relying on the value our consultant stocktakers can bring to the table

Building a relationship with our clients is a vital par t of the stocktaking process and our established franchisees have long standing customers within their working por tfolio

Did you know our stock auditors conduct over 2,000 plus stocktakes, ever y month!

What will you need to operate as a self-employed Stockcheck franchisee?

A backg round in senior management within bar and or food operations in a hospitality setting is essential An understanding of how impor tant stock control is in the moder n business environment is also impor tant.

Above all you’ll need to be a selfmotivated, hard-working individual with a goal to succeed and make the most of the fantastic oppor tunity on offer

Since a stock auditor’s working life involves a different “off ice” ever yday, a car is of course essential to get to your client base, ideally computer competency will speed up the lear ning process from the outset.

All equipment to operate the franchise is included in the purchase cost and with an intensive prog ramme of live stocktaking and classroom theor y sessions, you’ll be ready to hit the g round r unning from those early days of your new business.

Enquire about this g reat oppor tunity by contacting Stockcheck and Stocktake UK on: 01756 793 208. n

‘State of the art dedicated, industr y leading specialist software which is always under in-house development to further enhance the quality of ser vice we provide.’

Approaching the bank for finance

By Gillian Morris, UK Head

Investing in a franchise can be an exciting and daunting step Once you have selected the right franchise for you, and been approved by the franchisor, thoughts will inevitably turn to funding.

Even if you are self-funding, it’s important to calculate all the costs involved at the outset, so that you can ensure that you have the best funding package in place to help you get your business up and running

Many overlook the amount of working capital they will need for the initial trading period until their business is established. Unfortunately, incorrectly calculating your working capital is a common and a costly mistake, so it’s important to get this right from the outset.

Alongside the initial cost of acquiring a franchise, there will be other costs that need to be taken into consideration. Some examples of these additional costs include training fees, marketing, premises, shopfitting, vehicles, initial stock, equipment, and VAT

These outlays can also be overlooked –and sometimes the initial outgoings can be higher than the initial franchise fee itself Whilst it may seem unnerving, it is important to know the total amount of your investment upfront – from there you can determine whether you need additional finance

It is at this point that many find it difficult to approach a bank for finance, but hopefully this article will help you to approach a bank in a confident way, with an awareness of the type of questions likely to be asked

How much can I borrow?

Having worked out the start-up costs and how much you need to borrow, look

of Franchise, HSBC UK

realistically at the potential profits of the business Is the level of investment justified and can you recover the money you have put into it?

The first step is to establish how much money you can put into the business –what can you afford to invest It is important to know how much cash you have available, and you must be realistic about how much you can afford to borrow

If investing in an established franchise with a good track record, you may be able to borrow up to 70 per cent of the start-up costs including working capital. For a newer franchise it is likely that you will have to put in at least 50 per cent from your own funds It is very important that you do not over-borrow but it is also important that you are not underfunded

Your personal and domestic outgoings will obviously determine the level of drawings you would like to take from the business A personal budget schedule will help you establish how much to allow for your needs It is important to budget for these accurately, as if underestimated, the business can be

About the author

under pressure in the already difficult early stages

The bank will look at the purpose for which the money is going to be used and its effect on your business

● Is there sufficient demand for your product or service (the fact that you are going to be investing in a tried and tested franchise format helps here)

● How will the money borrowed benefit the business?

● What type of finance are you looking for, an overdraft, loan or a package of financial services?

● How much are you investing in the business?

Do

I

need a business plan/cashflow forecast?

The simple answer is yes!

Even if you do not need to borrow, a business plan is vital to help establish where you are, where you are going and how you intend to get there It is a statement of your objectives, estimates and financial forecasts It should also contain cashflow forecasts, which your

Gillian Morris has over 25 years’ experience in the financial services sector and was appointed as UK Head of Franchise, HSBC UK in Januar y 2022 Morris joined HSBC in 2017, as par t of HSBC’s Commercial team in Nor thern Ireland and in Januar y 2019 became Head of Corporate Banking & Agriculture, Nor thern Ireland for HSBC UK

Prior to joining HSBC, she worked for Lloyds Banking Group, based in London, having joined as a graduate trainee Her career to date has encompassed relationship banking, structured asset finance as well as strategy development and business per formance

She holds a Law degree from Queen’s University, Belfast and a BSc(Hons) in Banking and Finance from UMIST and is an Associate of the Char tered Institute of Bankers (ACIB) franchiseunit@hsbc com www.business.hsbc.uk/hsbc-franchising

ADVICE FOR FRANCHISEES

franchisor will often assist you with, but you need to be sure that you understand the figures – the bank will soon notice if you don’t.

The cash flow forecast will set out the incoming investment from you and any borrowed finance, the set-up costs going out, the money coming in and out through the trading activity and VAT Whilst real life projections can be challenging, the cash flow should allow for contingencies or unexpected fluctuations as bills may not always be paid on time, sales may not hit target and costs may overrun.

The bank will need to see your business plan to help assess any request for finance – to assist your discussions, it is best to share a copy of the business plan with your relationship manager before your meeting

What rate of interest does the bank charge?

The interest rate will depend on the type of loan funding agreed, and in turn this will take into consideration the amount borrowed, the lending term and what security is available

In a rising interest rate environment, it’s important to review the assumptions within your cash flow forecasts regularly, to make sure that they accurately reflect current or projected interest rates The bank’s franchise team or relationship manager will be able to provide guidance.

Do I need security? What security will the bank require?

This will depend on our evaluation of your business as a whole – the prime source of repayment will be cash generated by your business and no amount of security will ever be acceptable if we feel that your business is not viable The last thing we want to do is realise any security – we would much rather see a successful business continuing to trade

We must assess the risk of lending to you and decide whether security is required Security depends on the amount borrowed and how much stake is available, but as a rule, a personal

guarantee will be required along with a charge over appropriate personal or business assets

However, if you do not have sufficient security available, we may be able to use the Recovery Loan Scheme This is a government-backed scheme to guarantee borrowing where security is not available and where that lack of security is the only bar to a bank lending the money.

What else does the bank look for when assessing the lending proposal?

As part of our assessment, we will explore your background and experience including any previous or current businesses’, qualifications, track record and financial resources.

A franchisor will also look at this to ensure that you are a suitable franchisee

An important part of the assessment will be the affordability of the funding requested; a typical loan repayment term is five years – is the loan affordable over that period?

This is a critical component of the assessment, as a reputable lender will not lend you money unless we think that you can repay it The actual provision of finance can be in several different forms and usually you can agree a package to suit your needs

Whilst this may appear complex, don’t be unnerved Your franchisor will have established relationships with lenders that are familiar with your chosen franchise system, and will be keen to guide you through the process

Lenders are keen to lend to franchise businesses in general because it is a tried and tested business model – and will particularly welcome applicants with strong business plans and a wellpresented application.

For further information, call and see us on the HSBC stand, at the National Franchise Exhibition, NEC, Birmingham on the 6th and 7th October Or you can find more information at https://www business hsbc uk/engb/campaigns/hsbc-franchising n

Subway sale to Roark Capital

SUBWAY has announced that Roark Capital, the U S Atlanta-based private equity company, is acquiring its global brand

The quick ser vice restaurant franchise with nearly 37,000 stores across more than 100 countries, says that this transaction is a major milestone in its multi-year transfor mation jour ney

Roark Capital focuses on investments in consumer and business ser vice companies, specialising in franchise and franchise-like businesses, and says it prides itself on being a tr usted par tner for management and business owners

‘Long-term growth potential’

John Chidsey, chief executive off icer of Subway, said: “This transaction reflects Subway’s long-ter m g rowth potential, and the substantial value of our brand and our franchisees around the world

“Subway has a bright future with Roark, and we are committed to continuing to focus on a win-win-win approach for our franchisees, our guests and our employees.”

The acquisition comes on the heels of Subway announcing its 10th consecutive quar ter of positive same store sales as it continues to focus on sales g rowth, menu innovation, moder nisation of restaurants, guest experience and inter national expansion.

J P Morgan is ser ving as f inancial advisor and Sullivan & Cromwell LLP is ser ving as legal counsel to Subway. n

‘Key tensions within the franchisor/franchisee relationship’

By Gordon Drakes, Partner, Fieldfisher

The recent BBC investigation into alleged working practices at McDonald’s has attracted a lot of political interest (including the PM’s spokesperson and the chair of the business and trade committee), no doubt due in par t to the brand’s recognition and the fact that it is one of the largest private sector employers in the UK, with one of the youngest workforces.

The allegations are of course ver y concer ning, and it is unfor tunate that this stor y will inevitably have an impact on the wider perception of the franchising sector in the UK, given that McDonald’s, under the leadership of Ray Kroc, was the pioneer of the franchise model in the late 60s

Writing purely from the nar row perspective of a franchise lawyer, this type of stor y does highlight some key tensions within the franchisor/franchisee relationship, such as:

1 The cour t of public opinion will not always take account of the legal separation between franchisees and franchisors However, this is not a single employer issue, but presumably applies to multiple franchisee employers and possibly also to cor porately operated stores It shows that it takes just one rotten apple to spoil the apple car t

2 Does operating a franchise network amplify the risk of bad practices taking root and going unchecked, or can it achieve the opposite effect? I don’t know the answer to this.

In my experience, levels of training, control and audit var y signif icantly between franchise systems, and I would have thought this brand would be at the

more controlling end of the spectr um Franchisors should use this as an oppor tunity to review their own policies, procedures and training and consider how closely they know and understand the employment str uctures of their franchisees

3 This type of issue could lead to contract ter minations Indeed, Labour’s Dar ren Jones said McDonald’s should ter minate deals with any franchisees that were “not following labour law”

It is common for a franchise ag reement to contain clauses which allow for ter mination in the event that a franchisee has damaged the reputation or goodwill of the brand

However, ter mination is not an easy decision – franchisors need to consider what follows and consider the risks of whether a ter mination is the most appropriate course of action. If the franchisor is also implicated, to what extent does that limit the ability of the franchisor to take action?

4 When it comes to employment matters, franchisors need to tread carefully and not interfere with a franchisee’s employment processes.

Requiring a franchisee to f ire employees

About the author

could result in an employment claim being brought against the franchisee and the franchisor as ‘joint employers’ – this is an ongoing, existential issue for franchise systems in the U S

It was McDonald’s that lit the fuse on this in the U S , when the franchisor required a franchisee to f ire employees who were protesting in a McDonald’s parking lot demanding a minimum wage

5 If you are a franchisee and your business is tar nished by the actions of other franchisees and/or your franchisor, where does this leave you?

In reality, it is ver y unlikely that a franchisee will have any legal recourse, but bad facts can create bad law, and in an inter national legal environment which seems to be focused increasingly on balancing perceived inequities in the franchisor/franchisee relationship, it’s not inconceivable that franchisors may star t to f ind themselves subject to additional duties of care and responsibilities n

Termination is not an easy decision – franchisors need to consider what follows and consider the risks of whether a termination is the most appropriate course of action

Gordon Drakes is a Par tner and co-head of the franchising and commercial team at European law firm, Fieldfisher

He is a BFA affiliated solicitor The Legal 500 ranks Drakes as a ‘Leading Individual’ and Who's Who Legal: Franchise 2023 ranks him as a Global Thought Leader gordon drakes@fieldfisher com www fieldfisher com

PARIS BAG UETTE

If you're ready to join the Paris Baguette family and spread joy through the art of baking, contact them today to learn more about this exciting franchise opportunity.

Paris Baguet te is a rising player in the UK baker y-café market

Since its ar rival in the UK market in October 2022, Paris Baguette has quickly established a loyal following of consumers in London, leaving a trail of delightful treats and satisf ied customers in its wake

With a diverse range of French-inspired baked goods and a commitment to using only the freshest, highest-quality ing redients, Paris Baguette has positioned itself as a leading baker y-café destination for both locals and tourists alike

Let’s take a closer look at the remarkable achievements and successes of this global franchise empire in the UK, along with its exciting developments since May 2023

‘63,325 slices of cake’

Since its debut, Paris Baguette’s Frenchinspired menu has proven to be a compelling draw for customers in the UK Since opening its doors, it has sold an impressive 63,325 slices of cake, a testimony to the delightful assor tment of cake options available to customers

The appeal of its cakes extends beyond slices of cake, with 2,433 whole cakes sold, showcasing the brand’s ability to create indulgent and picture-perfect desser ts for special occasions and celebrations

Additionally, 12,000 baguettes have been snapped up by customers, indicating its

successful adaptation of French classics to suit the British palate Its baguettes are baked daily on-site with locally sourced ing redients, making them a favoured choice among customers seeking an authentic taste of Paris

In a world where quick and convenient lunches are essential, Paris Baguette’s sandwich and salad offerings have become a staple for busy ‘Brits’ An impressive 133,421 sandwiches and salads sold since the brand’s ar rival in the UK, attest to its ability to craft a wide ar ray of flavourful and satisfying options that cater to various dietar y preferences and lifestyles.

And, of course, no baker y-café experience is complete without a delightful cup of coffee Paris Baguette has taken the UK coffee scene by stor m, selling 171,000 coffees, fur ther solidifying its status as a go-to spot for coffee af icionados

The month of May 2023 marked a signif icant period for Paris Baguette in the UK with the g rand opening of its High Street Kensington store This flagship store’s successful launch saw scores of eager customers flocking to experience the brand’s iconic offerings and enjoy a taste of its renowned Frenchinspired treats.

● The London flagship store on High Street Kensington.

June brought an exciting addition to the menu with the launch of Mochi Donuts, a trendy and innovative treat that rapidly gained popularity among customers. The Mochi Donuts’ unique texture and ir resistible flavours contributed to their swift success, leading to a sold-out status within just one month.

July proved to be another exceptional month for Paris Baguette, with the launch of the Strawber r y Yoghur t Cream Cake This delectable creation quickly became a bestseller, char ming palates with its luscious combination of flavours and gar nering rave reviews from customers

Paris Baguette’s unwavering commitment to excellence and innovation has ear ned the brand numerous accolades and recognition in the UK and beyond Notably, Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500 ranked Paris Baguette as the No 1 brand in the Baked Goods: Baker y Cafés categor y, highlighting its exceptional quality and popularity in this competitive segment

Paris Baguette was also featured prominently in Entrepreneur’s inaugural Top Brands for Multi-Unit Owners Ranking, securing the impressive No 17 spot. This recognition attests to its appeal among entrepreneurs and franchise investors, fur ther fuelling its expansion plans in the UK and Europe

Paris Baguette’s success is not limited to the UK; the brand has been thriving on a global scale In the f irst half of 2023, Paris Baguette signed a remarkable 66 new Franchise Ag reements in the U S , a testament to the brand’s popularity and appeal among entrepreneurs in this lucrative market.

Additionally, Technomic, a leading food ser vice insights company, recognised Paris Baguette as one of the fastestg rowing brands, attributing its success to a remarkable 36% footprint g rowth in 2022 This recognition reinforces Paris Baguette’s status as a global baker y-café powerhouse with a solid track record of g rowth and innovation

As Paris Baguette continues its jour ney of g rowth and expansion in the UK and Europe, the brand is actively seeking passionate and dedicated franchise par tners to join its family. Spearheaded by a team of seasoned food industr y professionals, led by Chief Operating Off icer Nico Gaillot, Paris Baguette’s UK operations are poised for fur ther success and expansion

Paris Baguette’s franchise model offers a comprehensive suppor t system to its par tners, ranging from training and guidance on store design and layout to menu development and marketing strategies. With access to the brand’s extensive network of suppliers and vendors, franchisees benef it from Paris Baguette’s established reputation and recognition, which in tur n drives footfall and generates sales

The brand’s commitment to sustainability and reducing its environmental impact resonates with

both customers and franchisees By implementing eco-friendly initiatives, reducing waste, and sourcing ing redients from local suppliers, Paris Baguette demonstrates its dedication to promoting sustainability while suppor ting local businesses.

For aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners, Paris Baguette offers a compelling oppor tunity to be par t of a dynamic and innovative brand with a proven track record of success As the demand for ar tisanal and premium baked goods continues to rise, joining forces with Paris Baguette presents a unique chance to bring an exciting concept to local communities and become par t of a global franchise empire.

Paris Baguette’s foray into the UK market has got off to a quick-f ire star t With an expanding menu of Frenchinspired treats and a g rowing legion of satisf ied customers, the brand’s jour ney of success and g rowth shows no sign of slowing down.

As Paris Baguette continues to delight customers in the UK and beyond, it reaff ir ms its position as a prominent player in the global baker y-café industr y, one delectable creation at a time n info@parisbaguette.uk https://parisbaguette.uk

Manjit triples turnover with One Stop switch

Stop is evident, as he explains: “When we conver ted the stores and had the ref its completed, our customers were flabbergasted when they saw what had been done The store looked tidier, it was set out well, the pricing is better, and our footfall is g rowing

“Customers know we’re par t of Tesco and new customers are more inclined to shop with us as they tr ust the brand We couldn’t sell cer tain lines before like chilled or frozen, as they were too expensive, and customers didn’t tr ust cer tain products But we’re selling so many more categories now and lots are coming in for a whole shop.

One Stop franchisee, Manjit Gill, who switched his two retail stores in Newark, Nottinghamshire, to the well-known convenience retailer, says his biggest reg ret is that he should have made the transition a decade ago having now tripled his tur nover

Prior to becoming a One Stop franchisee, Gill worked long hours as his business relied on a wholesale model that was not proving prof itable for him

Whilst retail has been in his family for over 40 years, Gill only star ted his jour ney in the retail trade when he was made redundant from a tyre company, he explains: “As my family were in retail, I thought I might as well have a go But it was hard, and sales were not g rowing and in fact, going down ”

Str uggling to work out how to get his stores to work better for him and when seeing his brother switch his store to a One Stop, Gill said that almost immediately his brother saw a positive change and he realised how much easier life could be in retail

“This encouraged me to change both my stores to One Stop and straightaway sales g rew and kept g rowing and I’d get suppor t continuously, whereas nobody would come out to me before,” said Gill

John Miller, head of franchise at One Stop, comments: “We love hearing

comments about how positive and easy people f ind switching to One Stop is. As a business, we focus on consistency and r unning systems and processes that people want to buy into The result is an incredible shopping experience for customers and strong prof it g rowth for our franchisees

“There is a natural reluctance sometimes to change with a ‘better the devil you know’ acceptance, especially at the moment where people are just holding out for ‘things’ to change. Manjit’s stor y shows the transition can be pain free and oppor tunity ridden, with suppor t available at ever y stage, so things don’t go wrong.

“Manjit no longer has to wor r y about the wholesale buying relationship and has time to focus on his stores and his customers as ever ything else is done for him ”

Gill’s customers are clearly impor tant to him and the positive transition to One

We love hearing how positive and easy people find switching to One Stop is As a business, we focus on consistency and running systems and processes that people want to buy into. The result is an incredible shopping experience for customers and strong profit growth for our franchisees.

“They’ve got a good model at One Stop and things are just easy now ”

Danny Insley, Gill’s business development manager, comments: “Manjit has always been welcoming to the suppor t we offer, especially as he came from a wholesale rather than a retail backg round He is really settled with two stores and wants a steady business with consistency so he can take a step back and spend more time with his family

“Since he’s joined, he doesn’t have the g rind of travel and picking up stock and storing it, which is easier for his team to work through Manjit believes and tr usts in the One Stop model and despite having a smaller second store and competitors around him, sales have risen dramatically

“We’ve shown him how to work smar ter and by really investing in training his team, means our systems are simple enough for them to do it for him. Manjit wanted a better lifestyle and increased prof its, and we’ve suppor ted him to do this quickly and easily ”

One Stop, a subsidiar y of Tesco who acquired the stores in 2003, cur rently has over 1,000 company-owned and franchised convenience stores across the UK n

● Manjit Gill

Body Fit Training sees milestones and momentum fuelling success

R2023, Body Fit Training (BFT), the fast-g rowing Australian f itness franchise, repor ts that it is continuing to see impressive g rowth as it celebrates the launch of its 250th f itness studio, expanded its footprint into Hong Kong and welcomed three new London-based franchisees

Cameron Falloon, founder of BFT, said: “We have seen a strong star t to the f irst half of the year both in ter ms of franchise g rowth and members, both here in the UK and globally London is quickly g rowing into the centre of BFT’s UK network with four locations secured

and plenty more in the pipeline The future is looking really positive We want to build on this success and continue to g row our presence across ever y major town and city ”

BFT launched its f irst studio in the UK last September and says its concept goes beyond being just another gym as its

community that fosters friendships and provides a safe space for anyone wanting to improve their health and f itness.

This approach with the community has helped its f irst London franchisee, Charlie Hendrie, who opened BFT Battersea (gym pictured) in Febr uar y and

I truly believe we are changing lives and I’m so proud and thankful to the coaching team who are committed to getting our members results. The BFT programme and community are unrivalled in London, and we’re now exploring the further expansion in South West London

has over 200 members The community focus has helped the studio engage with over 70 per cent of members to par ticipate in their f irst 8-week challenge, which goes above and beyond f itness and is aimed at enhancing their strength, improving nutrition, sleep and overall lifestyle.

Hendrie said: “BFT Battersea has proved the global BFT model works for members and for us. We’ve exceeded our expectations with membership g rowth, refer rals and uptake of the 8-week challenge By following the BFT model, it means I can focus on our elite coaching and getting members results, which are the key drivers of prof itability for us

“I tr uly believe we are changing lives and I’m so proud and thankful to the coaching team who are committed to getting our members results The BFT prog ramme and community are unrivalled in London, and we’re now exploring the fur ther expansion in South West London ”

The franchisor says BFT Hackney is launching this autumn by franchisees

Emile Kerim, Frankie Nieto and David Ir vine The trio, all cer tif ied personal trainers, will bring over 50 years of combined experience to their new venture and have plans to open three studios within the next f ive years across London

Franchisee, Rosie Bogle, has also joined the BFT family and is scheduled to open with two locations in South West London BFT says she has a strong backg round in spor ts marketing and that her valuable experience in the commercial world will be a real asset to r unning her own f itness franchise

‘Over 56,000 members’

Falloon fur ther highlighting BFT’s g rowth, said: “We now have over 56,000 members across Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, U.S., Canada, UK and more recently Hong Kong Europe is a hot target for us, and we’re looking to expand into other new markets this year, including Spain, France, Ger many and the Netherlands

“Another key milestone and accolade has

Since continuing to expand the BFT family globally, the last three years have seen our compound annual growth rate soar by 240 per cent

been the number four ranking on the Australian Financial Review’s 2023 Fast Global List Since continuing to expand the BFT family globally, the last three years have seen our compound annual g rowth rate soar by 240 per cent This is an incredible piece of brand recognition and a marker of our commitment to g rowth outside of Australia

“The recent par tnership with Europe’s largest f itness race, HYROX, is also a game-changer for BFT as we have become the exclusive training centre for HYROX in Asia-Pacif ic This is the

largest global par tnership for HYROX, helping to boost its prof ile across AsiaPacif ic, while driving BFT brand awareness in Europe as they continue their worldwide expansion ”

BFT adds that through its strong and solid business foundations it is bringing its world-class training prog rammes, practices and education to f itness fanatics around the world, while achieving its ambitious goal of 1,000 studios by 2024 n

www.bodyfittraining.com/franchise

Franchise director leads by example with Caremark franchise investment

Mark Thompson, Caremark’s franchise director, has decided to stand down from his position with the company and has chosen to ‘put his money where his mouth is’ by becoming a franchisee of Caremark, after two years of being responsible for recr uiting others to join the home care provider

Having decided to move on from his role by personally investing in the business, Thompson has become the franchisee of Caremark Lewes and Wealden Nor th, East Sussex. With this move, Thompson gives customers the peace of mind that their care is headed up by someone who thoroughly understands the task at hand

When asked about his motive for taking on the franchise, Thompson responded:

“Being a family man and someone concer ned about community welfare, Caremark is a g reat oppor tunity for me to have a positive influence Over

● Mark Thompson

800,000 people are receiving home care in the UK, many of whom can’t be looked after by the NHS yet aren’t in a care home These people still need vital suppor t in some shape or for m and the

franchise oppor tunity offers a strong business model that solves this problem.

“The idea of owning a franchise had always been there, but before taking the

CARE FRANCHISE

leap, I wanted to become par t of the team, lear n about the sector and see how Caremark operates

“After some time working at Caremark, it was clear to see the company is built on a foundation of genuine and talented people, and it is g rowing fast too In the past two years alone, more franchises have opened and a number are on track to tur nover £1m in their third year of operation, so f inancially it has been an easy investment decision to make

“With such exceptional training and suppor t available, and a 10 per cent yearon-year increase in Caremark’s Franchise Satisfaction Benchmark Score, it’s abundantly clear how much they care about their franchise owners, so I know I’ll be assisted to make a success of my business.

“The tipping point for me was visiting customers with one of my colleagues Seeing f irsthand the smiles and positive effect we have on people’s lives simply backed all that I knew and conf ir med it was the right path to take ”

‘Ambitions for the franchise’

Thompson’s passion and dedication to quality home care stand out with his ambitions for the franchise He added: “Ultimately, I want us to be the home care provider and employer of choice in the region Caremark has a fantastic reputation, but we want to g row that local perception.

“The success of any franchise hinges on the team, so we’re spending time recr uiting the right people to deliver high-quality care and suppor t, have g reat integ rity and who can also have a bit of fun whilst making a difference in our customers’ lives ”

By going all-in on the franchise, Caremark says Thompson has added real clout to the company’s integ rity and demonstrated the devotion and compassionate drive behind the leaders of this business

David Glover, joint chief executive of Caremark, commented: “We couldn’t be more honoured to have Mark heading up this new franchise He’s been committed to lear ning all aspects of this industr y

and like all our staff, he embodies the values of Caremark that have such a profound impact on our customers’ lives

“Dedicating himself to this venture shows just how much he believes in the future of Caremark, and we’re eager to see the impact that Caremark Lewes and Wealden Nor th has on customers in the community.”

Caremark cur rently has 120 off ices across the UK providing quality care ser vices to individuals in need of care and suppor t in their own homes It offers

a range of ser vices to suppor t those in need, including elderly care, respite care, care for children with health diff iculties and care for those with disabilities

The company adds that it has a strong focus on suppor ting its franchisees, providing a collaborative business environment, along with training and development oppor tunities to help each franchisee build a successful and sustainable business n

franchise@caremarklimited.co.uk

https://franchise.caremark.co.uk

Ovenu - The UK's original oven valeting franchise.

No experience necessaryin depth oven valeting and business operation training

Recession proof business

Enquiries from day one

Tried, tested & trusted since 1994

Exclusive territory

Bespoke, unique cleaning products generating

spectacular results

Set your own schedule

Get involved from

£7,400 + VAT

Benefit from 40,000+ client reviews & testimonials for our specialist service

Ovenu obser vations and traits from conference

By Rik Hellewell, Founder and Managing Director, Ovenu

Following the Ovenu annual weekend conference this year, our invited guests made some ver y pr udent and interesting obser vations about the franchise network as a whole

At the conference Andrew Douglas of Recogition PR, our PR agency and Ovenu’s photog rapher Stewar t (aka Canon Clicker), had circulated among the audience of franchisees to take some up-to-date shots as well as some candid video clips to capture the event

Our photog rapher has been following the franchise jour ney of our franchisees, taking images for their respective web pages and to accompany press releases distributed by Recognition PR to local media outlets All of which help our franchisees to get recognised in their local area and give fur ther credibility to their oven cleaning businesses

It was at this point that Canon Clicker commented that he was impressed by the number of franchisees attending who he f irst photog raphed many years, or even decades, before: “It’s always good to come along to the Ovenu conference and meet up with franchisees who I f irst met years ago The Ovenu business model is clearly working ”

Franchise consultant, Ken Rostron, who has worked with us for over 20 years offering help and advice on a number of topics per taining to moral and ethical franchising, noted that none of the franchisees he had spoken to over the weekend had any previous experience of r unning a business before investing in an Ovenu franchise In fact, all coming from an eclectic mix of previous jobs for many interesting and varied reasons

Having retained exper ts working alongside our Ovenu head off ice team brings an extra layer of suppor t to our franchisees

Liam Patton of Mayfly, who has worked

with Ovenu since he star ted his inter net marketing business back in the mid 2000s, remarked at the Open Golf tour nament on the Friday of the conference that several franchisees were able to play golf regularly through the week and rarely played at the weekend

Patton, obser ving this work/life balance of franchisees that have the oppor tunity to be able to manage and organise both their work and personal life, said:

“Although much of the Ovenu business is dictated by client availability in any given local ter ritor y, having the ability to ar range and organise their own diaries is clearly a huge benef it to the Ovenu network as a whole.” n

● Rik Hellewell (centre) and Ovenu’s head office team with from left: Andrew Douglas, Liam Patton and right, Ken Rostron.

Fulfil your entrepreneurial ambitions at the UK’s flagship National Franchise Exhibition

With 85 per cent of workers wanting to star t their own business, the UK is a hotbed of budding entrepreneurs However, tur ning that dream into a reality can be a daunting prospect

With a franchise, you have the oppor tunity to r un your own business with the added benef it of an established brand, a proven business model, and ongoing training and suppor t Discover more about this lucrative business model at the UK’s flagship franchise event –The National Franchise Exhibition on 6th and 7th October at the NEC, Bir mingham

Attendees will have the oppor tunity to get to know the teams behind over 120 leading franchise brands, including Anytime Fitness, Black Sheep Coffee, Dyno-Rod, easyStorage, Subway, RE/MAX, Home Instead, and many more From management to hands-on, premises-based to working from home –there will be a franchise to suit all budgets, interests and ambitions.

The Low-cost Franchise Showcase will feature brands with investment levels under £10k – for budding entrepreneurs that have always wanted to be their own boss but have limited upfront investment available

Overseas brands

The Inter national Franchise Pavilion will showcase overseas brands looking to expand into the UK, offering investors the benef its of being an early adopter Exhibitors include Crayola Imagine Ar ts Academy, Duck Donuts, Funk Coffee + Food and more.

For previous attendee Sam Smith, The Franchise Exhibitions proved to be the catalyst he needed to launch his own

Meeting the brands at the exhibition gave me a chance to see if they were genuine There may be things on franchisors’ websites that are the best bits, but by asking them my own questions, I could get all details I wanted to know

successful franchise business. He says: “Meeting the brands at the exhibition gave me a chance to see if they were genuine There may be things on franchisors’ websites that are the best bits, but by asking them my own questions, I could get all details I wanted to know ”

A conversation with Tezlom Healthcare Recr uitment Agency founder Ryan

Ar mitage at the event proved to be lifechanging for both Sam and his family “He came across so nice, so genuine I was immediately drawn to what Tezlom stood for, and their friendly ethos.”

After completing his due diligence, meeting a number of existing franchisees and securing funding, Sam became the proud owner of Tezlom Tonbridge, Maidstone and Dar tford Two years later, he had no hesitations about extending his franchise ag reement and continuing to g row his business

For those looking to follow Sam’s footsteps and invest in a franchise, the

event will offer access to a wealth of inspiration, education and practical advice.

The two-day exhibition is exclusively suppor ted by the British Franchise Association (BFA), who will deliver a series of independent seminars to provide a gateway to the industr y Sessions include ‘An introduction to franchising’, ‘How to evaluate franchise oppor tunities’, ‘Taking your next steps in franchising’, and ‘An essential guide to the franchise recr uitment process’

McDonald’s Insight Sessions, taking place throughout the event, will give curious investors the chance to f ind out what it is like to be a franchisee with the iconic brand Representatives from the McDonald’s team will provide an over view of the oppor tunity, recr uitment process and f irst-class training prog ramme during these pre-bookable talks

These invaluable presentations sit within an extensive prog ramme of over 50 free educational talks covering all aspects of franchising. Visitors will gain an indepth understanding of the business model, lear n more about the latest industr y trends, and get practical tips on becoming a franchisee.

Keynote speakers include Steph Hedger, Director of Development and Leasing at global sandwich franchise Subway. Steph has over 15 years of experience as

a strategic proper ty and development exper t within the hospitality, wellness, retail and leisure industries. During this insightful session, Steph will share reallife examples of how the team are ‘Transfor ming a sleeping giant’

Saturday’s visitors will hear from Dan Archer, the UK Chief Executive of Visiting Angels, whose keynote presentation ‘The power of Mission: When a business oppor tunity leads to a social revolution’ promises to be an event highlight

With a 20-year backg round in franchising, Dan most recently launched the home care brand in the UK, overseeing its rapid expansion to over 50 locations in less than f ive years, ensures he is well placed to offer a unique perspective on the industr y

Attendees will also benef it from f irsthand accounts from successful franchisees with a wealth of experience During the Real Franchise Stories Q&A sessions, franchisees from multiple successful brands will share why they chose to invest, what they have lear nt along the way and what they wish they’d known at the outset

To help future franchisees take the next steps on their franchise jour ney, a host of industr y exper ts including the BFA, f inance providers, specialist lawyers and consultants will offer complimentar y one-to-one advice throughout the event

HSBC’s dedicated franchise team and NGI Franchise Funding will shed light on the range of f inance options available to would-be franchisees. Beyond Cor porate and Hamilton Pratt will offer complimentar y legal advice, and the BFA will be on-hand to offer impar tial guidance on all aspects of franchising

Multi-unit portfolios

Existing franchisees with ambitions to expand beyond one or two units should register for the Multi-unit Franchise Conference & Networking Lunch, which will r un parallel to the exhibition on Friday 6th October Sponsored by Summa Franchise Consulting, Aker man and Prof itKeeper, this is an unmissable oppor tunity to hear from established franchisees and representatives from leading franchise brands as they discuss the dos and don’ts of building a multiunit por tfolio.

Cur rent business owners that are looking to expand their operations can gain practical advice on franchising their business during a dedicated prog ramme of free seminars The BFA will host panel discussions covering the key factors to consider, Beyond Cor porate will touch on the legal aspects and Ashton Franchise Consulting will provide guidance on the process of building a franchise model.

Tracy Shah, Managing Director of Venture Marketing Group, the exhibition organiser, comments: “The National Franchise Exhibition has helped thousands of visitors f ind their perfect franchise oppor tunity We’re delighted to bring ambitious entrepreneurs and leading franchise brands together once again on 6th and 7th October

“The exhibition will house ever ything a prospective business owner needs to kick-star t their entrepreneurial jour ney –an inspiring line-up of franchise brands and insights from industr y thoughtleaders, plus a wealth of exper t advice under one roof ”

Tickets to the event are free but must be pre-booked online to ensure easy entr y For more infor mation about what’s going on and to book your free ticket, visit FranchiseInfo co uk n

The future of Artificial Intelligence in customer ser vice

By Tim Morris, Managing Director, Cymphony

How will you know if you’re dealing with a robot or a human being? That sounds like a silly question, doesn’t it? Because, let’s be honest, its blatantly obvious when you’re interacting with a pre-prog rammed chatbot on your device or even speaking to one Hello Siri, Alexa and the numerous infuriating “Let me connect you to an agent” recording loops out there. But for how much longer will that be the case?

Ar tif icial Intelligence (AI) integ ration will become much more sophisticated and mainstream in the coming months and years What was once the stuff of science f iction could well become a reality before the star t of the next decade

And whilst the early applications of AI are primarily adver tised around creation of content, imager y and coding, the use of this technology in customer ser vice is well wor th considering – and not just from the perspective of being the customer either

For business owners, AI has the potential to transfor m the way in which inbound communications are handled Increased volumes, reduced costs and operational eff iciencies could be on the horizon if executed properly.

It’s wor th noting that the chatbots we all love to hate in the here and now aren’t powered by AI They are r ule-based prog rammes which operate by following pre-prog rammed workflows, retur ning set answers to keywords and questions

They can’t lear n from their interactions, and it’s why we often end up in fr ustrating chat loops, getting nowhere fast

Occasionally you may interact with a web chat function which does utilise conversational AI – these systems can lear n from their experiences via a process known as Machine Lear ning and provide a more ‘user-friendly’ experience by implementing Natural Language Processing At present, neither option is a match for a conversation with a real person – something which, at Cymphony, we know all too well

But that could all change The news is increasingly full of headlines about Ar tif icial General Intelligence (AGI) being not decades but only a matter of a few years away Latest predictions brought the achievement down to as soon as 2026

AGI is the state in which a machine possesses human-like cognitive ability. The concept of sentient machines is something that rightly fascinates and/or

ter rif ies pretty much anyone you speak to. Whether it’s a debate about ethics or a frantic r ush to tr y and legislate a technology that is evolving exponentially, AI is, and will remain, a hot topic.

But for many, including senior management and heads of large organisations – that goes for franchisors too – the subject is something of a myster y Now that’s frightening Sceptic or suppor ter, there’s no halting the march of evolution and the prog ress of this technology In the meantime, the synergy of AI and our existing technology is where the possibilities are really taking shape.

Take a standard customer ser vice enquir y for example Conceivably, in the not-too-distant future, web chat functions will interface with an AI chatbot – something like ChatGPT,

“For business owners, AI has the potential to transform the way in which inbound communications are handled. Increased volumes, reduced costs and operational efficiencies could be on the horizon if executed properly

About the author

Tim Morris is the Managing Director of Cymphony, the inbound communications specialist He is a franchise professional with decades of experience across sales, customer care, operations and compliance

From leading the expansion of an international franchise brand to heading up the suppor t functions of both national and international franchisors, Morris has been instrumental in the growth of hundreds of franchisees

His proven success record comes with a passion for ‘360 business development’, and his unique perspective empowers franchisors and franchisees alike to get the ver y best from their par tnership tim.morris@cymphony.co.uk www.cymphony.co.uk

ADVICE FOR FRANCHISORS

Jasper or YouChat – and who knows how much more advanced they’ll be in just a few years

By having access to advanced conversational AI, web chat is probably going to be able to interact with consumers more or less like a human being And there’s absolutely no reason to think that written content couldn’t be conver ted to voice too, leaving customers chatting, quite happily I’m sure, to a bot on the phone without even realising Perhaps the conversation would be so reasonable and productive that they wouldn’t mind even if they did

Imagine never having an abandoned call ever again or never losing customers through fr ustration on web chat Ever y single inbound enquir y into your

business being dealt with in seconds by a friendly, knowledgeable and capable AI operator One who can hold a call with some useful infor mation and offer workable solutions before seamlessly handing off to a real-life person should the need arise

To be clear, this is not a passing phase Any business owner who wants to reap the benef its must work to get ahead of the game and seriously plan for how they can integ rate AI and, when it gets here, AGI into their ser vices and operations Retrof itting will be costly and substandard, so, going forwards, developments need to have AI synergy in mind

For franchisors, this is going to mean some serious collaboration with your

networks As with any model adaptation or development, there will be those for and those against You may even have franchisees utilising AI in some for m in their businesses already, without your knowledge Working to educate and influence will be cr ucial for smooth network adoption in the long r un

My advice is to make this a board-level agenda item and do it today. Cymphony is proudly identifying ways in which we can give our customers the ver y best of both worlds What are you going to offer your customers? And how?

Ignorance or avoidance is the fastest way to becoming obsolete Embrace AI because, make no mistake, your competitors will be n

The BFA has announced the launch of its latest national franchise sur vey and for the f irst time it is sponsored by a franchisor, NIC Ser vices, the provider of commercial cleaning ser vices

As in previous years, the sur vey will reveal impor tant facts and f igures of the UK franchise sector, such as its contribution to the UK’s GDP (g ross domestic product) and the prof itability of franchisees The sur vey is due to be published in Januar y 2024

The sponsors, NIC Ser vices, have been members of the BFA since 2006 and its g roup chair man, John Spencer, is a for mer board member and Chair man of the BFA from 2018 to 2022

Spencer said he believes good data is a key component of making a sound business decision: “Whilst building my business, I found the BFA national franchise sur vey to be an impor tant source of up-to-date infor mation on the sector and I am proud that NIC will now be the main sponsor of this impor tant body of work ”

The sur vey will be under taken ever y other year to give the sector a regular picture of the UK franchising scene

Pip Wilkins, chief executive of the BFA, said: “We could not be more delighted to announce the retur n of the BFA national franchise sur vey and our enor mous thanks to sponsors NIC Ser vices without whom we could not bring this cr ucial

infor mation to the franchise sector and the wider British public

“The sur vey is a vital tool to promote and protect franchising in the UK Its results suppor t the entire sector, allowing franchisors to demonstrate the success of franchising to potential franchisees and encouraging successful business owners to consider franchising their business as a route to g rowth and success.

“Since our last sur vey in 2018 we have had the Covid pandemic and now, the cost-of-living crisis, so it is going to be ver y interesting to see what the sur vey reveals, and we ver y much hope the news will reflect the strength, prof itability, flexibility and dynamism of the sector we know and love ” n

Tappy Toes expands its award winning franchise to Dubai

The multi-award winning UK pre-school children’s activity provider, Tappy Toes, is expanding overseas and launching in Dubai, United Arab Emirates this September.

Tappy Toes music, movement and dance classes are for babies and children aged from six months to f ive years old. The sessions suppor t child development, building f ine motor skills, conf idence, posture, co-ordination and social skills through class activities.

The sessions also follow the UK early years foundation stage framework that focuses on encouraging children to speak out in class and share ideas to develop the skills they need to be the decision makers of the future

Claire Munday, founder and chief executive of Tappy Toes, said: “I have been teaching these classes for 20 years and have seen how valuable this life skill is for children and how it helps them to prog ress in education

“We encourage the children not to be afraid to express their opinions By getting them used to doing this at a young age, it becomes par t of who they are, leading to more conf idence and the understanding that their voice matters These are all skills that will prove invaluable as they move through schools and university and even into the workplace ”

Munday launched her franchise model 10 years ago and cur rently there are 30 Tappy Toes franchises across the UK The brand is well received by parents and has achieved f ive-star reviews

The class activities are based around children’s development as Munday explains: “The str ucture of the classes and the use of props within them, help

children to develop many different skills such as sharing and teamwork

“Most impor tantly, the children have lots of fun and although they are developing their speaking and listening skills, they are also encouraged to par ticipate in a g roup setting, building their social skills and g rowing their conf idence.”

Tippy Toes Dubai is owned by Paisley McGlashan, who opened her franchise with a soft launch and trial sessions in

August before its off icial September launch McGlashan, is originally from York and after g raduating from university in the UK, she taught dance to children while working at a U.S. summer camp, before moving to Los Angeles to spend 12 years working in the media After meeting her husband, the couple relocated to Dubai in 2016 and now have a child, Jaxon

McGlashan discovered the benef its of Tappy Toes after str uggling to f ind a

● Claire Munday

dance class that suited her child, she explains: “My love of dance f irst attracted me to Tappy Toes and to combine that with something I can do with my four-year-old little boy was a real bonus. I have str uggled in the past to f ind a dance and movement class that has something for ever yone (parents included), and Tappy Toes offers that

“I f ir mly believe things come to you when they are supposed to and children’s dance is something I have thought about doing for a long time. It is an absolute honour to bring this incredible brand to the city ”

Tappy Toes says families in Dubai can expect to f ind a safe space for children to play, lear n and g row and most impor tantly have fun with friends, new and old.

McGlashan added: “I am excited to see more children and parents enjoy music and dance and to bring an established and award-winning product to the region I’m committed to creating an established, tr usted and recognised brand within Dubai that people want to come back to and tell their friends about ”

Tappy Toes was established in the UK in 2005 and has won several awards including Best Franchise of the Year in the WorkBuzz Best Franchise Awards and for the last two years has been an award winner in the What’s On 4 Kids National Children’s Activities Awards

Tappy Toes says it works with P&O Cr uises on-board its Car nival Cr uise lines providing teachers to enter tain the young under f ive-year-old passengers

The franchisor has fur ther expansion plans for Tappy Toes in Sharjah, Abu

Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and fur ther af ield, for potential franchisees who have a love of working with children in a creative environment n

claire@tappytoes.com

www.tappytoes.com/franchise

● Paisley McGlashan

Navigating franchise resale purchases in the UK: Creative solutions amidst shifting interest rates

By Michael Bohan, Managing Director, Franchise Resales

In the dynamic world of business ownership, buying a franchise resale is an enticing option for those seeking to step into entrepreneurship with a proven concept However, just like any investment, this route is not immune to the influence of economic factors, particularly interest rates

In the UK, as interest rates experience fluctuations, prospective franchise buyers are finding themselves in a situation that calls for innovative solutions Let’s explore how interest rates are impacting the landscape of franchise resale acquisitions in the UK and shed light on how the team at Franchise Resales are adopting deals to ensure successful transactions for both the buyer and the seller

The interest rate conundrum

Interest rates play a pivotal role in shaping the financial environment, impacting everything from mortgages to business loans In the context of buying a franchise resale, the prevailing interest rates can significantly affect the affordability and feasibility of such transactions

When interest rates are high, borrowing costs increase, potentially leading to more expensive loans Conversely, lower interest rates can make financing more attractive and affordable

In recent times, the UK has witnessed interest rate fluctuations due to a range of economic factors These increases have prompted potential franchise

buyers to closely examine their financial strategies, particularly when it comes to acquiring existing franchises.

Creativity in action: Buyer-seller collaboration

As interest rates ebb and flow, franchise buyers and sellers are being compelled to adopt creative approaches to navigate this evolving landscape. Sellers, in particular, are becoming more open to negotiating deal structures that accommodate the changing financial dynamics. One such trend is the rise of deferred payments

Deferred payments: A win-win strategy

Deferred payments involve spreading the purchase price of the franchise over a specified period, allowing buyers to ease their financial burden. Sellers benefit by ensuring a steady flow of income, often with added interest, while also making their offerings more attractive to a wider pool of potential buyers.

About the author

Let’s explore how interest rates are impacting the landscape of franchise resale acquisitions in the UK and shed light on how the team at Franchise Resales are adopting deals to ensure successful transactions for both the buyer and the seller.

This arrangement can be a win-win situation, but it requires both parties to find common ground Buyers must ensure that they have a clear understanding of the terms, including the interest applied to the deferred amount. Moreover, they should be prepared to provide some form of security or personal guarantee to reassure sellers of their commitment.

Security and personal guarantee: Building trust

As buyers explore deferred payment options, they often encounter the necessity of providing security or a personal guarantee. This requirement

Michael Bohan is a seasoned professional in the franchising sector, having worked in the industr y since 2010 He star ted his career as a recruitment consultant for a local franchise operation in Lincoln and quickly developed a passion for franchising

Bohan has gained extensive experience in various aspects of the industr y, including franchise resales, exit strategies and business development Today, Bohan is the Managing Director of Franchise Resales, a UK-based company that specialises in helping franchisees sell their businesses In this role, he has been instrumental in modernising the company’s operations through the development of a new CRM system and website michaelb@franchiseresales.co.uk www.franchiseresales.co.uk

serves as a safeguard for sellers in case buyers’ default on payments.

Security can take various forms, including assets that can be seized or ownership stakes in the franchise itself. Personal guarantees, on the other hand, hold the buyer personally liable for the debt, which can help reassure sellers about the buyer ’s seriousness.

Buyers need to approach this aspect of the deal with caution It’s crucial to thoroughly understand the implications and risks associated with providing security or a personal guarantee Legal counsel and financial advisors can provide valuable insights to ensure buyers make informed decisions that align with their risk tolerance and financial capacity.

Bank collaboration: The 12-month payment buffer

Banks, often the key players in facilitating franchise acquisitions, have also shown openness to these creative deal structures

However, their support often comes with conditions One common requirement is the stipulation that buyers

make 12-months’ worth of loan payments before deferred payments come into effect

This condition is designed to mitigate risk for banks, ensuring that buyers have a track record of timely payments before the more flexible deferred arrangement kicks in While this might pose an initial challenge for some sellers, it serves as a way to demonstrate financial responsibility and build trust with both the seller and the lender

The road ahead: Navigating complexity with care

The landscape of buying a franchise resale in the UK is evolving, driven by the fluctuations in interest rates While these shifts might introduce complexities, they also present opportunities for creative problemsolving

As buyers and sellers collaborate to structure deals that accommodate changing financial dynamics, it’s essential to keep certain principles in mind:

1. Informed decision-making

Buyers should conduct thorough due

Security can take various forms, including assets that can be seized or ownership stakes in the franchise itself Personal guarantees, on the other hand, hold the buyer personally liable for the debt, which can help reassure sellers about the buyer’s seriousness.

diligence on the business, the seller, and the proposed deal structure This includes understanding the implications of deferred payments, security requirements, and personal guarantees

2. Professional guidance

Engaging legal and financial experts is paramount These professionals can help buyers navigate complex agreements, evaluate risks, and ensure that the deal aligns with their long-term financial goals

3. Flexibility and adaptability

The ever-changing economic landscape requires both buyers and sellers to be open to flexible solutions Being adaptable and willing to negotiate can lead to mutually beneficial outcomes.

4. Long-term financial planning

Buyers should view the purchase of a franchise resale as a long-term investment Assess the financial implications not only in the present but also over the duration of the deferred payment period.

In conclusion, the relationship between interest rates and buying a franchise resale is a nuanced one. As interest rates influence borrowing costs and financial feasibility, buyers and sellers are embracing creative solutions such as deferred payments.

Sellers, in turn, are becoming more receptive to these arrangements and may require security or personal guarantees to ensure a secure transaction Banks, recognising the changing landscape, are collaborating with buyers and sellers, albeit with certain conditions.

In these dynamic times, navigating the intricacies of buying a franchise resale can be challenging.

But you don’t have to embark on this journey alone; the team at Franchise Resales stands ready to assist and guide you every step of the way, ensuring you find the right deal tailored to your needs

With our expert advice and in-depth industry knowledge, you can confidently seize opportunities and make wellinformed decisions. n

Wondering where you can discover entrepreneurial magic?

Running a business is an exciting experience With the right for mula, you could f ind your jour ney to business success with a franchise. Here FASTSIGNS highlights its business model to prospective franchisees

At FASTSIGNS we know the customers we work with are the heroes of their business So, it’s up to our franchisees, and their teams, to bring the magic touch to help customers stand out from the noise But as a franchisee, how do you lear n all the skills to r un a custom signs, banners and g raphics business

Whether you join us as a complete newcomer to the industr y or an experienced sign-maker, who wants to add value to an existing business, we are known for delivering high-standard signage solutions for customers

Our franchisees have a reputation for being ‘real wizards’ when it comes to sign creation Not only do they produce fantastic looking products, but also they know how to reach the hear t of exactly what clients need It might seem like magic when customers see the f inal result, but it’s a skill we have been able to share across the network

Structured training

There’s no ‘Hogwar ts’ for training our franchisees, unfor tunately, but we can promise franchisees they will be taught ever ything they need to know in order to create a successful business We use a ver y down-to-ear th, comprehensive, and str uctured training prog ramme, designed to equip franchisees and their staff with all the necessar y skills and knowledge to excel in their roles

Our training exper ts teach franchisees how to effectively use cutting-edge signage technology, which comes with

the franchise, as well as gaining access to all the technical know-how The training prog ramme is delivered as a combination of classroom-based lear ning, online resources, and hands-on experience at one of our sign centres

A FASTSIGNS franchise is about delivering effective and creative solutions to customers, working closely with them so they stand out from their competition, for all the right reasons This means lear ning to understand them and what FASTSIGNS does, on a much deeper level than just the practical aspects

For this reason, in-depth training is delivered implementing our business model, how to embrace our brand values, and how to always go the extra mile for customers This happens through business management and leadership training, and suppor t on how to generate leads and sales

To help franchisees along the way, they are also mentored by one of our more experienced franchisees, as well as one of our business consultants

Once a new franchisee has launched, we continue to give guidance and suppor t, so franchisees and team members can upskill, lear n new techniques, and stay up-to-date with the latest industr y trends

Franchisees also have access to our franchise board g roups and message

for ums, and are war mly welcomed to our annual FASTSIGNS conference where we share ideas and best practice, together

We f ir mly believe our continuous lear ning and development plays a vital role in keeping our franchisees at the top of their game whilst maintaining a competitive edge in the sign-making sector Could franchising with FASTSIGNS be where you discover entrepreneurial magic?

FASTSIGNS offers a range of ser vices to customers including developing content for signs and g raphics, site sur vey to ensure visuals comply with local regulations, installation and sign storage ser vices, project management of an installation and consulting ser vices to create custom signage for businesses n

www.fsfastsigns.co.uk/the-franchise-

We're in this together.

We do the business plan. We raise the finance. We report the numbers.

We join it all up and help your franchisees. Unlike every generic funding broker or accountant, we help your franchisees achieve their plan. Happy Franchisees. Happy Franchisor.

www.team-dt.com

The role of a franchise accountant and broker in expanding your franchise

By Jack Hayes, Franchisor Relationship Manager, d&t

When it comes to growing your franchise in the UK, where challenges like debt and tax laws are a reality, having a franchise accountant is like having a secret weapon to handle your finances with finesse

Even if you’re good with numbers, managing intricate financial matters and navigating the maze of UK tax regulations solo is a bit like tackling a complex puzzle without all the pieces

Think of a franchise accountant as your financial guide, who can quickly decode financial statements and tax rules. They help you understand the financial health of your franchise and smoothly navigate through the world of deductions and credits, ensuring that your profits are safe and sound while remaining compliant with finance regulations such as tax, payroll, HMRC and Companies House

But there’s more to it than just crunching numbers Expanding your franchise requires more than just a bean counter You need a strategic thinker as well as an experienced broker who is a ‘pro’ at understanding the market

Combine brains and brawn…and boom! Your own personal Growth Guru, wellversed in the ins and outs of the franchise industry as well as the UK market as a whole, ready to create a tailor-made plan for your franchisees success and keep them on plan

Picture this: as the franchisor, you’re at the threshold of expanding your horizons Yet, finding the perfect franchisees can be a real challenge Enter the guru, your ‘matchmaker extraordinaire’, who knows the industry,

the market, heck your business like the back of their hand

They use their expertise to ensure a smooth partnership between you and your future franchisees, as well as nurture and take them through an entire journey of strength-to-strength

Now, you might think you’ve got this all under control, but here’s the thing: taking on franchise expansion without a savvy broker and a reliable accountant who know the UK franchise business landscape can potentially be a rocky road While you could navigate it, you’ll likely encounter a few bumps along the way Not only can your newfound friend help you overcome any tricky terrain, but they can see it coming from a mile away.

This brings us to why finding the right franchise network accountant is a gamechanger. Look for a regulated firm of accountants that not only knows the industry but can also seamlessly connect all the dots Your ideal franchise network accountant isn’t just about processing numbers and handling taxes – they’re your business planning wizard, funding

About the author

conjurer, and numbers translator, all rolled into one For example

Market research and analysis

Before embarking on your franchise expansion journey, it’s essential to delve into thorough market research and analysis Understanding market trends, consumer behaviour, and competitors’ landscape can provide critical insights. A franchise accountant and broker can aid in deciphering this data, allowing you to make informed decisions that align with the evolving demands.

Financial planning and forecasting

Beyond immediate financial management, the right franchise accountant can play a pivotal role in long-term financial planning and forecasting. Collaborating with them can help you develop comprehensive financial strategies that accommodate growth, optimise resource allocation, and ensure a solid financial foundation for the future of your franchise

Risk mitigation strategies

As your franchise expands, so does the level of potential risks It’s vital to

Jack Hayes is Franchisor Relationship Manager at award-winning accountancy firm, d&t d&t has worked with over 100 franchise networks and over 2000 franchisees During his many years working within d&t, as a qualified accountant, he has worked with some ver y well-known household names within the franchise industr y

Paired with his current role, Hayes has the tools to help franchisors and franchisees alike Alongside the variety of services that d&t has to offer, he has helped franchise brands across the UK and their networks to increase franchise efficiency through exper t accountancy advice

jack.hayes@team-dt.com

www.team-dt.com

establish robust risk mitigation strategies A franchise accountant can assist in identifying potential risks, devising contingency plans, and ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, thereby safeguarding your franchise’s sustainability and reputation

Building effective franchisee relationships

Finding the right franchisees is a critical step in expansion Collaborating with a firm who understands the nuances of relationship-building can be invaluable. Your franchise accountant and broker will establish strong relationships with franchisees, nurturing relationships that are built on trust and shared goals.

Leveraging technology for efficiency

In today’s digital age, technology plays a significant role in business growth

Your franchise accountant can introduce you to modern financial management tools and software that streamline operations, enhance accuracy, and provide real-time insights into your franchise’s financial health

Adapting to regulator y changes

The regulatory landscape is dynamic and subject to changes A franchise accountant well-versed in UK tax laws can keep you informed about regulatory shifts that might impact your franchise operations They can help you adapt proactively, minimising disruptions and ensuring ongoing compliance.

Sustainable growth strategies

Sustainable growth goes beyond immediate expansion. Collaborating

with a firm who understands your values and shares those same values can help you incorporate certain practices and socially responsible initiatives into your franchise’s expansion plans

In a nutshell, as you embark on your journey to expand your franchise, these added topics underscore the multifaceted role of a franchise accountant and broker Their expertise extends beyond numbers, encompassing market insights, risk management, strategic relationships, technology integration, and sustainability considerations

By leveraging their knowledge, you’re poised not only for triumphant growth but also for building a franchise that thrives in an ever-changing landscape

Picking a firm of franchise network accountants who can effortlessly weave all these elements together can truly smoothen your expansion journey By joining forces with a professional who

understands the intricacies of franchising, can create solid plans, secure funding, and offer insightful financial reports, you’re setting yourself up for success in the constantly expanding world of franchising.

Remember that even the most experienced leaders seek guidance to navigate the twists and turns of the business world A franchise accountant and broker offer a winning combo of financial smarts and strategic insights to guide you towards victory.

So, here’s the deal: when you’re looking to expand your franchise, it’s smart to collaborate. Team up with a firm such as d&t will not only help you to conquer financial challenges but also discover new avenues for growth

Now, go forth with gusto and drive your business forward with confidence as you conquer the dynamic realm of franchising. n

Building brand awareness and measuring success

By Chelsea Smith, Content Writer, Mayfly Inter net Marketing

There are so many questions when it comes to the feasibility of franchising a business Some voices say you need to have a cer tain amount of outlets or locations before you can star t Others say as long as you have the infrastr ucture for the product or ser vice, just jump right in

But essentially, one of the most impor tant aspects of franchising is brand awareness To have a share of voice in your market is paramount to success But when “awareness” is so intangible, how do we f ind a metric to measure success?

In the previous issue we covered branding basics, from integ rating core values to f inding your voice We offered tips on building a community presence and being exactly where your audience resides. But when it comes to measuring the success of these branding effor ts, it can be diff icult to understand just how much your audience knows about your brand. So let’s break it down.

Direct traffic

One of the simplest ways to measure brand awareness is direct traff ic When a user types your company’s name directly into their search bar you know your effor ts are working. Whether you’ve upped your social media, car ried out email campaigns or pushed on paid adver tising – direct traff ic is a suref ire metric for brand awareness.

Depending on your strategy, it’s good to measure this metric quar terly or annually Giving yourself time in between campaigns or phases means you can see success in real-time, and optimise your effor ts

The only downfall with this metric is that direct traff ic cannot be attributed to any par ticular strategy For example, your Instag ram might be brimming with

content about your product or ser vice, but you can’t guarantee that’s what led the searcher to type in your brand name

Share of Voice

Another way to gauge your brand’s visibility is by monitoring your Share of Voice (SOV) Whether it’s within your industr y or a specif ic niche, SOV is the percentage of the market your brand owns compared to your competitors

The higher the market share, the better brand awareness you can claim Although SOV typically refers to paid adver tisement split, it also encompasses other elements of digital marketing such as:

● Social media mentions and engagement

● Search engine optimisation (SEO) power and keyword dominance.

● Media mentions from blogs, ar ticles and more

There are a number of tools you can use to monitor your SOV, and in retur n, unique ways to increase this metric Read on to lear n our top tips to increase your social media SOV

When it comes to your SEO power, you’ll want to look at your keyword prof ile Find out the keywords you’re ranking for and conduct a gap analysis against your competitors’ keyword

About the author

prof iles Fill in those gaps to gain the edge and increase your voice!

What are the benefits of measuring your SOV?

By keeping your eyes on the SOV metrics, you can utilise, optimise and increase your share in any given industr y. You can use the data to segment your audience giving you more insights to work on strengths and weaknesses

You can look into different demog raphics, regional markets and so much more You’ll be able to assess and analyse marketing campaigns, measuring the success of your effor ts and tweaking them based on the outcomes

How to increase your social media SOV?

We all know by now that social media is not just about posting and looking pretty Whether it’s a curated Instag ram feed, emojis on your Facebook titles, or industr y-themed memes on Twitter (sor r y, X) that capture attention – you’ll need more than likes and people scrolling past

Organic social media is much more than simply scheduling and closing the app. It’s replying to posts, engaging with your audience, sharing User Generated Content, offering exclusives to loyal followers, r unning giveaways, creating

Chelsea Smith is a Creative Writing graduate and Content Writer for Mayfly Internet Marketing She has written for a wide range of companies from small businesses, to nationwide enterprises and has worked for marketing firms spanning Liverpool, Cheshire, and the wider Merseyside area Throughout her freelance and agency work, Smith has built knowledge in content marketing, copywriting, branding and SEO Her role at Mayfly encompasses all things wordy, from captivating blog pieces to optimised product descriptions chelsea.smith@may-fly.co.uk www may-fly co uk

FRANCHISE MARKETING MADE EASY

Mayfly Internet Marketing is the go-to marketing expert for franchisors.

If you ’ re looking for memorable social media strategies, paid ads that convert and search engine optimisation that get you ahead of the competition. Book a free consultation today.

shareable content, becoming the conversation and so much more

If you haven’t already, check out the previous issue of Franchise World (Summer, 2023) on ‘Become the conversation’ (page 67) Remember, when it comes to social media –don’t broadcast: engage!

Engaged followers

Whilst your total following is often refer red to as a “vanity metric” and not a real measure of success when it comes to conversions, it can be a way to monitor brand awareness The more people following, sharing and actively engaging with your brand, the more others will notice

Building traction with an engaged audience can often have a snowball effect when it comes to g rowing a community of followers who are highly engaged It’s the perfect yardstick for success when it comes to brand awareness and in tur n, increases conversions – tur ning followers into paying customers

Franchisee advocacy

Just like aff iliates, your franchisees are your biggest advocates Brand awareness can reach new heights when franchisees get involved and engage with a wider audience and range of demog raphics.

After all, they tr ust the product or ser vice themselves enough to invest Utilise their networks to spread the word, and repor t back on direct traff ic, follower engagement and brand recognition through sur veys

Brand recognition and recall

How well does the public really know your brand? Think about the two sides of the counter You may know the ins and outs of your business But a user may only know your company’s name, or simply just your logo One way to gauge this is to conduct regular brand awareness sur veys

These could be in the for m of Google For ms with test g roups, or pre-existing on your site asking: “Where did you f ind us?” If you already have an email database, you might want to send out

Visiting Angels growth creates new role

VISITING ANGELS has promoted Bella Hallam to the new role of head of franchising, as the brand primes itself for fur ther expansion to approach nearly 50 locations in less than f ive years

your sur vey to the people who’ve already interacted with your business

Find out how people found you and how much they know about your business You’ll f ind a direct route to focus your effor ts.

Measuring brand awareness success

The best par t about measuring the success of your brand awareness campaigns is that you don’t need a massive research team to do so If you’re a small business you can easily monitor these metrics yourself

Simply set your key perfor mance indicators (KPI) and implement branding tactics, then repor t back in a few months to see what areas work best, and which need looking after

If you’re taking your branding to the next level and looking to increase your overall SOV and brand awareness, you’ll want to enlist a team with experience in the matter Tr usting a team of marketing professionals means you can work on more depar tments at once, from SEO to organic social media and more

They say practice makes perfect, but optimising brings results Find what f its well with your franchise, then optimise, optimise, optimise! For more on Franchise SEO check out our website. n

Hallam, previously Visiting Angels’ area development manager for the South of the UK, becomes the youngest member of the management team She star ted her career in the care sector as a carer, followed by a position in cosmetic management, before moving into private care to enable her to spend more time with her family – including her son who has special educational needs.

Hallam’s new position will enable her to use her wealth of experience, both in domiciliar y care and nursing, to suppor t franchisees and their teams, including those looking to invest in additional ter ritories

Being a carer-centric in-home care provider, Visiting Angels, headed by managing director Dan Archer, commits itself to rewarding its carers fairly, including suppor ting them to reach their full potential with well-def ined career prog ression pathways.

While the care sector is typically femaledominated, there is a lack of women in leadership positions in the industr y, par ticularly in ter ms of franchising, says Hallam: “It feels even more rewarding that I can step into this role as a young woman and bring another valuable female perspective ”

Archer commenting on her promotion, said: “I can’t think of anyone more deser ving of this role than Bella Her experience in care has been invaluable since she joined the brand, but what she’s lear ned in franchise recr uitment while mentoring and developing existing teams has contributed immeasurably to our success.” n

Q&A to put you on the right track to buying a franchise

By Nick Riding, Editor, Franchise World magazine

ThisQ&A seeks to address the fundamental issues of franchising for the beginner.

Q What is franchising?

It is simply a system for marketing goods/services that is not unlike dealerships, agencies or concessions

The franchisor sells you, the franchisee, the rights to set up your own local branch, or cluster of branches, to market the company’s goods/services

Q Would the company not be better off owning its own branches?

Yes, in terms of operating profits, but it would have to find the money to set them up, whereas it is the franchisee who funds the branches, usually through bank loans

The other big advantage to the franchisor is that it can expect that, as you have invested your own money, you will be more motivated and committed over the long-term to make the business successful than an employee

Q What is it going to cost me?

This, of course, depends on the franchise A business that you can run from home, for example, will obviously cost a lot less to set-up than one that needs premises, particularly in the high street

You pay an initial fee to cover your training, and the rights to use the brand and the business system for the period of the franchise contract

Also you will pay regular ongoing fees, a fixed fee, or based on a percentage of your turnover, or a mark-up on the goods that you are obliged to buy from your franchisor. There may also be an advertising/marketing levy, again based on a fixed fee or turnover

Q Will the initial fee be higher for the larger, ‘better known’ franchises?

Not necessarily The franchisor shouldn’t be setting out to make a profit from the initial fee, but from the ongoing fees

This is one of the important principles of the franchise system because it creates the incentive for the franchisor to help you build your business and continue to develop it Putting it simply, in order for the franchisor to succeed, you must first succeed

Q What is likely to be the scale of my profits?

This will, of course, depend on the franchise you choose, the territory or location you buy, and particularly how hard you work

The latter is critical Franchising is not about investing money, sitting back and spending the profits Launching and developing a new business, even with the back-up of a competent franchisor, is hard work

Franchisors are seldom looking for what are known as ‘absentee investors’ They need hard-working, fully-committed franchisees

The question can best be answered by looking at the franchisor ’s projections for the business and asking current franchisees whether they found them to be realistic

If the figures are impressive and you are prepared to work equally as hard as the franchisees you have met, you should be able to look forward to similar profits. After all, you will have had the same training and help that they did so on that basis, given your location offers similar potential to theirs, whether you succeed or not at the end of the day is down to you

Q Would it be better for me to go it alone in a conventional business and not have regular fees to pay?

You would miss the many benefits of being a franchisee, such as training, the use of the franchisor ’s proven business system and branded, marketing and ongoing development

You would also face much less risk than you would if you were starting out on your own, particularly in a type of business in which you had no knowledge or experience.

With a franchise you have all the help you need to set-up your own branch of a business in which success has been demonstrated by its existing franchisees

Speak to them, and ask their opinion of aspects such as the standard of their initial training, the accuracy of the franchisor ’s financial forecasts (income, outgoings, etc ) and the level of ongoing support they receive

Q Which franchise should I buy?

This is the big question only you can answer It’s rather like asking what house or car should you buy? As with them, it depends on your personal situation, preferences and available finance

What can you afford? What are your personal aptitudes and working background? What would you really like to do for the rest of your career? Would the business need the support and participation of your family? Would the franchise be profitable enough to support your lifestyle? Would it meet your work/lifestyle balance aspirations?

Before looking at these questions indepth, you need to ask yourself whether you are, in fact, suited for selfemployment, and whether you would be

prepared to run the business according to the franchisor ’s rules

You will at the end of the day own your own business, but you must accept the fact that you are not entirely your own boss as you must run it according to the franchisor ’s system.

This is necessary to maintain the quality and integrity of the whole network After all, you are buying into the system not just to benefit from the brand but also its proven business system so why try to change it?

Q I often see franchisees described as franchise owners. Is this true? No, it’s misleading It is the franchisor who is the franchise owner.

Cer tainly, the franchisee owns his business, but it is only able to trade in a par ticular franchise under a contract with the franchisor for a stipulated period, usually with the option to renew for a fur ther ter m

It is only by owning the business that the franchisor can be in the position to police the network and ensure that each franchisee maintains the brand’s standards and reputation

This issue was made clear by one of the UK’s earliest and most successful franchisors who prefer red to call the system ‘business leasing’, as it is a process in which the franchisee ‘leases’ the franchisor’s brand and businessfor mat for a contracted period

Q Might the necessity to strictly follow the franchisor’s formula make the business insufficiently challenging?

This question is often overlooked. Some franchisees are, of course, more ambitious than others There are those who are looking mainly for a comfortable work/life balance, rather than making large profits

However, franchising does offer the ambitious the opportunity to become a multi-unit franchisee with a significant regional chain of outlets

If you are highly ambitious, negotiate with your prospective franchisor at the buying stage to include in the agreement

an option on extra territories/sites Some franchisors particularly welcome franchisees who have aspirations to open a number of outlets and are particularly looking for candidates with the ambition to become multi-unit franchisees

The benefits for the franchisor is that it doesn’t have to face the costs of recruiting and training the ambitious franchisee and, most importantly, knows that he is successful in the business. You suit them, and they suit you Also financing extra units is easier as it can come from the profits of the earlier branches.

True entrepreneurs are, however, unlikely to be fulfilled in conforming to what they increasingly see as restraints imposed by the franchisor and they may, in fact, be better suited to starting a conventional business from scratch and go on to develop it as a franchise system.

Q What does the phrase, comfort zone mean in the context of franchising?

It describes the stage at which the franchisee’s business has become so profitable that he chooses not to develop it further He has reached his ambition and is happy with his work/life balance.

This causes two problems for the franchisor Firstly, it puts a cap on the future royalties it receives from taking a percentage of the franchisee’s turnover Secondly, it gives competitors the opportunity to capture a greater share of the market.

This situation is not easy for the franchisor to overcome It can offer incentives, such as a reducing sliding scale of royalties for higher turnovers and persuading the franchisee to sell back part of his area to create an extra territory for a new franchisee.

Ultimately, however, the franchisor may have to try and entice the franchisee to sell by offering to buy him out at an inflated price

Q What are master and regional franchises?

A master franchise covers the whole of a country and a regional franchise, an individual region of the country Such

franchisees act similarly to a franchisor in respect to recruitment and control

In return, they pay a percentage of their income from initial and ongoing service fees from their franchisees to the parent franchisor The latter usually imposes a development target on the number of franchisees recruited over specific periods to ensure the holder develops the system

Franchisors sell such franchises, rather than franchising directly, to avoid the cost and risk of piloting and developing their system in a country in which they have no experience of the market or culture

They usually hedge their bet by including in the agreement a buy-back option that they can exercise after a period of time if the franchise proves successful.

It is not unknown for a wealthy U S franchisee to take a master franchise for a foreign country in the system in which he has made his wealth This is an example of the more unusual entrepreneurial opportunities within franchising

Q Are there any franchise laws to protect franchisees?

No, there are no laws in the UK specifically addressed to franchising, as there are in many countries, but the system is, of course, subject to commercial law.

The relatively few cases that have reached the courts have usually been brought by franchisees for misrepresentation Has the franchisor misrepresented the profits the franchisee could expect? Has the forecast for the sales figures been exaggerated or the setting-up costs reduced?

Q If there are things in the franchise contract I don’t like, can I change them?

No, not in a well-run franchise The contract sets out the rules under which the business has to be operated and, like the rules of a game, they must be followed to the letter

The quality and reputation of the system

will depend on its standardised business formula which is spelt out in the contract and the operating manuals you must follow.

If franchisees were allowed to make their own changes, standards would differ from outlet to outlet; the franchisor would lose control; and customers would not get the same service across the network

As a result, the quality of the franchise and its brand would decline, and along with them the resale value of your business, when it comes to the stage you want to sell and make a substantial capital gain

The franchisor ’s refusal to make changes is an indication of the strength of its system Conversely, if it allows changes to its formula it is a sign of weakness and often its desperation to recruit franchisees One of the most essential ‘jobs’ of the franchisor is to police its network effectively

Q If I can’t change the contract, do I need a solicitor?

Yes, the contract is complex and you need a solicitor specialising in franchising to explain it to you It should set out in detail what the franchisor is going to do for you and what you will have to do in return. All this needs to be spelt out in the contract and, as it will govern how you run your business, you will need to understand it to the letter

As the franchisor has to protect its interests and those of the network even beyond the point at which you may have left the franchise, the contract can still control the options available to you after the two of you have parted A franchisee can’t take the sign down and continue trading as before but under a different name

After all, it provided your training and its business system. It wouldn’t like you to become a competitor and will, therefore, want to resell your territory to a new franchisee n

If you have a question, email info@franchiseworld co uk

Poppies recruits ‘join at a perfect time’ as it sees increasing demand

Poppies has welcomed three new franchisees to its network of 25 branches and repor ts it is seeing impressive g rowth and increasing demand for its domestic cleaning ser vice across the UK, with recent trends showing a 20 per cent g rowth across the industr y year-on-year.

With new franchisees for Hounslow, Nottingham and Warwick, and a recently expanded head off ice team to fur ther suppor t and nur ture its network, Poppies says it is primed for fur ther g rowth this year following one of its strongest calendar years to date.

Kuldeep Mahi, the franchisee for Warwick, said he was attracted to the scalability and the potential for g rowth that Poppies could offer, par ticularly as it allowed him to continue to r un his marketing company and volunteer for the Samaritans in his free time.

‘You’re in safe hands’

“I wanted to join a business which was 100 per cent British, with strong family values and a demonstrated histor y of exceptional ser vice I know for a fact I found that with Poppies There’s such a wealth of experience and knowledge in the head off ice team, you really feel like you’re in safe hands,” said Mahi.

The new franchisee for Poppies

Hounslow, Soniya Fer nandes, was bor n and raised in India and moved to England four years ago to live with her husband and business par tner, Lester, to launch their new cleaning franchise

Fer nandes comments: “I was looking for a business I could build from an established base, something to give me that flexibility and income so I could live comfor tably and not wor r y about where my next pay cheque was coming from

“I researched so many competitors in the cleaning industr y, but the thing about

Poppies which really stood out was the suppor t and the training they offer to their franchisees We couldn’t be happier with our decision to join Poppies.”

The company says the latest recr uits join the brand at a perfect time with its strengthened head off ice team and increased investment in business development processes, which has resulted in web traff ic across all franchisees increase by 47%, with two outlets benef itting heavily by nearly doubling the size of their pre-Covid operation.

The franchisor highlights Poppies

Sheff ield that has seen a g rowth of 193% in tur nover, Poppies Stockpor t seeing 184% and Poppies Wir ral achieving 176% increase

Chris Wootton (above), managing director of Poppies, said: “We’ve had a strong six months of g rowth in ter ms of the network and customers, demonstrating there is still a real demand for our professional cleaning ser vices

“With our three new franchisees joining our family and the surge in web traff ic, I’m really pleased with our prog ress this year, leading to a good f inancial standing for our franchisee’s businesses

“This continued g rowth indicates a brand primed for helping prospective franchisees f ind the perfect franchise devoted to innovation and investment in people and business development We’re thrilled to be where we are today and look forward to continuing to strengthen our franchise oppor tunity to expand the network even more ” n

www.poppies-franchise.co.uk

E WIB 2023

E m p owe r i n g Wo m e n i n B u s i n e s s

Book your ticket today! 27th September 2023

Reading, RG2 0FL

EWIB is back for 2023! An event for female business owners, entrepreneurs, franchisors and franchisees who want to network with like-minded women. With the promise of fantastic speakers and interactive sessions, you’ll be sure to leave with a wealth of valuable takeaways.

Tickets on sale now at www.thebfa.org

EWIB 2023 proudly sponsored by: McDonald’s Restaurants, Platinum Wave Franchising, The Franchising Centre & Citation