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