Advice for women in franchising

Are females and franchising an unlikely match? In the UK and around the world more and more women are choosing to be their own boss. For some, however, building a successful business may feel like the stuff of daydreams. Invest in a franchise, writes Katie Shevlin, and it could well become a reality

In light of the widening (yes, widening) UK gender pay gap – women on average earning 80p for every £1 that a man sees in his pay packet – women are increasingly taking matters into their own hands, looking outside of the corporate world for lucrative career opportunities. Franchising offers the potential for women to earn as much as their male counterparts and in a similar role of authority.

The benefits of franchising are not just financial, though; the personal rewards are well documented. You don’t have to choose between a good, steady income and the free time to enjoy home and family life. A franchise business can provide both, and this combination of control and flexibility forms the main appeal of franchising for both genders.

Those women wanting to return to work after a career break will be pleased to know that full training and support is offered by franchisors prior to launch, meaning that previous experience in a particular trade is not always strictly necessary, as long as candidates possess the desired people skills and a passion for good customer service.

Women may be the minority in the franchise world at the moment, comprising just 30 per cent of all UK franchisees, but this is up 10 per cent from 2005 and is expected to continue rising [NatWest / bfa Survey 2013]. Existing female franchisees are currently paving the way for others to join this thriving industry.

This begs the question: in a male-dominated industry, what, if any, are the challenges facing female franchisees? Here, four leading ladies talk about their experience of the industry.

Aspray

Sati Shekhon has been running Aspray Birmingham South since November 2013. Aspray franchisees project manage property damage insurance claims throughout the assessment process in a work-from-home environment. Franchisees not only liaise directly with the insurer, helping policy holders achieve a fair settlement, but also ensure that repairs are completed to the highest standard.

What did you do before you began  running your franchise business?

Prior to franchising, I was a solicitor specialising in property law before moving on to project management.

How did you come to invest in a franchise, and why Aspray in particular?

I started out as an employee of the previous owners of the Birmingham South franchise in 2012 so was fortunate enough to gain an insight and understanding of the business before making any financial commitment to take on the franchise. This gave me a great foundation and the confidence to start up on my own. When the opportunity arose to take over the Aspray Birmingham South territory, it felt like a natural step in my career and I was attracted to the idea of working for myself and being in control of my future.

How does your previous experience help in the running of your franchise?

I was initially attracted to Aspray as I was able to transfer a lot of skills from my previous work experience around property management, compliance and client care. A lot of this experience also involved working in highly pressurised environments, the ability to multi-task and using effective communication and negotiation skills. My legal background also helped me grasp the insurance principles easily. These skills have proved invaluable especially when dealing with clients, loss adjusters and contractors.

How are you finding being a woman in a male-dominated industry? As female, do you experience any difficulties?

Although being a minority in any environment can be a challenge, I can honestly say that being the only female owner of an Aspray franchise has never put me at any disadvantage.

My previous experiences have helped me succeed and I have built relationships that have proved imperative for my franchise to thrive ; I think this would be no different if I was a man. I embrace the challenge of working in a male-dominated industry and feel this actually gains me more respect from my male peers when I meet them out in the field.

How has your life changed since investing in an Aspray franchise? Do you have a good work-life balance?

I have a greater sense of job satisfaction and after years of working long, unsociable hours in an office and bringing work home, I have finally achieved what I wanted, which was a good work-life balance and to be in a position where I can manage my own diary. As with any business, you get out what you put in, so if you want to build your operation into million-pound turnover, you work that much harder. You’re in control of your own level of success.

What is the training and support like?

The training is readily available at head office and the network is kept updated on the latest industry courses available through the British Damage Management Association. All franchisees have access to online training tools that you can tailor to your own individual training needs and we also receive regular technical papers that help with our understanding of insurance principles and are produced from feedback from the network. Regular regional meetings keep the network up to date on developments within the business.

Describe a typical day.

A typical day consists of meetings with clients to assess damage to properties, and with loss adjusters to review and negotiate claims, passing through ongoing jobs to check progress of works and then back to the office to work through emails, calls and catch up on general administration and any follow-up tasks from the day. It’s a nice balance of being out on the road and based in the office.

What qualities do you feel are important in order to achieve success as a franchisee?

With franchising, you are buying into a tried-and-tested business model that has been proven successful and therefore half the battle has been overcome. This does not mean, however, that all the hard work has been done, as it is still the drive and motivation of the franchisee that builds and grows their business. Not every door is open for you but you need to be resilient and push yourself out of your comfort zone to gain new business. Retaining business is also key, and means maintaining good relationships with all those around you that refer you work.

What advice would you give to women considering a franchise?

Don’t be afraid to take on the challenge! I think starting off with a franchise business is great as there is less risk of failing. Women often have to juggle careers with being good homemakers and mothers – for this reason they may not get the same opportunities or salaries as men who til recently have traditionally been deemed the breadwinners. By starting your own business, you are in the driving seat and have the control to shape your work-life balance and your earning potential.

What are your plans for the future?

It is a very exciting time to be part of the Aspray franchise. We have a team of people dedicated to developing the business and there are some great corporate clients coming on board that will increase our business overall. At present I handle all aspects of the franchise myself, which can prove challenging, but as my workload continues to increase I aim to have a team of my own that can offer clerical support and also deal with sales and marketing. This will free up time for me to do more networking in my territory and continue to grow my business.

Ovenclean 

Sheree Parker is one of Ovenclean’s most successful franchisees, yet one of only a handful of women within the network.

Tell us your Ovenclean journey so far.

I joined Ovenclean in 2001, and by 2004 was so busy I had to take on an employee to help me manage the demand for my services. Now, 13 years on, I have expanded my initial owner-operator business into a successful management franchise, running two vans and two employees, as well as sub-contracting work to a neighbouring franchisee.

How have you found the training and support provided by the franchisor?

The support you get from the Ovenclean team is amazing, not just when you launch, but as your business grows too!

Has being a woman in a male-dominated industry presented any challenges?

For me, being a woman has certainly not presented any challenges. I think it’s irrelevant really; instead, ask yourself: is self-employment for you? If so, then franchising offers the opportunity to grow a successful business, without many of the risks of going it alone.

How has investing in a franchise changed your life? Do you think you have a good work-life balance?

I’d done the 14-hour days as someone else’s employee, and one of the things I value most about being self-employed is that I don’t have to spend my whole time working. My ambition from the start was to develop my Ovenclean business into a management franchise and it’s worked really well for me. I work sensible hours now and have a great work-life balance.

So you think the Ovenclean opportunity is suited to women?

Many of the benefits of owning an Ovenclean franchise, such as flexible working hours and being able to run a business from home, could make it an attractive prospect for women, particularly for those trying to balance the demands of career and family.

What advice would you offer women considering a franchise?

One piece of advice to I’d offer women considering franchising is do your research and if you feel that it could work for you – then go for it! The feeling of freedom you get with being your own boss is amazing. I’ve never looked back!

Home Instead Senior Care

Sue Dunster has run the Oxford franchise of Home Instead Senior Care for the last five years.

What did you do prior to franchising? When did you set up your franchise?

I owned a training business that specialised in vocational qualifications for the health and social care sector. My background is innursing and midwifery and I moved into training when my son was younger to suit home life commitments.

Why Home Instead Senior Care?

When delivering training I had an insight into various types of services that were available across the social care sector, particularly home care. I realised I wanted to make a difference to the lives of the elderly and owning a Home Instead franchise would enable me to do this. I was impressed with the support and guidance given to owners; the Home Instead ethos mirrors how I feel about delivering a quality service to our clients and stood head and shoulders above the others.

How does your previous experience assist you in running your franchise?

Home Instead is a management franchise, so no previous care experience is needed.The management skills I gained from my previous business ownership were transferable to the Home Instead model. When I started out I concentrated my efforts on networking to raise the profile of my business within the community.

How is it being a woman in a male-dominated industry?

I have found that in this business everyone is listened to, we are here to share ideas and change the face of ageing, which requires us all to work together. Being a woman in the care sector can actually be a real benefit, certainly when meeting clients.

How does running a Home Instead franchise change your life?

The most important thing is that, with the support of your caregivers, you can make a real difference each day to the lives of clients and their families.

As the owner of a growing business you expect to be busy but work-life balance is still important, so you make the effort to have time for your family.

What sort of training and support does your franchisor provide?

At the beginning of the journey, there is intensive training provided for both the owner and care manager. Going forward, there is regular, bespoke support for each owner, as we all have different skill sets and need additional support in different areas. All owners come together for regional meetings and the annual conference, and we also regularly attend local owner group meetings. These take place at various locations throughout the UK and are a great opportunity to learn from each other’s successes and mistakes.

What qualities do you feel are important in a franchisee?

Each franchise is individually owned but we are part of a larger family. You need to be able to learn from all the experience that the network of owners provides, and be prepared to share your ideas and best practice. The support is in place from national office and the model works but you need to be prepared to follow this model.

What are your plans for the future?

To grow our business, we need to actively network in our community to raise understanding of the quality service that we offer. This will, in turn, help us to become the employer of choice for caregivers and work towards the Home Instead goal to change the face of ageing.

Bluebird Care

Julie McLellan owns and runs Bluebird Care North Tyneside. Before investing in her franchise, Julie was branch manager of estate agents around North East England.

What prompted your decision to buy a franchise?

I had been a branch manager for a long time and was very successful at it, but I was not getting the job satisfaction I longed for. I left to become my own boss and build my own business instead of helping other people build theirs. I was ready for a new and exciting challenge!

Why this particular sector and why with Bluebird Care? How did you hear about them?

I knew that domiciliary care is a growing sector and that here in the UK we have an ever-increasing ageing population. The social care available in our area was not at a standard that I would want for my family and I set out to change that. Bluebird Care talked about the quality and continuity of care I felt was lacking in our area. I was looking for an established business that was held in high regard and a company that would provide support and commitment to the franchisee. I carried out many weeks of research into the care industry and Bluebird Care ticked all the boxes for me. Having then gone on to meet the Bluebird Care team at head office, I concluded that the company was operated in a very professional way and had an excellent reputation in the care sector. It was a brand I wanted to be part of and I was confident enough to change direction and become a franchise owner.

How is it going so far?

Things are going very well for us. The business continues to grow month on month; we now employ 40 local people and look after over 70 customers across the borough of North Tyneside. We won a Great British Care award in 2013 and received the Spirit of Bluebird Care award at the franchise owner annual conference this year.

How did you find the training and support offered by Bluebird Care?

I had no experience of running my own business or the care sector so it was rather daunting at first, but Bluebird Care were extremely supportive. The franchise-owner training course was extremely well organised and very informative. All aspects of becoming a franchise owner were covered in great depth and we were made to feel part of the network from day one.

The northern-based business development manager (BDM) made contact with me within a few hours and answered all of my initial questions. He then assisted in finding my office, he helped with key staff recruitment and marketing and ensured that I was successfully registered with the Care Quality Commission.

The BDM now visits me on a regular basis to offer ongoing advice and guidance. There have been times when I have needed more help than others and it is reassuring to know that it is there if needed.

Has being a woman in franchising presented any particular challenges or advantages?

Sometimes people look past leading women for the man in the business, but I know that I have more than enough strength and business acumen to lead my company and take us forward. I am not treated any differently by the franchisor at all – I firmly believe that I am judged on my success, not my gender.

Would you recommend franchising (and investing with Bluebird Care) to others?

I would definitely recommend franchising as you can invest in your own business and be your own boss. With Bluebird Care, you can rest assured you are working with a proven business model and a strong support network in place. Setting up a business always carries risk, but with franchising the risk is minimised and you are not alone. I am following the Bluebird Care model and the results speak for themselves  

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