Women mean business

Figures just released by women’s rights group Fawcett Society, and calculated using data from the Office for National Statistics, show that women effectively work for free from the second week of November to the end of the year, due to the disparity in earnings with their male colleagues.

What’s more, 41 per cent of young women expect to face discrimination in the workplace, according to a recent poll by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors.

While more work urgently needs to be done on tackling this discrepancy, one solution for individuals could be franchising. Investing in a franchise can mean far fewer constraints on your career progression and significantly improve your work-life balance.

In an effort to increase awareness, the British Franchise Association (bfa) has just held its annual Women in Franchising conference. The perfect arena for businesswomen to network and share best practice, it aims to encourage more women into the industry.

Pip Wilkins, chief executive of the bfa, says: “Government statistics tell us that 15.5 per cent of all businesses are owned or run by women. In franchising, that figure is doubled to 30 per cent.”

The Association is proud of this figure and of the women paving the way forward, but acknowledges there is still a way to go. With many inspiring role models in business and franchising, however, women are headed in the right direction.

Here, three successful female entrepreneurs share their experiences of being a woman in franchising...

Debbie Pell, Ovenclean

What did you do prior to franchising?

I’d had a variety of jobs since leaving school. I looked into becoming self- employed and considered lots of options before choosing a franchise.

What inspired you to go into franchising and why did you choose Ovenclean?

The national network of Ovenclean appealed, as did the professionalism of the marketing materials, training and ongoing support. I did look at and consider one or two franchises, but there were various reasons why I decided not to go with them. One of the advantages of Ovenclean is that you don’t need to have huge storage space to keep stock as you would, for example, with some supply franchises.

How has your life changed since investing in an Ovenclean franchise?

It’s given me a huge confidence boost in my own ability to run and manage a business from scratch. It has also enabled me to become successfully self-employed, and has given me the flexibility and freedom to plan my life outside of work.

What advice would you give to women considering a franchise?

It’s a great start for any woman thinking of working for herself. It gives a safety net of support and you will never be short of someone to guide and advise you. Choose the right franchise for you and you won’t regret it.

What is the training and support like?

The training and support was brilliant; it gave me a good basis from which to learn more as I progressed. I’ve always felt very supported by the head office, even with all the changes that Ovenclean as a franchisor has gone through.

How has your business grown?

It’s taken a lot of hard work and commitment on my part to grow my business and I bought a second territory when I felt ready to grow even further. It’s grown steadily year on year in terms of my customer database and turnover.

What has your biggest challenge been and how did you overcome it?

Being self-sufficient on a day-to-day basis, working alone and being totally responsible for everything is a challenge. I’ve overcome this by sharing my worries and concerns with my partner. Having a supportive family around me has helped enormously.

What are your plans for the future?

My first plan is to travel around Europe with my partner, who is retiring. After that, who knows? We are lucky enough to be able to be flexible about our future choices.

Is there anything that you would done differently?

I don’t have any regrets. Ovenclean has given me a good living for the past nine years and I would recommend it to any prospective franchisee.

Mira Balac, Promedica24

What did you do prior to franchising?

I’ve worked in a number of consumer goods and online retail businesses, predominantly in sales, marketing, and supply chain.

What inspired you to go into franchising?

I wanted to run my own business and be my own boss. However, I also wanted the support structure that comes with franchising. I liked that the franchise has been tried and tested.

How did you come to invest in a franchise and why Promedica24 in particular?

It boiled down to the data. The numbers for Promedica24 were really compelling, for the future of the business as a whole and also when studying the target market. I also found there was a strong social argument for the business.

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

As a sales and marketing person, understanding and meeting the needs of others has come quite naturally to me. Finding care for a loved one is quite an emotional process, so my communication and listening skills have been very much transferable when identifying the right packages for the requirements, and highlighting the elements of live-in care that would matter most to a specific prospective client.

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

In the care industry, it has actually been an advantage. After talking to other women running Promedica24 franchises alongside either male business partners or their husbands, they have also found that people seem to respond to them in a more positive way when it comes to emotional choices.

How has your life changed since investing in a Promedica24 franchise?

It has changed my life dramatically. There are the initial financial implications of giving up a guaranteed income and starting up a new business, but I am passionate about what Promedica24 does, and what it can do for my community, which is what keeps me going. 

What advice would you give to women considering a franchise?
Do your market research and speak to as many current franchisees as you can. If, like me, you want to feel like you are running your own business, you also need to ask about autonomy and decision-making and find out where certain decisions sit – with you or with the head office.

What is the training and support like?

We had seven days of intensive training split between Poland and the UK, and the support team at the office is on hand to help when we need them. What I will say is that no amount of training can prepare you for working ‘on the ground’. As the process of finding care is an emotional one, there can be some real challenges in having those conversations. I’m sure most regional partners of any franchise would tell you that, once you start, every day is
a learning curve.

Describe a typical day

There is no such thing as a typical day! You have to be very flexible, especially in the beginning, as you’re always realigning your priorities and learning what works and what doesn’t. I could be handing out flyers in the morning, followed by a formal business meeting, and then a client meeting in a person’s home. As a woman coming out of a corporate environment, this was quite a change for me.

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

You need to have determination, persistence, focus, self-motivation, creativity and patience.

What are your plans for the future?

My plan is very simple – I want to build a successful business in my local area, and I want to make a positive difference to people’s lives.

Jenny Campbell, Minster Cleaning Services

What did you do before you took up the franchise?

I am a business studies graduate and, while reading for my degree at Bournemouth University, I completed an internship with Enterprise Rent-A-Car. Within two years of my graduation, I was promoted to become a branch manager within Enterprise.

Why did you choose franchising and why did you decide on a Minster franchise in particular?

After three years with Enterprise, despite achieving year-on-year growth, I felt ready for a new challenge. My parents, Chris and Liz Campbell, have run the Hampshire branch of Minster Cleaning Services for 21 years, so I was aware how successful and
profitable this franchise can be.

When I discovered that Minster’s Dorset territory was available as a resale I jumped at the opportunity. There are big cashflow advantages in buying a business that is established and already making a profit. Plus, we had already identified areas where we could make savings on overheads by having two territories.

What is your typical day like?

One of the great things about Minster is that no two days are the same; our contracts range from small offices right up to large factories and schools.

There are plenty of different challenges every day, as we’re involved in customer service, people management, logistics, cleaning materials stock management and managing our fleet of vans.

Why is Minster equally suitable for both men and women?

As more and more women take on senior roles in both the private and public sectors, people are realising that women can be at least as successful as men in managerial positions.

Gender is no barrier to success at Minster but, as a management franchise, commercial awareness and people management skills are essential.

How has life changed since taking up your franchise?

The sale was completed in record time and I took over the business in July 2011. All of the existing staff transferred to the new company and we’re now up to 150 staff across both branches so it’s very busy. As a Minster franchisee you have the flexibility of being your own boss together with the responsibility of employing people.

I work closely with the Hampshire branch and, like many franchisees in our network, we’ve been able to capitalise on Minster’s vast experience and expertise in providing specialist cleaning services to the healthcare sector. Between the two branches, we are now providing a fully Care Quality Commission-compliant cleaning service to around 40 doctors’ and dentists’ practices.

What advice would you give to a woman thinking of buying their first franchise?

Choose something that you’re interested in and will be able to do long term. A franchise within a well-known and established network can show you that the franchise model is tried and tested. Speak to as many franchisees as possible and be suspicious if the franchisor restricts your access to some franchisees. Also, be wary if the franchisor looks like they’ll just take anyone on as a franchisee.

Make sure you read the small print – understand what you are getting for your money and what rights you will have. Ask the franchisor a number of questions like: do you have exclusive rights to the area in which you will operate? How long will your franchise last and what options do you have to renew? What support will you get at the start and what continuing support is available? It’s important you have a long- term plan.

What are your plans for the future?

I intend to keep developing the business by offering excellent service, value for money and a flexible service tailored to the individual needs of our clients.