Five minutes with… Cathryn Hayes, franchise director at Revive! Auto Innovations

How did you get involved in franchising?

I applied for the job of head of franchising at HSBC after previous roles as a branch manager, area credit manager and commercial lender. I expected to be in the role for a couple of years before moving on but I became addicted to franchising and stayed! There is just so much variety, with different sectors and types of franchise, so it never gets stale. 

What is your career highlight?

Lots, I love being part of such a vibrant sector. There were great times at HSBC building up the fantastic team of franchise experts there, which was a team of two when I started.

I enjoyed the challenges at the British Franchise Association (bfa), including working on the industry survey, having an article published in the Times, and doing a live interview on Radio 4. 

I’m now hugely enjoying being part of the team at Revive! and putting the things I knew about franchising into practice. In all these jobs, I have worked with amazing colleagues, and the close-knit franchise community means that I still get to see many of them regularly. 

Who has been the biggest influence on your career? 

When I started my career, my dad was a big influence. He encouraged me to do my banking exams and helped me study for them.

I had lots of help in franchising in my early days from a number of people, but two I will single out are:

• Martin Mendelsohn, who was the leading lawyer in the sector, was so helpful to me, providing training in the legal aspects of franchising and regular updates
• Margaret Nugent, who was head of classified advertising at Express Newspapers. We worked together as co-sponsors of the bfa Awards. We became firm friends and still meet up regularly

How do you relax?

I read a lot – 84 books in total in 2018 – and I’m also a keen gardener. I particularly enjoy growing things from seed, something I didn’t think I’d have enough patience for!

What was your childhood dream job?

I really wanted to be a librarian because I thought that meant I would be able to read books all day. I lost interest when I realised that wasn’t what they did!

Tell us a little-known fact about you…

I have a season ticket for [rugby union club] Worcester Warriors, so I spend the season worrying about whether we are going to be relegated – we spend most seasons in the bottom two!

Your drink of choice?

Coffee, by the bucketload. And maybe the odd glass of champagne or a toffee vodka or two.

Your ideal holiday destination?

I’m the opposite of a sun-worshipper so beach holidays aren’t my thing. I’d rather have a city break.

Even though I worked in London for many years and lived there as a child, I didn’t see enough of it from a tourist perspective, so I go back regularly for theatre or sightseeing trips – I really enjoy being a tourist in a city I know well!

Paris is another favourite, and having lived in Berlin for eight years during my childhood due to my dad being in the RAF, I’d like to go back there again soon. 

Who are your dream dinner party guests?

Victoria Wood, Danny Boyle, JK Rowling and Marina Hyde – lots of laughs and probably quite a bit of discussion about books and politics. I’ll have to get someone in to do the catering, though – my cooking skills are non-existent.

Who’s providing the dinner party soundtrack?

David Bowie. I’ve been a Bowie fan since I was 11 or 12, much to my parents’ horror at the time. When he died a few years ago, some of my old school friends sent me messages as they remembered how obsessed I was with him. I still love his music and listen to it regularly, albeit on Spotify instead of vinyl these days.

In fact, he can come to my fictional dinner party, too; I’d love to talk to him about the inspiration behind some of my favourite songs.

Who’d play you in the film of your life?

That’s a tough one. I’d like it to be someone elegant like Gillian Anderson but suspect it would be someone less glamorous. Maybe it could be a Pixar animation, in which case I’d like to be played by Jessie from Toy Story 2.

One piece of advice you’d give to anyone starting out in business…

Be yourself, don’t try to be who you think people expect you to be! Don’t do anything half-heartedly and be ambitious and focused with your plans.

The fictional or historical character you most identify with?

Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz (played by Judy Garland, of course) – making friends along the way on her journey, working together to get things done, having fabulous, sparkly red shoes, and knowing that there really is no place like home. I’d love to be able to sing like her, too!

How would you like to be remembered?

As someone who was always committed to everything she did and who treated everyone around her with kindness.