Special Feature Leading ladies
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
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n 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.
December/January 2015 |
Businessfranchise.com | 35
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