FROM
THE BRITISH FRANCHISE ASSOCIATION
THE UK' S VOLUNTARY S ELF - REGUL ATING GOVERNING BODY FOR FRANCHI SING
PIP WILKINS Chief executive, bfa
Pip Wilkins, CEO of the British Franchise Association reflects on what has been a year like no other
T
he bfa held our AGM on the morning of the 15 December 2020, and as always it gives us an opportunity to look back at what we have achieved and, for this year specifically, to review how we have
fared during one of the biggest challenges in my life to date. I feel privileged to be at the helm of this
organisation. We have suffered, like everyone else. Sadly, we have ended this year with almost half the number of staff we had when we came into it, and we are all working remotely now. This small, agile team has made a monumental effort to pivot during exceptional circumstances, and to unroll a package designed to bolster and support franchising as an industry, during this dark time. I believe we have well and truly punched above our weight in every sense.
"We’ve made a monumental effort to bolster and support franchising as an industry during this dark time"
We quickly transferred all our activity to virtual.
We put out two guides at the start of lockdown, a wellbeing support guide, and a franchise support guide. We launched a support forum on LinkedIn, ‘The Franchise Collective’: a resource available to all in the franchise community, not just our members, where information, support and guidance is available. Alongside that we have opened our
free franchisee support online and run almost 100 franchise surgeries and power hours for both franchisors and franchisees. All of that alongside all the ‘Business-as-Usual’ activity of the Association, as well as organising and producing our first ever virtual conference and awards, which has received unanimous praise. I am not just proud to be part of the bfa, but to
be part of franchising as an industry. At the recent bfa HSBC British Franchise Awards show, we honoured many who had gone above and beyond during the year, but one award, in particular, highlighted just how special the people in this industry are. Our ‘Community Focus award’ was unique to 2020. We looked at all the people who had gone out of their way to help, support and give back to their communities during the lockdowns and restrictions. I felt humbled and inspired to be part of a business sector that is so resilient and resourceful, whilst giving so much back. Please do take the time to look at some of these stories. We are all part of something very special. https://www.
thebfa.org/bfa-hsbc-2020-community-hero/
BUSINESSFRANCHISE.COM 13
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104
