Women in Franchising: Stronger Together

Have you found it easier to feel like you can “do it” when you’re with other women who are cheering you on? Over the last few years, there has been a drive to challenge the stereotype of women in the boys’ club trampling over other women to reach the top: Collaboration not competition.

EWiF (Encouraging Women into Franchising) recognises the power found in women working together: we are stronger together. Every year, at our annual Awards event, we make a big noise to celebrate the women who are a huge success in their franchising careers. This week, as the Awards event falls in the same week as International Women’s Day, we’re using the opportunity to shout even louder about how women are choosing to challenge themselves, their industries and the naysayers!

As an industry, franchising is female-friendly, compared to many other commercial sectors. According to the Franchise Landscape Report, by the bfa and NatWest, 37% of new franchisees, and 65% of people employed in UK-based franchises, were women. So we’ve been challenging the norm for quite a few years now.

As Helen Mansfield, chair of EWIF says, “Franchising is fortunate enough to have the British Franchise Association and EWIF to encourage women to own and build a successful franchise business, with experienced support from both organisations. EWIF’s regional meetings give women the opportunity to meet and network together, to share stories of successes and failures, best practice and what to avoid, as a franchisor or a franchisee. These meetings foster strong personal relationships, meaning we can face any future challenges together.”

Over this week, you will read a handful of inspirational stories of the finalists of our Woman Franchisor and Women Franchisee award categories. Through them, you will see for yourself the power in collaboration, and the extraordinary lengths many of the women involved in franchising will go to. For their businesses, their networks, and others in their communities. The eight case studies we feature are just a taste of what franchising offers any woman who wants to be in control of her own career, and there are hundreds more like them.

So, each day, grab a drink, and bask in the glory of what happens when women collaborate. If you want to know more about the franchise industry, visit our website: ewif.org.uk