Posted:01-October-2008
UK'S TOP FRANCHISEES GO FOR GOLD
“We congratulate the National Finalists on reaching the Finals of these prestigious annual Awards. Their success stories are not only representative of hard work and commitment, but also a testament to the support provided by a successful franchising business model.”
Cathryn Hayes, Head of Franchising for HSBC Bank
The UK’s top-performing franchisees will gather in Birmingham this week to battle it out for the first prize in the 2008 British Franchise Association’s (bfa) Franchisee of the Year Awards, sponsored by HSBC Bank and Express Newspapers.
The nine National Finalists, will attend a black-tie Awards Dinner, to be held at Birmingham’s International Convention Centre on Thursday 2 October.
The winning franchisee will scoop HSBC’s £5,000 Gold Winner’s cheque plus the hotly-contested accolade ‘bfa Franchisee of the Year 2008’. The Silver and Bronze award-winning franchisees will also receive cheques from HSBC for £3,000 and £2,000 respectively.
Contenders vying for the top prize are:
Autosmart – Aberdeen
Frank Sutherland was made redundant at the age of 47 and found the prospect of starting a new career daunting. He was determined to provide a secure future for his family and after a chance sighting of an advert in the job pages, Frank bought the Aberdeen Autosmart franchise, supplying premium quality vehicle cleaning and maintenance products.
Domino’s Pizza – Kilmarnock, Ayr, Clydebank and Govan
Lisa Tobias has gone from being a professional gymnast to an award-winning franchisee. She started working part-time for the UK’s leading pizza delivery company when she was only 18. Now, aged 27, Lisa owns four Domino’s Pizza stores in Kilmarnock, Ayr, Clydebank and Govan. She is their most successful female franchisee and is planning on opening her fifth store in the near future.
Dream Doors – Nottingham
Husband and wife Trevor and Anne Conduit had always dreamt of running their own business. They have found that owning a franchise gives them the benefits of being self-employed but with the vital support of an established network. Trevor and Anne opened their Nottingham based Dream Doors franchise in January 2007 and are now working on innovative ways to make updating your kitchen as stress-free as possible.
FASTSIGNS – Chelmsford
Despite leaving school aged 16, Jenny Boreham dreamt of becoming a successful business woman. After years of working for other people, she found franchising provided her with the opportunity to become her own boss. Jenny bought into the Chelmsford FASTSIGNS franchise in 1996 and continues to successfully grow her signs and digital print solutions business.
McDonald’s – A14 Corridor (Cambridge to Felixstowe)
Mark Richards began his career with McDonald’s in 1982 as a staff member, and worked hard over the next 12 years to be promoted through the ranks, winning many accolades along the way. In 1994 Mark bought his first McDonald’s franchise in Corby Town Centre. He has since relocated to the A14 corridor and now owns and successfully runs an impressive seven restaurants between Cambridge and Felixstowe.
Oscar Pet Foods – Honiton
After leaving the Army, Neil Stapleton became a lorry driver which often resulted in long and unsociable hours. Neil was desperate to spend more time with his young family and, together with his wife Lorraine, bought an Oscar Pet Foods franchise. Neil and Lorraine have successfully been running their pet food delivery company for 10 years.
Pirtek UK – Stoke
Craig Harrison had worked as a coal miner since leaving school but was unfortunately made redundant due to a decline in the industry. In 1993 he joined Pirtek Stoke as a Mobile Sales and Service Technician, later being promoted to Centre Manager. His on-the-job experience and indispensable knowledge meant he was a prime candidate to become a franchisee and in 2001 he bought the Stoke franchise. Craig has since invested in sites in Warrington and Wigan.
Venture UK – York & Hull
Angie Baynes began working in her father’s photography studio at the age of 18. In 2001, aged 22, Angie decided to go it alone and bought into the York franchise of Venture UK. After three years’ hard work and with lots of support and guidance from the franchisor, Angie opened a second photography studio in Hull.
Western Provident Association (WPA) – Hampshire
After 25 years’ experience in the IT industry, Tina Kemp decided it was time for a change and bought into the Hampshire based WPA franchise. Her personal experience of the company and their outstanding reputation in the industry were factors in her decision to pursue opportunities with the private medical insurers. She has since invested in an additional franchise that is now run by her husband.
The National Finalists impressed the judging panel, chaired by bfa President, Sir Bernard Ingham, by demonstrating how they ‘manage change’ – the theme of this year’s Awards.
Cathryn Hayes, Head of Franchising for HSBC Bank, said: “Our mission is to make HSBC the bank of choice for the British franchise industry, which is now worth an annual £12.4 billion to the UK’s economy.
“This year’s National Finalists are inspiring examples of the franchise model working at its very best and we congratulate them on reaching the Finals of these prestigious annual Awards.”
Director General of the bfa, Brian Smart, added: “The franchise sector is home to some of the UK's most successful brands. These brands have been built on the foundation of a franchisor driven to build and support a network, and franchisees who are committed to developing their own business.
“The Awards recognise the very best franchisees and how their focus and drive, when supplemented by the support of a franchisor, results in the growth of a sustainable and profitable business."
Express Newspapers’ Franchise and Business Opportunities Advertising Sales Manager, Geraldine Haenow, said: “The National Finalists are fantastic ambassadors for the franchising industry and an inspiration to all those thinking of starting up on their own.
“They should be proud of their achievements in reaching this stage of the Awards and we look forward to sharing their success story with our readers.”
