More and more women are entering the world of franchising with the number of female franchisees growing by over 86 percent over the past year, according to this year’s NatWest bfa franchise survey.

 

“The franchise industry continues to flourish and contributed £11.8 billion to the country’s GDP last year,” commented Mike Seaman, Franchise Portfolio Manager for The British Franchise Exhibition which will be held at Manchester Central on Friday 11 and Saturday 12 June 2010.

 

“People are realising the potential of franchising - especially women who can use the business model to take control of their professional lives and strike a healthy balance between that and their personal lives, which is great for working mums.”

 

Business-minded women can learn more about franchising by attending The British Franchise Exhibition’s free seminar programme, where women in franchising where will be discussed in depth. Thebestof, a reputable franchise company, will host a presentation on Friday ‘Can you really buy a profitable franchise for less than £5k?’ which is of interest for many women looking for low-investment opportunities.

 

The NatWest bfa study also found that in 2009 more businesses turned to franchising as a route to expansion so the total number of franchise systems operating in the UK reached 842, a significant increase on 2008. The British Franchise Exhibition will provide a wide-ranging sample of such franchised enterprises including McDonald’s, Bluebird Care, Cash Generator, Go Cruise and Explorer Travel. The event will showcase the prospering market and enable potential franchisees to learn the principles behind the business model that’s producing such notable statistics.

 

“Franchised businesses have weathered the recessional storm extremely well, which we should not be surprised about if we look at how franchising has proven itself over the years,” said Brian Smart, Director General of the British Franchise Association (bfa), which exclusively supports The British Franchise Exhibition.

 

People of all backgrounds - whether a woman looking for a profitable venture, a couple wanting to open a business together, retirees who desire an ongoing income, or just someone looking for a new career challenge - will be catered for at the event, which promises to be the most comprehensive ever due to its host of initiatives, speakers and quality exhibitors. Keynote presenters who will be at the exhibition include Chantelle Ludski, founder of fresh! Naturally Organic, and Guy Unwin, Director of Planit Products - the inventor of innovative kitchen product ‘Toastabags’. Chantelle and Guy will discuss their secrets to business success as part of the show’s renowned free seminar programme.