Could franchising be a solution for women who have entrepreneurial ambition, but are not realising their potential?

Last month, to coincide with International Women's Day, Belvoir released the results of a survey of women who were already working in the property industry.

Could franchising be a solution for women who have entrepreneurial ambition

Last month, to coincide with International Women’s Day, Belvoir released the results of a survey of women who were already working in the property industry. Although we have many exceptionally talented female franchisees across all brands within the Belvoir Group, we believe very strongly in equal opportunities and we wanted to find out why more women weren’t making the leap from employee to business owner.

A total of 301 women who were already working in the property industry answered a number of questions, ranging from how happy they were with their current position, and what, if anything, was holding them back from applying for promotions or running their own business.

On analysing the responses, it was interesting that almost three quarters (74%) recognised that there were chances for career progression, and almost an equal number (72%) said that if an opportunity came up for them to run their own business, they would take it. When asked what was holding them back, almost half said they had concerns over juggling family and home life, with an almost equal number stating that lack of confidence was the biggest prohibitive factor.

It seems unfortunate that a high percentage of women who have industry experience and entrepreneurial ambition, are not realising their potential. Could franchising be a solution to what are perceived as stumbling blocks to success? 

The Belvoir Group has female franchisees from many different backgrounds, with varying levels of experience, who are successfully and happily running their own businesses. There are husband and wife teams, mother and daughter teams, women who are running the business as a solo enterprise, as well as former employees who decided to take the plunge and run the business when the opportunity arose.

Although the motives for taking on a franchise may vary, the ability to succeed remains a constant. For example, over at Belvoir York, mother and daughter team Clare Leathley and Charlotte Baron, had previously worked for independent and corporate agencies. Their reason for taking on a franchise was to be able to enjoy more flexibility and be in charge of their working days. They also wanted the support and back up that a franchise was able to provide. 

“In our industry the law can change very quickly, and we like the fact that we are kept up to date – even to the point of receiving an email at 9pm on a Friday night!” says Clare. “We also like having the support of the other franchisees, and really appreciate having a dedicated Business Support Mentor.

“If you’re the type of person who doesn’t clock hours in a ‘I’ve done my 37.5hours this week I’m going home’ then a franchise is perfect.”

In Burnley, husband and wife team Mike and Linda Green recently completed an impressive 18 years as franchisees. Their skill sets perfectly complement each other, with Mike dealing with the landlords and legal side of the business, whilst Linda uses her previous experience of working in customer service and finances to ensure the smooth running and administration of the office systems. It is not uncommon for franchisees to divide their skill sets in this way, but of course a franchisee who decides to run the business alone is always able to bring in the additional employees and skills that are needed.

Speaking of her career as a franchisee, Linda says: “I have absolutely no regrets, and there is no reason why more women could not become successful franchisees. In the early days my husband and I benefitted enormously from the help and advice that was available to us from Central Office, and even after 18 years, it’s great to know that there is always someone at the end of a telephone, able to advise us, should we ever need it.”

As a business model, franchising may be the ideal solution to anyone who is keen to run their own business but doesn’t want the pressure of starting from ground zero in what can be a highly competitive marketplace. By joining a reputable franchise, you are able to hit the ground running, safe in the knowledge that you can benefit from the branding, reputation, training and support that is needed to create confidence and build success. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dorian Gonsalves
Dorian Gonsalves
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