Prospective franchisees understandably spend a great deal of time choosing the right brand, carrying out due diligence and arranging finance. Yet signing the franchise agreement is not the finish line; it is the start of the real journey

Paul Lewis of Pitman Training explains why becoming an employer is one of the most significant transitions a growing franchisee faces – and why the skills that helped you start your business are not always the ones that help it grow

As AI leaders ask the UN to keep humans in control, Katie Bullon of Activ Marketing asks marketers the same question about their own work: who is really steering?

Lisa Stead of Stagecoach Performing Arts explains why being indispensable can become a limitation as a franchise grows, and how effective delegation creates the space to build something bigger

Rebecca Newenham, an experienced entrepreneur, business mentor, and franchise consultant, shares a simple networking mindset shift that could change the way you build relationships and generate opportunities for your franchise

Buying or selling a franchise is more than a financial transaction; it can involve identity, emotion, trust and difficult decisions on both sides

Alongside a tough economy and global uncertainty, employment law changes have dominated the SME landscape for more than a year

As franchise networks expand, maintaining consistency becomes increasingly difficult. In my experience, the greatest threat to sustainable growth is not rapid expansion itself, but rather the gradual erosion of standards that made the business successful in the first place

Lisa Stead, CEO of Stagecoach Performing Arts, explores why looking just beyond your existing customer base can reveal valuable opportunities for sustainable growth

Nigel Toplis reflects on time spent in South Africa and the surprising lessons that nature – from hippo herds to hunting cheetahs – can teach business owners about structure, routine and relationships

Pip Wilkins QFP, CEO of the BFA, asks why there is a 16-year gap between when people discover franchising and when they actually buy a franchise – and what it takes to finally make the leap

Marketing has rewarded solo hustle for years. The businesses built to last now look like franchises, not freelancers: systems first, with people still at the centre