Lucy and Suzie top the list of winners at the 2022 EWiF Awards’ ceremony.
Lucy Crabtree of BabyBallet, and Suzie McCafferty of Platinum Wave Franchising, each collected two major gongs when the Encouraging Women into Franchising (EWIF) Awards took place in London on Thursday. This was the first time since the start of the pandemic that the awards’ ceremony could be held in person.
Both the 2020 and 2021 events were conducted online but for the 12th staging of this prestigious gathering, the attendees were delighted to meet up as a group at the NatWest building in Bishopsgate. Once again NatWest were the title sponsors of the EWIF Awards and here is the list of winners for the 2022 edition.
New Woman Franchisee of the Year (Sponsored by Moneypenny)
Rebecca Lomax (Puddle Ducks)
Rebecca opened her franchise during lockdown but by the end of her first year had purchased a neighbouring territory. She now employs 16 teaching staff and has over 700 customers.
New Woman Franchisor of the Year (Daisy First Aid)
Camilla Culshaw (The Teepover Club)
In order to expand her brand Camilla opted for franchising and, in the process of bringing her first franchisee on board, she gave birth.
Woman Franchise Employee of the Year (Boddy Matthews)
Lucy Crabtree (Babyballet)
Thanks to Lucy, her boss (the franchisor) was delighted to reap the rewards of seeing the network’s franchisees enjoy a significant rise in turnover.
Service Provider of the Year (NatWest)
Suzie McCafferty (Platinum Wave Franchising)
Servicing the franchise industry involves working with a variety of clients and industries. Suzie helped a number of brands to launch or expand into the UK during 2021 thanks to her personal franchising knowledge and expertise.
EWiF Ambassador of the Year (What Franchise)
Suzie McCafferty (Platinum Wave Franchising)
Suzie is passionate about franchising and its benefits for women starting their own businesses. So much so, she takes every opportunity to educate people about it, including politicians and students. She is a true ambassador for the franchise industry, at all levels.
Young Woman in Franchising (McDonald’s Restaurants)
Abi Doublard (Anytime Fitness)
Abi played a major role in reopening her brand after lockdown. Most of her customers returned, along with 17,000 new ones during the first month alone. Newly appointed to the franchise leadership team, she also oversaw a major franchise rebrand.
Woman Franchisee of the Year (Darwin Gray)
Ally Phillips (Pink Spaghetti)
Ally became the fastest growing franchise, increasing her customer-base and employing more staff. She now shares her success by inspiring others within the network.
Woman Franchisor of the Year(Novuna Business Finance)
Lucy Campbell (Right at Home)
Lucy’s passion and commitment to her brand saw her take the lead in many areas. This included speaking to the media, as well as lobbying for better treatment of care workers. And all this following her recent promotion to chief executive.
Inspirational Woman of the Year (Platinum Wave Franchising)
Debbie Simpkins (InXpress)
Debbie didn’t just run her franchise while undergoing surgery and treatment for cancer, she substantially grew it. And this was achieved despite being in hospital when Covid restrictions were still in force.
Overall Woman in Franchising (British Franchise Association)
Lucy Crabtree (Babyballet)
Lucy was selected from the above list of category champions.
Note: The occasion celebrates women who push the boundaries, set new standards and overcome adversity in the world of franchising. The EWiF Awards recognise industry pioneers, innovators and visionaries. Businesses of all ages and sizes, across every sector, were achievers during 2021. More than 120 entries were submitted for this year’s event.
