Katie Bullon’s career has taken her through the marketing world in almost every possible capacity, from high-pressure corporate roles to the unpredictable world of freelancing, and finally to owning and leading a franchise network designed to empower others.
As CEO of activ Marketing Franchise, Bullon’s story is deeply rooted in firsthand experience, not boardroom theory.
“It’s been quite the ride! I loved my time in corporate. That’s where I earned my scars and learned how to deliver under pressure, managing large-scale campaigns, big budgets and high expectations. When I left, I was running a £1 million annual marketing budget. That would be lovely to have now!”
Her time in corporate didn’t just teach her the technical side of marketing, but exposed her to experiences that you might best describe as perks of the job.
“I travelled the world and had some wild moments, from staying in Paris Hilton’s house for a trade show in LA, to running an event in a Tokyo skyscraper, to going on safari in Cape Town while training our global team on a new CRM. But when I became a mum in 2014, I knew it was time to follow my dream of self-employment.”
That shift to self-employment marked the beginning of Bullon’s entrepreneurial path, one that would soon bring her into the world of franchising. Like many freelance marketers, the flexibility was appealing, but the daily grind was real.
“Freelancing gave me freedom and flexibility, but there were undoubtedly struggles to going it alone, and I quickly realised I needed a better way. That’s when I found activ. I knew about franchising from my business degree, but becoming a franchisee turned out to be the real turning point. I didn’t know it then, but it would change the course of my career forever.”
Finding the franchise fit
Bullon found that the franchise model gave her the infrastructure and support missing from the freelance life. And it wasn’t long before she built a thriving business of her own.
“Running my business as a franchisee was exactly what I needed at the time. I had two more children along the way, built a client base of around 50 and earned good money. The support from head office meant I could work part time when needed and still offer clients services I couldn’t deliver alone.”
But the journey also opened her eyes to the pain points marketers face when working solo, especially when trying to scale.
“There were gaps. I started outsourcing to other freelancers and it was hard. That experience helped me understand the real challenges solo marketers face. You can have all the demand in the world, but without a reliable team behind you, it’s impossible to deliver consistently or retain clients.”
From franchisee to franchisor
Bullon didn’t just stick with the system, she bought it. In 2021, she acquired activ Marketing and set about reshaping it into the kind of business she wished she had as a freelancer.
“That time as a franchisee gave me a clear vision of what activ could become. I knew what clients wanted. I’d lived the highs and lows. When the opportunity came to buy the business in 2021, I knew it was time to lead it into its next chapter.”
Drawing directly from her own frustrations, she redesigned the model to eliminate the stress of going it alone.
“Wearing every hat. That’s the biggest challenge. You’re delivering client work while generating leads, managing accounts and trying to keep up with the industry. It’s exhausting. I have vivid memories of balancing a baby in one arm and a laptop in the other, lots of late nights and fear that clients would find out I was juggling too much.”
A business built on lessons learned
Bullon’s approach is a great example of experiential leadership. She’s not managing from above, but solving the exact problems she lived through.
“That’s the pain I wanted to solve with activ. I totally redesigned the franchise around what I wished existed when I was freelancing, a way to take the admin, the outsourcing stress and the guesswork out of it.”
The ‘business in a box’ model she created isn’t just catchy branding, it’s a blueprint for marketers who want to scale without burning out.
“We know that 70 per cent of SMEs outsource at least part of their marketing, and they want one trusted partner. Most freelancers can’t offer the breadth or consistency to be that partner alone. But activ franchisees can, because they have the structure and team to deliver.”
Fixing the franchise model
Bullon’s experience on the receiving end of a franchise gave her an honest view of what works and what doesn’t.
“I learned that what matters most is support. Proper systems, training, fair pricing and real communication. It takes time and money to build that in, but it’s what makes the difference between someone just getting by and someone truly growing.”
“I also learned what not to do. I know how frustrating it is when leadership doesn’t evolve, or when support is promised but not delivered. That’s why I lead from real experience. I know how it feels on the ground. I built activ with that front of mind.”
Leading with real-world insight
The transition from franchisee to franchisor wasn’t seamless. Bullon had to earn trust, take tough decisions and drive big changes to get the business where it is today.
“It was also a big shift moving from peer to franchisor. In the early days there were some hard decisions that I just had to make for activ to grow, and some big changes needed to happen. There were times when I really had to grow as a leader and a new franchisor very quickly.
“We are well and truly through the other side now and we’ve come through with a strong, committed network of franchisees and head office team members. Activ is genuinely a lovely place to be, that makes me very proud – not just of myself, but of everyone in the network.”
Rebuilding from the ground up
Under Bullon’s leadership, activ has undergone a major overhaul.
“We’ve honestly changed about 80 per cent of the business since I took over. The first big three were brand, software and team. We moved around 800 websites onto a better platform, rebranded the entire network and brought in six new head office staff.
“Next came the pricing structure, legal and proposal templates, and all the core systems. All of it was designed to help franchisees be more profitable and deliver a better service to clients.”
That work hasn’t stopped. With a learning platform, a dedicated CRM and automation tools now in place, the franchise model is built to evolve.
“We’re never finished. We’re always evolving, because the marketing world never stands still. But our foundation now supports franchisee growth from day one.”
Freedom and flexibility with backup
The promise of running your own business often comes with unrealistic expectations. Bullon’s activ model is built to offer the best of both worlds.
“We’ve built everything around flexibility. Our franchisees stay in control. They choose their hours, their niche, their goals. But they’re never alone.
“From a dedicated Customer Success Manager to weekly training and a full-service agency team, support is always there. So is our peer network, which is one of the best things about activ.”
A more sustainable kind of success
Bullon is also clear that success isn’t a one-size-fits-all target. It’s personal, practical and purposeful.
“Success, to me, is about efficiency and confidence, not only revenue. It’s about building something that aligns with your life and values. When work doesn’t feel like work, people do their best.”
Redefining the marketing career path
Ultimately, what Bullon is building isn’t just a franchise system but a new way for marketers to work.
“What really excites me is that we’re redefining how marketers can trade. There are over 60,000 marketing consultants in the UK, and I’m sure many of them are feeling the strain that I myself went through. Whether it’s the isolation, inconsistent income, dealing with maxed out billable hours, or the challenge of doing everything alone. activ is showing there’s a better way.
“It feels like we’re not just growing a network – we’re leading a shift in how people work in marketing. And we’re only just getting started.”
