Supported by 
of McDonald's
After a career in IT sales, Shameela Awan-Patel followed a lifelong dream sparked at a childhood birthday party to become a McDonald’s Franchisee. Inspired by family, passion, and perseverance, she turned ambition into reality, building a business rooted in community, role modelling for herr children, and creating a meaningful balance between career and family life.
of McDonald's
After 12 years in finance leading mergers and acquisitions for a FTSE-listed construction company, Shafali Shown-Keen took a leap into entrepreneurship with McDonald’s. Drawn by its innovation, people focus, and strong values, she found the perfect opportunity to build her own business while developing teams and creating a rewarding long-term future.
of McDonald's
Jonny Nassau began his franchising career at just 21 with the purchase of a tools franchise, developing strong entrepreneurial and leadership skills early on. Joining McDonald’s appealed to Jonny because of its global reputation, strong values, and focus on people development. As an ambitious people person, he enjoys motivating teams and helping others succeed. The extensive training process gave him valuable experience across every level of the business, making the journey challenging but incredibly rewarding when he was selected to operate his own restaurant.
of McDonald's
Before joining McDonald’s, Joey Antwi-Kusi worked as a Management Consultant, leading complex change programmes for UK retail banks. His experience gave him strong business and leadership skills, but working as a Customer Care Assistant at McDonald’s sparked his entrepreneurial ambition. He was inspired by the brand’s culture of innovation, diversity, and community engagement, as well as its focus on creating memorable customer experiences. Thirteen years later, that passion led him to become a Franchisee, turning his long-term goal into a rewarding and successful career.
of McDonald's
Before joining McDonald’s, David Knight was a director and shareholder in a London-based marketing communications group with global clients. However, frequent travel made it difficult for David to maintain a healthy work-life balance, especially after moving to Sutton Coldfield to be closer to family to support their young children. With experience working alongside major brands and private equity, he had many investment options, but McDonald’s stood out. David was at a crossroads and wanted a new challenge. The franchise model, strong training, and opportunities for growth convinced him it was the right step to reinvigorate his career and achieve future ambitions.
of Agency Express
David Dunn’s journey into franchising with Agency Express began at a pivotal moment in his career. Facing the possibility of redundancy in late 2023, he revisited a career path he’d explored years earlier, franchising. With a strong background in customer-facing roles and having previously run a Revive! franchise, David was no stranger to the demands and rewards of managing a business.
of Agency Express
After being made redundant, Sam Ralph began exploring franchise opportunities. His search led him to Agency Express, where the combination of low running costs and strong earning potential made the decision an easy one. 12 months in and starting with 54 branches, Sam expanded his business to 84 branches in just seven months – far exceeding his initial projections.
of Merry Maids
Merry Maids has announced further expansion as franchise owner Siva Kugathas launches Merry Maids South Surrey. This marks his third territory within the network in under a year and reflects continued confidence in the brand. He is joined in management by his daughter, Ayranna Kugathas, who leads operations across the group.
of Sylvian Care
When Florentina Vlad decided to leave her corporate career behind, she wasn’t just changing industries. After years in a corporate culture where people were secondary to profit margins, she had reached a turning point. Her search for something more meaningful led her to Sylvian Care, and to her new role as franchise owner of Sylvian Care South East London, the network’s first-ever franchise resale.
of Zambrero UK
Dan Hawley is the multi-site owner and operator behind six Zambrero restaurants, and one of the driving force’s behind bringing the brand to Scotland. Originally from Australia, he relocated to Glasgow with his family to launch Zambrero’s first Scottish location. With more than 40 years of family experience in franchising behind him, Dan was naturally drawn to the model. "We love that we are a part of a start-up in Scotland! We are fortunate to be able to take what we have learnt over the years in the Australian market and focus on what has worked when we open up here, and so far it’s been a flying success."
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