InXpress Franchise News Feed

InXpress Debbie is a true inspiration! - 01-July-2022

Many of us have someone in our lives from whom we find hope and encouragement, and for those who know Debbie Simpkins, you know she is a true inspiration. So, we had to nominate her for the NatWest EWiF awards this year. The Awards event was held on June 30th in London, and Debbie was there, along with husband Alan, and business partner Bill, his wife and others from InXpress Liverpool, to enjoy her day – even though she didn’t think she’d win, “I checked out the competition, and thought the winner was amongst them. The other finalists were all so amazing!”

As if the last couple of years weren’t challenging enough for running a business – thanks to the pandemic and Brexit – there are people who also embarked on an unexpected extra journey of their own. Debbie is one of those people. Just days after celebrating her 60th birthday, in July 2020, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Within a month, she’d had a mastectomy to try and remove the cancer. Three months later, she started chemotherapy, over Christmas and into 2021.

However, in January things suddenly went wrong: The chemo led to a blood infection. So, where Debbie should have been able to give her body a two-week break before starting radiotherapy, unfortunately after recovering from the infection, she had to go straight into it. “Radiotherapy was particularly bad: every day for two weeks.”

In May, after completing radiotherapy, Debbie was hopeful to receive the all-clear. “But, I ended-up going for scan, after scan; things were showing-up. Six months ago, I had the news I desperately didn’t want: They’d found secondaries. I’m currently on a new course of treatment, which started the day after the awards event. I’m hoping it will continue to help me manage the cancer, and enjoy every moment I have.”

Throughout all this, Debbie focused on running her franchise, providing herself with something to think about, other than the treatment she was going through. As a result, InXpress Liverpool thrived, growing substantially – thanks to the support of her family, her team. “They actually benefited from me being on steroids, because I couldn’t sleep! I’d send emails at 3am telling them what I’d done, or customer enquiries I’d dealt with! Having something else to focus on was a positive distraction! There were bad days when I felt low: So, I gave myself permission to have an off-day, before giving myself a firm talking to, and pushing myself to do one small thing for me.

“InXpress are absolutely fantastic – not just my team, but the girls at Head Office; in fact the whole network are incredibly supportive.”

Debbie is already thinking ahead, and knows what she wants to do, once the treatment allows her to. “When I can, I want to give back. Because of the covid-rules, everything I went through, I had to do alone, which was really hard. Some people have to face it alone, anyway. I don’t want them to. I want to be there for them. But, in the meantime, I’ve taken a bit of a backseat from the business, and am spending precious time with the people I love – especially my gorgeous new granddaughter.”

It's all this, and more, which led to the judges recognising something special in Debbie. So, when her name was announced by award sponsor, Suzie McCafferty of Platinum Wave, Debbie was given a standing ovation as she made her way to the stage. There were a few tears as people connected with her story – some of whom related personally to the journey Debbie has been on.

Debbie, you truly are our inspirational role model. Congratulations on your NatWest EWiF Inspirational Woman in Franchising 2022, award!

InXpress Launches Ideas Xchange Podcast - 05-April-2022

The podcast Ideas Xchange, presented by InXpress, a third-party logistics company with a network of over 400 franchises in 14 counties, was created for entrepreneurs who want to grow with intention, drive website traffic and build a powerful brand.

InXpress helps more than 30,000 worldwide find reliable, cost-effective shipping solutions from a range of leading global carriers. The entrepreneurial-driven podcast is an extension of the company’s commitment to offering solutions for small-to-medium size enterprises who are looking for digestible content geared toward operational best practices, shipping insight and case study learnings.

“As a global company with carrier connections and a network full of franchisees, customers and an executive team who has spent over 20 years in the shipping and logistics space, which uniquely touches a variety of sectors, we knew we could package our invaluable insight to others outside of our system,” said Mark Taylor, the global InXpress CEO. “Our mission and vision have always been tied to innovation and providing expertise that can improve efficiency and encourage strategic solutions in any business with shipping needs.”

Tune in every two weeks to hear from host Paul Castleberry Jr., Brand Marketing Manager at InXpress Americas, as he interviews entrepreneurs, business executives, and franchisees to pull back the curtain on what it takes to run a business in today's landscape and how to ensure logistics is a part of the growth strategy.

From business best practices and customer service techniques to exploring topics like ‘What does eCommerce look like today,’ how to build resilience in your business, and shipping dos and don’ts, Ideas Xchange will be covering it all to help small to medium size entrepreneurs save time and money.

The first episode launched on April 5, 2022, and features Seattle-based Franchisee Derek Henderson, who joins Paul to discuss what eCommerce looks like today and where it is going. The podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcast and Google Play.

Rescued from kennels, to become the centre of a loving family...and their community - 10-March-2022

If you’re a pet owner, you’ll understand the simple pleasure to be found by just having a moment with your fur-baby, when you’re feeling stressed, anxious or overwhelmed. This is why for InXpress Manchester South’s Mike Toal, and his partner, Vanessa Heaps, who works with him in the business, the joy of being able to share important therapeutic moments like these, is an important way to give back.

Two and half years ago, Mike and Vanessa’s daughter, Mia, wanted a dog. Not just any dog. One which would allow her to help other children, in the same way someone else’s dog had helped her. “A few years ago, Mia had been in hospital, and someone brought their pug onto the ward. Alfie was a Pets As Therapy dog. He’d been trained to be with the children in recovery on the ward, so was both really calming and comforting to them. Seeing the positive impact it had for Mia at the time, we wanted to be able to do this as a family. Originally, we wanted a whippet, but decided to upsize, and ended-up adopting a greyhound. Sadly, there are loads of them, because they’re given away when they finish racing. Mia fell in love with Ellie. She’s one of the lucky ones.”

A good therapy animal has a mild temperament to not just be around children, but around vulnerable adults, too. “Even though Ellie was a rescue dog, having been bred for racing, and retired after a year because she had a problem with one of her back legs, she is the calmest, sweetest, laziest, greyhound you could meet! Before joining our family, Ellie had been a working dog. She’d never lived in a house – only kennels, or spent much time around people. But, having been enveloped by my two teenagers, Ellie’s personality has literally unfolded before our eyes. She absolutely loves people – especially when they’re lavishing love and attention upon her.”

As a Pets As Therapy dog, part of the scheme Vanessa and Ellie are involved in, is Read2Dogs. They work with a school, who identify children who would benefit most from being around Ellie. “There’s one seven year old boy who is on the autism spectrum. His reading is phenomenal. When Ellie first started, he would sit in the furthest chair away from her. Just weeks later, and he was cuddled right up to her, reading his book. Last week he shared his toy dragon with her – so cute. There’s also a little girl who’s been having panic attacks ever since the pandemic; Ellie helps her to calm down. We’re based in the school’s resource centre, so if a child is having a difficult moment, even though they aren’t on our reading list, they can come to see Ellie, and she offers them a calming space.”

As well as working with the school, Ellie recently started attending a Dementia Friends café. “My mother-in-law actually volunteered us to go! The regular therapy dog was moving. At first I wasn’t sure how Ellie would respond, but she loves it! She loves being the centre of affection! The first time I took her, someone was playing old songs on the piano. Everyone was singing and dancing. Ellie didn’t want to be left out, so she gate-crashed and started joining-in! It was a joy to watch.”

When she isn’t out with Ellie, visiting people who are feeling comforted, Vanessa works alongside her husband, Mike, at InXpress Manchester South. “I actually work in Sales,” Vanessa says. “But, it’s such an honour for us as a family to be in a position to give back in our local community, in such a practical way. And, it’s not just on a local level. As a franchise network, InXpress are also incredibly supportive, as a whole. At the beginning of the year, the InXpress Gives Back committee donated £500 to Pets As Therapy. I’m very lucky to work with such a supportive company,”

Matthew Robinson, National Volunteer & Events Manager for Pets As Therapy says, “The donation from InXpress means so much. Animal therapy is an effective, and often immediate, way to help people. Especially when you see how our volunteer pets help to allay fears and reduce stress; like when a child faces surgery – doctors can use the therapy animal to show what will happen. We’ve also found, in working with people living with dementia, our pets can help draw out long-forgotten memories. Having grown-up with dogs, I understand how beneficial they are, personally. Dogs don’t judge – they love and accept us for who we are. To be able to offer this therapeutic support to others, is so important. Thank you, InXpress”

Rescued from kennels to become the centre of a loving family...and their community - 10-March-2022

Making Christmas special, for children without family - 04-February-2022

The dilemma of the greeting card: should you send them, or should you put the money to a more sustainable use? For many of us, the idea of sending and receiving cards – especially those which can’t be recycled, is not as appealing as it has been in the past. In order to be able to support causes close to their hearts, business owners, Maria & Gerry Burns, made the conscious decision to be more mindful about how they spend money, at Christmas.

Previously, InXpress Milton Keynes, would have sent cards to their customers, which ended-up being thrown away. So, a few years ago, they decided to start donating the money they’d normally spend on cards, instead, and letting customers know what they’d done. As Maria explains, “It started when we wanted to donate Christmas presents to our local children’s hospital – a way to give back after the high-level care they showed to our son, who had been seriously ill, earlier in the year. We wanted to make a difference to the children who would be staying on the ward, during the Christmas period.”

Knowing their donation made a real difference and refusing to go back to the old way of ‘wasting’ money at Christmas, Maria and Gerry continue making donations to causes close to their hearts. “This year, we sent our donation to Die Herberg, a children’s orphanage in South Africa. I’d been speaking to my parents, who live in South Africa – which is where I’m from – and they told me about the orphanage their Church is connected with. The children there have been severely affected by Covid, as well as losing their parents. So, we sent £508, which the InXpress Give Back Committee chose to match. This made it possible for the children to be taken to the beach, where they could enjoy a long-lasting memorable experience.”

Die Herberg is a children’s home providing vulnerable children in South Africa with residential care and developmental programmes, since 1919. It started in 1918, when too many children lost their parents to the Flu epidemic. Today, around 122 babies and children, call Die Herberg home. Little wonder people like Maria and Gerry are stirred to find ways to support these children through the current pandemic. “Many of them have lost both of their parents, or their parents gave them up because they can’t afford to keep them. Christmas is supposed to be about family, so for InXpress to have made it possible for the children and staff to enjoy their Christmas… really pulls on the heartstrings. When I saw the photos of them enjoying their day at the beach, we knew we’d done the right thing.”

To find out more about the orphanage, please visit their website.

A penny saved allows life-changing opportunities to spring - 10-January-2022

Every November, the InXpress network commit to raising money, one penny at a time. The impact of this, has led to life-changing acts of kindness, and we can’t wait to do more.

At our core, InXpress is a business built on our heart – which we often wear on our sleeves. Our franchisees are as passionate about making a difference, as they are about their businesses. Which is why, every November, we’re “all in” when it comes to raising money, by donating at least 1p for every shipment booked throughout the month. Many of our offices have, over the last few years, chosen to pledge well-above 1p per shipment. And, we’re proud to announce we broke our fund-raising records, AGAIN, for the fifth consecutive year… all those pennies adding up to: £11,239.71.

What does this mean?

Anyone within the InXpress UK network, can put forward a person, a charity, or an idea of where we can use this to have a positive impact, and make a difference. The InXpress Give Back Committee are then responsible for managing the funds, and making sure the donations are used to help improve the lives of others, as we give back to the world around us.

The Penny Per Shipment campaign goes a long way to enabling us to have a positive impact, even finding ways to help save lives in the future. Over 2021, this included:

Offering support to franchisee, Debbie, as she bravely went through her cancer treatment
Providing the first of a number of defibrillators, around the UK, thanks to a suggestion by Lisa at InXpress North Surrey
Purchasing a specially-adapted race-chair for a special girl and her dad, who use it to raise money for other severely disabled children, thanks to InXpress Birmingham South
Supporting the work of Little LifeSavers who teach year six children how to do basic lifesaving, in an emergency situation – usually at home, thanks to InXpress Gatwick
Providing football kits to children in Ghana, thanks to InXpress Coventry

…Among other things.

“The Penny Per Shipment campaign is an important part of our calendar,” explains Melanie Spencer, InXpress’ Global Head of Marketing. “We love finding ways to make a genuine difference to the lives of people we know, as well as those in other countries. The money we raise, each November, gives InXpress the platform to turn our pennies into action. I’m excited to see how many people we are able to make a difference to, in 2022.”

Watch this space for up-coming throughout the year, as we discover ways to give back!

The big guns don't always take home the award! - 14-December-2021

Tim Unsworth, with his dad, Peter, wanted to build something for their future; something they could fully invest their time and energy into. “We’d looked at various franchise options which might suit our goals and skillsets. InXpress seemed to be a good fit. I was a little hesitant, but dad was so encouraging; he reassured me, between us we could make it work, inspiring me to believe we could build something great.”

In April 2013 this is exactly what the father and son business owners did! Less than a year later, in March 2014, Tim’s mum, Barbara, joined the ‘firm’; the business was growing rapidly, and Peter and Tim needed a third person. “It wasn’t an easy decision,” she explains, “as I’d been enjoying my previous role. Working with my husband and son, I knew, would present their own challenges, but I could see we potentially had a great future, as a family business!”

True to his promise to his son, Peter and Tim quickly built-up their InXpress business. In 2018, they were in the position of needing to move out of the spare room, into an office, and employ a fourth person – family friend, Charlotte Barrett – to support with admin and sales. However, it was around this time when Barbara and Tim were hit by personal tragedy, “my dad had been in business most of his adult life in one venture or another. He brought so much experience with him, which perfectly balanced my 30-something eagerness to learn. Losing him as my dad and business partner, was hard.”

Then, 18 months or so later, the pandemic struck, followed swiftly by Brexit, both of which further impacted Tim’s InXpress franchise, “These challenges really hit us, and our customers – especially those who shipped in and out of Europe. Customers quickly relied upon us as their trusted shipping consultant, tapping into our resource and knowledge of the situations which would impact them and their business. To have managed to maintain our customer-base over these last two years, is a proud achievement, and the InXpress network has been more than supportive."

There soon came an announcement from the Spelthorne Business Awards, to lift the spirits of Tim and his team: InXpress Twickenham were shortlisted for Best Franchise 2021. So, on the evening of 11th November, they made their way to the black-tie ceremony. The Secretary of State, Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng MP, was also in attendance; he’d been one of the judges. “We definitely weren’t expecting to win,” Barbara explains. “We were up against some big brands, so were just looking forward to enjoying a good night out! When InXpress was announced as the winner of the Spelthorne’s Best Franchise 2021… well, we were gobsmacked! The favourites were magnanimous in their defeat; their business manager told me, ‘The big boys don’t always win’, when I shared our shock at winning!”

Now the dust has settled, and their award proudly displayed, Tim is already thinking about the future. “I’m really proud of what we’ve achieved,” he says, “the award is the cherry on the cake after eight years of hard work. But, after keeping the ship steady for the last couple of years, it’s time to grow. I am already looking to employ someone who will focus on sales, as we aim to increase our business throughout 2022. After all, we have space for more awards!”

InXpress stand strong in the UK's top 5 franchise brands - 13-December-2021

The HSBC Elite Franchise Top 100 has just been announced, and InXpress are officially one of the UK’s top 5 franchise brands, for a third consecutive year.

The EF100 is a prestigious list of the UK’s top 100 franchises, based on: The growth of the network, franchisee support and training, financial performance, heritage and longevity, and community contribution, as well as on innovative developments.

InXpress are one of the world’s largest shipping franchisors, and the highest-ranked logistics franchise in the EF100 list. Our global network of 430 franchisees, including 107 here in the UK, offer customers world-class global express shipping services. By following the InXpress model, franchisees build strong IT-enabled businesses for themselves.

Following the challenges of both the pandemic and Brexit, InXpress remain the key source of information for customers who rely on our expertise. As a result, InXpress franchisees became the first port of call, as they guided and supported their customers, through new legislation and demands.

“I’m incredibly proud of the InXpress UK network,” says Jon White, UK Country Manager. “To consistently be considered one of the best ranking franchises, speaks volumes about how well InXpress is performing, and the passion that our franchisees have for their businesses. The whole network has an ongoing commitment to the growth of their businesses, and our Business Coaches are on-hand to encourage them, whenever they need us. It’s because of them, and their diligence, that we are in the position we’re in”.

InXpress appoint Global CPO to drive technology development - 18-November-2021

InXpress are pleased to announce that they recently appointed Jaekob Chenina in the newly created role of Global Chief Product Officer. This new role follows a major investment in the business in November 2020, when Hudson Hill Capital, a private investment firm acquired a majority stake in InXpress.

InXpress is an international franchisor of parcel, freight, and delivery logistics services serving SME customers through a software platform and global network of over 400 franchises in 14 countries. The company maintains relationships with tier-one parcel, air, and freight carriers around the world, offering discounted rates to franchisees that form relationships with SME customers through its direct salesforce. The company also offers its SME customers and franchisees a SaaS platform, enabling franchisees to effectively manage customer service and customers to centrally manage their transportation and logistics requirements.

Jaekob is based at the US head office in Salt Lake City, and his day-to-day focus includes working closely with InXpress’s customers, the franchise network and ‘market listening’, to enable the business to identify the future industry direction. Jaekob will then develop strategies in conjunction with the in-house IT and development team, who are responsible for bringing new technology to life.

Speaking about his appointment, Jaekob said “Nearly everything we consume needs to get from A to B, and InXpress plays a vital role in powering phenomenal “last-mile” experiences. With award winning technology and automation combined with our VIP customer service, InXpress can change the world of transportation and logistics. I am so excited about joining this global business with a diverse and incredible team who really want to make a difference!”

Mark Taylor, Global CEO commented “Jaekob has vast experience in strategic product development, including roles leading data and AI driven tech businesses, and his appointment is another sign of the investment in technology being made to ensure that InXpress is at the forefront of the logistics and transportation market. Ultimately, we want to evolve to meet the future needs of SME businesses before they even they know what they are, and therefore support their growth and the growth of our franchise network.”

InXpress Gives Back delivers a feeling of joy for children - 29-October-2021

If you ever leave something behind after taking a trip, more often than not you can easily have it sent back to you. However for one father, Stephen, faced with the pandemic, travel restrictions, and unhelpful customer services obstructing the return of a specially adapted wheelchair, he felt like he was running out of options. Fortunately, one of his friends was able to recommend a solution.

Having used InXpress for four years, Chris suggested Stephen should contact Alex Petrides, at InXpress Birmingham South. It wasn’t long before Alex received a call which would inspire him. “Stephen’s daughter, Chloe, is severely disabled and in a wheelchair,” Alex says. “He’d had a specially adapted race chair made so she could race with him. She loved being out in it, feeling alive whenever her dad ran with her in it. They often raced together, raising money for other severely disabled children. Pre-covid, they’d completed a race in Norway, but had inadvertently left the chair behind. Stephen was having problems, as the airline refused to take it unless he accompanyed it back.

“Within a week,” Alex continues, “we had the chair back with Stephen and Chloe! He called me, elated, because they didn’t think they ‘d ever see it again!”

Alex and Stephen liaised closely with the hotel in Norway to make sure the chair was packaged-up properly ready for its journey home. “There are components which needed to be strapped down, but not too tightly or the chair would be rendered useless. It was crucial the shipment was handled was absolute care, so Chloe can enjoy racing with her dad, again,” Alex says. “However it meant even more to them, because, knowing how alive and free his daughter feels when she’s out with him, Stephen takes other severely children out for runs in it.”

It’s such a simple thing most of us take for granted: the freedom to feel the wind in our faces as we go out for a walk or a run. So, when Alex heard how alive these children felt when they’re out in Chloe’s specially adapted chair, he wanted to do more. “I reached out to the InXpress Gives Back Committee about whether we could pay for another chair. I wanted to see if we could enable more children to experience this simple pleasure for themselves.”

InXpress Gives Back didn’t hesitate and a new chair is currently being built in Canada. For Alex, this was a proud moment, and he can’t wait until they can present the new chair to Stephen. “I have two young girls so Stephen’s story really tugged on my heart, causing me think about what I would do in his situation. It feels like a small thing, but to be able to provide them with a new race chair, knowing it will make a difference to children who need it most… there are no words.”

Putting smiles on children's faces - 19-October-2021

When sending important packages out to orphanages and people in need around the world, you want to know they’ll arrive safely – even if it’s going to a small village in the heart of Zambia. Which is why when one of their customers, Amarjit Pall, wanted to send boxes of children’s books to the KASISI children’s home, he didn’t hesitate in entrusting the precious cargo to InXpress Birmingham South.

As Neil Hatt, owner of InXpress Birmingham South, and his Senior Logistics Consultant, Alex Petrides explain, sending any kind of shipment to a remote village in Zambia, doesn’t come without challenges! “We used to support a black rhino conservation charity; sending clothes to the team working on site,” Alex explains. “So, we were well aware of the difficulties around sending charity boxes to Africa. I wanted to make sure the shipment process went as smoothly as I could make it, which meant dealing with a fair bit of red tape.”

The KASISI children’s home was first established in 1926, and has become one of Zambia’s largest orphanages, with 230 babies and children living in the home, including 60 children with HIV/AIDS. As a visionary school, the Sisters and Housemothers who run it aim to do everything they can to ensure the children are self-supporting once they leave, in adulthood. They achieve this through an educational programme, which is designed to give the children a foundation for employment. All the children donate finances back into the school once they have left, so they can give back, and support their KASISI family.

So, with multiple boxes of books being collected, Alex started working in the background to prepare the shipment for travel. “One of the first problems we encountered, was the address. KASISI is basically located on a remote plot of land. It was important we didn’t just send it to a PO Box, because there isn’t always a guarantee the books would reach their final destination. I needed to find a way for them to be delivered right where they were needed, and signed-for upon delivery, so the children would definitely receive their gifts. I also wanted to make sure everything was listed properly, to avoid any additional charges being incurred by the orphanage.”

Within the charitable donations, were educational books, pencils, and other stationary items for the children to use in the school part of the home. “I worked closely with Amajit to reduce any potential issues, then set up tracking, and alerted TNT – with whom the charity shipment was being sent – so they were aware it was a charity shipment. From the moment it was collected until the moment it was delivered, I closely monitored its journey. At around 7pm one evening, we received an email with photos of the children with their books. It was a special moment! And a relief to know the items were now in the right hands.”

As parents themselves, Neil and Alex were pleased to play a small role to making a difference in the lives of other children, hundreds of miles away. “To have facilitated this shipment became hugely important for both of us,” Neil says. “Seeing the photos, and the smiles on the kids’ faces, made you realise how valuable this particular shipment was: A picture is worth a thousand miles of red tape.”

InXpress demonstrates their commitment to ethical franchising - 01-October-2021

InXpress UK are proud to announce UK Country Manager, Jon White, was awarded his Qualified Franchise Professional in September – he is the third person at the InXpress Head Office to have achieved this.

Receiving his QFP award, comes after an intensive 12 month period of attending workshops organised by the UK’s Official Franchising Association, the bfa, and an interview by the bfa’s QFP Panel of Experts. “The QFP is an important course to undertake, and I found it has given me an even better understanding of our franchisees and the InXpress franchise model,” Jon says. “In spite of the challenges of Covid during most of the course, I found the workshops were well run, with excellent speakers who really are experts in their field. The workshops also provided me with an important opportunity to network with other franchisors, sharing best practice and ideas with them.”

Throughout the QFP journey, Jon received expert guidance on topics like, How to Understand Franchisees’ Financial Performance, How to Market Your Franchise and Recruit for Network Growth and How to Monitor Franchisee Performance. “At InXpress we have a commitment to our franchisees to live and work by ethical franchising standards. Receiving my QFP qualification is another step of an ongoing journey,” Jon continues, “one which I’m committed to continuing, to make sure my team and I can deliver the best level of support to our franchisee network, going forward.”

Jon will receive his certificate from the bfa, at their annual conference and awards event, in November. The hours he has invested into this qualification, shows his dedication to ethical franchising.

Our franchise, our women, our future - Connect | Coach | Empower - 20-September-2021

When you invest in a franchise – especially as a woman – you want to be sure you’re making the right decision for you and your future. When a vision is born, a huge amount of work goes into making it a reality. So, how do you know a brand like InXpress will have your back?

Because, here at InXpress, we believe behind every successful woman is a tribe of successful women who have her back. Which is why we have just enjoyed our very first InXpress International Women’s Conference. As a global brand, operating in 14 countries, our network is filled with successful female leaders, thriving in their businesses, or their role.

To be able to take a day to network with other InXpress women from around the world – whether at Head Office, a franchise owner, or working in one of our 430 franchised businesses, was invaluable. And over 170 women from across the network agreed; signing-up for the opportunity to self-reflect in a safe space, and feel empowered by solid advice from women who are also thriving.

Guest speakers included:

Jan Uhrich - a Fortune 50 company Senior Executive who serves on the Global InXpress Board;
Lucille McCart - the APAC Communications Director at Bumble, the dating and networking app;
Anna Hemmings MBE - Olympian and world champion;
And our keynote speaker from the Katie Piper Foundation, Lin Woolmington - who’d survived two episodes of severe clinical depression which led to life-changing consequences.

Here’s a brief taste, of what each speaker had to say

Jan Uhrich Developing your leadership style

As women in a male-dominated arena, it’s important you have a strong female network around you. Then, play to your strengths, and hire to your weaknesses! Knowing your team’s strengths and weaknesses enables you to build a high performing team.

Lucille McCart Level your playing field

Women tend to hold back more. We want to be sure of the outcome, before we make a move. So, by creating a culture of empowerment, we enable women to make the first move, and encourage them to share their dreams and future aspirations.

Anna Hemmings MBE The resilient leader’s toolkit

Resilience comes from greater self-awareness. Pause to explore how you’re framing a situation. Then reframe it, if necessary. Rather than seeing challenge as overwhelming, break it down so you can see the light of opportunity. Don’t allow fear, anxiety, or the problem itself trip you up.

Lin Woolmington Triumph over tragedy

I have the strength to face the past with honesty. I have the wisdom to live in the present with appreciation. I have the courage to face the future no matter what. How lucky am I, I have my own philosophy!

The afternoon (for the UK, though some attendees were watching in the middle of the night!) also included a chance to applaud some of the women in the global network, at our first ever, InXpress GREAT Awards. The silver and gold winners, were nominated by their peers within the network, which led to an unexpected need to create an additional category, based on the number of nominations our final winner had received.

CATEGORY GOLD WINNER

Gives Back Zee Shan (UK)

Results Driven Wendy Hand (Aus)

Energetic Fun Samantha Webb (UK)

All-in Christina Runolfson Wardrop (USA)

Targeted Improvement Anita S (India)

Overall global GREAT winner Zoe Kirby (UK)

The InXpress women’s conference was a clear demonstration of how the empowered woman is powerful beyond measure. This goes for every single women working and doing her thing right across the InXpress global network: we wouldn’t be where we are today without you, so we applaud all of you!

InXpress shortlisted for the bfa's Franchisor of the Year award - 20-September-2021

Being a finalist for any bfa award, is a proud achievement for any franchise. So, for InXpress to be hand-selected again, for the third year in a row as a potential Franchisor of the Year, is a powerful demonstration of their dedication and commitment to both franchising in general, and to our franchisees, specifically.

“The bfa awards are the highlight of our year,” explains Jon White, InXpress UK Country Manager. “We consider it a source of encouragement each time we are shortlisted, because it shows the bfa judges have seen for themselves how hard our franchisees have worked throughout the year. Even more so, after the challenges we’ve faced as a global franchise operating within the shipping industry, over the last 18 months. Our success is their success.”

Not only did InXpress franchisees have to navigate through the pandemic, but the global network of 430 franchisees, were also impacted by the changes resulting from Brexit. “We worked hard to ensure our franchisees were ready for Brexit, and I believe this is what helped us to prepare for the sudden changes caused by Covid-19,” Jon continues. “In fact, our franchisees often went above and beyond the call of duty – for their customers, and for each other. So, being shortlisted for the bfa Franchisor of the Year is something each of our 106 UK franchisees can feel proud to have contributed towards.”

And this is evident in the fact one of the franchisee finalists is also part InXpress, in the Resilient Riser category! Neil Campbell, owner of InXpress Belfast has taken his place in the shortlist of franchisee who demonstrated ‘unwavering resilience, strength and support of his staff, customers and other franchisees, throughout the pandemic’.

Pip Wilkins, CEO of the bfa, was quoted as saying, “For another year, the awards reflect the strength of franchising and I wish all those shortlisted the best of luck. Just to get to this stage is a huge achievement and something to be truly proud of.”

Whilst HSBC’s UK Head of Franchising, Andrew Brattesani, agrees, “We have been delighted to see many new faces entering and being shortlisted for this year’s awards; welcoming smaller, emerging franchise brands who emphasise on achieving a positive work-life balance, to huge multi-unit franchise empires.”

On November 30th we’ll be keeping everything crossed until we find out if we’ve won the coveted title of bfa Franchisor of the Year; or Neil has beaten the competition for Resilient Riser, until then – well done to all this year’s finalists!

InXpress Gives Back funding lifesaving defibrillators - 19-July-2021

InXpress’ Gives Back committee are on a drive to have a positive impact around them. So when one of their franchisees’ staff shared her story, and the desire to fundraise so more defibrillators could be installed in local communities in the UK, there was no hesitation: One of their own had a personal stake in this.

When she was just 23, Lisa Savage Customer Service Representative, from InXpress North Surrey was rushed into hospital having suffered a sudden cardiac arrest. It was subsequently discovered that she had a genetic heart condition, along with her siblings and dad – and her two young children. “My eldest daughter was three, at the time, and my youngest was just seven months old. It was a complete shock to receive the news, and trying to cope with the impact on them, as well as on my own future, was difficult. Thankfully, I was put in touch with SADS UK, who were able to offer me a lot of support. They connected me with other families, who were in a similar situation, but further along in their journey; helped to arrange a defibrillator in the house for my daughters, along with training my husband and I on how to use it and do CPR.”

When the InXpress Gives Back committee asked if anyone knew of any causes the franchise network could support, Lisa suggested supporting SADS by providing an accessible defibrillator. We know from other stories how much of a difference they make to people’s lives. “Each year between 80,000 & 120,000 people suffer a cardiac arrest in a public place, in the UK,” explains Andrea Patient, AED Project Manager, SADS UK. “A defibrillator is an essential resource for saving lives. The earlier the heart is restarted, the better the outcome for the patient. We aim to see Community Public Access Defibrillators being placed everywhere people tend to group together. They’re easy to use, and guide the user through each step clearly. So, the one which InXpress is funding is helping us to achieve our goal.”

This is something Lisa, and her family are all too aware of, and so the addition of these defibrillators, is important for the fight for survival of others like her. “If we have community defibrillators in close proximity to places like schools, universities, leisure centres and pubs, as well as near medical centres and hospitals, it increases the chance of survival tenfold. And the machine won’t work if it doesn’t need to, so people don’t need to be afraid to use them. In fact, as someone who suffered a cardiac arrest, I would rather someone try to save my life, than they hold back out of fear of doing the wrong thing.”

Anne Jolly MBE, Founder of SADS UK, says, “The cardiac charity SADS UK is pleased that InXpress understands the importance of defibrillators in saving lives. If a cardiac arrest emergency occurs, using CPR provides a 5% chance of survival. But with the early use of the defibrillator as well, the chance of survival is increased to over 50%; this is why SADS UK is so passionate about this lifesaving equipment being made widely available.”

InXpress have already funded one defibrillator where Lisa works, but seeing the value they add to the community, InXpress Gives Back are keen to fund a few more around the UK. For Lisa, having the support of not just the franchise she works for, but the whole InXpress family, means so much. “Knowing InXpress have funded another defibrillator definitely gives me peace of mind. Knowing there is now one within the Business Park where I work, in easy access of both a hotel and a school, as well as the offices, is really important to me – and the thousands of adults and children living with this condition. Whether they know it yet, or not.”

InXpress Franchise News Feed

Last updated: 01-July-2022