Aspiring Business Owners can visit Franchise Exhibitions to kick start new venture

With well over 500,000 Brits now employed in franchising across the UK1 and industry turnover amounting to £13.7 billion2, there has never been a better time to adopt one of the UK’s most successful business models. Offering people an opportunity to meet with hundreds of franchise brands, The National Franchise Exhibition and the British and International Franchise Exhibition are the essential stepping-stones to turn ambition into a reality.

With reports showing more than half of small, independent businesses failing within the first five years3, franchising offers a protected route to launching a successful new business. Leading the franchising calendar, and the only exhibitions this spring backed by The British Franchise Association (bfa), the franchise exhibitions offer budding entrepreneurs, current business owners and multi-unit franchise owners an exclusive opportunity to meet with hundreds of successful brands from across the UK and globe.

• The National Franchise Exhibition, 19 – 20 February, Birmingham NEC
• The British & International Franchise Exhibition, 11 – 12 March, London Olympia 

Adrian Goodsell, director of franchise sales at Venture Marketing Group who organise and run The Franchise Exhibitions comments, “Our spring exhibitions open up the franchise industry to thousands of ambitious men and women. They offer an exclusive chance to meet with world-renowned brands to get advice and see how franchising has successfully worked in the past for others.

Additionally, the exhibitions are perfect for those who already have an understanding of franchising, but are looking to research the next opportunities available to them and those who are interested in franchising their own business. In 2015 our exhibitions helped hundreds of young entrepreneurs start a new business journey, so I’m thrilled to kick-start 2016 by helping even more aspiring and existing franchisees to follow their dreams.”

Showcasing hundreds of brands from across a wide range of industries such as care, food & catering, cleaning, retail, and property, there is something for everyone. The two day events will also offer visitors an extensive seminar programme, international conference centre, advice clinics featuring experts from the bfa, legal and financial firms business advisers, as well as franchisors and franchisees.

Visitors will also have the chance to meet with franchisees at the Real Franchise Stories Panel who will share their career journeys and successes. These open-floor sessions give visitors the opportunity to hear why the industry and brand appealed to them and their achievements so far.

Another hugely popular feature at both events are the McDonald’s Open Sessions, where the next generation of quick service restaurant (QSR) business owners can gain exclusive insight into what it is like to become a McDonald’s franchisee and the process involved.

Not only an opportunity for those new to running a business, the exhibitions also provide experienced business owners a chance to discuss franchising as a route to expansion, Julie Morrell and Peter Hill, business partners from Hertfordshire looking to franchise their current business reported, “We are looking at how to franchise – we have a three/five year plan. We are trying to get a grounding in how to do it as our business is becoming a huge success”.

The National Franchise Exhibition takes place at the NEC, Birmingham on 19 & 20 February 2016 and The British & International Franchise Exhibition will return to London’s Olympia on 11 & 12 March 2016. Visitors can gain free entry for both events by registering online at www.franchisetickets.co.uk and entering the promotional code EXH1 (saving £25). For all the latest news follow the exhibition on Twitter; @UKFranchising, join the Franchise Exhibitions Group on LinkedIn or ‘like’ the Franchiseinfo group on Facebook.

1 NatWest 2013 bfa Franchise Survey
2 NatWest 2013 bfa Franchise Survey
3 Daily Telegraph