The Franchise Company is a partnership, currently with two Partners. Our franchise consultants have a long and successful track record in franchising, in franchise management with franchisor companies, as professional advisors and as franchisees.
Julie Waites was a founding Partner, forming The Franchise Company as a specialist franchise consultancy in 1991, with Ken Rostron joining the consultancy in 1997 (later becoming a Partner). The consultancy joined the British Franchise Association in 1993 and has since focused on advising and helping companies, large and small, franchise their businesses.
Our philosophy is based on ethical and best franchising practice for clients whose businesses, culture and management personnel are suited to franchising and with whom the Partners feel they can build a successful ongoing working relationship.
Experience
The Franchise Company is now perhaps the largest independent specialist franchise consultancy practice in the UK. The Partners have a wealth of experience and an intimate understanding of franchising. Under our umbrella we have the full range of franchising skills and work closely with experts in European and worldwide franchising, franchise law, franchisee recruitment, trade marks, marketing, PR, advertising and promotion, training and financing. Our track record means we’re fully au fait with current franchising law and practice and understand all of the issues and pitfalls facing both domestic and oversees franchisors.
Connections
We have an extensive network of contacts in the franchise industry. Our membership of the British Franchise Association means we are duty bound to give best advice and carry out our work in accordance with the European Code of Ethical Franchising Practice. We also work closely with the franchise departments of the major UK clearing banks, and maintain close relations with Business Links throughout the UK.
Minimal Risk
Our systematic, stage-by-stage approach to our work means that clients can thoroughly evaluate new opportunities and investigate franchising without committing large resources up front.
Flexible and Honest
If at any time during an assignment it becomes clear that a change of direction or strategy, or even termination of the project is necessary, we would always advise the client accordingly. In such an event we would move quickly and with the minimum of disruption to the project or the client’s business. We also firmly believe that good consultants should challenge the client’s thinking and ideas and we seek to do this honestly and frankly in all aspects of our work.
Prepared to get Involved with Hands-on Assistance
Where appropriate, we get involved in our clients’ franchise development hands-on. This ensures that clients fully benefit from our experience and avoid expensive trial-and-error mistakes.
‘Umbrella’ Organisation
Whilst we have considerable expertise in-house, we would never seek to impose this on our clients if we felt it was more appropriate and in their best interests to source specialist skills, such as accountancy, externally. In this event we use our extensive network of contacts and associates in order to bring together a team exactly in accordance with the client’s needs.
Our People
Our team of winning consultants at The Franchise Company have over 60 years of franchising experience between them. We have qualified consultants, project assistants and a recruitment assistants that aid in The Franchise Company’s success.
Julie Waites – Founding Senior Partner
As one of the founding members of The Franchise Company in 1991, Julie is one of our most experienced consultants. Her franchising experience dates back to 1981 where she began her franchising career of management and advisory with the Prontaprint Group. From there she moved to Phone-in UK where she was Franchise Director and remained there until the establishment of The Franchise Company.
Since forming The Franchise Company she has worked on many successful franchising projects for clients in a broad range of sectors. Apart from having a track record of advising many successful commercial clients on franchising, Julie has worked on a major research study into the UK franchise industry for the DTI and has set up and delivered the national franchise seminar programme for the Armed Forces Resettlement Centre in Catterick. She is also a Member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing.
In The Franchise Company Julie has responsibility for overall consultancy assignment planning and delivery and has her own portfolio of clients.
Ken Rostron – Senior Partner
Former Managing Director of the Prontaprint Group and an experienced CEO, Ken has many years experience in operational franchising and high-level business and franchising management. In the 1980s he was MD of quick-print franchise company Prontaprint and helped build the business into the largest of its kind in Europe (over 300 outlets). He was involved in the company’s floatation and then successfully exported the franchise system into Europe.
Ken has been a director responsible for franchise operations at main board level with parcel carriers Fastrack plc and has run franchise operations for various large, successful franchise organisations such as Alphagraphics.
Ken became a partner in The Franchise Company in 2002 and now works as a lead consultant, advising and assisting both new and established franchisor clients. He also has responsibility for international franchising and development for The Franchise Company’s clients.
Mashud Choudhury – Franchise Consultant
Mashud has been with The Franchise Company for nearly a decade and has worked on a number of projects over the years. More recently has become involved the area of Franchisee recruitment.
He has a sound understanding of franchising and marketing and his projects have covered areas such as social enterprises, charities, marketing and web development.
Mashud works on a variety of franchising projects including the production of franchise operations manuals and assisting clients with franchisee recruitment. He also has a portfolio of his own clients that he manages on an ongoing basis.
Client List
Our clients include…
Tiffinbites
ALJ Saudi Arabia
Durham Pine Franchising Ltd.
Clothes Aid Ltd.
Rangers Football Club (Retail)
Johnsons plc (Dry Cleaners)
Ventrolla Ltd.
Ovenu Franchising Ltd.
Talktactics International
CHIPS Franchising Ltd.
British Airways plc
HotBite UK Ltd.
TM Retail Group
Middlesbrough Football Club (Enterprise Academy)
Great Guns Marketing Ltd.
The Flat Roof Company Ltd.
ICI Learning
JJB Sports plc
Palletways plc
Motivation & Co.
Techsmart Ltd.
Masai Mara Ltd.
The Garage Conversion Co. Ltd.
FDG Recruitment Group Ltd.
Piemaker Franchising Ltd.
Happy Days Greetings Ltd.
Fix-a-Chip Ltd.
The Food Weighouse Ltd.
John Ramsden Franchising Ltd.
Full contact details are available upon request, subject to client confidentiality undertakings. For more information, view our detailed franchise case studies.