Women today are making their presence felt in every field, whether it is independent business, any profession or franchising. Franchising is emerging as the most preferred career option especially for women these days. This can be attributed to the facts like low risk, flexible time schedules, increasing interest of the franchisors to partner with women franchisors and high aspiration of educated women of today. This trend has picked up speed especially during the last few years.
Franchisors keen on women partners
Large number of franchise companies prefers women as their partners because women have proved their efficiency and success in business arena. Moreover women also prefer to take up a franchise rather than a full time job. Naveen Khandhari, Managing Director, Ozone Fitness N Spa shares, “There is every reason why a woman should be successful in a franchise business, regardless of the industry sector involved, so a woman with the right aptitude can achieve success on equal terms.” Let us have an insight to it:
For increasing women customers: With the retailers and franchisors queued up to woo more and more women consumers for products across categories like home furnishing, automobiles, health and beauty and many more, they are keener to include more of women entrepreneurs in this mission. Khandhari states, “Franchisee being a woman, more and more women are likely to take membership of our club hence it may increase our business volumes as well.”
Multi tasking ability: A franchise owner needs to have the ability to handle many tasks at the same time is essential, which is present in women. Women from the beginning have the ability to do many tasks simultaneously. Franchisors knowing this capability of most women prefer them.
Excellent networking skills: It is a female forte to make and develop relations. Women are more proficient at navigating social situations than men, finding it easier to interact with the employees as well as the franchisor. Women like to develop a strong network through open communication. They are warmer, friendlier and can sympathies with staff, thereby winning their regard and friendship sooner than most men franchises.
Women preferring franchising
Women are educated and aware: The woman of today being more educated and career oriented are always on the search for good and reliable money making options. Franchising with its innumerable benefits and wide variety of selection presents an apt opportunity for especially women entrepreneurs who want to own a business but not at the cost of their family lives.
Franchise versus full time job: As compared to taking up a full time job, a franchise opportunity makes it easier for women entrepreneurs to select a suitable option related to their field of interest, availability of time, their capability etc.
Preferred franchise industries for women
The fairer sex is coming up in the franchise arena in a big way. Moreover few franchise players are emerging who only prefer women partners to expand their business. However, this trend can be limited to certain areas, in which women entrepreneurs are performing better than their male counterparts. Health, beauty and fitness industry as well as the pre-school and education industry are prominent sectors where the fairer sex has made its mark.
Beauty and fitness industry has been targeting women entrepreneurs for a long time. Now with women becoming more health and fashion conscious, there are many franchise companies who target more of women entrepreneurs for expansion of their companies. Curves, an international fitness club, catering its services specifically for women clients, target only women franchisees all across the world. Their business model promotes women entrepreneurs to open their fitness clubs which are especially for women clients. David Ramadan, CEO, Curves India shares, “We look for people, who are entrepreneurial, want to help their communities by introducing health and fitness and are passionate about fitness and business.”
Regarding the role of women entrepreneurs in pre-school sector, it can be said that it is the women who have the innate quality of bringing up and taking care of kids. Their inborn trait is helping them to fetch good profits in this sector. Established brands like Eurokids, Kangaroo Kids Education Ltd, Brainworks, Promise, Edify Education and many more have opened their doors to more women entrepreneurs. As informed by Kavita Jain, Vice President, MDN Edify Education, “The most favourable thing that attract women to education franchising is the short working duration. It is usually seen that women prefer taking franchises of pre-schools and even franchisors prefer women entrepreneurs.” Gulraj Shahpuri, Founder, Promise informs, “Most of our Centre Directors are women. Starting your own Promise™ Centre is easy for anyone, even ambitious house ladies. Nanette D’sa, CEO, Brainworks informs, “Women are innately gifted to take care of kids. Children also learn more quickly and feel more comfortable with women tea
chers. This can be one factor for more of ladies in education sector.”
Family support behind success
There is a famous quote ‘Behind every successful man, there is a woman.’ Similarly is the case with woman. Behind every successful woman, there is a family support, which is quite essential. D’sa, said, “About 95 per cent of our franchisees are women. Most of them are regular housewives who had the vision to grow and achieve in life. For this, credit should also be given to their husband and family.”
Women who have the aspirations and dreams to make it big in the business world can successfully do it by taking the franchise arena. There are many other fields beside fitness and education which have a fair number of women franchisees. Home décor, boutique houses etc also welcome women with open arms.
So, all you women there, what are you still waiting for? Grab the opportunity now.