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2021
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TOP 30 CONTENTS

CONTENTS
3       EDITOR’S NOTE

4       FOREWORD

6       MEET THE JUDGES

8       TOP 30 PROFILES

STANDOUT FRANCHISE
EXECUTIVES                                                                                              2021
W
                                                                                                          SPONSORED BY

        hat a year! Just 12 months ago
        we could not have envisaged the
        disruption coming our way as
                                                                                                                         Inside Franchise Business
Covid-19 took hold around the globe. And                                                                                 Top 30 Franchise
it’s been a year that has tested us, in so                                                                               Executives is published
many ways.                                                                                                               by Octomedia Pty Ltd
    So it’s been inspirational to read accounts of how
franchise executives have stepped up to the challenges
thrown at them in 2020 and marvel at the resilience,                                             HEAD OFFICE
innovation, determination and commitment they                                                    OCTOMEDIA Pty Ltd
showcased in their business roles.                                                               Suite 3, Ground Floor,
    There has been remarkable fortitude shown by                                                 131 Clarence Street Sydney NSW 2000
franchise executives at all levels of the business from                                          Ph: +61 2 9901 1800
marketing managers to CEOs, from product developers                                              www.octomedia.com.au
to operations managers and HR leaders.
    Every one of these franchise professionals has found                                         EDITOR
a route to provide franchisees with much needed moral                                            Sarah Stowe
support, financial assistance, smart innovations or                                              P: 02 8224 8371
practical workplace guidelines and updates; and each                                             sarah.stowe@octomedia.com.au
one has had to find ways to sustain their own mental
health and wellbeing while innovating and shifting
                                                                                                 SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER
business processes.
                                                                                                 Charlotte Redfern
    This is the third annual quest to find the superstars
                                                                                                 P: 02 8224 8373
in the franchise sector, and the standard of submissions
                                                                                                 charlotte.redfern@octomedia.com.au
once again stands testament to the high performance
that is a byword for great franchising.
    The key to our search is to look for individuals whose
                                                                                                 ADVERTISING COORDINATOR
                                                                                                 Simone Lagudi
actions have had direct impact on franchisees, and
                                                                                                 simone.l@octomedia.com.au
never was there a better time to demonstrate brilliant
franchisee support than 2020.
    I hope you enjoy reading about these outstanding                                             GRAPHIC DESIGN
franchise professionals who have proven there’s no end                                           Rozelle Carlos
to the creativity, care and commitment a franchise team                                          rozelle.c@octomedia.com.au
can provide their franchisees when it really counts.
    My thanks go out to the judges, for their stalwart
efforts in tackling a record number of entries and
bringing their unique perspectives to the evaluation
process.
    Once again our friends at BlueRock are sponsoring
this report, exhibiting a commitment to best practice in
franchising, so a massive thank you to Bruce McFarlane
                                                                                                       insidefranchisebusiness
and the team for their leadership in this.

                                                             Sarah
    And of course congratulations to each of the                                                       www.linkedin.com/showcase/
executives featured here - your belief in franchising, and                                             franchise-business-australia/
the actions taken to support franchisees when many
faced some very dark times, are what the franchise                                                     @insidefranchisebusiness
relationship is all about.                                   Sarah Stowe
                                                             Editor, Inside Franchise Business

                                                                                                  TOP30.FRANCHISEBUSINESS.COM.AU                     3
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TOP 30 FOREWORD

                                             FOREWORD
                                             W       hile it’s been a tumultuous 12
                                                     months for many people around
                                                     the world, it’s certainly an exciting
                                             time to be in franchising.
                                             As entrepreneurs, you’ll know that a market downturn
                                             often inspires change and innovation, and we’ve seen
                                             a number of successful new businesses emerge this
                                             year as a result of the pandemic and dynamic market
                                             conditions. Many established franchise systems have
                                             also been enjoying success as changing consumer
                                             behaviours inspire people to ‘shop local’ and turn to
                                             brands they know and trust.
                                                 But, of course, the real key to franchise success is
                                             sustainable growth, and this isn’t possible without the
                                             right franchisees and finance behind you. Successful
                                             franchise executives know that the impact of
                                             recruiting a poor fit to their brand can be a huge drain
                                             on resources, recruiter confidence and marketing
                                             money. They have been able to benchmark, target
                                             and prospect franchisees effectively by leveraging
                                             innovative tools and frameworks.
                                                 Supporting those franchisees to obtain the
                                             finance they need is also crucial to growth, and
                                             successful franchise executives work closely with
                                             their franchisees on the strategy and documentation
                                             required to assist the banks to say “yes”!
                                                 Part of this process is knowing when to outsource
                                             and build business capability through experts within
                                             our extended franchise community. At BlueRock, we
                                             place a huge amount of importance on building and
                                             supporting strong communities. Whether it's our
                                             clients, strategic partners or the local organisations
                                             we support through our Be BlueRock Foundation, the
                                             relationships we nurture in our communities are what
                                             drive our motivation and our success.
                                                 This year, we’re excited to once again support our
                                             franchise community through sponsorship of the Top
                                             30 Franchise Executives awards and to identify and
                                             celebrate the members of the franchise community
                                             that are excelling and contributing to a positive
                                             franchise sector reputation.
                                                 On behalf of the BlueRock community, we’d
                                             like to acknowledge and congratulate the amazing
                                             work of the Top 30 Franchise Executives for 2020.
                                             We’re proud of the contribution you’ve made to the
                                             franchise industry and we’re excited to see what you
    Bruce McFarlane                          achieve in the coming years.
    Managing director
    BlueRock Law
    www.bluerock.com.au/industry/franchise

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                                     IN
                                PARTNERSHIP
                                   WITH
SPONSORED BY - Inside Franchise Business Executive
TOP 30 JUDGES

    JUDGES FOR 2021
    A massive shout-out to our fabulous judges for the hard work
    and insights they applied to the challenging task of selecting
    just 30 high performing franchise executives.

    KAREN BOZIC                          DENIS MCFADDEN                      WARREN D’CRUZ                         GENEVIEVE SALEH
    CEO Craveable Brands                 Founder, Just Cuts                  Franchisee, Auto Masters              Franchisee, 7-Eleven
    Karen is the Group CEO of            In 1982 Denis McFadden had to       After working as a mechanic for       Genevieve is an experienced
    craveable brands., home to nearly    wait six months to vacate a lease   20 years Warren purchased his         franchisee having spent more
    600 restaurants under three          he no longer needed as he had       first Auto Masters franchise. Over    than four years operating her
    iconic Australian chicken brands:    already moved his existing salon    the last 14 years he has accu-        7-Eleven store at Carrara South
    Red Rooster, Oporto and Chicken      to new premises. To keep things     mulated a further four stores in      with husband Rob.
    Treat.                               simple, he ran a promotion          Adelaide and Perth.                      She has been recognised in
       Karen has worked in some of       offering a ‘no appointment $6           In 2019 Warren won the            the 7-Eleven network through
    Australia’s most recognised retail   Style Cut’ for all Clients. The     National FCA Multi Unit               not only the outstanding offer
    brands: Woolworths, BIG W,           response was outstanding, and       Franchisee of the year award and      she provides to her customers
    Caltex and Rebel Sport, having       the idea of Just Cuts was born.     he has also won multiple awards       and the contribution she
    been the CFO, COO, GM of                 The first Just Cuts opened      in the Auto Masters Group.            makes to the network, but also
    Strategy, GM of Transformation       in Engadine, NSW in 1990 and            Warren takes an active role       her commitment to her local
    and Replenishment in these           remains a successful Just Cuts      in supporting and coaching            community.
    public, private and private equity   business. Today, 30 years and       franchisees in the group, often          Prior to becoming a
    organisations.                       220+ salons across AU, NZ and       mentoring new franchisees.            franchisee, Genevieve worked in
       Karen is passionate about         the UK later Denis continues            In 2015, he undertook the         the banking industry and also in
    retail, people and diversity.        to innovate and mentor the          MACA Perkins Cancer 200km             providing support to people living
                                         franchise community.                fundraising bike ride. He has         with a disability.
                                             He is a much loved and          continued to complete the ride
                                         respected member of Australian      annually, encouraging a team of
                                         franchising and an FCA Hall of      fellow franchisees to join the ride
                                         Famer.                              and raise just under $200,000.
                                                                                 Warren continues to challenge
                                                                             himself in business and believes
                                                                             in setting goals for himself and
                                                                             achieving them.

    JUDGING PROCESS
    Written submissions are independently judged.
      Judges are recused from any submissions
    within their own business or where there is a
    conflict of interest.
      Marks are tallied and divided by the number of
    judges evaluating each submission to achieve a
    total score and final ranking.

6   TOP30.FRANCHISEBUSINESS.COM.AU
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TOP 30 JUDGES

                                                                                       JUDGING CRITERIA
                                                                                       Top 30 Executive submissions were judged across
                                                                                       the following categories:
                                                                                         Franchise citizenship, Leadership, Franchisee
                                                                                       support, Innovation, Positive franchising,
                                                                                       Professional development

BRUCE MCFARLANE                         JOSH CAIRNS                         ANTHONY CANNELL                      SARAH STOWE
CEO, BlueRock Group                     CEO, Op Central                     Director, former franchisor          Editor, Inside Franchise Business
Bruce is CEO of the BlueRock            Josh is the founder and CEO of      Anthony is a dynamic                 As editor Sarah has headed up
Group, a multi-disciplinary             franchisor software business Op     entrepreneur with over 30 years      the Inside Franchise Business
entrepreneurial advisory firm. ​It is   Central, which helps franchisors    franchising experience in the        portfolio for more than 13 years,
a certified B Corporation, and has      to reduce their operational         travel, coaching and hospitality     taking a hands-on role in the
been featured in BRW’s ‘Fast 100’       overhead whilst supporting their    industries.                          business. She has interviewed top
two years in a row.                     franchisees with the resources          Anthony has consulted with       level executives, industry advisors
    Bruce is also MD of BlueRock        they need.                          businesses across a wide range       and franchisees for both the
Law and leader of the firm’s M&A            Op Central is built on the      of industries and held senior        professional executive audience
team and Franchising, Retail &          latest technology, offering an      roles in both large established      and the franchise buying
Distribution team. He has over          LMS, smart operations manuals,      international brands as well         readership.
20 years experience advising            site auditing, staff engagement,    as emerging entrepreneurial             Sarah introduced the inaugural
franchisors and other businesses        performance analytics and it's      businesses, driving change and       Top 30 Franchise Executives
on commercial issues.                   integrated with Deputy, Xero,       extraordinary business results.      report in 2019.
    Supporting the franchise            MYOB, G-Suite, Office-365,              For five months in 2020 he
sector is really important to           Active Directory, HubSpot and       took on the MD role at Franchise
Bruce and he has been an                more.                               Relationships Institute to lead
elected member of the Victorian             Josh's suite of products are    the business strategy and global
State Chapter Committee of the          trusted by 9,400 businesses in 37   expansion program.
Franchise Council of Australia for      countries, including many of the
over 10 years.                          most decorated, award winning
    Bruce is a director of              franchise and multisite brands in
investment company Everything           Australia.
is Awesome Limited, a director of
ORDER esports Limited and BDC
Partners, a retail and franchising
advisor business.

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8   TOP30.FRANCHISEBUSINESS.COM.AU
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TOP 30 PROFILES

               MARK
              MCGINLEY                    Chief executive officer, CouriersPlease

C       EO Mark McGinley, who leads
        a rapidly growing network of
        750 franchisees, was swift
to respond to the varied challenges
presented by Covid in 2020. By early
                                                           As a result of the extra demands and long
                                                      hours drivers were enduring Mark championed
                                                      franchisee health and safety with the Safe Driver
                                                      Program. The program informs franchisees about
                                                      issues such as fatigue, manual handling and
                                                                                                                 On a more universal front, Mark set a bold
                                                                                                             environmental strategy for the company to
                                                                                                             be carbon neutral by 2025 and had its carbon
                                                                                                             emissions audited by the Carbon Reduction
                                                                                                             Institute to determine its baseline footprint and
March he took steps to minimise                       taking breaks and is easily accessed through their     set reduction targets.
commercial risk, setting up and heading               driver scanners.                                           CP received a LowCO2 Certification and now
a business continuity team of senior                       Mark also introduced a Franchisee Covid           offsets all operational emissions.
management and executives in health,                  Support Measures Policy to ensure franchisees              The adoption of sustainable practices is both
safety and HR.                                        were financially looked after if they were             a business and personal goal for Mark. He set
                                                      required to self-isolate.                              up a partnership with Upparel, a sustainable
“I led the team to develop a business continuity           In May, he oversaw the roll-out of the            sock company with a textile recycling program,
plan through which we implemented proactive           12-month discovery phase of CPGo, an app that          launching an at-home textile collection service
measures and planned for all possible risk            helps franchisees find the most efficient pickup       via the CP self-service returns portal Boomerang.
scenarios to protect our network,” he says.           and delivery runs. Early results show a 15 per         Since June, CP has made 5130 collections, which
     Mark implemented stringent safety measures       cent increase in productivity and reduction of 25      means 407kg of recycled textiles have been kept
across depots, including staggering shifts and        minutes per day in traffic.                            out of landfill, and 1629kg of greenhouse gases
parcel collections, providing protective gear,             “My business ambition is to continue              have been offset. Textile recycling points have
and implementing high-grade sanitisation and          our transformation journey which will both             also been established at each depot.
hygiene practices. He also re-shaped the last-        increase efficiency and improve our customer               Looking back at 2020, what achievement is
mile processes – including contactless deliveries     experience.”                                           he most proud of?
– to go beyond mandated social restrictions.               The year wasn’t just about efficiences and             “Growing our business by 80 per
     Through his leadership CouriersPlease (CP)       customer experience however.                           cent whilst ensuring our franchisees and
earned the NSW Government’s ‘tick of approval.’            “I have been committed to demonstrating           employees were provided with a safe working
     Recognising early that the courier firm          the benefits of the franchise business model           environment,” he says.
would be in the lucky position of benefiting          to Australia’s small business sector and the                What does he think leadership will look like
from increased business during a lockdown,            community as a whole,” says Mark.                      in the years ahead? “Leaders who adopt a more
Mark initiated a string of measures to improve             In 2020 he shared industry insights in            agile and decisive mentality are definitely leading
efficiencies while staying Covid-safe. He opened      multiple media interviews including with               the way which enables the capacity to scale
a new Sydney depot and relocated other depots         Inside Franchise Business Executive and thought        quickly in the most fluid of situations.” n
to improve processing capabilities, invested          leadership articles about topical logistics and
heavily in automated sorting, boosted the             e-commerce issues on CP’s B2B microsite.
franchise network by 40 per cent, increased           He also worked to showcase the work of                 Judge’s comments
staffing levels, added hundreds of drivers, and       franchisees across the network and to a
                                                                                                             “In a year where we have faced many
staggered depot workers’ hours to maintain            broader audience with the People Behind the
                                                                                                             challenge Mark must be commended
                                                                                                             on his many achievements. He
delivery standards.                                   Parcel social campaign and the CP Franchisee
                                                                                                             has made decisions with great
     Despite a significant upturn in trade for much   Appreciation Day.
                                                                                                             foresight, used technology to bolster
of the network, some franchisees with CBD                  While the business is all about logistics, it’s
                                                                                                             business, has shown unwavering
territories suffered a severe drop in business.       the people within CP that drive Mark to succeed.
                                                                                                             commitment to the health and safety
Mark extended their service areas to take             “I take pride in seeing their development as
                                                                                                             of his franchisees while making
advantage of booming residential zones, allowing      leaders and watching them take ownership and
                                                                                                             time to champion sustainability. An
them to pick up excess business that couldn’t be      initiative when challenges are presented to them.
                                                                                                             outstanding year!”
handled by existing franchisees.                      Their success is my success,” he says.

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TOP 30 PROFILES

        BEN FLINTOFF                      General manager, Baskin-Robbins Australia

     “B           askin-Robbins Australia is
                  taking the early decision to
                  not be victims as this global
     pandemic unfolds.” A bold statement
     from Ben Flintoff set the scene for his
                                                           the country. In January 2020, Ben stepped up
                                                           and spent two weeks with the volunteer-based
                                                           organisation BlazeAid, working alongside rural
                                                           families and other volunteers to help rebuild
                                                           fences and damaged property.
                                                                                                                 service in University of South Australia’s Business
                                                                                                                 Career Mentor Program.
                                                                                                                     So what is really the biggest driver for his
                                                                                                                 career?
     leadership through 2020.                                  Through this initiative he secured additional         “The trust placed in us by our franchise
                                                           support and funding with Baskin-Robbins               partners, by our stakeholders and by our guests
     It was a year of action, of highs and lows. At the    Australia’s parent company Dunkin’ Brands             remains a continuous source of motivation,” he
     height of the pandemic 15 stores closed. Within       and their Corporate Citizenship program. This         admits.
     two months five outlets had reopened, almost all      resulted in a $36,000 donation being made                  Next year, he says, “Baskin-Robbins Australia
     stores were back trading by October.                  to Australian Red Cross Disaster Relief and           will leverage the body of work we have put in to
         Ben spearheaded a reallocation of resources       Recovery Fund.                                        our systems and processes in 2020 to position
     in the face of the Covid challenge - cancelling           In August 2020, Ben saw an opportunity to         for growth in under-represented markets in
     ineffective marketing, reinvesting efforts            give back to the community through cause-             2021”.
     in digital ordering and delivery, appointing          related fundraising. “Troll For Good”, for example,        Leadership now is about a transition to
     a delivery head and committee to oversee              designed in support of mental health awareness,       remote interactions, using digital platforms
     accelerated activity within the channel.              raised more than $20,000 for partners Beyond          and other creative ways of keeping a team
         He led the brand to undertake digital             Blue.                                                 functioning and focused on aligned outcomes,
     campaigns to drive awareness for dessert                  Inspired by his father’s saying, “If we put all   he suggests.
     delivery, subsiding the promotions to boost           our problems in a pile and each took an equal              He’s a strong believer in teamwork.
     stores' sales and profitability. By the end of 2020   portion, you’ll wish you had your own problems            “Collaboration is a critical element, but
     Baskin-Robbins had seen more than 60 per cent         back,” Ben has focused on building resilience by      remains only one element – at some point
     growth in delivery sales revenue.                     looking for the positives.                            you also have to make a decision and have the
         An online learning platform named ‘Studio             He has promoted the franchise sector              support of your team to see that through.”
     31’ was introduced to elevate the quality and         through the media, meeting monthly with                    He is most proud of keeping his team
     compliance of team member training and Ben            other franchisee owners and leaders, and              together through the tough months. “It would
     appointed a national marketing manager to             actively promoting positive franchising through       have been easy and justifiable to make personnel
     oversee a newly restructured department.              participation in retail and QSR conferences,          changes in 2020, yet sometimes the hard thing
         Ben took practical steps to help franchisees’     panel discussions and podcasts both locally and       to do and the right thing to do are the same
     costings such as employing a leasing professional     abroad.                                               thing,” he says. n
     to set up a rental abatement program and                  Despite his busy schedule Ben has developed
     writing directly to 78 landlords requesting rental    a disciplined two-hours a day reading habit
     assistance - this action secured a 55 per cent        and invested in a personal business coach for
                                                                                                                 Judge’s comments
     rental abatement for 25 stores.                       monthly check-ins.
                                                                                                                 “Ben has adopted a solution-based
         He also postponed a scheduled ice cream               He has championed solution-based thinking
                                                                                                                 mindset and his franchisees have
     price rise in April 2020, saving on average $170      in his team and his wider network (supported
                                                                                                                 reaped the rewards of his positive
     a week per store over five months.                    by an engaged LinkedIn audience) tackling             and empathetic approach to the
         However the year had started in the midst         challenges head on.                                   challenges posed by Covid.”
     of another crisis, the bushfires raging across            Last year Ben was recognised for five years’

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12   TOP30.FRANCHISEBUSINESS.COM.AU
TOP 30 PROFILES

                  BEN
               FLETCHERFounder and chief executive officer, Listen To Your Body

F       ew sectors have been as hard
        hit as the fitness industry by
        Covid-19, and Ben’s business
was indicative of many, with the entire
network of 13 studios shut down by late
                                                      Ben points out that firefighting to retain
                                                  business brought him success.
                                                      Another achievement of 2020 would
                                                  also take the fitness chain further forward
                                                  when Ben signed off on an LYTB Academy
                                                                                                     office on a Friday evening that Covid will be
                                                                                                     the best thing that ever happened to us. How?
                                                                                                     I wasn't sure at the time but it was all about
                                                                                                     rebuilding the system and upgrading every
                                                                                                     angle. It was a super busy period with project
March. So what did he do? A string of             to provide personal trainers with courses          after project.”
initiatives helped sustain franchisees,           certified by Fitness Australia.                        It was crucial to adapt very fast, increase
maintain head office and create a                     As he has navigated the business through       communication and support all stakeholders
foundation on which to build future               the rough waters of 2020, he is planning           on multiple levels, he says.
revenue.                                          greater growth in 2021 with the addition of a          Ben is driven by the opportunity to
                                                  national operations manager.                       positively impact all members, franchisees and
Ben took a 70 per cent pay cut and froze 90           He granted two new franchises mid-year,        staff across Australia. It’s about living healthier
per cent of head office expenses, engaged         despite the lockdowns and challenges facing        lives, increasing fitness, providing careers and
with business advisors and the FCA on a crisis    the fitness industry.                              seeing LTYB owners run profitable businesses,
management plan, created template letters             The growth is set to continue he insists       he says.
for franchisees to send to landlords who          as his ambitions for the year ahead include            “There are two achievements I am most
were identified as a possible risk to the LTYB    expanding into two further states, opening         proud of. Firstly, we stayed absolutely united
business and focused on technology to help        seven more sites, and increasing average unit      right through the darkest times with 75 per
deliver revenue.                                  sales by a further 12 per cent for first year      cent of our business in Victoria. And we all
    He prepared a new partnership with an         businesses.                                        survived 2020 without losing a site.” n
online personal training platform, created             Add to this the launch of the fitness and
videos and other content for staff, developed     education academy for all LTYB Staff and it will
online workouts and a new online shop, and        be an exciting year for Ben and his team.
added a new content management system to              Ben has been an active ambassador for          Judge’s comments
an app.                                           franchising, with LinkedIn his channel of          “Ben showed great leadership by
    Ben also upgraded the operations system       choice, promoting the benefits of franchising      taking strong, decisive action with the
with Op Central.                                  over starting-up as a lone operator. Through       intention of Covid-proofing the busi-
    Through all this he supported all 13          2020 he continued to network through a CEO         ness and protecting his franchisees.
franchisees who feared the loss of their          group, did podcasts and was a judge for the        He has taken full advantage of tech-
businesses.                                       FCA awards.                                        nology and approached problems
     “Overall, we survived 13 out of 13 studios       A six-day-a week fitness fanatic, Ben used     in an innovative way to allow the
with many reporting better cash positions         the lockdown to go to the next level with his      business to evolve despite the many
thanks to Zoom, Online PT, supportive             own training, health, and fitness.                 challenges posed by 2020.”
landlords, and some government support.”              “I made a decision on March 27 in the

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TOP 30 PROFILES

       AARON SMITH                      Founder and chief cultural officer, KX Pilates

     A
              aron Smith might be the founder,               “We also saw Covid as an opportunity to              The commitment has paid off. When asked
              former CEO and now chief                   improve our culture,” he says. Last year the         what he is most proud of from 2020, Aaron says
              cultural officer at KX Pilates with        business worked with Greg Nathan and the             “That we made it through! We worked incredibly
     company innovation and international                Franchise Relationships Institute to better the      hard to stay front of mind in our clients’ minds
     growth in his to-do list but, like many             partnerships and culture between franchisor          with our pivot online and it has paid us back well
     working parents, he found Covid-19                  and franchisees.                                     post reopening the studios, putting us in a great
     brought unexpected challenges: being at                 In 2020 Aaron had set himself the goal           position for 2021 to push forward and make a
     home with small children and no childcare           of developing an “improved and unmatched”            very successful year.”
     while sustaining a network of franchisees.          Pilates experience, providing franchisees with a         He believes a strong lesson was learned
                                                         point of difference in an increasingly competitive   through the pandemic.
     “Alongside my wife Andi, who owns KX with           market. To that end after considerable                   “New leadership in 2021 comes with
     me, we focused on trying to balance work and        investment and research (producing five              empathy and compassion, with more focus on
     being parents to two kids under five. To cope, I    prototypes), he saw the completion of a long-        growing our people than growing the business,”
     made my mental health a priority, making sure I     term development project - an own-brand              he says.
     exercised and meditated daily, and quit alcohol     bespoke and patented reformer Pilates machine            “Business-wise I just want to see KX back on
     to stay fit, healthy and maintain a positive        that will enhance clients’ workouts and prove a      track financially to where it was pre-Covid. At
     mindset,” Aaron reveals.                            “gamechanger” for franchisees.                       the end of the day the business needs to be in
         He became a mentor and ambassador for               The signing of a joint venture with a China-     a good place to be able to help people, and to
     ForMen.org - a not for profit that sheds light on   based partner was another milestone, set to          grow and expand into more areas allows us to
     mental health challenges for men and employed       take the nine year-old brand to a massive new        increase our reach.
     Joe Pane, an emotional fitness coach, to help       market.                                                  “Knowing that we change people’s lives on
     support franchisees.                                    However, the group’s revenue took a 98           a daily basis is extremely rewarding, gives me
         Aaron attended weekly virtual Entrepeneur       per cent hit during Covid and the business was       purpose and allows me to live my passion of
     Organisation seminars aimed at helping business     forced to explore alternative revenue streams:       helping others.” n
     owners through the pandemic. He also joined         online classes and on-demand video workouts.
     the Victorian Active Government lobbying                Aaron ensured some of the franchise
     group, set up to rally for the vital role fitness   agreement rules were relaxed to allow                  Judge’s comments
     plays in mental health and to safely reopen         franchisees to raise some revenue by leasing out       “Aaron should be commended for
     fitness studios.                                    Pilates machines.                                      his focus on not only the mental
         “My goal has always been to help people and         His efforts to lead by example took him to         well-being of his franchisees,
     the last 12 months have brought that into focus.    instructing some freemium classes. “At one             but for making an active
     I offered support and new ways of thinking to       stage these free sessions had over 700 clients         contribution to the mental health
     help the business survive and thrive.”              working out with me at one time. In total, we          of the wider community. Despite
         Throughout the period Aaron sought to           had close to 6,000 people attend our free              the challenges of 2020 he has
     reassure franchisees, promoting a message of        sessions.”
                                                                                                                maintained a strong, positive
     positive mindset and reinforcing that everyone          He even taught a midnight class at the
                                                                                                                outlook, focusing on research
                                                                                                                and development and using
     in KX Pilates was facing the coronavirus            Malvern studio, straight after lockdown eased,
                                                                                                                technology to his advantage.”
     pandemic challenge together.                        with 10 super-keen clients.

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16   TOP30.FRANCHISEBUSINESS.COM.AU
TOP 30 PROFILES

        ZOE FARRELL                Head of product development, San Churro

“A
              s leaders we need to                  the sweet-treats chain as a trial, and this is now     multiple cross-departmental virtual catch ups
              continually evolve in this new        being rolled out across the network.                   and the support team’s regular virtual team
              post-pandemic world having                 Zoe also set the pricing strategy on the native   drinks.
more emphasis than ever on transparency,            San Churro delivery app to support franchisees’            “In order to stay positive and active I have
efficient communication, empathy and                sales and profitability.                               been participating in virtual exercise classes
flexibility.”                                            She says it is this aspect of the business that   including spinning and HIIT (high intensity
                                                    drives her to succeed: supporting franchisees by       interval training). I ensure I go for a walk along
Zoe exhibited these skills in 2020 through          developing new products and concepts to drive          the Yarra river when possible to clear my mind
strategic product leadership; she was               their profitability.                                   and start the day refreshed.
instrumental in supporting stores through the            Extensive market research identified San              “Having family and friends living overseas I
Covid-19 period by leading product innovation,      Churro’s own-brand coffee blend needed a               have made a concerted effort to stay in touch,
launching items and categories and leveraging       boost so Zoe worked closely with suppliers to          organising a number virtual quiz and game nights
new sales channels with excellent results - an      develop and create a Fairtrade coffee blend from       to keep us entertained.”
increase in sales, and a boost in the service       the Latin American region. Shortlisted blends              Zoe also maintained her professional
effectiveness score of the ACE survey conducted     were taste tested by more than 300 customers           development, attending numerous conference
by Franchise Relationships Institute.               across multiple states.                                webinars on marketing.
     Some of the greatest challenges during Covid        The choice of a Fairtrade coffee blend,               “I am currently learning how to speak Spanish
were coordinating the product testing in store      despite the premium costs, was a non-negotiable        with a virtual teacher which will help me liaise
and accessing the necessary equipment, facilities   for Zoe.                                               with my Spanish suppliers in the future. In turn
and suppliers.                                           “Developing a Fairtrade coffee blend gives        I recently began teaching my Spanish teacher to
     “Working remotely was a very large             San Churro customers the opportunity and               improver her English pronunciation skills, which
adjustment however the team was able to             power to help farmers escape poverty, improve          has been very rewarding.” n
continually deliver innovation whilst showing       working conditions and build better futures for
resilience, determination and unresounding          themselves and their communities,” she says.
commitment to the brand and franchisees,” she            The community focus continued closer to             Judge’s comments
says.                                               home with the Share a Churros Week initiative            “Despite the many challenges of
     She also worked with suppliers to create       launched during Covid-19. Customers were able            2020, Zoe has had an outstanding
a staff Covid-19 care pack which was sent to        to double their churros for a donation and this          year. She should be commended
all support office staff working at home - an       initiative raised over $32,000 for Beyond Blue.          for her passion for her role,
initiative that drew overwhelmingly positive             Zoe’s launch of the Churro Loop and the             commitment to her franchisees
feedback.                                           supporting “Loop in a Loved One” campaign gave           and ability to develop creative
     The pandemic brought a focus on takeaway       20,000 customers the opportunity to send a free          and innovative solutions. She is an
and delivery, and this was an area Zoe worked       churro loop to a loved one with a message of             excellent ambassador not only for
to grow with new menus, introducing 39 new          support during Covid.                                    her brand, but also the franchising
products and sourcing 42 new ingredients.                In order to boost the morale of team                sector.”
     She introduced the first savoury option to     members across the company Zoe drove

                                                                                                            TOP30.FRANCHISEBUSINESS.COM.AU                      17
TOP 30 PROFILES

     6
     KERRI WANE
     Interim chief operating officer, Mad Mex

     W
                 hat a year to step in and head up operations at a fast
                 food business. “My remit as interim chief operating
                 officer and GM of development was to drive large
     scale organisational change in the areas of real time data and
     insights, technology, profitability and franchising and to drive
     expansion and set up for future growth,” says Kerri.

     Bringing executive experience in people management and sales, she
     provided leadership and spearheaded initiatives which contributed
     to franchisee and network success in key areas for Mad Mex; margin
     improvement with a focus on food and labour, improving standards with                This was a broad-ranging initiative which included risk mitigation;
     new tools, and growth in sales and network footprint.                           shaping Mad Mex’s IR/ER compliance program and response; implement-
         Margin improvement involved predictive rostering, supplier negotiations     ing a national audit and self-audit program; launching training initiatives;
     and reductions in OPEX and a suite of reporting tools to help franchisees       designing tools to support correct payment.
     control variable costs.                                                              Mad Mex recently received a clean bill of health when audited by the
         Operational excellence was a key component to boosting standards            Fair Work Ombudsman as a part of the emerging franchisor’s national
     and compliance in training and food safety, and included the roll out of a      campaign.
     national auditing program, new training programs and POS integration with            Kerri recognised the need to develop her own wellbeing and resilience
     delivery platforms.                                                             to enable her to help others and found inspiration in the Resilience Project,
         New delivery providers engineered better margins and growth                 focused on finding happiness through gratitude, empathy and mindfulness.
     opportunities for franchisees.                                                  She also switched up overseas holiday plans to a local focus, discovering
         Kerri also led the charge into two Asian markets, developing capabilities   new local activities as part of what she called Bucket List Now!
     to support launches and maintain ongoing support.                                    Asked what drives her to succeed, Kerri says “One of my core drivers as
         She was a founding member of the Covid-19 Taskforce, providing              a leader is to make a difference; this motivates me to consistently look for
     information on how to access vital government subsidies; negotiated rental      ways to impact results, challenge the status quo and of course to make a
     abatements under the code with landlords on behalf of franchisees; and          difference to our people, whether it be through one-on-one interactions, or
     worked on a recovery plan.                                                      at a network level.
         On the one hand focused on practical projects to boost and improve               “For leaders looking to capitalise in a post-pandemic world aside from
     franchisee business, Kerri also championed several mental health, resilience    strategy and scenario planning, it will be important to lead decisively and
     and Mad Mex community support initiatives. She worked with the HR team          ensure that the entire network is clear on the priorities and how they can
     to deliver an Employee Assistance Program, engaged a range of speakers/         contribute; it is likely that someone in the network has the answer, so
     mentors to inspire teams to thrive in a Covid-19 world, including surfing       listening keenly and noticing is key to continuous learning and success.” n
     champ Layne Beachley; provided feedback forums for the team.
         On a more practical level, free pantry staples were supplied to team
     members when hoarding and shortages were at a peak. Kerri also provided
     assistance to the Victorian team with a one-off wage top up.                      Judge’s comments
         “I am a big believer in the need for franchisors to ensure that their         “Kerri has had an outstanding year in all aspects of
     networks have a positive contribution to society and are good corporate           her employment. She has showed commendable
     citizens,” she says.                                                              leadership, a commitment to mental health,
         Kerri points to wages underpayment as a crucial issue, and as the key         empathetic and constructive support of franchisees.
     executive for HR led a national initiative designed to ensure every Mad           Her dedication to fair renumeration across the system
     Mex team member was paid correctly and lawfully.
                                                                                       is commendable.”

18   TOP30.FRANCHISEBUSINESS.COM.AU
TOP 30 PROFILES

7
BRENDAN SIGVART
Chief operating officer, Go Brands

F
       or Brendan, there’s nothing                    the business. A new lease was signed, and 30 per
       like seeing positive change in                 cent sales increases have since been recorded,
       peoples lives. With an ethos                   says Brendan.
that “everybody matters” honed in a                       He signed up Go Sushi as a pilot partner
tough 2020, he is proud of maintaining                for a cleaning and checklist app SpotCheck.
a strong network of three fast food                   The device sits on the counter, flashing red or
brands throughout the pandemic.                       green for checklists missed or completed, and
                                                      is expected to contribute to both customer
He’s also counting as a win the renovation of his     satisfaction and business efficiency.
house as part of his wellness protection.                 Brendan has shared franchisee success
    “My wife and I are expecting so that will add     stories on LinkedIn, on the company’s website
another dimension to an already hectic life,” he      and in new business brochures, with social media
says.                                                 assets developed for franchisees to share and
     Brendan admits the previous 12 months’           franchisees encouraged to act as role models to
extraordinary circumstances required a shift in       their local community.
his leadership approach for the Wasabi Warriors,          As a member of multiple industry groups
Go Sushi and Kick Juice Bars brands.                  that meet regularly to support cross-pollination
    “I recognised that empathy above influence        of ideas he’s been an advocate for the franchise
was vital in sustaining the focus and faith of our    model.
franchise network so business support calls were          “By enabling and encouraging more to
implemented more frequently, more personally          succeed, the franchising community can
and were framed around the wellbeing of the           collectively demonstrate its value and excellence
franchise partner first.”                             to the broader community,” he says.
    That also meant that material was tailored            In the business he volunteered to act as
to meet franchisees’ critical needs, delivering       a mentor for other parts of the business and
information on grants and Government relief           completed several short online courses in
guidelines, financial advice to improve sales, P&L    management, communication and marketing.
refresher training, and a dedicated strategy to           Community is at the heart of a number
manage the impact of Covid.                           of initiatives Brendan instigated to improve
    “In the face of such difficult times, I chose     sustainability. Go Sushi alone contributes to one
to elevate the brand profile and anchor it as a       tonne of landfill in disposable packaging a year
leader of healthy, fresh and affordable fast-food,”   so a partnership was established with the Design
says Brendan.                                         Faculty of the University of New South Wales’
    He backed this strategy with increased            second-year students to create a reusable sushi
marketing, introduced family packs to the             container made specifically for hand rolls.           Judge’s comments
product range, and modernised the brand pillars.          Brendan took the approach of applying the         “In a year of unprecedented challenges
    In the months March to October sales lifted,      newly updated Go Sushi brand values to his            Brendan has demonstrated strong, yet
and overall there was a double digit rise year on     personal life - fresh, sustainable, and innovative.   compassionate leadership, adjusting
year.                                                     “Together as a family we built a vegetable        his style to focus on empathy above
    Switching up his communication skills to a        patch that is now thriving. Our mealtimes are no      influence. At a time when it would
more personal approach, Brendan also honed            longer a rushed affair, as we spend time picking      be easy to focus only on profit he
in on specific distress cases, approving a 30         from the garden and creating dishes around the        has committed to environmental
per cent lease abatement for two franchisees,         fresh ingredients we have. We’ve eliminated           sustainability and shown great foresight
and through online meetings followed by               food waste with the use of a compost bin that in
                                                                                                            in dealing with the environmental
                                                                                                            footprint of his brand.”
training and new procedures reinvigorating a          turn nourishes the garden – a nice example of a
disillusioned franchisee on the brink of leaving      truly cooperative partnership.” n

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                                       I
                                         n early 2020 the brand unveiled its first         project to set up 36 virtual stores with inventory
                                         national TV program sponsorship of                access.
                                         ‘I’m a Celebrity, Get me out of here’. The             “While sales results have exceeded all
                                       decision to align with a high ratings show          expectations, the greatest achievement is
                                       gave the brand access to its core consumer          the increased positivity and feedback from
                                       demographic, families, and proved an                franchisees about the additional opportunities
                                       extremely successful decision, Gavin says.          and sales they now have access to,” he says.
                                                                                                He is a member of The Executive Connection
                                       Following this boost, the annual national           which combines one-on-one mentoring with
                                       meeting in February attended by more than 60        meeting for business leaders to exchange ideas.
                                       franchisees turned out to give the business just    He says this process enabled him to constantly
                                       the start it needed for the tough year ahead.       review strategy and maintain a flexible mindset,
                                           In 2020 Bedshed began a Predictive              to make complex decisions in a rapidly changing
                                       Index Behavioural Assessment, a process to          environment.
                                       understand leadership styles.		                          “When I reflect on this year, I think this has
                                           ‘“The timing could not have been better as      been a breakout year for me and for Bedshed.
                                       when Covid-19 kicked in, the foundation of our      Our journey of cultural change and evolution,
                                       network was solid and united,” he says.             coupled with the timing of some great initiatives
                                           Gavin also prioritised mental health for the    in terms of personal and business development
                                       network, with a keynote speaker who shared          has really benefited our business and most
                                       his personal and professional vulnerability and     importantly our franchisees.
                                       struggle with mental health.                             “I work with a great team, my management
                                           “This session has led to many honest            team and our franchise team – we challenge
                                       and even confronting discussions with our           each other to be successful and I am driven
                                       franchisees. It has shown how important it is to    to succeed by the commitment we have to
                                       be genuine in our communications and walk in        our mantra, ‘strength of brand and strength of
                                       our franchisees’ shoes – on both a business and     culture equals strength of performance’.
                                       human level,” says Gavin.                                “A strong team gives you the ability to

 8
                                           The business also introduced an Employment      challenge ideas and be challenged but the best
                                       Assistance Program.                                 team does that along with taking the time to
                                           In hindsight, Gavin’s commitment to mental      listen first.
                                       health issues was fortuitous, considering the            “In a year that changed more rapidly than
                                       resilience required over the last year.             any other, I am proud of the decision to trade
                                           When Covid hit, he made the decision to         through the nationwide lockdown in March/
                                       keep stores trading for as long as possible, and    April as this set us up for the strongest possible

     GAVIN
                                       his proactive, calm and clear communication was     recovery in terms of team engagement, supplier
                                       crucial in managing the challenges. He offered      engagement and staying connected to the most
                                       support regarding landlord negotiations and         important people, our customers.

     CULMSEE
                                       stock management, liaised with suppliers on              “Staying open meant our franchisees were
                                       behalf of franchisees, and continued to advertise   in the strongest possible position to survive the
                                       the brand even when consumer uncertainty            ‘unknowns’ that were to come and, it has been
                                       kicked in.                                          our best ever year.” n
     General manager, Bedshed              Outside of the lockdown in metropolitan
                                       Melbourne, all Bedshed stores have continued to
                                       trade physically - the Melbourne stores offered
                                       contactless delivery and collection.
                                                                                           Judge’s comments
                                                                                           “Gavin has excelled in all areas
                                           “The decision set our franchisees up in terms
                                                                                           despite the many challenges
                                       of cash flow and maintained our supply chain
                                                                                           posed by 2020. He has put in place
                                       and set us up to have our best-ever trading
                                                                                           organisational and technological
                                       results mid-year,” says Gavin.
                                                                                           structures to support the evolution
                                           The biggest tech achievement was the
                                                                                           of the business, whilst prioritising the
                                       launch of an e-commerce platform. In late 2019,
                                                                                           mental wellbeing of his franchise
                                       he spearheaded a committee to fast-track the
                                                                                           partners. His outstanding leadership
                                       launch but in March 2020 it was still months        and passion for franchising should be
                                       away from completion; he focused solely on this     commended.”

22    TOP30.FRANCHISEBUSINESS.COM.AU
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9
STEPHEN
DUGGAN
Chief executive officer,
MBCM Strata Specialists

S
       tephen has been leading the charge at MBCM Strata                   utilities and a location based map for new residents to locate essential
       Specialists which is undergoing its biggest planned                 services, cafes, medical clinics.
       growth phase, bringing about positive change in every                  The shift to a cloud based IT system reduced paper waste and the
aspect of the business. The goal is to position the brand as a             company’s carbon footprint, which fits with its focus on sustainability.
leader within both the strata and franchise industries.                       MBCM Strata’s tagline ‘Helping Strata Communities Thrive’ is
                                                                           actioned with continual involvement with local councils and with a
Communication is a critical part of this leadership, he says, with         number of initiatives including Volunteer Week and Neighbour Day.
streamlined processes helping to improve franchisees’ jobs.                In 2020 the franchisor matched every dollar donated by franchisees
   “Leadership is more about open communication, empathy, leveraging       for Melbourne-based organisation Launch Housing, which provides
using right technology, managing hybrid teams, empowering every            services to people experiencing homelessness.
team member and encouraging agility and resilience.                           Another community-focused action was producing special edition
   “A leader must also demonstrate honesty and integrity in everything     newsletters for franchisees to issue to their clients providing important
they do,” he says. These two characteristics are also now embedded         information on Covid, health and wellbeing, and valuable contact phone
into the company’s values.                                                 numbers such as Lifeline.
   Building healthy, strategic relationships with all key stakeholders        This year Stephen plans to be kinder to himself. Working from home
is critically important and thanks to a late February 2020 review of       seven days a week straight for seven weeks at the beginning of the
processes and procedures, the business was able to seamlessly execute      pandemic, he learned quickly he needed a way to shut off and blocked
plans throughout the lockdown.                                             out time during the day to practice mindfulness.
   Stephen is proud of a swift change of gears early in the pandemic.         He maintained his professional development through 2020,
   “In one weekend we were able to pivot our business and have the         attending online seminars in subject areas around franchising, law, HR,
whole of head office working from home while transforming our              and strata, and before lockdown attended monthly meetings of the FCA
communication with our franchisees and putting into place plans that       VIC CES group.
ensured business as usual across the network.”                                Looking ahead, Stephen is focused on extending the Melbourne-
   On top of tech initiatives and cluster groups to ensure                 based brand with a national footprint.
communication across the network, Stephen secured support for                 “The love of the role, staff and franchisees and working together
franchisees from the franchise’s bank partner, and with strata loan        to achieve some amazing goals along the journey is my main driver,”
specialists negotiated sympathetic loan terms for franchisees.             he says. n
   He also organised some mental health sessions with speakers who
could help equip franchisees to look after their staff.
                                                                               Judge’s comments
   Over the 12 months to October 2020 Stephen introduced a series
                                                                               “Stephen has led with honesty and integrity during
of innovations including an ICT system upgrade; an intranet which
                                                                               the Covid crisis. He has taken decisive action to
contains training manuals, policies and procedures, marketing collateral       protect his franchisees, maintained a commitment
and chat capabilities; a supplier portal; fortnightly Bite Size Seminars       to good corporate citizenship, embraced technology
and a client community portal.                                                 and used innovation to his advantage. Despite the
   The latter gives customers access to their bills, accounts, franchise       challenges, Stephen has thrived and his passion for
contact details, messages, a closed committee area, specials from              his role is undisputed.”

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TOP 30 PROFILES

     10
     KAREN PURCELL
     Regulations and accreditation manager, Foodco

     Q
              uick thinking transferred into            Teams, WhatsApp and Dropbox in the same
              swift action proved one of the            audit.
              foundations for success last year             “Over the last 12 months, my working
     and for Karen Purcell that meant her project       relationship with regulators, inspectors and
     planning, critical thinking and experience in      authorities in Australia and New Zealand has
     the food regulatory and accreditation space        grown exponentially,” she says. “The respect and
     came to the fore.                                  trust developed in this network has shone a light
                                                        on the effectiveness and ongoing support the
     “I communicated rapid, high risk operational       franchise system provides.”
     changes to over 300 franchisees, 4500 staff            Karen is most proud of guiding the Foodco
     members and 100 Foodco staff members               businesses through all the varied regulatory
     to ensure compliance with the fluctuating          Covid-19 and food safety requirements and the
     requirements,” she says.                           positive way franchisees dealt with the changes
         Karen’s daily updates were relied on by the    and uncertainty.
     Foodco executive team and her leadership of            She is driven, she says, by “a genuine desire
     the critical response team without the need        to impact and provide confidence for all within
     for outside consultancy has been a huge            the business in the ever-changing food safety
     money saver - her specialist support in product    and accreditation space with efficient processes,      Judge’s comments
     management minimised losses and saved the          training and support”.                                 “Karen has thrived under
     franchisors over $50,000.                              “In 2021, I look forward to further embracing      pressure,working tirelessly to
         “My ability to modify processes,               technologies to enhance efficiencies in the            safeguard her franchisees
     documentation, and recipes quickly, has added      auditing area.”                                        and Covid-proof the business.
     substantial value to our brands and reduced            Karen has been instrumental in helping             She has maintained a strong
     international franchise partners spending on       reach a 20 per cent for recycling and waste            commitment to corporate
     duplication costs,” Karen says.                    reduction, and an increased awareness of the           citizenship, successfully used
         She also facilitated more than 40 internal     issue across the organisation through mentoring        technology and innovation to
     training sessions to break down the complex        an ISO14001 environmental management                   her advantage whilst continuing
     regulatory requirements and arm field teams        plan, advising on legislative requirements,            to advocate passionately on
     with the knowledge to ensure protocol              documentation, training and implementation.            behalf of the franchise sector. An
     adherence. As a result more than 80 per cent           She also transitioned a sustainability program,    outstanding year.”
     of stores were able to keep operating under        Little Growers, from physical workshops to
     extreme regulations.                               take-home kits. Little Growers repurposes coffee
         “One of my proudest achievements is the        grounds and takeaway cups, while teaching
     creation of the state-based resource hub saving    children the importance of recycling and tackling     example, Karen attended a food safety and
     hundreds of franchisee hours, created internally   the war on waste.                                     security conference, a food science and tech
     using existing resources.”                             An increase of over 20 per cent in use of         conference, food legal workshops, and upskilled
         Karen oversaw the change from a paper-         ecofriendly products and services was also            her auditing qualifications.
     based nutritional system to digital, which         achieved.                                                 “I have learned that clear roles and
     saved $15,000 in printing costs, and allows            On a personal level, Karen maintained regular     responsibilities are vital to ensure we can adapt
     customers, franchisees and staff easy access       team and family support, Skyping her interstate       quickly and effectively use resources, while
     to all recipes allergens, ingredients and          daughters daily, and staying connected with           supporting each other closely to achieve our
     kilojoule information.                             colleagues.                                           goals. In 2021 and beyond, I see leadership to
         She also took the lead on shifting processes       “The importance of maintaining my own             be confident, decisive and trusted but with a
     online: HACCP accreditation was completed          professional development and currency during          higher focus on empathy, personal relationships,
     remotely using QR codes, Zoom, Microsoft           the pandemic has been vital,” she says. As an         increased communication and recognition.” n

24   TOP30.FRANCHISEBUSINESS.COM.AU
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