THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE
The growing diversity of Canadian franchising lifts the industry to new heights
Sherry McNeil
President & CEO, Canadian Franchise Associaton (CFA)
A
t one point in my career, franchising appeared to be a very male-dominated industry. Here in 2020, things have changed drastically. Canada’s female workforce continues to grow exponentially. Given the flexibility and favourable work-life balance the franchise business model provides, it should be no surprise that an unprecedented number of women are entering the franchising industry. According to The Wall Street Journal, as of May 2019, women own or co-own 35 per cent of the franchise locations in the U.S., representing a growth of 24 per cent from a decade earlier. Here in Canada, women are following suit, turning to franchising for the many benefits it provides. This growth isn’t being seen solely at the franchise ownership level. It’s also happening in the corporate offices. Boardrooms are becoming more-and-more diverse as franchising offers women
10 The Franchise Voice // Winter 2020
of all backgrounds incredible career opportunities not only as franchisees, but in franchise development, real estate, sales, marketing, operations, legal, and beyond. This is a benefit to not only women, but the entire industry. I truly believe that the more diverse companies are, the more collaborative they are, and the stronger they become. Franchising provides women with great opportunities to either own their own business or grow their career; they can be a franchisee for a brand they are passionate about, they can take a leadership role at a franchise corporate office, or they can help franchise concepts thrive and grow as a support service supplier. We can see the growth right here in our very own Canadian Franchise Association (CFA) community. The women featured here have all grabbed the franchise business model by the horns and have harnessed it to find tremendous success as key decision-makers shaping the industry itself. Here, The Franchise Voice highlights a group of CFA Members who share what being a woman in the franchise industry means to them and why they think so many women are turning to franchising to meet their career goals. With this feature, we celebrate the growing diversity of franchising as more women are getting into the sector and adding their perspectives, their voices, and their skills. Their dedication is making the dreams of everyday Canadians come true. All of which results in making franchising stronger as we Grow Together.
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