By Danessa Itaya

It’s not unusual to see women in franchising. We occupy important positions throughout the industry, including an ever-increasing number of leadership and top executive roles. 

Women are becoming franchise owners at a record rate, too. Currently, one-third of current U.S. franchise units are female-owned, and publications like this one regularly highlight our contributions to the industry.

Several professional organizations encourage women to consider careers in franchising and award women for significant achievements. There are also a number of podcasts that feature female entrepreneurs and franchisees, such as the International Franchise Association’s Women’s Franchise Committee’s (IFA WFC) “Her Success” podcast that allows women to tell their own success stories.

It’s not a coincidence that franchising is having its own surge of growth and recognition as women’s participation in the industry rises. Prospective franchise owners or franchise development professionals can see that women are succeeding in prominent roles. With more and more great examples of women’s excellence in franchising, there is an increased opportunity for the new generation of women leaders and owners to follow in our footsteps.

It’s important that we don’t just stop there. Continuing to highlight women’s achievements in the industry inspires young female leaders and entrepreneurs who might not consider franchising otherwise. With the opportunity to spotlight women’s success in franchising, we will continue to attract top young talent to our industry.

Skills to be Strong Franchise Leaders

As more and more women continue to enter franchising, they’re learning what some of us have known for years: Our experiences can help develop some of the key skills for franchise success.

The variety of our experiences, skill sets and perspectives from across the industry is one of its major strengths. But it’s in the team-building efforts where women have truly thrived. Women are skilled in building strong communities and relationships and can maximize the support available from their peer networks, professional affiliations and work experience.

Studies have shown that women in leadership roles often take the time to listen to their peers and subordinates, and this strengthens our ability to communicate. We understand what drives our team members, so we know how to motivate them.

Further research also suggests that women are often more transformational leaders. They often communicate their long-term vision in a more compelling manner, and they act as role models rather than as authoritarian leaders.

Being able to make important “in the moment” decisions is another asset for franchise leaders. And while psychological science suggests that women can often multitask more effectively than their male counterparts, they can adjust quickly to the multiple responsibilities required by franchising.

 Other important qualities that women possess that translate into being strong franchise leaders include:

• They often recognize the value of business culture and emphasize a shared commitment among team members.
• Creativity that allows them to think outside the box when developing solutions for improving brands.
•  Great at developing a strong culture that demonstrates success with a franchise system.

 

Strong Support Systems

The importance of strong female leadership in franchising stretches beyond that of brand and franchise building. It plays a key role in the overall goal of increasing the number of women leaders in the industry. 

According to a 2023 McKinsey report on Women in the Workplace, for every 100 men promoted from entry-level to manager, 87 women were promoted. This results in a larger gender gap in the number of men holding manager-level positions.

While there are still fewer women leaders, they often support other women through mentorship.

We like to find our“tribe,” and learn leadership skills by talking with other female franchisors. Picking a strong peer or mentoring group allows women to meet and engage with other women in the industry. From bouncing ideas off of one another and sharing success stories, women are able to learn best practices from their peers. 

Therefore, women in leadership roles should work to find support groups that can provide them with a networking outlet. In franchising, women have been playing a role in supporting each other for nearly three decades. Organizations, such as IFA WFC and IFA’s FranShip, were formed to encourage and inspire women in franchising by creating a network of business professionals who are dedicated to strengthening the success of women in franchising.

Through women franchise leaders breaking down hiring bias, female-led groups and programs that help provide women with the necessary tools to enter leadership roles and franchise ownership, we can continue to see the gender gap diminish as we continue championing female leadership in franchising.

Open Opportunities

One of the best things about franchising is that it’s open to anyone who wants to pursue their dreams of entrepreneurship. Franchising is increasingly proactive in welcoming everyone.

Franchising can include people from so many different backgrounds because of its unique flexibility. In many ways, the franchising model allows owners to build a business that suits their lifestyle and goals. 

In almost every franchise, it’s possible to take a hands-on role in day-to-day operations or adopt a more strategic position. If your goal is rapid growth and owning multiple locations, those options are available. If you just want more control over your schedule so you have time to spend with your family, that’s also possible.

I would encourage women who are looking for opportunities to become entrepreneurs to research the Small Business Association. This organization not only provides training for women, it also provides funding to women to help them start their own business or buy into a franchise.

In the end, women possess the power to encourage others to take advantage of the freedom, flexibility and opportunity of franchising. It’s important that we continue to cheer women’s achievements in the industry and encourage the most talented future leaders to join us in franchising.

Danessa Itaya is president of Bio-One®, the most trusted crime and trauma scene cleaning franchise in the United States and part of the Five Star Franchising platform of brands. Itaya has more than 30 years of experience in the franchise industry, including 10 years of national and international leadership experience. She serves on the Women in Franchising Committee of the International Franchise Association and was named one of Entrepreneur’s Top Influential Women in Franchising in 2022.