Women in Franchising: Donna Watton

A growing number of women are choosing franchising as their route to business ownership. In fact, there’s been a 20% jump in female franchisees since 2015 according to the British Franchise Association (bfa), with 37% of all new franchisees in the last three years being women[1].

Ahead of The Northern Franchise Exhibition taking place at EventCity, Manchester, on 21 & 22 June, we caught up with Donna Watton, a Vodafone Partner Agent in Boston Lancashire about her journey to becoming a franchisee with the globally recognised brand.

What did you do before franchising and what prompted you to make the change?

I worked for myself for seven years, and then worked for Vodafone in retail for 10 years. I loved both working for myself and for Vodafone, so this was the perfect opportunity for me to combine the two – doing the job I love while being my own boss. 

Having the chance to grow my business and knowing I have the support of Vodafone behind me, together with my own experience, I knew this was the right choice. Once I had seen the franchise model, it was a no-brainer. I was excited to be making this transition from store manager to franchise owner. 

Describe the process for getting on board – how long did it take?

I approached the Vodafone team, who sent me the financial details of the store I was interested in. These included a wealth of information that helped to build a robust set of projections and a business plan, which is what I needed to present to the divisional manager and franchise team. 

After being accepted, there’s the usual business insurances, accountants and solicitors to find. The whole process for me took around eight months, although I know the time frames do vary between stores.

What attracted you to this franchise opportunity?

The main attraction for me was knowing I was going into partnership with an established company, and taking over a store that was already set up and ready to trade, making a profit from day one. I know how difficult it is setting up a business from scratch and having to wait for the cashflow to come in and keep your business afloat. So to have opportunity to build upon a business’s current success is fantastic.

What was the initial training and support like?

My initial training was a two-day business course, which gave me the tools to create my projections for the next three years and a business plan to show how I was going to achieve this. I wasn’t new to Vodafone, but any franchisees who are new to the business go on a further course that will help them learn how the stores operate. 

What training and support is available ongoing?

There is a wealth of support available from many different functions within Vodafone; you still have a regional manager to go to for general support, and there is a huge amount of resources available on a support hub. The great thing about being in contact with so many other people is that you can benefit from their experience and skills. This can also work both ways and your skills developed as a business owner can go to help other stores. It’s always good to keep your connections open and support others. 

How has life changed since you launched your franchise?

The change to being a franchise owner has driven me to push myself harder than before to get to where I want to be. I’m now more focused on developing myself and building my career path in a way that will also help me achieve my personal life goals. 

How have you found being a woman running her own business?

It’s great! I feel really empowered in this environment to be who I am, make my own decisions and be creative in growing my business in a tech industry that has often been seen as male-dominated.

I studied computer science at a time when barely any women were taking the course. I was told by some other students that I didn’t belong in an industry to do with technology and would not be able to cope with the course because I was not a man. I did cope, and now have a successful franchise business within the technology industry. I will say that, now, I don’t feel judged or put down for being a woman in technology, so it’s nice to see there has been a change and I no longer need to fight my corner. 

What qualities do franchisees need to work within this sector and to be a successful franchisee?

As with most businesses, being a great people person and having a brain full of ideas are the obvious ones. If you can motivate a team of great sales staff who want to work hard for you, then you’ve pretty much set yourself up for success. You can outsource accountants and HR experts to help you with the other side of the business, but first and foremost, you have to be able to build a great team.

What are your plans for the future?

I’m looking to increase my base of customers from local businesses within my area. I also have a new business manager in store, which is just one of the changes I have been able to invest in as a franchise owner, something I couldn’t do as store manager. I then want to take on another store and replicate my success in Boston.

I also want to put some of my time back into the local community and be involved in some charity events with my team. They are really keen to be able to help local charities and they have already put forward a few ideas for fundraising. 

Any other advice for aspiring franchisees?

If you’ve found something you’d like to do as your own business, but would also like the security of a bigger company behind you, then go for it. It really does make things easier when you have the support and expertise. But at the same time, this is your business. You call the shots, you have the chance to develop your business the way you want to, and you reap the benefits of turning your hard work into a success story.

Fancy following in Donna’s footsteps? Join us at The Northern Franchise Exhibition on 21 & 22 June at EventCity, Manchester, to meet the Vodafone team. On Friday 21 June, there will also be a free Women in Business Forum taking place from 2pm. Open to all women with an entrepreneurial spark, participants will have the chance to discuss experiences, exchange ideas and lead the conversation in promoting women’s vital role within business. 

Book your free tickets today at FranchiseTickets.co.uk

[1] Source: bfa NatWest Franchise Survey: 2018 Franchise landscape