Franchise Blog – Top Contributors
Our Top Blog Contributors
This page features our most regular blog contributors.
-
- Nick Strong – MD, Select Your Franchise UK Ltd
- Cathryn Hayes – Head of Franchising, HSBC Bank Plc
- Carl Reader – Head of Franchising, Dennis & Turnbull Ltd
- Geoffrey Sturgess – Solicitor, D E Sturgess Solicitors
- Fiona Boswell – Senior Associate Solicitor, Freeth Cartwright LLP
- Jon Bellamy – Managing Director, Atlas Mapping Ltd
- Simon Bartholomew – Oscar Pet Foods Ltd
- Joel Caws – Technical Director, Select Your Franchise UK Ltd
- More contributors
Nick Strong, MD - Select Your Franchise
Nick Strong
Nick Strong is the Managing Director or Select Your Franchise UK Ltd (SYF). Nick has over ten years experience in UK and international franchise sales and network development. Through SYF, Nick provides franchisee recruitment advertising, advice and training.
Nick and his fellow directors launched SYF in October 2002. SYF is a leading Internet Advertiser of franchises and businesses for sale in the UK. SYF websites include www.selectyourfranchise.com, www.franchise.uk.com, www.franchises.uk.com, www.franchises.uk.net and www.business-opportunities.net.
All sites owned and operated by SYF are highly optimised in the search engines. Each site receives thousands of franchise and business buyer visitors per month and produces a great many leads that have resulted in franchise and business sales over the years. SYF is an accredited affiliate member of the British Franchise Association - http://www.thebfa.org/members.asp?category=1&bcid=16.
Nick is the main contributor in our Franchise Sales and Development in the UK section
Cathryn Hayes - HSBC Head of Franchising
Cathryn Hayes
Cathryn Hayes is HSBC Bank’s head of franchising. Previously, she held a number of managerial appointments within the bank and spent several years as a branch manager where she gained a depth of experience in lending to businesses. She is an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Bankers.
Cathryn is regarded as the most experienced banker in the UK franchise sector. She has a high profile within the franchise industry, acting as a judge on the prestigious British Franchise Association (bfa) Franchisor and Franchisee of the Year awards which the bank sponsor. She has also served as
the bfa’s elected affiliate representative, looking after the interests of the professional membership, and taking a seat on the bfa board. She contributes regular articles to the franchise press and other business media and has presented numerous seminars at franchise exhibitions, bfa events and conferences, and franchise and business events.
Cathryn is the main contributor in our Franchise Finance section
Carl Reader - Head of Franchising, Dennis & Turnbull Ltd
Carl Reader
Carl Reader is the head of franchising at franchise accountants Dennis & Turnbull. He is a member of both the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, and the Institute of Business Consultants.
Dennis & Turnbull are a leading firm of accountants in the franchise industry and are also a British Franchise Association Affiliate. They look after several networks ranging from start up franchise networks to established international brands. Their services are offered to franchisees for a low monthly fee, whilst providing franchisors with peace of mind.
Geoffrey Sturgess - Consultant Solicitor, Warner Goodman Commercial
Geoffrey Sturgess
Involved in franchising since 1980 (he started his career in Unigate PLC where he was involved in setting up some of the very first dairy round franchises), Geoffrey became a BFA affiliated lawyer in 1991 after moving out of the dairy industry and into private practice on the South Coast. Since then he has been a regular “face” on the franchising circuit acting for both franchisors and franchisees. He has sat on the BFA’s legal committee and in 2010 was elected to the BFA board only to resign in 2011 following his resignation from Blake Lapthorn.
In recent years he obtained a degree of public “profile” when acting for the franchisees of Coffee Republic and Threshers when those franchisors became insolvent.
As well as a franchising lawyer Geoffrey describes himself as a technology lawyer drafting and negotiating contracts for “cloud computing” and anything to do with things that buzz or whirr. He says his most interesting recent job was a franchise-like arrangement between the Australian subsidiary of his client and a Chinese engineering company relating to works to be done in China.
Geoffrey is currently at Consultant Solicitor at Warner Goodman LLP. Warner Goodman has offices in Southampton, Fareham and Portsmouth.
Fiona Boswell - Senior Associate Solicitor, Freeth Cartwright LLP
Fiona Boswell
Fiona is a Senior Associate Solicitor at Freeth Cartwright LLP and Head of FC Franchise Build, Manage, Grow, Exit ™ Unit.
In particular, Fiona has a wealth of experience in acting for franchisors in the retail sector. She advises on setting up and managing franchise networks, the preparation of master and standard franchise contracts, regulatory compliance, the management and removal of underperforming franchisees, franchise contract portfolio management, leveraging your franchise brand and franchise e-commerce.
Fiona also advises franchisees providing fixed fee franchise contract reviews, a free helpline, start up business advice and exit strategy.
Fiona is part of a multi-disciplinary franchise team that advise franchisees and franchisors on all legal aspects concerning franchising – including disputes, mediation, resales, international franchising and property issues.
Fiona is an affiliate member of the BFA and has a postgraduate diploma with distinction in Commercial Intellectual Property. She currently acts for clients in the following sectors, retail, property, technology, leisure, professional services and public sector.
Fiona also advises on e-commerce and the exploitation of brands, copyright works and data.
Jon Belamy - Managing Director, Atlas Mapping Ltd
Jon is an expert within the fields of franchise territory mapping, franchise site planning, franchise territory management, and the automation of the customer enquiry allocation process.
He has worked with over 100 franchisors worldwide to develop both new and existing franchise territory networks using the latest technologies and techniques, some of which he pioneered to solve very real problems being faced by those brands before implementing them in new franchises.
In 2010, Jon’s personal sense of perfection and constant determination to excel brought about the inauguration of Atlas Mapping®, a company founded on strong principles and a passion for delivering very real results to franchisors.
Jon is the author of My Franchise Atlas®, a revolutionary franchise territory management and sales solution that brings together franchisors, franchisees and candidates through a single, visual system and Atlas Mapping’s® Find Your Nearest, designed to automate enquiry allocation processes using the fairest methods available.
Jon regularly participates in online blogs and seminars designed to provide information to both franchisors and companies looking to franchise regarding franchise mapping ethics and best practises.
Simon Bartholomew - Oscar Pet Foods Ltd
Currently a member of the management team of Oscar Pet Foods with responsibility for training, support and marketing Simon Bartholomew has worked in the franchise industry for 30 years.
After studying catering at Brighton, Simon started his career with McDonald’s in company operations before moving to work in the franchise department of KFC.
After a spell as a consultant Simon became a franchise owner with a fast food restaurant in Preston and later joined Oscar Pet Foods management team where he now looks after 93 franchisees across the UK.
Simon is also currently the Regional Chairman (Northern Region) for the BFA as well as finding time to be Chair of Governors on both a primary and secondary school in Crewe.
Joel Caws - Technical Director, Select Your Franchise
Joel Caws is Technical Director for Select Your Franchise UK Ltd and has been working in the franchise industry for over 7 years. His background in retail and wealth of experience in small business systems and operation, provides a great platform for Joel to share his personal observations on current news stories and its effects on the franchise industry.
