The Wonder Women in Franchising, the TOP 3

Il franchising è anche donna. Se nel mondo dell’imprenditoria la presenza delle donne nella “cabina di comando” del business è limitata, oggi franchisor e franchisee sono sempre più rosa (come vedremo).

A questo proposito, la rivista americana What Franchise lancia ogni anno la lista delle cento donne più influenti nel mondo del franchising (The 100 Influential Women In Franchising List), per raccontare le storie delle tante donne che, in tutto il mondo, sono riuscite a sfondare nel mondo dell’affiliazione: figure di spicco, innovatrici, mentor che guidano le proprie organizzazioni con successo e aiutano altre donne a fare altrettanto.

Franchising is also female. While women’s presence in the “command center” of business entrepreneurship is limited, today both franchisors and franchisees are increasingly female-dominated (as we will see).

In this regard, the American magazine What Franchise publishes annually the list of the one hundred most influential women in the world of franchising (The 100 Influential Women In Franchising List), to tell the stories of the many women who, worldwide, have managed to break into the world of affiliation: prominent figures, innovators, mentors who successfully lead their organizations and help other women do the same.

I have chosen three stories among those for my personal podium of the three women in franchising who have inspired me the most. Here are their stories.

Diana Rosario

Diana Rosario’s story is proof that “never give up” is often excellent advice: after 14 business failures, she finally succeeded in launching a successful brand called “What’s your FLAN?”. Flan is a baked custard in small molds, usually accompanied by a sauce. It can be sweet or savory and can be served as an appetizer or main course.

Passionate about cooking, Diana Rosario one day posted on Facebook one of her personal creations: a sweet flan seasoned with Matcha. “After posting it, the photo went viral,” she said, “and since then I have created more than 70 original recipes.” But of course, she didn’t stop at cooking.

In 2016, she launched her brand, the perfect opportunity to turn “my failures into new strength and motivation to move forward.” She then introduced her recipes to the market, achieving tremendous public success: in the Philippines, Rosario’s home country, 145 What’s your FLAN? franchise stores have already been opened, and recently, the brand has also expanded to other countries, including Canada and Dubai.

Her success has earned her numerous accolades, including winning the global NextGen in Franchising competition in 2019 and the NextGen in Franchise Leaders in the Philippines in 2018.

Liz Nable

Liz Nable had to pivot due to the pandemic. An Australian by birth, she moved to New York with her family years ago, she as a freelance journalist, her husband with a job in investment banking. In 2011, with the second child on the way (at the time she was pregnant at the 30th week), Nable and her family decided it was time to return home. There, they had no choice but to start their own business. They decided to open, as franchisees, an Xtend Barre gym, focusing on barre exercises. The pressure was extremely high: “We had to make the business work: we had no other choice,” she says.

And despite having no business experience, the bet paid off. Given the success, in 2019 Nable decided to open her fourth gym in the chain.

When the Australian authorities decided, like much of the world, to limit commercial activities due to COVID-19, Nable remained unfazed and transformed her gyms into virtual fitness activities within less than 24 hours, staying afloat throughout the entire lockdown.

Beatrice Corradini

There is also an Italian among the one hundred most influential women in franchising: Beatrice Corradini, who in 2003 started her first Mail Boxes Etc. in Mantua, which she now manages with a team of 40 people, half of whom are women, in strategic positions. But Corradini has not rested on her laurels: over the years, she has launched four other stores between Mantua and Verona and is already thinking about significant expansion in the coming years. In the last four years, her stores have recorded double-digit growth rates.

“That’s what I always say: becoming an entrepreneur through commercial affiliation is like jumping into the void with a parachute,” Corradini said.

Women and franchising, a winning combination

Beatrice Corradini’s story is not isolated. While in “classic” entrepreneurship, women at the helm of a company represent only 22 percent in Italy, it is much better in franchising, where female leaders make up 35 percent of the total (Assofrancising Italy 2020 Report – Structures, Trends, and Scenarios). This is a significant presence, especially in these difficult times, as Augusto Bandera, Secretary-General of Assofranchising, pointed out:

“We know how disadvantaged women are, especially during times of crisis, when the care of the family mostly falls on them. Therefore, the choice to want to start their own business is understandable: franchising is a win-win formula that can help support a model of female entrepreneurship.”