Franchiselink aims at women

Patricia Harrison, an associate at Franchiselink and director of Franchising for Women, a new Franchislink division that provides information and assistance to potential female franchisees, turns to history for inspiration. During a Western Investor interview, it was obvious she was impressed by the first person to begin using the franchise model - Canadian Martha Matilda Harper. Harper opened her first Harper Method Shop, a combination beauty parlour and factory for producing shampoo, in 1888. Harper's success soon allowed her to expand. In 1891, she opened a franchise in Buffalo, New York. At the time of her death in 1950, there were more than 350 Harper shops in the United States, Canada, South America and Europe. 

"Martha basically invented franchising," Harrison said. "Her entrepreneurial spirit is something that many women possess.

"Franchising for women is a great alternative to professional employment because it allows for mothers to take time off throughout a business day, to pick their children up from school for example," Harrison added.

Canada has the second-largest franchise market in the world, bettered only by the United States. The franchise industry in Canada represents over $100 billion in annual sales and one out of every five consumer dollars spent on goods and services are at a franchise, Harrison said. Of all the franchises opened in Canada in the last five years, 97 per cent are still in business - quite the contrast when you consider 80 per cent of normal businesses fail within the same time frame.

Franchiselink is a full-service franchise development company that has linked over 500 franchisers to franchisees during the past 30 years, according to Harrison, who urged female entrepeneurs to contact Franchiselink for more information.

- Kevan O'Brien

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from Western Investor, October 2010