Entrepreneurial experts focus on franchising event

An evening event aimed at students, entrepreneurs and business owners looking to expand, is being held at Cardiff University as part of the 10-year anniversary of ‘Encouraging Women into Franchising’ (EWIF).

The EWIF South West & Wales region are bringing a focus on franchising as a business model to the evening event, on 11 October 2018, which is organised and led by local commercial law firm Darwin Gray.

The evening will feature a panel of entrepreneurial experts from global franchise Toni & Guy and the award-winning Mrs Bucket, who will be sharing her inspiring journey starting out as a young entrepreneur.

Representatives from NatWest Cymru’s Entrepreneurial Spark and also Business Wales will be on hand to offer details of the financial and other support available for businesses in Wales.

Llinos Carpenter, from Cardiff University’s Careers and Employability Service, said:

“Starting a franchise can be a fantastic career choice and offers many advantages to starting a business from scratch and yet it is often overlooked as an option by most people, let alone students. We are excited to be offering support to budding entrepreneurs in Wales with this rare opportunity to hear insights from leading franchise companies and organisations about the route to building your own business and being your own boss. It’s going to be an inspirational evening!”

Stephen Thompson, EWIF South West and Wales Chair and Managing Partner at Darwin Gray branch said:

“We are thrilled with the line-up for the event at Cardiff University and look forward to hearing from the panel experts as well as our members with their experiences and advice. Our clients range from start-ups to established franchises, so we know that franchising can be an excellent commercial option for those looking to be their own boss. It’s important that the younger generations are given the guidance and support to pursue this path.”

EWIF is a not-for-profit organisation, providing support and guidance to women who may be considering buying a franchise or franchising their business.

Insights from the experts begin at 6.30pm and will be followed by drinks and pizza, as well as further opportunities to ask questions and network.

The event is free to attend and bookings are now open through Eventbrite.

Cardiff University is also supporting the Knowledge Transfer Network’s (KTN), all-day ‘Building Success’ event, as part of Innovate UK’s second Women in Innovation programme.

Sessions include an overview of the funding and finance landscape, including regional support, and future opportunities from Innovate UK. Practical workshops will tackle key issues facing innovators, such as grant writing, market validation and investor readiness.

Cardiff is the first in a series of four KTN Building Success events across the UK, including Glasgow, London and Belfast.

The event is open to female founders or women developing early-stage start-ups in all sectors and takes place at Wales Millennium Centre on Monday 5 November. It begins at 8.30am and concludes at 6.30pm with cheese and wine reception.

For more information and to sign up for the event, click here.