The team behind The Franchise Consultant
bfa Advisor Members. Over 100 years of combined franchising experience across our team. Based in York, operating UK-wide.
Honest advice. Real results.
The Franchise Consultant exists for one purpose: to give business owners an honest view of franchising and support them through every stage of the process, from the first question to the first signed franchisee.
We are a bfa Advisor Member franchise consultancy. That means we are assessed against the British Franchise Association's standards for professional practice and ethical conduct, and we hold ourselves accountable to those standards in every client engagement.
We do not take on clients whose businesses are not genuinely ready to franchise. That approach, honest over optimistic, is what has built our reputation over three decades.
How we work
Our values
We are trustworthy
We give honest assessments, including when the answer is not what a business owner hoped to hear. Our reputation is built on straightforward advice.
We are adaptable
Every business is different. We tailor our approach, our documentation, and our recruitment strategy to each client, not to a template.
We are driven to succeed
We measure success by client outcomes. When a franchisee signs, when a network grows, when a business owner achieves what they set out to, that is the measure.
We are data driven
Our recruitment process is informed by data, from portal performance to conversion rates to candidate quality. We know what works and we apply it consistently.
We are friendly and approachable
Franchising can feel daunting. We make the process as straightforward as possible, and we are always available to answer questions throughout the journey.
We care about our clients
We are invested in the long-term success of every business we work with. That means going beyond the transaction and being a genuine partner in their growth.
Meet the team
Our consultants bring decades of combined experience from franchising, retail, hospitality, professional services, and digital marketing.
Managing Director of The Franchise Consultant and author of Bought In. Over 30 years of experience spanning retail, food, digital marketing, and franchising, including 14 years as Operations Director within the IPG Group.
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Founder of the Extra Help franchise network and former CEO of the Approved Franchise Association. Active in franchising since 1997, Claire brings first-hand franchisor experience and a Level 5 ILM coaching qualification to every client relationship.
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Over 40 years of experience in the hospitality industry at operational and management level. Gary brings deep sector knowledge and a career built around people, service, and operational excellence to franchise development across Manchester, Greater Manchester, Cheshire, and Staffordshire.
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Former KFC Franchise Director and multi-site franchisee, with experience developing franchise models for KFC, Pizza Hut, Hard Rock Cafe, Regus, and Remax. Paul brings decades of international franchise experience to development and recruitment work across the UK.
View profile →Franchise Consultant covering Berkshire and the surrounding areas, supporting business owners at every stage of the franchising process. Ian brings a methodical, client-focused approach built around clear communication and long-term results.
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Franchise Consultant based in Woking, covering Surrey, Sussex, and Kent. Joe brings over 35 years of international business experience including C-Suite roles across SE Asia and Australia, combined with hands-on experience building, buying, and selling franchise businesses of his own.
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Franchise Partner at The Franchise Consultant, based in Scotland. Chris brings a background in high street bank franchise advisory, his own consultancy, and personal franchise ownership across three businesses.
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Legal 500-recognised franchise lawyer with over 20 years advising franchisors, franchisees and investors. Richard brings rare in-house legal capability to TFC, covering franchise agreements, network management, commercial contracts and IP, supporting clients from system creation through to exit.
View profile →bfa Advisor Member
The British Franchise Association is the UK's most respected franchising authority. bfa Advisor Member status is held by franchise consultants who meet the bfa's standards for professional practice, ethical conduct, and industry expertise.
The Franchise Consultant is a bfa Advisor Member. That means we have been independently assessed, we operate within a professional code of conduct, and our clients have an external route to resolution if they ever feel we have fallen short.
What bfa membership means for you
Ready to talk?
Whether you are considering franchising your business or looking for the right franchise opportunity, the starting point is a conversation, free and no obligation.