The Franchise Consultant is headquartered in York, with Managing Director Steve Lee based in Yorkshire. TFC works with business owners across the region and nationally, providing specialist franchise development and franchisee recruitment services to businesses at every stage of the franchising journey.
Franchise consultancy in Yorkshire
Yorkshire has a diverse and productive business community, with strong representation across manufacturing, food and drink, professional services, healthcare, and home services — all sectors with a track record of successful franchise development. The region’s established business culture, combined with a deep pool of potential franchisees, makes it one of the UK’s more natural environments for franchise growth.
TFC’s head office in York means the consultancy has genuine roots in the region. Yorkshire clients work directly with a team that understands the local market and the regional business landscape, while also having access to consultants covering the whole of the UK. That combination of local knowledge and national reach is a practical advantage when developing a franchise network that needs to attract candidates beyond the home region.
Steve Lee, Managing Director
Steve Lee leads The Franchise Consultant as Managing Director, overseeing all aspects of the business and working directly with clients on franchise development and strategy. His career spans more than 30 years across retail, food, and digital marketing at management and board level, including 14 years as Operations Director at an international digital marketing company that formed part of the IPG Group. He later bought a franchise in business brokerage, working with business owners on valuation and exit strategy before moving into franchise consultancy.
Steve is also the author of Bought In, a book combining memoir and practical guidance on franchising for business owners. Available at boughtin.co.uk.
TFC’s credentials
The Franchise Consultant is a bfa Advisor Member, one of a small number of UK franchise consultancies to hold this accreditation from the British Franchise Association. The bfa credential is independently assessed and reflects the professional standards and ethical conduct that TFC has maintained throughout its work with clients across the UK.
The team’s combined experience totals over 100 years across franchising, marketing, operations, and business development. That depth is not a marketing claim — it reflects a team that has worked directly in franchise networks, run businesses, managed large operations, and supported hundreds of businesses through the franchising process at every level of complexity.
TFC’s approach starts with an honest assessment. No business owner who comes to TFC for an initial conversation is pushed towards a decision. The free assessment is designed to give you a clear picture of where your business stands and what franchising would realistically require of it — including if the honest answer is that franchising is not the right route at this point.
Book a conversation
If you are a business owner in Yorkshire or anywhere across the UK who is considering franchising, start with a free, no-obligation call with Steve or the TFC team. A straightforward conversation about your business, your ambitions, and what franchising could realistically look like for you.