Paul van Staden is a Franchise Consultant at The Franchise Consultant, based in London. With decades of hands-on experience working with some of the world’s most recognised franchise brands, Paul brings a depth of franchise knowledge that is genuinely rare in the industry, covering both the franchisor and franchisee sides of the relationship.
Background
Paul grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa, where he was exposed to franchising from an early age through his father’s four franchised Wimpy Bar restaurants in the Johannesburg CBD. That early experience of how a franchise operates from the inside, the systems, the standards, the relationship between franchisee and brand, shaped his understanding of the model in a way that academic study never could.
He went on to join KFC in South Africa as a Franchise Director, and having identified a significant growth opportunity, acquired the rights to his own territory and opened 12 KFC restaurants. The experience of building and running a multi-site franchise operation gave Paul direct knowledge of what franchisees need from their franchisor, what makes a model genuinely replicable, and where the common points of failure lie.
Major brand experience
Over the course of his career, Paul has worked with some of the most recognised franchise brands in the world, supporting them in developing and refining their franchise models. These include KFC, Pizza Hut, Hard Rock Cafe, Regus, and Remax. Working across food and hospitality, flexible workspace, and property, he has seen how franchise systems operate at scale across very different sectors and business models, and what distinguishes those that grow successfully from those that stall.
Experience in franchising
Today Paul specialises in franchisee recruitment, working with TFC’s franchisor clients to attract, qualify, and introduce the right candidates to their brands. His background as both a franchisee and as someone who has worked at franchise director level within major brands means he can assess prospective franchisees with genuine authority, and advise franchisors on how to structure their recruitment process and criteria for the best outcomes.
Based in London, Paul works with clients across the South East and nationally, bringing an international perspective to UK franchise development that few consultants can match.
Get in touch
To speak with Paul or any member of the TFC team, use the contact page or book a meeting with Paul → to discuss your franchising plans.