How franchise forums are hitting the mark

The British Franchise Association is delighted with the discourse

Franchise forums at the British Franchise Association (bfa) have kicked off to an incredible start this year. So far three forums for franchisors and one for affiliates and suppliers have taken place virtually, with members discussing hot topics in franchising, information sharing, staying up to date, and developing skills.

The forums are a discussion space for members and are regionally organised to give individuals the chance to connect exclusively with their franchise community. Each forum is hosted by a franchise expert and cohosted by bfa’s franchise support manager, James Sedgwick. On reflecting on the forums he has cohosted in 2022 so far James said: “The last of the regional forums took place this month with us ending at the Northern Forum. This saw some great discussions around franchisee training and support, making the most of business relationships and exploring franchisees’ exit strategy.

“The next quarter will see us move to our Collaboration Stations, which are community sessions for franchisors at the same stage of their lifecycle. It is an opportunity to share challenges, problem solve and innovate. We kicked these off with the Advance Systems Collaboration Station on 7 April.”

Franchise Training Academy

The franchise forums are part of the wider Franchise Training Academy (FTA) offered by the bfa, which includes a wide range of resources for franchisors and franchisees to stay up to date with industry changes – from trends to legal issues.

The next FTA event, the Specialist Legal Seminar, will be taking place on 24 March and is also the first bfa face-to-face event this year, taking place at The Oxford Belfry. As ever this will be an interactive event that can offer real value to your business. Legal experts will be sharing their knowledge through key sessions, such as EU’s block exemption and the UK government’s proposal to prepare its own block exemption, by John Pratt of Hamilton Pratt.

Pip Wilkins, CEO of the bfa, said: “It is really pleasing to see FTA events such as the forums going from strength to strength this year, all helping to drive the franchise industry forward with knowledge sharing. I am really excited to have face-to-face events now back in the FTA calendar and I can’t wait to see people at the Specialist Legal Seminar later this month.”