Cinder is helping franchisors combat the mental health crisis

Over the last two years, supporting mental health and wellbeing has become an essential part of a franchisor’s roles and responsibilities. In reality, there has been little-to-no tangible support available for brands committed to the concept. Until now.

Thanks to franchise professional and long-term mental health advocate, Jen Chapman-Boffin, franchisors can empower both their own teams and their networks with emotional resilience, self-awareness and stress management tools. All vital skills that have a direct impact on business ownership, longevity and success.

Cinder Ltd offers practical, effective and compassionate Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training for franchisors and franchisees.

The company was founded in direct response to the mental health crisis that continues to shake the core of UK businesses in the wake of the pandemic. Over 15 million working days are lost every year due to mental health, with at least one in four people experiencing a mental health problem of some kind each year in England alone. That equates to over 177,000 of those currently employed in franchising – a devastating loss for franchisors and franchisees alike.

“The Cinder theory is simple but proven,” explains Jen. “Franchisees who are more self and mentally aware, emotionally resilient and able to cope with daily stressors will be more effective as business owners. They are more likely to adopt a growth mindset, become less reliant on external support and have the confidence and ability to lead their businesses and their teams to success.”

All Cinder instructors are fully accredited through MHFA England, the only mental health training currently recognised and endorsed by the Department of Health.

A fully trained MHFA consultant herself, Jen is passionate about delivering a truly empathetic service which is standards-led and results-driven. Her extensive background in franchising has seen her working closely with franchisees, franchisors and most recently, within the British Franchise Association. This unique 360-degree perspective allows Jen to understand and navigate the nuances and complexities of relationships within the industry. Courses are tailored to address brand-specific challenges as well as key goals and aspirations of participants.

“I’ve been working alongside mental health professionals my whole life – my parents were both in the industry and my husband is a mental health nurse. The value and importance of the work in this area are often overlooked. It’s our mission at Cinder to champion strength from within and break down boundaries and taboos still associated with mental health in the workplace.

“Brands who choose to engage with our services are future-proofing their networks and sending a clear signal to franchisees new and old about the true meaning of success,” adds Jen.

Packaged to slot seamlessly into initial franchisee training programmes, Cinder courses equip new franchisees with important foundational skills on which to build their business. As well as initial franchisee training, it offers bespoke workshops for established networks, 121 coaching sessions, conference packages and keynote presentations.

The next available training dates are in November.