(L-R) British Franchise Association CEO Pip Wilkins, John and Elaine Warburton, and Andrew Brattesani, HSBC head of franchising and joint presenter of the awards
John and Elaine Warburton, Barking Mad franchise business owners from Fife, were revealed as Franchisee of the Year winners in the Lifestyle category of the bfa HSBC Franchise Awards.
The awards are the franchising industry’s most important form of recognition and champion those who have shown exceptional business acumen over the last 12 months.
The husband and wife team from Barking Mad showed that their business had thrived while allowing them to achieve an enviable life-work balance. In their case, this meant indulging a real love of dogs as well as working their roles around their daughter and other commitments.
Elaine said: “The entire awards journey has been fantastic and we are honoured to have been a part of it. We truly believe that Barking Mad has changed our lives; it certainly has mine, having such a positive impact on my mental health. We sincerely hope that others will be inspired to follow their dreams just like we did.”
John added: “Working as Barking Mad Fife & Kinross owner with Elaine has been the best decision we have ever made.”
LIVING THE DREAM
Andrew Brattesani, Head of Franchising at HSBC and joint presenter of the awards, said: “John and Elaine are living the dream working for Barking Mad. Working with animals all day and looking after their own gives them great pleasure, and for them to make a successful business out of this is testament to their hard work and passion.”
Pip Wilkins, CEO of the British Franchise Association, said: “John & Elaine really showed in the judging how franchising has had a profoundly positive impact on both their lives. They are both the epitome of the lifestyle franchisee.”
Former marketing director John keeps a keen eye on the figures, but Elaine, an ex police officer and fitness instructor who felt unfulfilled in her previous career, also counts doggy cuddles as part of the profits! They have achieved a cumulative turnover projected to be £400,000 in just five years and aspire to grow their business to a level where they can recruit more staff.
Established in 2000, Barking Mad is rated No.1 by Trustpilot. It provides bespoke dog holidays through a franchise network of local professionals. Franchisees recruit a community of carefully chosen, dog-loving host families who care for pets while their owners are away.
Barking Mad is a multi-award winning franchise which is part of the Franchise Brands plc group of companies, an international multi-brand franchisor with a combined network of more than 450 franchisees in 12 countries.
