It’s no secret that women make great business leaders. And while the number of women in leadership positions is on the rise, the truth is there’s still work to be done in many industries for women to get ahead. Franchising, however, is one area where women can shift that balance. By Anne Huntington Sharma

Reasons Women Should Consider Franchising

It’s no secret that women make great business leaders. And while the number of women in leadership positions is on the rise, the truth is there’s still work to be done in many industries for women to get ahead. Franchising, however, is one area where women can shift that balance.

According to Franchise Business Review’s Women in Franchising Report, there has been a 38% increase in women-owned franchise businesses over the past decade. In the past two years, we’ve seen this momentum grow exponentially, as 32% of all newly opened franchises have been women-owned.

According to the Center for Creative Leadership, the Number One thing that women want in their professional lives is to find their calling, which is defined as enjoying their work while also making a difference in the world. Women also deeply value flexibility and work-life balance in their professional lives. Franchising allows you to determine all of these factors. You can choose what field to go into, what market to open in, what your hours and responsibilities will be, and you can build out a team of your choosing to help fill in the gaps.

Finally, women want real leadership opportunities. Although the number of women in top level management jobs is on the rise, there is still much work to be done. Going into business for yourself via franchising provides women with the immediate opportunity to take on a top leadership position, without being subject to the limitations of the broader professional world.

Not only does franchising help women capture flexibility and leadership opportunities, it can also be a game-changer financially. Franchise Business Review found that women franchise owners earn an average annual income of $88,000 from their franchise business, nearly double the annual income of the average 45-year-old female employee in the U.S (non-business owners).

There’s no time like the present to explore your interests and passions. Request information from franchise brands you identify with, and take the first step in a new, challenging and exciting chapter of your life.

To learn more about joining the Huntington Learning Center as a franchisee, visit huntingtonfranchise.com.

– Anne Huntington Sharma

Anne Huntington Sharma is the President and a Board Member of Huntington Learning Center, the nation’s leading tutoring and test prep provider. Anne oversees business strategy and growth initiatives, including partnerships, marketing, digital transformation, and franchise expansion.