If you ask most people what comes to mind when they think of franchising, they’ll probably say fast food chains or gyms. Very few would think of marketing. But that’s exactly why the work we are doing at activ Marketing feels so exciting right now, and why I am proud to share some recent recognition.
At the 2025 Disruptive Franchise Awards last week, I was totally over the moon to have been named Trailblazer of the Year and Franchise Industry Champion! My business activ Marketing also received two further shortlistings in other categories. WOW!
These awards matter, not just because they shine a light on my passion and business, but because they signal that the wider franchise industry is now really paying attention to marketing as a franchising sector that is thriving.
This isn’t the first time our work has been recognised. Amongst others, I’m a two-time Great British Entrepreneur Awards finalist – a stage that only the best in british entrepreneurial talent get on!
But what excites me the most is what these awards mean for the tens of thousands of talented marketers across the UK who want more from self employment.
My journey to this point
Back in 2014 I left a corporate marketing career to go self employed. It was liberating but also incredibly tough. I discovered that the activ Marketing franchise could be a route to grow my business. I quickly joined and grew my business into a six-figure agency, but I often wished there was more infrastructure, more support, and a community around me.
Fast forward to 2021, when I acquired the entire activ Marketing network. That gave me the chance to take everything I had learned as a franchisee and transform the business into the model I would have wanted when I first set out: a full marketing business in a box.
Today our franchise partners don’t just get a brand name.
They get access to a full agency team, a proven tech stack & systems, national credibility, and a supportive community. It means you can be in business for yourself, but not by yourself.
Proof that the model works
One of my favourite examples is from franchisee Lou Eddy, who joined us just last year.
Within four weeks of launching her Basingstoke agency, she saw a 300% uplift in leads.
That kind of momentum simply isn’t possible when you are trying to do everything alone.
The franchise sector as a whole backs this up too. According to the British Franchise Association, over 90% of UK franchises are profitable and fewer than 1% fail each year, compared with nearly half of independent start ups.
With activ, the tools, systems, and processes that take years of investment to build are handed to you on day one. That frees you up to do what you love…helping clients grow whilst earning a great income.
Why now?
I believe, more than ever before, this is a movement. And a change in the industry that we are here to make.
More and more marketers are realising they don’t have to choose between freedom and growth. They can have both.
Why this matters
To me these awards are not just trophies on the shelf. They are proof that franchising in marketing is no longer a niche idea, it is a movement.
When I spoke on stage at Ideas Fest earlier this month, the interest in what we are building was immense. It confirmed what I already believed, that there are so many brilliant marketers out there who want freedom, but who also want growth and support.
We already have a 97% client retention rate across our network, and in September and October alone three new marketers are opening activ agencies across England and Wales.
Applicants to join us are at an all time high, and the support we provide means they’re set up to succeed from the very start.
When I went self employed in 2014, I wanted a way to combine independence with scale. Today, that’s exactly what we’re offering marketers through activ.
So if you’re a consultant or freelancer who loves the work but is tired of feeling alone, I’d love for you to see what we do and what it means to be in our network. This isn’t just about running a business. It’s about reshaping how marketers thrive.
Want to Explore What’s Possible?
Find out more about the activ Marketing franchise opportunity here.
Be in business for yourself, but not by yourself.
