John and Elaine are British Franchise Association Lifestyle Franchisees of the Year
John and Elaine Warburton accept their award at a glittering ceremony in Birmingham
Barking Mad franchise business owners John and Elaine Warburton, from Fife, were announced as “Franchisee of the Year” winners of the Lifestyle category at the glittering bfa HSBC Franchise Awards ceremony on 27th June. We couldn’t be more proud of our fabulous franchisees and are in awe of their dedication and determination.
The highly coveted awards are the franchising industry’s most important form of recognition. They champion those who have shown exceptional business acumen over the last 12 months. Super stars of the franchising world were recognised at a ceremony at the Vox Conference Centre in Birmingham.
The husband and wife team from Fife showed that their business has thrived whilst allowing them to achieve an enviable life-work balance. In their case, this meant indulging their love of dogs whilst working their roles around family and other commitments.
Elaine was delighted to accept their bfa HSBC Franchise Award and 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!”
What did the judges say?
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.”
Andy Brattesani, UK Head of Franchising at HSBC, said:
“The Lifestyle category has always highlighted the stories of the franchisees, and the many reasons people choose to come into this industry. John & Elaine have shown that there can be multiple reasons at once to want to be a business owner, not just in terms of income, but to have something special that they are passionate about.”
Doggy cuddles are a perk of the job!
Former Marketing Director John keeps a keen eye on the figures, whereas 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.
John and Elaine love their Barking Mad lifestyle
Could you be Barking Mad too?
Our multi-award winning franchise is part of the Franchise Brands plc group of companies, an international multi-brand franchisor with a combined network of over 450 franchisees in 12 countries. We are recognised across the pet care sector and the franchise industry, as well as by the great British pet loving public. With the value of the UK pet market predicted to hit £2.1 billion by 2023, demand for dog holidays is predicted to increase.
We are on the look out for more talented and motivated individuals to bring the Barking Mad Dog Care service to their local areas. If you love dogs and would like to be your own boss, why not find out more about buying a Barking Mad dog sitting franchise? We can make the dream of owning your own successful business a reality! Imagine a working day with flexible hours, where you get to spend all your time with friendly dogs and like-minded dog lovers.
We provide full training and support to get you up and running but it doesn’t end there. Our award winning systems and processes are there to ensure you deliver the market leading service which our customers have come to know and love. Our 80 plus local dog business owners really are living the dog lover’s dream!
