The Franchise Consultant

Earlier this year, The Franchise Consultant (TFC) was named North Yorkshire's Business Consultancy of the Year at the Business Awards UK. Now, the York-based franchise development and recruitment consultancy has earned two more titles: Franchise Consultancy of the Year 2026 at SME News Magazine's Business Elite Awards and Best Full-Service Franchise Consultancy 2026 at the Northern Enterprise Awards.

Many business owners who consider franchising share a similar story. Their business is successful, and customers often ask if there is a location closer to them. Still, the idea of franchising is put off, as handing over a brand built over years can feel like a big risk. Owners worry about picking the wrong partner, paying for paperwork that leads nowhere, or discovering too late that their business is not right for franchising.

TFC is here to help ease those concerns. The team supports owners from the first suitability check all the way to signing a new franchisee. They design the franchise model and territories, write the Operations Manual, Franchise Agreement, and Franchise Information Memorandum, and manage the recruitment campaign to find, screen, and qualify candidates for the owner.

Why TFC Stood Out

SME News and its research team decide both awards. The Northern Enterprise Awards look at client dedication, innovation, business growth, longevity, online reputation, customer feedback, and business performance. The Business Elite Awards focus on innovation, industry impact, and client satisfaction. When you compare these criteria to TFC’s track record, it’s clear why the consultancy won both awards.

Longevity and results are a natural place to start. TFC has been helping UK business owners build franchise networks for more than three decades, and its team brings over 100 combined years of franchising experience. In that time, it has placed more than 300 franchisees for its clients, with one network alone growing by more than 40 franchisees through TFC's recruitment work.

TFC shows its dedication to clients in daily work. The consultancy acts as a partner, not just a supplier, holding regular strategy calls and providing performance reports. This way, owners always know how their campaign is progressing. Marketing costs are transparent, usually paid directly to the media and managed by TFC, with any discounts given back to the client. Clients often praise the team’s responsiveness and support from the first conversation to signing their first franchisee.

Innovation, which features in the criteria for both awards, is another area where TFC has pushed ahead. The team has developed new reporting tools that show clients exactly how their recruitment marketing is performing, so they can see clearly what their spend is delivering. Steve Lee has also created FranchiseMS (www.franchise.ms), a franchise management system that lets franchisors run head office and every franchisee from a single platform. It brings the operations manual, training, audits and royalty collection together under one easy to use platform. It also works out royalties from the sales and jobs a network actually records rather than from figures franchisees report themselves. Finding better ways to support clients has always mattered to the team, so it feels great to see that work recognised on a national stage.

From First Enquiry To Signed Agreement

The recruitment process is where TFC’s full-service approach stands out. Finding the right franchisees is often the hardest part for owners, so TFC handles it completely. Enquiries come from major franchise portals, TFC’s investor database, and targeted digital campaigns run for the client. Each enquiry gets a screening call to check suitability, investment capacity, and genuine interest. A structured email sequence keeps promising candidates engaged, so owners do not have to manage it themselves.

Candidates who move forward take part in two qualification Zoom calls, with the second call after they receive the Franchise Information Memorandum. Only then do they meet the business owner, and both sides are briefed in advance to make the meeting productive. After that, candidates sign a Letter of Intent, meet current franchisees for due diligence, and are referred to lenders if they need funding. By the time the franchise agreement is signed, the owner has only met serious, well-prepared candidates instead of sorting through all enquiries.

This complete approach is what makes TFC different. Instead of just giving clients documents and leaving them to find franchisees, TFC supports them throughout the process. The company charges a fixed development fee and a success-based recruitment fee, so TFC succeeds only when its clients do.

An Honest First Conversation

Everything begins with an honest answer. Before making any commitment, every potential client receives a clear assessment of whether their business is ready to franchise. If it is not, TFC explains what needs to be done first. A good candidate usually has a business that has been running for at least 12 months, systems that can be taught to others, and enough profit to support both the franchisee’s earnings and a management fee. This simple approach helps owners avoid investing in a franchise that is not likely to succeed.

Steve Lee, Managing Director at The Franchise Consultant, and author of “Bought In, " said:

"Winning both awards in the same year is something the whole team is proud of. Most business owners we meet have been sitting on the idea of franchising for a long time, worried about getting it wrong. Our job is to give them an honest answer on whether their business is ready, and then do the hard work of finding the right franchisees alongside them."

Working To Recognised Standards

TFC is also an Approved Advisor with the British Franchise Association (BFA), the UK’s only voluntary self-regulatory body for franchising. For owners new to franchising, this gives real reassurance that the advice and documents they receive meet industry standards.