In the not-so-distant past, franchising was largely male-dominated. Fortunately, that trend is now changing, with the rate of new female franchise owners surpassing that of men in several industries. The number of female franchisees has been steadily growing, a trend that looks set to continue in the coming years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, how many franchise owners are women? How much do female franchise owners make compared to men? And what does the future of franchising look like for women? I\u2019ll answer those questions and many more in this deep dive into women’s business ownership in the franchise industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Female business ownership and entrepreneurship is on the rise in the USA and many other parts of the world. Back in 1972, there were only 400,000 registered businesses<\/a> owned by women, but that figure now exceeds 13 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, how are women faring in the franchising sector?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Women represent just 30% of franchise owners in the US, but their role in franchising is on the rise: women-owned franchise businesses have grown 38% in the last decade. (International Franchise Association)<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to a 2024 Franchise Business Review survey of over 8,500 female franchisees, 33% of respondents operate multiple units for the same brand. (Franchise Business Review<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n At a rate of 17%, black women are launching businesses at the highest rate of any racial group. 14% of those businesses employ 10 to 50 people. (Guidant Financial<\/a>) <\/p>\n\n\n\n Research suggests that 30% of franchises in the United Kingdom are now owned by women, which marks an increase of 8% since 2005. Additionally, 16% of CEOs in the UK\u2019s franchising industry are women, much higher than the approximately 5% of female CEOs in the Fortune 500. (Refresh Renovations<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the Franchise Council of Australia, 34% of all franchises in the Land Down Under are owned and operated by women. (Franchise Council of Australia<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n The rise of female franchise ownership in the USA and many other parts of the world is fantastic news for many reasons. Many studies clearly demonstrate that women tend to perform better than men in several areas when it comes to franchising. They also tend to report higher satisfaction levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With that in mind, let\u2019s dive into some recent statistics on women in franchising to see how the industry is shaping up thanks to the female touch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For more franchise data insights, check out our list of franchise industry stats<\/a> you need to know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Around 30% of franchise owners in the USA are women, and around a third of those have successfully operated their businesses for more than 10 years. (Entrepreneur<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Recent research suggests that women outnumber men when it comes to enquiring about franchise ownership, particularly younger generations such as Gen Z and millennials. (Entrepreneur)<\/p>\n\n\n\n While female business ownership is rising, women are still paid less than their male counterparts in most industries and business arrangements. However, the gender pay gap is closing in the franchising industry, with women earning around 90 cents per every dollar a man earns. (Entrepreneur)<\/p>\n\n\n\n On average, women are more satisfied with franchise ownership than men. A survey of over 8,500 female franchise owners found that 89% enjoyed being a franchisee, with 88% of respondents reporting that they enjoyed operating their franchise and 85% saying they respected their franchisor\u2019s leadership. (Franchise Business Review<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n 75% of women franchise owners said they would recommend franchise ownership to others. (Franchise Business Review)<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the Franchise Business Review survey, the average annual income for a female franchise owner is $92,000. (Franchise Business Review)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Out of 8,500 female franchise owners, 30% reported generating a turnover exceeding $1 million per year. (Franchise Business Review)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Studies suggest that women outperform their male counterparts in several areas, namely work-life balance and employee satisfaction. (Franchise Business Review)<\/p>\n\n\n\n The most popular franchising sectors among women include real estate<\/a>, senior care<\/a>, education, travel, child enrichment<\/a>, and health<\/a> and fitness<\/a>. (Franchise Business Review)<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the most appealing reasons to become a female business owner is to be your own boss (27%). Other popular reasons include pursuing a passion and being dissatisfied with corporate America. (Guidant Financial<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n 51% of child-service-oriented franchises are owned by women. Women are also catching up in other franchising sectors. They own 43% of travel and hospitality businesses, 39% of fitness-related concepts, and 36% of sports and recreation franchises. (Entrepreneur<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Millions of women have found tremendous success as franchisees, and that number is only rising as the sector becomes even more appealing to female owners. If you\u2019re on the fence, these success stories might give you a little extra motivation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Widely recognized for her business acumen, Shelly Sun is the founder and CEO of BrightStar Care<\/a>, a home healthcare franchise. Since starting her company in 2002, Shelly has grown the business to over 300 locations that boast an annual turnover of over $400 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Massage Envy<\/a> is a popular massage and spa franchise that has grown to new heights under the leadership of CEO Beth Stiller, who has increased the company\u2019s US number of franchises to over 1,100 locations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cheryl Bachelder is a notable example of a successful female franchise CEO. From 2007 to 2017, she served as the CEO of AFC Enterprises, the parent company of Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen. During this time, she led the company on a remarkable growth path that resulted in ten consecutive years of growth. Under Bachelder\u2019s leadership, Popeye\u2019s sales increased by 45%, and the company\u2019s stock price quintupled!<\/p>\n\n\n\n The data suggests that there are great strides taking place when it comes to empowering women in the franchising industry. However, we still have a lot of work to do to achieve true equality. Let\u2019s look at some of the biggest barriers women face in the franchise industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Largely due to historical biases and stereotypes, women often find it more challenging to secure loans and funding from banks and investors. In fact, recent studies have shown that female-owned businesses tend to secure smaller loans than men, with a $1.7 trillion financing gap<\/a> between men and women worldwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When looking specifically at venture capital investment, female-owned startups receive less than 3% of all funding<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gender stereotypes still pose a major barrier for women seeking to enter the franchising industry. Some investors underestimate women’s skills in business settings despite the evidence that women perform better than men in many key areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\nLess Than a Third of US Franchise Owners Are Women<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Over a Third of Women Franchise Owners Run Multiple Units<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Black Women Are the Fastest-Growing Group of Entrepreneurs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Number of UK Female Franchise Owners Is Rising<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Australia Boasts One of the Highest Ratios of Female Franchise Owners<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Women in Franchising Statistics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
A Third of Female Franchise Owners Have Operated for Over a Decade<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Women Are Becoming More Interested in Franchising Than Men<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Gender Pay Gap Is Closing in Franchising<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Most Female Franchisees Enjoy Franchise Ownership<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Female Franchise Owners Highly Recommend Franchise Ownership<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Female Franchise Owners Are High Earners<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
A Third of Female Franchisees Generate Millions Annually<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Women Outperform Men in Several Key Areas<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Most Popular Franchising Sectors for Women<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Women Start Businesses to Be Their Own Boss<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Child Service-Oriented Franchises Are Mostly Owned by Women <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Female-Led Franchise Success Stats<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Shelly Sun<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Beth Stiller<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Cheryl Bachelder<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Barriers and Challenges Faced by Women in Franchising<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Access to Funding<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Gender Biases<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Work-Life Balance Pressures<\/h3>\n\n\n\n