New Holiday Celebrates The Entrepreneurial Power of Women

    WEST PALM BEACH, FL, October 11, 2022 /24-7PressRelease/ -- In recognition of women led entrepreneurial achievements and to empower more women entrepreneurs by inspiring their journey to success, United Franchise Group™ (UFG) has created the official, National Women in Franchising Appreciation Day, which will be held annually. As founders of the new nationally celebrated day, UFG will hold a special presentation and formal proclamation at the United Franchise Group World Headquarters in West Palm Beach, Florida on October 14th.

The holiday falls during a meaningful time for women in business. October is National Women's Small Business Month, as declared by the U.S. Small Business Administration. It also nears the eve of National Business Women's Week, launched in 1928 by the National Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs (NFBPWC), officially recognized in 1938 and celebrated every year since. The day is sanctioned by Chase's Calendar of Events, the world's date book since 1957, authority and ultimate resource of historical dates.

"Our industry has benefited enormously from the contributions of women," said Ray Titus, Founder and CEO of United Franchise Group. "And we want to recognize their accomplishments, talent, hard work and dedication that they bring to the table each and every day."

The number of woman-owned business franchises has increased by almost 40 percent in the last ten years according to a recent survey by the Small Business Trends Alliance and Guidant Financial.

The survey also revealed:

• 30.8% of all franchise owners are women
• Nearly 9 in 10 female franchise owners say they enjoy owning and running their own business
• 3 of 4 women would recommend franchise ownership to would-be entrepreneurs

According to the "Value of Franchising" report conducted by Oxford Economics for the International Franchise Association (IFA); women are more likely to become business owners if it's a franchise opportunity. Information like this, along with UFG's own network of women at the helm, inspired the creation of the holiday, which is intended to celebrate and spotlight the success of women and increase awareness of franchise ownership as a pathway for women owned business opportunities.

Jessica Fialkovich is just one among the many women within the UFG system that epitomizes this drive and impact. A serial entrepreneur, Fialkovich established, developed, and sold several small businesses before venturing to become a franchise owner a decade ago with Transworld Business Advisors® (TBA), the largest business brokerage franchise company in the world and part of the UFG family of affiliated brands. She has since grown her TBA franchise to multiple locations and in 2019, founded Exit Factor™, a consulting company that helps owners of small to mid-size businesses increase valuation and reduce the time it takes to sell their business. Following its early success, Exit Factor joined UFG's consulting division and gained access to the resources and expertise of United Franchise Group's global network and nearly four decades of experience in the franchising industry.

"I am passionate about small businesses and their role in driving our economy and am proud to be affiliated with a company like UFG that's committed to creating business opportunities for entrepreneurs," said Fialkovich. "With a proven business model and many layers of support and training, investing in a franchise is one of the best ways to become a business owner."

UFG not only empowers female business owners, but also women at the corporate level as well. Taylor Gregory, director of franchise development, said "UFG invests in the growth and development of its employees by offering training seminars, assisting with certifications, and creating a strong sense of teamwork where colleagues are willing to sit down and help each other. In my short time here, I've been able to grow into a leadership position and create my own footprint by developing my department in new ways."

The holiday is supported by the City of West Palm Beach, which has approved a declaration in an official proclamation that "United Franchise Group, an internationally known business located in West Palm Beach, Florida, has launched a Women in Franchising initiative to celebrate women who have joined the industry and encourage more to do so."

About United Franchise Group
Led by CEO Ray Titus, United Franchise Group™ (UFG) is home to an affiliated family of brands and consultants including Accurate Franchising Inc.™, Exit Factor™, FranchiseMart®, Fully Promoted®, Signarama®, Transworld Business Advisors®, and the Coworks™ division consisting of Franchise Real Estate™, Network Lead Exchange™ (NLX), Office Evolution® (OE) and Venture X® as well as a food division featuring Graze Craze® and The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill®. UFG affiliated brands include over 1600 franchises in more than 60 countries, with consultants that have helped develop over 350 brands into franchises, in over 80 countries with more than 2500 franchisees. With over three decades in the franchising industry United Franchise Group offers unprecedented leadership and solid business opportunities for entrepreneurs.

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