One of the best things about starting a new year is the sense of newness, and of sureness of purpose, that puts a little extra spring in your step.
A new year is a chance to make fresh plans or begin new projects; it’s an opportunity to reflect on time well spent with family, friends and loved ones, after we’ve caught our collective breath during the break and recharged, ready to face the world and its challenges anew.
2024 looms as a huge year at the Franchise Council of Australia (FCA); over the past year, our organisation experienced great change, with new management and a new team, and a revitalised sense of purpose: franchising offers a fantastic model for doing business and has offered thousands of Australians the opportunity to get a start in small business. There are good news stories everywhere.
Franchising done properly provides business owners with systems, proven methods, the opportunity to run a small business with the logistics, marketing and support in place from a wider group, to say nothing of the peer network and opportunities for knowledge sharing that franchise systems provide for both franchisees and franchisors alike.
The FCA is excited by the challenges ahead and remains committed to supporting this critical pillar of the economy – which contributes $174bn per annum to GDP and provides employment for almost 600,000 Australians – and to spreading the good word about franchising and the benefits it has to offer.
During 2024, the FCA will be ramping up its activities in many areas that are crucial to supporting the franchising sector.
A heavier emphasis on education and training, for instance, will see FCA members able to access a comprehensive suite of products targeted to supporting them in their businesses; some of these are being developed inhouse, and some we’re working with our partner network to bring to our members, helping them obtain the tools to ensure their businesses are profitable, efficient, and compliant with all pertinent government regulations and requirements.
The FCA is progressively rolling out a schedule of industry-based events, to help facilitate opportunities for networking, gaining access to subject matter experts and government stakeholders who are relevant to the franchising sector, and to add value back into the sector. Our flagship annual event – the National Franchise Convention 24, to be held in Cairns this May – promises to be our biggest and best yet.
And we will, of course, continue to engage with government stakeholders across the country, at all levels, advocating to achieve positive outcomes on issues that can make a difference to the businesses, and to the sector, that we represent.
Happy New Year to everyone involved in franchising, in Australia and beyond.
To find out more about the Franchise Council of Australia or our upcoming National Franchising Convention, please visit our website franchise.org.au.