Diana Williams, the founder of
Fernwood Women's Health Clubs, is the first woman formally inducted into the Franchise Council of Australia's (FCA) Hall of Fame.
Just four years old, the Hall of Fame is designed to recognise and pay tribute to the outstanding ground breakers and influential contributors to the franchising industry over a long period of time. Already in the line-up are Bob Jane (Bob Jane T-marts), Roger Gillespie (Baker's Delight) and Chris Malcolm (Clark Rubber).
"It's a huge honour for me because the industry has grown so much since that very first early morning FCA breakfast I attended back in 1995. To be recognised alongside the giants who have built the franchising industry in Australia is very humbling," Williams said.
In 1989, Williams and her business partner John Clow established their first club in Bendigo and began franchising in 1993. Now the Fernwood Women's Health Club franchise business numbers 75 fitness clubs Australia-wide and is investigating expansion possibilities in overseas locations such as South Africa and India. Williams attributes the success of Fernwood Women's Health Clubs to selecting the right franchisees.
"The real difficulty was in choosing the right franchisees. There is no magic formula for doing this and in the beginning, it was very hit and miss. We were not exactly inundated with a quality field but were most fortunate to attract some good franchisees," Williams said.
This article appears courtesy of Franchising Magazine.
15-Jan-2008