Suzie McCafferty is the Managing Director of Platinum Wave Franchising. With almost 20 years years of first-hand international franchising experience, she is a well-known personality in the franchising world. She has been a judge for the bfa’s prestigious Franchisor and Franchisee of the Year Awards and is the long-standing Chairperson (pun intended) of the Scottish Franchise Forum.
What was your route into franchising?
After graduating, I had a refillable ink cartridge business in Edinburgh that I was determined to grow, even if it was just across Scotland. The more I found out about franchising, the more I knew it was the best route to take. Little did I know at the time, that journey would eventually lead to having 70 franchised outlets across 6 countries including the Middle East and the Caribbean.
Why specialise in the franchising industry?
It’s often said that when you get into the franchise industry you never leave it! After I exited from my own franchise, I was asked to join a national £30m turnover recruitment agency as Franchise Director and board member. Few industries are as fast moving as recruitment, and I learned a huge amount about what it takes to get the best out of not just your franchisees, but also their teams. I love helping people who are immensely passionate about building their businesses, and franchising gives me the opportunity to do this day in, day out, across a huge range of interesting sectors.
What did you want to achieve with Platinum Wave?
Platinum Wave was me deciding that I wanted to have my own business again. I knew I had a lot of experience to offer entrepreneurs who like me wanted to take a great business idea and turn it into a successful company, before opening it up to expansion through franchising. Just like my first business, my recruitment agency also had a presence in the Middle East. Expanding into new markets can be extremely daunting with much that can go wrong, so I especially wanted to help other brands make that transition into international franchising as smoothly as possible – plus, as they say, travel broadens the mind, and I find visiting new countries and markets absolutely fascinating!
What services do you provide for people in the franchise industry?
Platinum Wave works with franchise brands from almost every business sector imaginable and at all stages of development. We make sure that they have everything they need to take that big step from successful business to successful franchise.
We also offer a complete franchisee recruitment marketing service which ensures all your collateral from website to prospectus to advertising and everything in-between is engaging and effective.
My team can also manage the entire recruitment process for you from lead generation, prospect engagement, discovery days and initial interviews right through to ensuring your new franchisees are fully prepared, professionally advised and ready to become a very successful member of your network.
What affords you most satisfaction about your work?
Working with a great team every day for clients who are as passionate about business as we are.
What aspect of your work offers the greatest challenges?
Without a doubt delayed trains and cancelled flights!
How do you think would other people describe you?
I’m pretty sure the word busy would be used, although I’ve worked very hard to make sure I’m only ever as busy as I want to be now. I suppose I’d really hope people would describe me as being great at what I do and fun to work with!
What's the next step in your career?
Platinum Wave brings me a constant stream of opportunities to learn, explore and help people, so next steps for me are always about getting better at what I do, developing my team and doing the best job we can for our clients.
If you had to start over, what would you do differently?
If I went back and changed something then I wouldn’t end up where I am, so for better or worse, I wouldn’t change a thing – you’ve got to take the rough with the smooth because that’s what makes us who we are.
How do you relax?
Friends, Family, beaches, horse-riding, restaurants, seafood and Prosecco probably just about covers it. Oh, and comfy sofas with the occasional hour or two of tacky TV!