I was going to start by saying I didn’t expect this news, but I completed the entry; I must have had some underlying belief that I could do it – that’s a thought for me to unpack!
I’ve been named a winner of the Great British Franchisee Awards 2026, and I’m flipping thrilled!
When House of Colour first approached me about the nomination, I sat down and reflected on what I’ve actually achieved over the last sixteen years. And that was quite an interesting exercise in itself, because when you’re busy running a business, you don’t often stop and look at how far you’ve come. Well, women don’t tend to, anyway, as we are so focused on what’s coming up.
I bought my House of Colour franchise in April 2010, having spent 25 years working in finance. I was also bringing up my two daughters as a single parent, so it was quite a leap into something completely different. Especially as I had always believed I had no creativity!
I loved the difference colour and style had made to me, of course, but I don’t think I appreciated then quite how much this work would come to mean to me.
Over the years, I’ve worked with more than 1,500 clients. I’ve developed my skills, grown my business, learnt to speak in front of large audiences, been featured in a book, magazines, newspapers and guested on numerous podcasts, as well as now being involved in supporting other consultants across the House of Colour network as part of the FAB (Franchise Advisory Board)
But when I thought about what made me proudest, it wasn’t any of those things.
It was the people. It’s always been the people.
The relationships are what matter
Some of the women I first met in 2010 are still my clients today. I’ve worked with them as their lives have changed, sometimes quite dramatically.
I’ve seen women change careers, start businesses, become mothers and grandmothers, retire, navigate illness, experience loss and begin again.
And I’ve realised that whilst colour and style might be the reason someone first walks through my door, it’s rarely the whole story.
Sometimes they’re ready for something new. Sometimes they’ve lost a little of themselves along the way. Sometimes they simply want their outside to catch up with the person they’ve become.
I love being part of that process.
Building something bigger than a business
One of the best things to come out of the last sixteen years has been the community we’ve created.
There are now more than 600 women in my client Facebook group, and we have regular opportunities to get together, whether that’s for coffee, a social event or simply a good chat.
What I particularly love is that the friendships don’t depend on me anymore. Women have met through my business and gone on to build friendships and professional relationships of their own.
That’s something I never imagined when I started.
What sixteen years have taught me
When we were writing my award application, this was the sentence that stuck.
I haven’t spent sixteen years trying to build the biggest business. I’ve spent sixteen years building one that people trust.
It’s true.
Of course, I want to be commercially successful. I’ve worked hard, invested in my training and continued to develop what I offer. Plus I have a mortgage to pay and a boujee life to live!
But I’ve also wanted to be someone people can rely on. Someone who knows her subject, cares about the people she works with and is willing to keep learning.
Sixteen years in, I certainly don’t feel I’ve finished learning. If anything, I’m more curious than ever.
What comes next?
One of the things I’ve become more and more interested in is the relationship between who we are and how we present ourselves.
As women, we evolve. Our careers change, our relationships change, our bodies change and our priorities change. But our wardrobes often don’t keep up.
That’s why my work has been developing beyond individual colour and style consultations into more ongoing, identity-led support.
And it’s also why I’m running my next online workshop, Your Next Level Wardrobe for Your Next Level Identity, on Thursday 19 November.
We’ll be exploring how to make sure the way you dress reflects the woman you are now, and the woman you’re becoming, particularly if your business or professional life has moved on but your wardrobe hasn’t quite caught up.
It’s a 90-minute interactive Zoom workshop, with a recording available afterwards, and tickets are £49.
You can find out more and book your place here.
For now, though, I just want to say thank you.
To House of Colour for the nomination and sixteen years of opportunity. To the colleagues and consultants I’ve worked alongside. And, most importantly, to the clients who’ve trusted me with their stories, their wardrobes and some significant moments in their lives.
It’s been a wonderful sixteen years.
And I’m very much looking forward to the next chapter.