Get Ahead’s UK franchisee network reaches double figures

Former customer Joanne McGowan becomes award winning virtual outsourcing agency’s 10th recruit

Joanne McGowan has become Get Ahead’s 10th UK franchisee.

Based in Guildford, she’ll be running the award winning virtual outsourcing agency’s East Surrey region.

After completing a degree in drama and theatre studies, Joanne ran her own dance school for nine years before launching a party business and working as a freelance digital marketing consultant, as well as fulfilling various in-house digital marketing and social media roles.

She says: “Throughout my career, I’ve always wanted to help people.

“From helping children learn to dance, to helping parents celebrate their children’s birthdays and helping businesses to grow through marketing, assisting others has always been a core aspect of everything I do.

“Though I had enjoyed working in-house for a few years, I felt the time was right for a new challenge - to use all my experience and start something new for me.

“I knew franchising could be a great way into business and decided to ask long-term connection Rebecca Newenham, founder and director of Get Ahead, for some advice.

“I’d seen her successfully build her franchise over the past few years, as well as used Get Ahead’s services when I was running my party business.

“When Rebecca said my local Get Ahead franchise was available, it felt like suddenly everything fell into place. It just seemed right. As if it was meant to happen.

“All the branding, systems and processes are set up and ready for me to use straight away.

“There’s already a team of experts on hand to deliver a wide range of business support services. I really can be up and running from day one.”

As part of her due diligence, Joanne spoke to some of Get Ahead’s established franchisees, who she says gave very consistent feedback: “I felt a strong sense of collaboration and teamwork from them all, which is so valuable.

“I know first-hand that running your own business can be quite lonely sometimes.

“By running a Get Ahead franchise, I feel I will have the best of both worlds - being in control of my own business, yet being supported by a wider team too.”

Over the next few months, Joanne is looking forward to making lots of new connections and understanding what businesses need as they emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“So many organisations have been through so much change and upheaval over the last 18 months,” she says.

“I strongly believe the Get Ahead team is perfectly placed to help businesses recover and grow stronger, with flexible services to suit their needs, both now and in the future.”

Rebecca Newenham says: “I’ve known Joanne for many years and have always been impressed by her business acumen.

“Having run her own businesses, she knows exactly how our clients feel and can provide the support they need to grow.

“With our first international franchisee coming soon, along with existing franchisees in Berkshire & North Hants, East Midlands, Leeds, South Yorkshire, Suffolk & Essex, West London, West Surrey and Wirral & Cheshire West, as well as East Surrey, I’m excited about the future of Get Ahead.”

Get Ahead VA offers a range of marketing and business support services, including bookkeeping, blogging, database management, design and telephone answering, on an hourly, project or ongoing basis.