After identifying it has fewer female franchise owners than male, despite women making up 55% of its network, an aggregator group has decided to push for balance in the realm with the next series of its female talent nurturing program, Aspire.
“We see this as an opportunity to further develop the strength of this female community and invest in the growth of women across various roles within our network," said Mortgage Choice CEO Susan Mitchell.
"To shift female representation in the industry, we must first start with ourselves, and Aspire sets out to do that for Mortgage Choice."
Aspire was launched in March 2020 with the objective of building the female talent pipeline within the organisation; now, its focus has been set on the group's franchises.
“It’s never been more important to help our franchisees become more resilient business owners. This year has been immensely disruptive, and we have been challenged to rethink the way we work,” said Mitchell.
“The challenges that face men and women are different. This year, female small business owners across the country were thrown into working from home, which has made the juggling act more real than ever. This can be isolating for small business owners, which is why bringing our network together online to share their experiences, tips and tricks with their peers is essential.”
The first instalment in this series of the Aspire program was held by high performance coach Kate McKenna on ‘Energy and Performance Management’ and was followed by a panel led by Kate and Emma Dupont-Brown, Mortgage Choice GM of product and corporate communications.
According to Mortgage Choice franchise owner Caroline Jean-Baptiste, the program presents a great opportunity for female brokers to come together for support and to build stronger networks.
The second and third masterclasses held in October will explore ‘Mental Fitness and Building Resilience’ and ‘Goals, Values and Purpose’.
“Mortgage Choice has a long history of inspiring female franchise owners who have built strong businesses. Our aim is to continue to nurture the next generation of talent within our mortgage broking and advice networks by giving our network the tools they need to grow and develop,” Mitchell finished.
