Twentysomething Photography Franchise Owner Scoops Top Award

A photography franchise owner has won a top award for running a photography franchise she set up aged only 22.

Angie Baynes, who bought a Venture franchise back in November 2003, was named Gold Winner at the 2008 British Franchise Association's Franchisee of the Year Awards.

Venture, which was founded in 2000, specialises in family portraits.

Baynes cultivated a passion for photography at her father's studio, which she worked in from the age of 18 until she bought a Venture franchise in York.

She had an immensely successful first year. However, it was almost too successful as she became laden with work.

But, exemplifying the benefits of having an established operator behind you, the franchisor helped her to delegate work to her more than capable team.

Far from chastened by the experience of taking on too much, she targeted expansion and bought a second studio in Hull three years later.

Now 27, Angie has a £2m turnover, multi-site franchise business.

"Judging these awards is always a difficult task but we felt Angie epitomised the essence of franchising model working at its best," says Brian Smart, director general of the British Franchise Association.

"With nearly half of the British public preferring to use a franchise over a non-franchised business, Angie stood out as a pioneer in a sector that is home to some of the country's most successful brands."

The Silver Award went to Stoke-based franchisee of hydraulic hose company Pirtek Craig Harrison, while Lisa Tobias of Domino's Pizza (Kilmarnock, Ayr, Clydebank and Govan) walked away with the Bronze Award.

The Awards, sponsored by HSBC and Express Newspapers, celebrate the UK's best performing franchisees in an industry now worth an annual £12.4bn to the economy.

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