Finding the right Leaders of the Pack: We’re growing, but we’re not rushing to cover the map

Why Ace Places has joined Encouraging Women into Franchising as we search for the right people to lead future packs across the UK.

There is a big difference between growing quickly and growing well.

As Ace Places begins expanding into new towns and small cities, we are not simply looking for as many people as possible to put pins on a map.

We are looking for the right people.

People who genuinely love where they live. People who champion brilliant independent businesses, enjoy bringing others together and want to create something their whole community can feel part of.

That commitment is why I’m delighted to share that Ace Places is now an ambassador for Encouraging Women into Franchising, better known as EWiF.

EWiF exists to inspire, educate and empower more women to achieve success through franchising. It supports women considering investing in a franchise, those turning an established business into one and people already working across the franchise industry.

As we begin this next Ace Places adventure, joining that supportive community feels like a very natural step.

Finding our future Leaders of the Pack

Building Ace Places from one pack of Henley playing cards into a growing business has taken more than three years.

Along the way, I have developed the model, found the right language, tested different ways of working and learnt how to bring local businesses and communities together around a shared product.

The next stage is helping other people take that proven idea and create their own Ace Places business.

Our future Leaders of the Pack will create beautifully illustrated playing cards celebrating the independent businesses, landmarks, attractions and stories that make their area distinctive.

But this opportunity is about much more than producing and selling packs of cards.

It is about understanding a place, spotting the stories worth sharing and getting people excited about becoming part of the journey.

The right person will not simply see a café, shop, pub or attraction. They will see the personality behind it, the connection it has with the local area and the story it could bring to the pack.

A franchise opportunity with a marketing angle

Ace Places is not a traditional franchise involving a shop, van or large team of employees.

At its heart, it is a marketing-led franchise opportunity built around relationships, storytelling and community connection.

Leaders of the Pack introduce Ace Places to local businesses, sell playing-card sponsorships, build relationships with retailers and generate excitement among local residents.

They create content, secure local publicity, organise events and bring different parts of their business community together around something positive.

By the time a new pack launches, we do not want to reveal a product that nobody has heard about.

We want to launch something the town already feels involved in.

That is where good marketing makes all the difference.

The opportunity could particularly suit someone with experience in marketing, communications, public relations, events, social media, business development, publishing or local media.

However, the perfect CV is not the most important part.

We are looking for people who are curious, enthusiastic and confident enough to start conversations. People who naturally champion independent businesses and can communicate why an idea matters.

They might already be known as the person who always knows what is happening locally, introduces people who should meet and enthusiastically recommends places to everyone they know.

Running your own business without starting from scratch

There is a big difference between creating a completely independent business and joining a franchise.

When you start from scratch, every decision is yours to make. That can be exciting, but it also means spending an enormous amount of time testing ideas, developing systems and learning through trial and error.

A franchise provides an established route to follow.

Our Leaders of the Pack run their own local businesses, develop their own relationships and become the visible face of Ace Places in their area.

But they also benefit from the training, processes, resources, language and experience I have developed while building the original packs.

They do not have to reinvent the wheel.

That balance matters enormously to me.

I want our Leaders of the Pack to feel genuine ownership of their businesses, while also knowing they are part of a team and have a proven model and practical support behind them.

Why joining EWiF matters

Franchising can provide a route into business ownership for women who want greater independence but do not necessarily want to face every part of starting a business alone.

EWiF offers support, mentoring, resources, networking opportunities and connections with people at different stages of the franchise journey.

That spirit of collaboration strongly resonates with Ace Places.

Our business has always been built around bringing people together, sharing ideas and creating opportunities within local communities.

As we grow, I want to create opportunities for more women to build businesses around those same values.

I also want Ace Places to learn from experienced franchisors, contribute to the wider community and share the honest realities of developing a young franchise brand.

Could you lead the pack?

Perhaps you have spent years helping other organisations with their marketing and are beginning to wonder whether it is time to build something of your own.

You may already run a local business, be returning to work or be looking for a flexible opportunity that allows you to use your existing skills differently.

Or perhaps you simply love where you live and believe the brilliant businesses and people within it deserve to be celebrated.

The right Leader of the Pack will not just want to sell playing cards.

They will want to connect their community, give local businesses a platform and create a product that captures the personality of the place they call home.

We are growing, but we are not rushing to cover the map.

We are taking the time to find people who understand the idea, share our values and have the drive to lead the pack in their own town or small city.

Joining EWiF will help us make those connections, learn from others and continue building Ace Places in the right way.

And I’m very excited to see where the pack heads next.

Emma ❤️
Founder and Leader of the Packs for Henley & Marlow