Practice franchisors TaxAssist Accountants said they are building “real momentum” with their international expansion plans - feature in Accountancy Age.
The Irish branch of TaxAssist has just opened the doors of its 25th franchise, out of a targeted 35 within just three years after it sold the master franchise licence to two Irish accountants.
Greg Murphy and Roddy Comyn took on the Irish operation in 2009 and their Dublin firm became both the support centre for the Ireland franchisee network and first TaxAssist shop front in Ireland.
The rapid uptake by franchisees in Ireland has prompted the firm to seek pastures new, and they have their eye firmly focussed on a number of countries.
David Paulson, senior recruitment manager for TaxAssist, said that the business has started advertising for a buyer for its master franchise licence in Canada and has seen some “promising” results.
TaxAssist, who is meeting prospective master franchisees from the country this month, has also been accepted as a member of the Canadian Franchise Association.
The business appears to be taking a focussed approach to expansion, but looking at specific countries and not taking their eye off the UK market.
Advertisements for similar positions are also being placed by TaxAssist through a consultant in Australia, with the US to follow, once the time consuming legal documents to comply with federal and state legislations have been completed.
But Paulson said "Setting up a master franchisee in Canada however will allow some leverage when entering the US market."
In the longer term, the business also has its sights set on expanding to Benelux countries in Northern Europe and eventually Scandinavia.
"There is also scope for more franchises in Northern Ireland, which currently has two", Alison McGinley of TaxAssist Ireland said.
TaxAssist currently has more than 200 franchises in the UK and Ireland servicing more than 47,000 clients.
In January 2013, it said it had seen "rapid growth" after its first million-pound office resale last year"
A link to the Accountancy Age article is here.
July 2013
