A former IT specialist, who now runs a bookkeeping business in Newbury, has been named Olderpreneur Franchisee Of The Year by the British Franchise Association (BFA).
Steve Brown said: “I am proud, delighted and a little shocked. It’s great to be recognised for your success, as well as having a sustainable business which I can pass on to my family in years to come.”
Pip Wilkins, BFA chief executive, said: “Steve’s shown the ability and resilience to overcome many challenges.
“From leaving a corporate environment and starting his own business, to managing that business while caring for his wife, his calm head and steadfast approach has translated into a fast-growing business.”
Andrew Brattesani, UK head of franchising for HSBC, said: “While running his business and helping his daughter with hers, Steve’s still found time to put new ideas into the wider network for the benefit of his fellow Rosemary Bookkeeping franchisees.
“He’s a brilliant example of how, in franchising, experience is highly valued and no age limit applies.”
Mr Brown took over the Rosemary Bookkeeping franchise six years ago, and since then he has seen turnover increase by 37 per cent per annum, client numbers have almost doubled since 2012 and one client is a company with a turnover of £5m.
Steve introduced a number of IT innovations into his franchise, including a free app for clients and the use of Dropbox and Google Drive to share information.