Meet the Team: Emma Chappell – Supporting Future Sylvian Care Franchise Owners
Tell us about yourself. What was your background before joining Sylvian?
I’ve done many jobs, so I won’t go through them all. My Mum instilled a strong work ethic in me. At age 14 she told me it was time to find my first part-time job – so I headed off into my hometown of Loughborough with a stack of C.V.s. I’m not sure what I included on them because all I’d done was go to school!
My first role was at age 14. I worked in a local, fish and chip shop on weekends and evenings. I loved it there. It was a real family business – the owner would offer me food on every shift, let me help myself to cans of drinks, and his wife brought me a chocolate dessert every Saturday. I felt very much part of the family.
I’d get my weekly wages in a brown envelope at the of the week and felt very pleased with myself.
At 18, I moved to Manchester to study for a degree in Marketing and stayed in the North for ten years. Again, whilst studying, I worked - as a sales assistant in a ski shop. I graduated right in the middle of the financial crash 2008-2012, and finding a job in marketing was not easy. Instead, I progressed my retail career, becoming manager of an e-commerce sport retailer. I missed interacting with people though, and after some time, I thought ‘this isn’t quite for me.’
From there, I began working in estate agency and did so for 7 years. Then one day I did something a bit reckless. Having just taken out a mortgage for our first home; I handed in my notice at work with no job lined up. I’d just reached the point where I thought ‘I need to do something different’. I started looking at anything and everything, and I was drawn to a role in franchising. That was 7 years ago, and I know the franchise industry is where I’ll be in 7 years from now too.
What does an average day at Sylvian look like for you?
This is why I love what I do – every day is very different.
My priority is always the same though - supporting individuals who are either exploring the opportunity with Sylvian Care, or in the process of launching.
I provide guidance to people who are researching the Sylvian Care franchise opportunity, answering their questions - just being honest with people; explaining our franchise model, talking about the realities of business ownership, what to expect, sharing on whatever they’d like to understand.
A lot of my time is dedicated to new owner onboarding too - the process of setting up new franchise businesses – from securing finance, selecting territory area, implementing business launch packs, and training. It’s incredibly varied. As a team we’re always thinking about what we’re going to do next and how we can improve, so team meetings are a regular feature.
I’m always working on the next project, and as someone who gets bored easily, I enjoy seeing what comes up in the day and going with it.
Do you have any personal anecdotes or memories that stand out from your time here?
Working in franchise recruitment, the highlight of my role is the moment when an individual takes that leap and decides to make their business dream a reality. It never gets old. You can sense so much excitement, anticipation, and some trepidation – all very normal emotions to be feeling. Those moments always stick in my mind, and I count myself lucky to be a part of it.
Shamelessly, I love praise. One of our newer franchisees, Florentina Vlad, Sylvian Care Southeast London, recently sent me some lovely feedback, and it meant a huge amount to me. I have an email folder, rather unimaginatively named, ‘nice emails,’ and if I’m having ‘one of those days,’ I’ll dip into it, for a happiness boost.
"I’ve had the absolute pleasure of working with Emma throughout the process of acquiring a Sylvian Care franchise. She’s not only an exceptionally capable professional — seemingly doing the work of three people with grace and precision — but also one of the kindest, most reassuring souls I’ve ever met.
Her guidance has been so unwavering that, honestly, if she told me to walk off a ledge with my eyes closed, I’d probably trust her enough to do it (and somehow, I know I’d land safely!).
Truly grateful for her support, patience, and brilliance throughout this journey."
What is the most rewarding part of working here?
Apart from my seeing people venture into business owner, the thing that always gets me is reading reviews about our care professionals. It sounds really cliché, but they are genuinely changing people’s lives, and it makes me proud to work for a company that does that.
Recently we held our first Sylvian Awards, which included the Care Professional of the Year Award. It was a real standout experience for me - being on the panel and reading about their incredible contributions was so eye-opening. My reward is knowing that as we expand our network through great business owners, we’ll see even more brilliant care professionals making a difference.
What do you think makes Sylvian stand out in the elderly care provider market?
Going back to the Care Professional of the Year Award, I would say it’s the people. Reading the anecdotes, the above-and-beyond things our carers do day in, day out, is incredible.
And the owners who put their heart and soul into their business. We’re a national brand, but each of them is the face of Sylvian Care, locally. Care is personal, and it makes a huge difference when people know the person behind the business. I think a lot of our success comes down to that personal touch. I think that’s what sets us apart, the people.
As a franchisor, we’ve got a very solid support team. It was great to bring in Megan on the marketing side last year, which has made a huge difference to franchise support; I do really think that we’ve got the best of the best in each aspect of business support.
Having a CEO who is so hands on, face-to-face, meeting franchisees, and has lived the journey of starting a care business from scratch is so valuable. First-hand expertise is something that a lot of care franchisors can’t offer. Our CEO isn’t sat in an ivory tower number-crunching; she’s talking to our owners, guiding them through the roller coaster journey of business ownership.
Ready to explore your own business journey?
If you’re considering starting a care business and want honest, supportive guidance from someone who truly understands the process, Emma would love to speak with you.
👉 Book a discovery call with Emma today and take the first step towards owning your own Sylvian Care franchise.
Written by Luke Donley for Sylvian Care Franchising.