IRVING, Texas -- 7-Eleven Inc. will give away one franchise location as part of a contest to create more women-owned operations and help diversify the franchise model.
Qualified candidates must submit an essay and talk to 7-Eleven franchise sales representatives; the top 25 candidates will be invited to submit a video on why they deserve a 7-Eleven franchise. Up to seven candidates will be selected from this pool for the semifinal competition. By voting for their favorite videos on the 7-Eleven Facebook page, the public will select three finalists to be interviewed by 7-Eleven's franchise department management and narrowed to one winner.
Women own fewer than one-third of 7-Eleven franchises, according to the company, so the chain is waiving its franchise fees, totaling up to $190,000, for the contest winner. 7-Eleven will also donate to a charity of the finalist’s choice that focuses on youth education, safety or hunger relief. In the past, the brand has completed similar giveaways targeting U.S. military veterans.
"Some of our most successful franchisees across the country are women," said Larry Hughes, 7-Eleven vice president of franchise systems. "7-Eleven serves a diverse customer base, and the number of women shopping our stores continues to grow. More and more are choosing to become independent business owners, and 7-Eleven offers a proven system and one of the best entrepreneurial opportunities around."
The winner can choose any of the company's 7-Eleven convenience stores available in the continental U.S. at the contest's culmination. Interested women can enter online at WomensFranchiseGiveaway.com now through April 7. The winner will be announced in July 2017.
To qualify, an entrant must be age 21 or older, a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, have excellent credit and at least three years of leadership, retail or restaurant experience. Contestants will go through the same qualification process as all 7-Eleven franchise applicants including credit evaluation, a leadership test, business plan development, budget and store location preferences.
Other c-store chains are also creating initiatives to attract and retain their female workforce. RaceTrac extended its parental leave benefits for its corporate employees in May and recently reported lower turnover of female talent as a result.
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