Franchising leader Rosemarie Hartnett will share her success as women’s franchising executive 

Reston, VA, October 6, 2010 – Rosemarie Hartnett will travel halfway around the globe to the Franchising Regional Conference in Cyprus to share her American success story as a women business owner and franchisor through her keynote speech entitled, “Empowering Women through Franchise Ownership.”  While women franchisors are still in the minority in the US, they far exceed the number of women franchisors and franchisees in other countries.  Her story will inspire and inform conferees about the growing number of opportunities for women worldwide through franchising.  She will help them identify how strong franchise systems remove gender boundaries, provide on-going business support and utilize their unique and special skill sets.  Ms. Hartnett will tell her story of developing a franchise system and why women franchise owners in her system are so successful.  She will also present a workshop; “Developing Leadership Skills in Women,” which will focus on helping women determine what leadership really means, how they can develop leadership skills and what kind of network is necessary to empower them to become successful business owners.

Ms. Hartnett, Certified Franchise Executive, Co-founder and President of Abrakadoodle, was invited to speak by the U.S. Embassy in Cyprus, an organizer of the event. Hartnett comments, “I am so excited and honored to have the opportunity to address women about issues that are near and dear to me personally – specifically women’s empowerment, leadership and franchising.  I have devoted my professional life to building successful educational programs for children through franchising.  I sincerely hope that my story will inspire others to take a chance and step into an arena that will put them in control of their own futures. Cyprus and other countries in this region provide a growing marketplace for franchise development which in turn opens up new opportunities for women.“  

The Conference takes place October 14-15, 2010.  In addition to the US Embassy in Cyprus, the conference is sponsored by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC), Marfin Laiki Bank, the Cyprus Investment Promotion Agency (CIPA), the Cyprus-American Business Association (CyABA), the Cyprus Telecommunications Authority (CvTA), and the Cyprus Tourism Organization (CTP) Supported by the International Franchise Association (IFA) and the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI).  The two-day event will feature international experts in franchising and related fields who will address the many facets of franchising. Forty-nine leading American and other franchise companies, including Abrakadoodle, will present their franchise concepts and look for prospective franchisees in the region. Visit the Conference website for additional information: http://www.franchisecyprus.com.

Following the conference, Ms. Hartnett will speak with a group of women business owners at a follow-up meeting that will involve Cypriot women business owners through the US Embassy BiCommunal Support Program.

About Abrakadoodle (www.abrakadoodle.com)

Abrakadoodle was co-founded in 2002 by award-winning educator/franchise developer Mary Rogers, CFE MA.Ed, and children’s services franchising expert Rosemarie Hartnett, CFE. Abrakadoodle is the most comprehensive creativity and art education company of its kind, offering extensive visual arts classes, camps and parties for children ages 20 months to 12 years old. Abrakadoodle’s programs inspire children’s imaginations by immersing them in such art forms as painting, sculpting, mosaics, collage, digital photography, paper and fabric art, stamping, sketching, anime, studio art, foil embossing, and more.  Abrakadoodle has received nine First Place Awards from Nickelodeon’s Parent Picks Awards for “Best Art Program to inspire your child’s inner Picasso,” as well as “Best Kids Party Entertainer” and “Best Kids Party Place.”

Rosemarie Hartnett Bio

Rosemarie Hartnett is Co-Founder and President of Abrakadoodle Inc., currently the largest U.S. based franchisor in children’s art educational services.  Ms. Hartnett oversees all Abrakadoodle’s operations, franchise support, sales, growth initiatives and training services worldwide.  She is also a member of the ICFE Board of Governors for the International Franchise Association and is a well known advocate for women in franchising.  She is a member of the International Franchise Association’s Women’s Franchise Committee; Co-Chair of the Women’s Franchise Network in the Washington, D.C., Maryland and northern VA area and served as Chair of the International Franchise Association’s Women’s Franchise Committee’s Mentoring Task Force for Women.

As a Certified Franchise Executive, Ms. Hartnett has spoken on franchising worldwide, including seminars and workshops through the International Franchise Association, the Capitol Area Franchise Association, of which she served as President and at universities and franchise seminars worldwide.