Katie Bullon, CEO of activ Marketing Franchise wins Trailblazer of the Year and Franchise Industry Champion at the Disruptive Franchise Awards, adding to a string of national recognitions and signalling a further shift for self employed marketers.

Marketing freelancers and consultants have long faced the same dilemma: remain small and solo or attempt the daunting leap into running a full agency. Cardiff based activ Marketing is proving there is another way and the industry is paying attention.

The company CEO has just been crowned Trailblazer of the Year and Franchise Industry Champion at the Disruptive Franchise Awards 2025, also shortlisted in two additional categories – Franchisor of the Year and Support Manager of the Year. 

This follows further recognition including being a two time finalist at the Great British Entrepreneur Awards, with this year’s finals taking place in November 2025.

For CEO Katie Bullon, the recognition carries personal significance. After a corporate marketing career, she went self employed in 2014 and grew her activ Marketing franchise into a six figure agency. In 2021 she acquired the entire UK network, transforming it into the kind of model she had once wished for: everything a marketer needs to grow, without going it alone.

“I know what it is like to be a brilliant marketer who still feels stuck when it comes to scaling a business. That is why I took over activ and made it everything and more that I would have wanted when I first went self employed,” said Katie Bullon.

Franchise partners now get a full marketing business in a box: access to an experienced agency team, a proven tech stack, national brand credibility, and a collaborative community. It is the freedom of self employment with the reassurance of not being alone.

Franchisee Lou Eddy, who joined in 2024, is living proof of the model’s impact:
“Within four weeks of joining activ and launching my Basingstoke agency, I saw a 300% uplift in leads. That kind of momentum, or delivery for that matter, just is not possible when you are on your own.”

The wider franchise sector offers stability too. According to the British Franchise Association, over 90% of UK franchises are profitable and fewer than 1% fail annually, compared with nearly 50% of independent start ups.

Why? Because franchisees run a business of their own, with the know-how of a proven model to follow. The systems, processes and tools that take years of investment and energy to implement are handed to them from day one.

Katie adds:
“This is a movement. It is time for marketers to realise they do not need to choose between freedom and growth. You can be in business for yourself but not by yourself and now is the moment to join us.”

With a 97% client retention rate across its network and record levels of interest from marketers wanting to open activ agencies, the business is sending a clear signal: the marketing industry has a proven growth model and it is here to stay.

In September and October alone, activ will welcome three new marketers opening agencies across England and Wales.