A former Bristol solicitor and an ex-mental health social worker have been named as the UK’s top female franchisors seven years after drawing on their own experiences as mums to launch a baby and child sleep consultancy.
Jenna Wilson founded Little Dreams Consulting in 2016 while pregnant with her third child. The former childcare specialist solicitor, who spent more than 14 years working for a number of Bristol law firms, was on a mission to help tired families to ensure everyone gets a better night’s sleep. 
She was joined in the venture in 2019 by mum-of-two Fay, who had been a specialist practitioner with Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust.
As the business went from strength to strength and pleas for help from anxious parents flooded in, the pair decided to franchise Little Dreams Consulting.
Two years after the move it now also has offices in Devon, Cornwall, Bath, Swindon, Chelmsford, Colchester and Birmingham.
The pair have now been crowned the UK’s New Woman Franchisor of the Year at the NatWest Encouraging Women into Franchising (EWiF) Awards in recognition of the expansion.
Judges commended Jenna and Fay’s contribution to UK franchising as a whole and EWiF’s mission to encourage more women into business ownership.
They also said Little Dream Consulting’s practical, quality-assured and outcome-focussed approach was revolutionising the sector and, quite literally, changing lives. 
Since Little Dreams Consulting’s launch it has supported more than 1,000 families and has only ever received five-star Google reviews – more than 100 in total.
It is the UK’s only baby sleep consultancy accredited by the British Franchise Association and is believed to be the only UK business that includes training from world-renowned sleep expert Prof Michael Gradisa.
For the past four years it has taken home the Corporate Livewire Wellness Award while the Little Dreams franchise has landed the Corporate Livewire Wellness Brand of the Year title for the past two years.
Last year Jenna and Fay were also shortlisted for the Great British Entrepreneur Awards.
Jenna, who is a passionate advocate for evidence-based, ethical solutions that transform the lives of modern families, said the New Woman Franchisor of the Year Award was one that meant the world to them.
“It not only recognises the success of our core business, but it tells us we’re doing a great job as a franchisor too – helping other women to follow in our footsteps as franchisees of Little Dreams Consulting,” she said.
“We put our heart and soul into supporting our network so that they too can change the lives of so many families struggling with the brutality of sleep deprivation.”
Throughout their successes, Jenna and Fay have also been able to be ‘present’ mums to their children – something Fay believes is a must.
“Being a working mum, or a female business owner with a family, is hard work, but it’s doable and so rewarding,” she said.
“We’re passionate about empowering families throughout the country – whether that’s our clients or our franchisees, to get exactly what they want and need from life.
“Jenna and I were still able to attend almost all school events during the last year. Now that’s an achievement.”
EWiF managing director Helen Mansfield added: “Our awards celebrate the many incredible achievements of women like Jenna and Fay and the role they play in UK franchising.
“Each year, hundreds of entries showcase the diversity, talent and innovation that drives businesses such as Little Dreams Consulting forward.”
