Ashtons Franchise Consulting is thrilled to announce that our client, Karen Neil, founder of Cardea Healthcare, has been shortlisted as a finalist for the New Woman Franchisor of the Year 2025 award at the Encouraging Women into Franchising (EWiF) Awards.​

Karen founded Cardea Healthcare in 2017 to, first and foremost, deliver care that genuinely puts people first. Her approach is shaped by personal experience in the sector, where she witnessed many services prioritising profit over people. Wanting to change that, she set out to build an organisation rooted in empathy and respect.

Today, Cardea Healthcare provides a wide range of support– from recruitment to home care, live-in services, and end-of-life care – serving individuals of all ages. In 2023, Karen took the next big step by franchising the business, with the goal of bringing Cardea’s values to more communities.

She sought carefully selected franchisees who share her aim of making a positive impact in people’s lives while upholding the company’s core values.

The EWiF Awards celebrates the achievements of women in franchising. It highlights innovation, leaders and the rising stars who are shaping the future of the industry. This year’s ceremony is on Thursday, May 15, in London. It is not just an awards ceremony but a great networking opportunity among franchising professionals.

Karen’s recognition as a finalist demonstrates her dedication and the positive influence she has had within the franchising community. Moreover, her approach demonstrates that business success can go hand in hand with providing compassionate and high-quality care services.

For more information about the EWiF Awards, please visit EWiF’s official website.

Want to know more about Cardea Healthcare? Read and watch our case study.