Jo Stone - Franchising, Leadership and Adventure! | The Tezlom Podcast
Wed Aug 13 2025
Welcome to another episode of The Tezlom Podcast, where we speak to inspiring leaders making waves in business and beyond. This week, we’re thrilled to be joined by Jo Stone, the Co-Founder and CEO of Puddle Ducks, one of the UK’s leading swim school franchisors.
Jo is a trailblazer in the franchising world, an advocate for women in business, and a passionate believer in ethical, values-driven leadership. Jo’s background in numbers, business strategy, and leadership has helped her build one of the UK’s most respected franchise brands.
She’s a grafter who makes things happen, always driven by the data and her core values. In 2019, Jo was named the EWIF Overall Woman in Franchising, recognising her ongoing impact in the industry. But Jo’s story goes beyond boardrooms and business plans — she’s also a brass band player, a mountain lover, and a true adventurer.
With Kilimanjaro completed and the Inca Trail on her horizon, she proves that women can thrive in leadership and live bold, fulfilling lives. 👉 In this episode, Jo opens up about:
How she co-founded and scaled Puddle Ducks into an award-winning national franchise network, what ethical franchising really means, and why it matters for long-term success, the story behind Puddle Ducks, and she has also had the WorkBuzz Five Star Franchisee Satisfaction awar… for twelve years in a row!
She also covers her personal journey balancing motherhood, business leadership, and adventure, and how to lead with integrity, authenticity, and purpose in a commercial world.
Whether you’re in franchising, growing a business, building a brand, or looking for inspiration to lead with courage, this episode is packed with insight, honesty, and heart!
#TheTezlomPodcast #JoStone #PuddleDucks
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Welcome to another episode of The Tezlom Podcast, where we speak to inspiring leaders making waves in business and beyond. This week, we’re thrilled to be joined by Jo Stone, the Co-Founder and CEO of Puddle Ducks, one of the UK’s leading swim school franchisors. Jo is a trailblazer in the franchising world, an advocate for women in business, and a passionate believer in ethical, values-driven leadership. Jo’s background in numbers, business strategy, and leadership has helped her build one of the UK’s most respected franchise brands. She’s a grafter who makes things happen, always driven by the data and her core values. In 2019, Jo was named the EWIF Overall Woman in Franchising, recognising her ongoing impact in the industry. But Jo’s story goes beyond boardrooms and business plans — she’s also a brass band player, a mountain lover, and a true adventurer. With Kilimanjaro completed and the Inca Trail on her horizon, she proves that women can thrive in leadership and live bold, fulfilling lives. 👉 In this episode, Jo opens up about: How she co-founded and scaled Puddle Ducks into an award-winning national franchise network, what ethical franchising really means, and why it matters for long-term success, the story behind Puddle Ducks, and she has also had the WorkBuzz Five Star Franchisee Satisfaction awar… for twelve years in a row! She also covers her personal journey balancing motherhood, business leadership, and adventure, and how to lead with integrity, authenticity, and purpose in a commercial world. Whether you’re in franchising, growing a business, building a brand, or looking for inspiration to lead with courage, this episode is packed with insight, honesty, and heart! #TheTezlomPodcast #JoStone #PuddleDucks