Canadian Franchising Magazine Summer 2015, Volume 2 Issue 2

issue 2#2 - 2015

Canadian Franchise Magazine

w w w. c a n a d i a n f r a n c h i s e m a g a z i n e . c o m

Skedaddle

Humane Wildlife Control

wants to help people tell their uninvited guests to Skedaddle

Money in, Money out Beauty & Health Special Supplement LATEST NEWS

FINANCIAL ADVICE FROM THE BANKS

SUPPLIER FORUM

Page 1

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from the

CANADIAN FRANCHISING VOLUME 2, ISSUE 2 JUNE 2015 president: Colin Bradbury. colin@cgbpublishing.com

publisher: Vikki Bradbury. vikki@cgbpublishing.com

Editorial Department: editor@cgbpublishing.com

National Accounts Manager Advertising Kimberly Kutnick. kimberlyk@cgbpublishing.com

PRODUCTION: production@cgbpublishing.com

DESIGN: Jejak Graphics. jejak@bigpond.com

COVER IMAGE: skedaddle humane wildlife control

CGB PUBLISHING 676 Wain Rd. Sidney, BC V8L 5M5 CANADA www.canadianfranchisemagazine.com Proud member of the IFA:

SUPPLIER FORUM International Franchise Association 1501 K Street, N.W., Suite 350 Washington, D.C. 20005 Phone: (202) 628-8000 Fax: (202) 628-0812

Publisher Welcome to another edition of Canadian Franchise Magazine, in this issue we have some great articles and some new additions so I hope you enjoy.

Firstly, we have our Cover Story in which we talk with Bill Dowd owner of Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control a great concept that has been in business for 26 years but started franchising 3 years ago with the help of Mike Kernaghan who has managed six franchise brands in Canada.

I am proud to say in this issue we also introduce our Veterans in Franchising Supplement in which we have Driverseat Canada on the Cover and interviews with Co-Founders Brian and Luke Bazely, we also discuss why Veterans make great Franchisees and Making the Move from Veterans to Franchisees. One example of a franchise system offering incentives to Franchisees is Toppers Pizza who are part of the Canadian Franchise Associations Veterans Program.

Our ever popular Feature has been

turned into a supplement this issue with great advice and information on the Beauty and Health industry.

Sangster’s for example is featured on the Cover and is an organization that is continuing to grow.

This issue also has some great articles from experts in the industry offering guidelines on finance, leasing, social media and valuating a master Franchise or area developer opportunity.

Don’t forget to check out our A-Z Directory at the back of the magazine and keep sending me your letter’s I really enjoy reading them.

Happy Reading Vikki Bradbury Publisher

“Perseverance is a great element of success. If you knock long enough and loud enough at the gate, you are sure to wake somebody up.” - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

www.franchise.org The information and contents in this publication are believed by the publisher to be true, correct and accurate but no independent investigation has been undertaken. Accordingly the publisher does not represent or warrant that the information and contents are true, correct or accurate and recommends that each reader seek appropriate professional advice, guidance and direction before acting or relying on all information contained herein. Opinions expressed in the articles contained in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. The publication is sold subject to the terms and conditions that it shall not be copied in whole or part, resold, hired out, without the express permission of the publisher.

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june - august 2015

Cover Story:

Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control

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Money In, Money Out

31

Health and Beauty Special Supplement

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10

28

On the Cover

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ca nadia n f ra nchise maga zine

Contents

In Every Issue

Profile

06 Canadian Franchising News

58 Sherpa Kids

Industry news from across the country

Focus

47 Veterans in Franchising

18 Topper’s Pizza

63 A-Z Franchising and Services Directory

20 Massage Addict

28

34 Feature Article

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Franchisor in Depth 24 Vera’s Burger Shack

Canadian Franchise Magazine

12 What Should I Look For When Valuating a Master Franchise

or Area Development Opportunity?

Edward (Ned) Levitt, Dickinson Wright LLP

14 Local Social Media Champions and the Authentic Voice

Emily Ward & Jess Hunichen, Founding Partners, Shine PR 16 Money In, Money Out

Joseph Pisani, Director of National Franchising Services, Bank of Montreal

12

Expert Advice

22 So You Want To Grow Your Franchise Internationally?

Here’s What You Need to Know

Bill Redfern, CEO & Founder, A Buyers Choice Home Inspections & iCare 28 Can My Business Become a Franchise

Wayne Maillet, Canadian Franchise Management Consultant and Published Author

60 5 Questions You Must Ask Your Franchisor Before Leasing

Commercial Space

Jeff Grandfield and Dale Willerton, The Lease Coach

Health and Beauty Special Supplement

48

32 Cover Story:

Sangster’s 34 Health and Beauty Feature 38 The Aging Population and its Business Opportunities

Anthony Padulo, Executive Vice President of International and Domestic

Franchise Development, BrightStar Care

40 In the Self Esteem Business:

Glama Gal Tween Spa Motivates Franchisees and Clients 46 Profile: PMA Looking to Increase Presence in Canada

Veterans in Franchising 48 Cover Story:

Driverseat Canada

60

44 How the Real Estate Business Model Bulks Up the

Fitness Pay Scale

Dan Mezheritsky, President & Founder, Fitness on the Go

50 Why Veterans Make the Best Franchisees

Lori Karpman, Lori Karpman and Company 52 Focus Topper’s Pizza 54 Veterans and Franchising: Starting Your Own Business

Gina Gill Canadian Franchise Magazine 56 Profile: Mr Mike’s Steakhouse Casual Restaurants Page 5

ca nadia n f ra nchising

what’s new!

and match the amount, donating all proceeds to the Jesse Ketchum Jr. & Sr. Public School; a culturally diverse, Yorkville institute.

The Lebanese, chain is renowned in the GTA for its award-winning shawarma and assorted menu of healthy dishes. The funds will go towards Jesse Ketchum School’s Nutrition Program, teaching students the importance of healthy meal options and how to create flavourful, health conscious dishes on their own!

Paramount’s donation will also include a guest appearance by their executive chef, allowing children valuable, hands on experience.

Paramount Fine Foods Brings Exotic Flavours to Yorkville Paramount Fine Foods is bringing exotic flavours of the Middle East to Yorkville with their newest location set to open Monday, May 11th on the corner of Bay St. and Cumberland.

Paramount’s newest location will welcome special guests on Saturday

and Sunday, May 9th and 10th, from 11:00am - 9:00pm to enjoy a set menu, on the house! The free meals are a part of a soft launch charity initiative, allowing customers to enjoy the menu and are encouraged to tip generously. Paramount Fine Foods will tally the tips on Monday

“People love that we bring the real flavours, family-friendly atmosphere and healthy food options,” Says CEO and President of Paramount, Mohamad Fakih. “I can’t think of a better way to start our newest venture in the Yorkville community than to give back to a local cause.” Paramount is the first full service halal restaurant in Yorkville, opening up tourism by catering to halal and healthconscious diners. The new location will feature an upscale sit-down dining experience with an open concept kitchen and a wood burning oven. www.paramountfinefoods.com.

Topper’s Pizza Announces a MultiPizzeria deal Topper’s Pizza, based out of Sudbury, Ontario, recently announced a Multi-Pizzeria deal in the Richmond Hill area of Ontario.

Sam Marticelli, the new franchisee with Topper’s Pizza who has a signed agreement to bring three locations to Richmond Hill, is originally from Sicily, Italy, and moved to Canada in 1967.

Marticelli’s background is in sales, which he did successfully for a number of years before a 10-year stint in the construction industry. Marticelli returned to his sales background in 2010, while tapping into his entrepreneurial spirit he created his own business called Celeste Jewelry, named after his wife, Celestina.

Always interested in business development, Marticelli began looking for additional business options. He was particularly interested in the restaurant segment because of his deep-rooted passion for food and to leave a legacy for his two sons, Antonio

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and Michael. He chose Topper’s Pizza specifically for their commitment to family and the incredible growth potential of the brand.

Topper’s Pizza is one of Canada’s most popular pizza brands.

The company began franchising in 1992. Topper’s Pizza currently has 37 pizzerias throughout Ontario. www.toppersfranchise.ca.

Canadian Franchise Magazine

Valpak Leading the way in technology, Valpak® recently announced its new coupon app will be available for download for the Apple Watch™, making it one of the first coupon companies to offer savings for the new device, and making it easier than ever for consumers to get savings right in their neighborhoods.

Known for its local coupons in North America, Valpak has also become a leader in mobile couponing recently focusing heavily in the mobile space.

The company has shown an ongoing commitment to consumers with its mobile app presence in the top mobile operating systems and integration into mobile wallets, including Passbook®, Samsung® and Google®. With the convenience of the new Apple Watch, consumers can now find savings just a tap away on their wrist and have access to coupons for stores and services within a 25-mile radius.

as well as Valpak.com, will also be available on the watch app. The app is especially helpful to find savings on the go for restaurants, services such as health and beauty, as well as automotive offers such as car washes, oil changes and tires.

All the Valpak offers that are on the Valpak smart phone apps,

www.valpak.com

Lice Removal Company Makes Annual Donation to the Children’s Aid Foundation of my volunteer work became aware of the immense need to support children and youth in our communities and beyond. By partnering with the CAF, our annual donation will be used to help children across Canada with initiatives such as education and advocacy.”

Lice Squad has been the go-to source for head lice removal, and education for over fourteen years offering franchise opportunities, clinic and mobile services in major Canadian communities, as well as a full line of pesticide-free products available nationwide at its LS Clinics, mobile locations and in pharmacies and health food stores.

Canada’s leading head lice removal company made a donation from proceeds raised from the sale of its popular Premium Nit Kit™ to the Children’s Aid Foundation April 30th at their head office location in Toronto.

Proceeds will support Children’s Aid Foundation programs that help vulnerable children and youth living in Canada’s child welfare system

“We created a national giving back campaign with the Foundation last year because we recognized the importance of using what we do as a vehicle to assist communities through our TLC Project to promote healthy families, children and communities,” said Dawn Mucci, President and Founder of Lice Squad Canada. “I’ve been involved on a local level as a foundation board member for the South Simcoe CAF and in the course

The Children’s Aid Foundation’s mission is to improve the lives of Canada’s abused, neglected and abandoned children and young adults currently or formerly living in the child welfare system. With the support of generous donors, the Children’s Aid Foundation works with child welfare organizations across Canada to provide funding in the areas of prevention, education, enrichment, healing and recovery.

Learn more at www.licesquad.com

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what’s new!

Right at Home International Laura Greenway-Balnar B.A.Sc., is Owner of Right at Home Canada located in Guelph & Wellington County, Cambridge and Kitchener/ Waterloo. In just nine months, Right at Home has become a staple in this new territory.

With an extensive range of managerial, operational and nursing/healthcare experience as a former long-term care Registered Nurse and business professional, Laura has worked in a variety of settings including Hospital, Nursing Home/ Retirement Home and Community Healthcare. Laura also holds a B.A.Sc degree in Gerontology (University of Guelph), a certification in Professional Patient Advocacy (PPIA), and is GPA certified (Gentle Persuasive

Approach for Dementia Clients).

Laura’s objectives are to provide the much needed, high quality in-home healthcare, healthcare system navigation, client advocacy and all non-medical/ medical assistance needed for safe and comfortable living.

Having already introduced handyman services, in-home spa services and fresh meal delivery, Right at Home is looking at the next frontier of in-home care; technology.

The brand is tackling all angles of technology in this industry with everything from proprietary software for virtual care and medical records consolidation service, or things as simple as setting up a client to Skype with

Pita pit experiencing healthy success and growth When he opened the very first Pita Pit in Kingston, Ont., Nelson Lang never could have imagined the success and growth his idea for a fresh, customizable, and healthy meal would enjoy in the two decades to come.

In July, the brand will celebrate its 20th anniversary with an international conference in Kingston where the brand anticipates welcoming 500 franchisees,

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suppliers and team members from the Pita Pit system across the globe.

“The Pita Pit family has enjoyed such an amazing ride since we first launched in 1995,” said Lang. “We are extremely excited to celebrate with our Pita Pit family from across the globe and share the vision for the next chapter in the Pita Pit story.”

The brand also recently unveiled a new

family once per week in order to feel connected.

For information specific to the countries we serve, please visit Our Master Franchisees at: www.rahglobal.com/why-us/ourowners/.

corporate-owned location in Kingston – a reflection of the brand’s ability to remain innovative while staying true to their commitment to community and fresh thinking and healthy eating.

Pita Pit continues to grow across Canada, approaching 210 locations with plans to open more than 35 locations per year.

The concept reached 500 locations globally in 2014 and has increased focus and enhanced support for multi-unit operators and buyers as the catalyst to reach the 1,000-unit mark.

For more information visit: www.pitapit.ca/#franchise

Canadian Franchise Magazine

A Middle Eastern Twist on the North American Sandwich Shop A new health-conscious deli that serves up Middle Eastern subs and shawarmas.

TORONTO, April, 2015 – Fresh East tops the good old-fashioned sub with a splash of authentic Middle Eastern flavours. The first location is officially open for business as of Thursday, March 26th in Mississauga.

Fresh East is a new quick-serve restaurant concept, where diners can try the savoury flavours of the Middle East and customize the sub or shawarma as they like. On the menu is a selection of freshly baked breads, fresh produce, halal deli meats, and authentic homemade secret sauces.

The new franchise concept is a spinoff of the popular GTA restaurant chain Paramount Fine Foods, which

is recognized for its award-winning shawarma and authentic Lebanese food. Paramount itself has grown to 20 restaurants this year with locations in Canada, USA and the Middle East.

Fresh East is the first halal-certified quick-serve sandwich shop, catering to halal and health-conscious diners. “We serve the real deal when it comes to Middle Eastern cuisine,” says Mohamad Fakih, CEO and President of Paramount.

“People love that we bring the real flavours, family-friendly environment, and healthy food options.”

Fresh East is following the successful franchise model of Paramount Fine Foods, and is set to open up two more locations in the GTA by the fall, and additional locations in the USA. For more information: www.fresheast.ca/ • Each program is locally owned and operated by a franchisee • structured routine for children in the after school component • Sherpa Kids takes care of all enrolments and payments • Ensuring each program meets local childcare licensing regulations • Creating revenue for schools through rent payments (where applicable)

Sherpa Kids Canada Dee & Julia, Country Master Franchise owners of Sherpa Kids Canada, have recently attended the Canadian Association of Principals Conference held in Whistler BC May 12 - 15 2015.

This was the first brand ‘outing’ for

Sherpa Kids, and an opportunity to connect with over 350 principals from across the country. Sherpa Kids Canada was able to meet personally with many principals and vice principals to share Sherpa Kids unique approach to out of school care, such as:

Principals were happy to share their ‘story’ about their existing out of school care arrangements, their aspirations for future arrangements, and mostly how consistency for a program would enhance their school. Sherpa Kids are able to offer systematic service delivery, across its brand for a national system, but being locally operated by someone in the community.

Sherpa Kids Canada will attend the 2016 conference, held in New Brunswick, where we can continue to share our ‘story’ with school Principals across the country. www.calgarychildsplay.com

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cover stroy

H amilton franchisor wants to help people tell their

uninvited guests to

Skedaddle

For people who find critters in their homes, one Hamilton franchisor wants to them to think one word: Skedaddle.

Bill Dowd, owner of Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control, has been in the urban wildlife wrangling business since 1989, helping to move raccoons, squirrels, skunks, birds, bats and mice out of people’s homes.

“We provide hands-on removal, so we don’t use traps,” Dowd said during a recent interview from the company’s headquarters in Hamilton. “We go right into the animal’s living space, whether it’s in an attic, a chimney, underneath a deck or a porch and humanely remove the animals, keeping family units together. “ Once the company has removed the animals and made sure the mother and babies stay together, they animal-proof the home to ensure the animals cannot re enter, plus they give homeowners a lifetime guarantee on their work.

“We’re prepared to franchise across the country.

There are human wildlife confilcts in every city or town. The growth opportunity is tremendous.”

While it’s been in operation for 26 years, the business has only been franchising for the past three years. To help with franchising, Dowd brought in long-time franchisor Mike Kernaghan, who has managed six franchise brands with over 400 franchise operators. Kernaghan states that “their partnership is the best of both worlds. Bill Dowd is the pioneer and leading urban wildlife expert in Canada, with a proven business concept. Our team has over 30 years of franchise experience and you’ll be generously supported by the best franchise management in Canada.

That’s our promise” Currently, Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control has 22 locations servicing over 75 different municipalities in Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia.

Living with the Animals Back in 1989 in Hamilton nobody was doing wildlife control, Dowd said, and he, fresh out of university, saw a niche to be filled. The company pioneered its methods and procedures and in every city it expanded into, they were successful.

“Wildlife are in our urban centres, they’re here to stay. They’re not going anywhere,” Dowd said. “They’re damaging, in most cases, people’s biggest investments of their lives; their homes.”

And with the kinds of numbers Dowd quotes, it sounds like the company will remain busy. In a square kilometre, the business owner said, there could be anywhere from 15 to 25 raccoons. Recent studies by a York University professor,

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Canadian Franchise Magazine

have indicated that there may be as many as 100 raccoons in a square kilometre in some cities.

Dowd called raccoons the perfect urban critter and said typically it’s the house that’s more of the problem because any home has between 30-50 vulnerable areas that allow animals to get in. He added that people want a long-term and humane solution to urban wildlife in their homes.

Expanding with the Animals After expanding throughout Canada, Dowd wants to expand into the US. Plus, raccoons are overtaking Europe, so there could be room for expansion there in the future. He pointed to Australia’s opossums as being another pest problem that may lead to expansion.

To see this ambitious expansion, Dowd will need the right people and that means entrepreneurs who enjoy dealing with people as much as they enjoy a challenge.

Being an outdoorsy type would help, plus the desire to not be chained to a desk for franchisees who want to be owner operators. They will also have to be real problem solvers, too, because each animal reacts differently and the construction of the various homes they’ll be servicing is vastly different from one to the next.

The Process It all starts with the initial conversation and most people who are enquiring have had a run-in with a wildlife issue in the past. Company reps explain the process of animal extraction, which is an important step because the company often faces misconceptions that they trap animals and relocate them. But, Dowd said, as up to 70% of animals relocated that way die, it wouldn’t fit with the company’s humane

ethos.

Once the company and the franchisee have had some back and forth, they are on boarded with the help of webinars and sometimes the company even brings a potential franchisee on the road with them for the day.

Skedaddle gets a lot of recent graduates with biology degrees or fish and wildlife management certification. Since there are not many jobs in the wildlife field, being their own boss can be a rewarding career for these recent grads, Dowd said.

Training and Support Skedaddle has a full training centre in Hamilton that is in a converted house.

In addition to a classroom, students get hands on experience screening vents, looking for potential entry spots, and searching a mock up of an attic for hidden stuffed baby animals in the various hiding places. While doing this exercise, they are trained in the proper way to handle the baby animals and how to reunite those young ones with the mother. The training lasts for two weeks.

As for ongoing support, the franchise offers a call centre that is available for franchisees to use to field after-hours calls and book service appointments.

They also provide administrative help with sales projections and expenditures.

The company offers a clean up service along with the installation of an environmentally friendly insulation once they’re done removing the animals to help homeowners deal with all the aftermath of having animals living in their house. Some of these jobs run into the tens of thousands of dollars to perform and sometimes company reps will drive or fly out to a franchise to help

a franchisee quote and assist for one of these massive jobs.

The company is also technologyoriented, Dowd said, and relayed an anecdote about a new franchisee in Halifax who could not figure out how a raccoon kept regaining entry into a person’s house.

Using a camera, the franchisee was able to walk around the house while beaming a live feed back to the head office where the entire management team helped him find the alternate entry points just based on what they saw on the live video feed.

It was a tricky way the raccoon was reentering the house, Dowd recalled, not one a new franchisee would spot easily.

But, thanks to the technology and his staff’s wealth of experience, they were able to easily help out from thousands of kilometres away.

Turns out homeowners with urban wildlife issues aren’t the only ones Dowd wants thinking Skedaddle. He also wants the right entrepreneurs to be thinking it, too. www.skedaddlefranchise.com

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ex per t advice

Edward (Ned) Levitt Dickinson Wright LLP

WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR

when VALUATING A MASTER FRANCHISE OR AREA DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY? “The division of responsibility between the master franchisee and the franchisor can differ from system to system.�

Edward (Ned) Levitt

Careful consideration and thorough due diligence is critically important in the purchase of a single franchise.

For the purchase of master franchise rights (the right to sub-franchise to others) or area franchise rights (the right to open multiple single franchise units in a given area) there is another layer of complexity, challenge and risk.

Commonly, the investment needed for such purchases is fairly high to very high; and therefore, the consequences for a failure in these scenarios are substantial.

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In the case of a master franchise, the master franchisee usually plays the role of the franchisor in their territory, which can be a region, province or the entire country. However, the division of responsibility between the master franchisee and the franchisor can differ from system to system. The master franchisee, in many instances, shoulders all responsibilities of the franchisor in the territory. In other situations, the franchisor provides specific resources or performs specific functions, such as training new franchisees. Once it is known who is going to do what, then, and only then, can the split of front end franchise fees and ongoing royalties between the franchisor and the master franchisee be determined with any degree of fairness. All too often the franchisor has a pre-determined idea of what they want from the master franchisee without proper regard for the cost of running a franchise system in the territory well, and whether the arrangement is profitable for everyone.

Other issues for the prospective master franchisee include: 1. Is the term sufficiently long enough to ensure that a reasonable return on investment can be achieved?

2. Is the yearly quota for selling subfranchises reasonably attainable?

3. Will the master franchisee have to strictly adhere to the franchisor’s form of unit franchise agreement in all circumstances or will there be some flexibility?

4. Will the master franchisee administer have a regional advertising fund for the territory or will it all be controlled by the franchisor?

5. If there are critical inventory items, who supplies them to the franchisees, the master franchisee, the franchisor or third parties?

For area franchise rights, the length of the term of the overall grant is important, but it is equally important to ascertain what happens to each franchise when the overall grant term expires. Can the unit franchises continue to be operated for the term of the franchise agreement?

If the area franchisee is going to have to pay a new front-end franchise fee for each franchise location, will that fee be reduced in recognition of the fact that such fees include elements of the cost of franchise sales and initial training? This is important to know because both are absent in an area franchise beyond the initial unit.

Canadian Franchise Magazine

Other issues for the prospective area franchisee include: 1. Will the area franchisee be able to direct some of its advertising contributions to its own territory when the number of units justifies it?

2. Is the yearly quota for opening units reasonably attainable?

3. Will the area franchisee gain the benefit of volume purchases when it reaches a certain size?

4. How much flexibility will the area franchisee have to tweak units for local tastes and habits?

5. Are there cross-defaults among the franchise agreements for all locations, or will the area franchisee be able to close underperforming units without affecting other units?

It is quite common for franchisors to charge initial franchise fees for master franchise and area franchise rights.

The purchaser of these rights should scrutinize such fees to both make sure they make sense from the point of view of return on investment, and to determine how they compare to other franchise opportunities. Usually there is an initial term and rights to renew the term granted to a master franchisee or an area franchisee. It is also usual to find a long list of conditions, which have to be met before the master or area franchisee is allowed to renew the term. These conditions need to be reviewed carefully to determine whether they are likely to be met.

Often the purchasers of master franchises or area franchise rights are very much investors. That is to say, they are going to need an organization to actually carry out their duties under their various agreements. In addition to the issues described above, such an investor should have a viable plan for acquiring, training and retaining the right employees to assure success.

Edward (Ned) Levitt is a Certified Franchise Executive, a partner at Dickinson Wright LLP, Toronto, and provides legal services to Canadian and international clients on all aspects of Canadian franchise law.

He was General Counsel to the Canadian Franchise Association (20002007) and is a member of the American Bar Association Forum on Franchising,

the International Bar Association and the International Committee of the International Franchise Association.

As a member of the Ontario Franchise Sector Working Team, Ned was instrumental in the creation of Ontario’s franchise legislation and has had significant input in the franchise legislative process throughout Canada. His publications include Canadian Franchise Legislation (2001, LexisNexis/Butterworths).

To contact Ned Levitt: (416) 646 3842 nlevitt@dickinsonwright.com

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ex per t advice

Emily Ward & Jess Hunichen, Founding Partners, Shine PR

Local Social Media Cha and the Authentic Voice

It was not that long ago clients would consciously choose to avoid the social sphere, thinking they were taking charge by actively remaining silent. Soon they all found out that whether your brand is playing a primary role online or not – social messaging is everywhere.

Now, this development can be seen as a positive or negative -- it is all about perspective. By managing proprietary platforms on social channels and dedicating time to social listening, brands are able to hear more of the customer commentary. Before this feedback was generally accessed through customer satisfaction surveys or the rants of disappointed guests. Having the ability to “hear” commentary online also means you have the ability to respond. Not such a terrible inside scoop to have after all.

In the franchise industry there has been a common theme of wanting to harness complete control of social channels for the fear that franchisees won’t represent the brand properly or not be able to quickly react to a negative situation. This mindset has to change. The successful social brands have authentic voices. And that voice, in general, is not one that can be fabricated from a higher level.

Social Media is a sacred lens for

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Canadian Franchise Magazine

ampions our customers. For most, it provides validation of a service, the ability to have dialogue after digesting the experience, and even the fame of being affiliated with a hero company in their lives. That said, our social “butterflies” are savvy. They can identify the difference of a fabricated brand voice versus an overly marketed one just as quickly as they can detect an ad versus editorial in a magazine. You can surely guess the ones that resonate with them.

So, how do you be the authentic voice?

In our opinion, it starts with authentic experiences. Those real, every day pictures and stories that take place at the local store level. ….now take a deep breath. We are by no means suggesting your scream social freedom and let every franchisee take over and run wild. Like many good things, there has to be structure to allow the creative genius to take place.

Our six simple steps approach below:

1

Social Inventory:

What we are suggesting is a change – and when things change they often come with a level of risk. Before starting, work with your team to take a social audit of what has been working and what has not. Develop an overarching plan for the messages the company wants to convey and a solution for how to handle potential situations that are negative. This approach is not to dictate, but to be an informed guide who can help navigate the path to success.

2

Elect Local Social Media Champions:

This person is likely not the franchisee owner, but someone who is front-of-

The most damaging phrase in the language is:

“It’s always been done that way!”

- Grace Hopper house, connected and dedicated (think of a head-cashier or floor manager). This should be positioned as an honour. A project given to someone who you want to know his or her potential is valued.

3

Start a Social Committee:

A variation of the high-school version, but instead of prom planning, you are having bi-weekly calls to discuss social strategy, share successes and solve problems with your champions.

The social committee should be led by your marketing team or agency that has the education and resources available to create parent-child pages, assess analytics and drive niche targeted social ads (…highly suggested for Facebook and Twitter success).

4

Teach:

Your social committee is an investment in your brand and your people. You can identify the employees who will be your social champions, but to set them up for success, they must be first given the tools, boundaries and language to get there. This is best done through a kick-off workshop and then followed up through the ongoing committee calls.

5

Reward:

Not your followers, but your social team. Create benchmarks for success and offer something of value to that person when they reach it. Rewards are a simple and often inexpensive tool that allows those in authority to give praise and instill confidence through a tangible act.

6

Stay Nimble:

Social Media is exciting because it is constantly changing. What worked one day, or for your competitor, might not work the next. View social as a template test market and don’t be afraid to change course if something doesn’t seem to be working. Where this new social structure

does relieve agencies and head offices from being the “community managers” it is here where their expertise are valued by being able to digest page analytics and make recommendations as an ongoing consulting arm.

Think this can’t be done successfully?

We recently met the owner of DriverSeat Inc and were delighted to hear how his company has been flourishing using a similar structure with social. CoFounder Luke Bazely takes the approach of coaching versus policing. “If our franchisees understand the why, they will uphold the expectations of the brand, and embrace the kind of content that we feel is appropriate. We also encourage them to push the limits, and “walk the line” now and then, as there is no silver bullet to making your social strategy successful.”

At it’s core, social is all about people and communication flowing in two directions.

As a franchise, we must be able to do that using an integrated approach at the local level, and therefore cannot push content from a corporate desk. The result for DriverSeat has been organic growth at each franchise location, and content that is relevant to the community.

Grace Hopper, a remarkable female pioneer in computer programming said “The most dangerous phrase in language is ‘We’ve always done it this way.’” By taking this approach, you are maximizing your resources and truly providing the inside experience customers are seeking online. Take the plunge and make a move to show your team you trust them and further involve the people who are investing their time daily with your brand.

Emily Ward and Jess Hunichen are the Founding Partners of Shine PR – a boutique agency specializing in influencer and media relations for multi-layered companies.

For more information on Shine PR and the agency’s franchise experience contact: hello@shinepr.ca

Page 15

ex per t advice

Joseph Pisani, Director of National Franchising Services, Bank of Montreal

Money in

Mo o

In recent months the media has covered a number of stories on the overall decline in savings rates for Canadians to around 3% of disposable income and a coinciding increase in household debt to disposable income of 153%. Stories on these statistics are not new and have generally included a comparison with American households, painting our households as being more fiscally conservative.

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Canadian Franchise Magazine

oney out

“Determine the ‘money out’ over the latest twelve months of bank statements, bills, credit card statements and come up with a total.” canal, but it is a necessary exercise if you wish to achieve your financial goals – such as debt reduction or retirement savings.

Step one: Figure out the ‘money in’ for your household. This should be a relatively straightforward exercise in adding up the money that came into your bank account over the last twelve months including items such as salary, commissions, and investment income.

As you may have significant variability month to month, pick the lowest ‘money in’ month for budgeting purposes.

Do not include money that is contingent on something like a performance bonus (use this money towards something that is optional like vacations, home improvements or extra savings).

Step two: If you don’t have a full year’s worth of paperwork, try gathering at least three months. Out of this determine what amount is attributed to fixed expenses, such as mortgage, taxes, utilities, loan or lease payments, and of course insurance. Then determine what amount is attributed to variable expenses such as food, fuel, child expenses, clothing, personal care, gifts and entertainment. Out of the total fixed and variable expenses determine a monthly average.

The difference in the latest round is that the statistics for American households are now better - better saving rate and lower debt ratio. While interesting to read, it may be more interesting to compare your own situation with the average.

If you don’t know, it may be time to get a clearer financial picture and develop a budget. Sitting down and drawing up a budget is about as desirable as a root

Step three: Subtract average money out from the lowest money in month - there should be a positive number. If there isn’t, you have two choices - make more or spend less. As you probably have more immediate control over spending, rationalizing your expenses and sticking a budget by category is critical to help you achieve larger financial goals of savings and debt reduction. Not sure if what you are

spending is reasonable? A few guidelines to consider is that out of gross income total housing costs (mortgage, insurance, tax, utilities) should be limited to 30%, transportation at 12% and savings at least 5%.

The above sounds like a lot of effort because it is – but the fact remains that budgeting is proven to work. Fortunately there are some banks out there that have online tools that with a few clicks can illustrate what amount of money is coming in and what you are spending it on. I am pleased to say that BMO Bank of Montreal is one such bank with such tools as BMO Moneylogic. Tools like this are not only insightful it might even help you reach your own goals (perhaps even restoring our household financial picture over our American neighbours)! ® Registered trade-marks of Bank of Montreal.

Joseph Pisani is Director of National Franchising Services for BMO Bank of Montreal. He can be reached at (416) 927-6025 or via e-mail at joseph.pisani@bmo.com.

Joseph Pisani

Page 17

focus

To p p e r ’s Pi z z a

Topper’s Pizza to Triple Number of Stores by 2018

The history of Topper’s Pizza dates back more than 100 years, to when Co-CEOs Kelly and Keith Toppazzini’s great grandfather Giuseppe Toppazzini immigrated from San Daniele, Italy to Canada.

Page 18

As part of his journey, Giuseppe brought his family’s secret Italian bread recipe, which has been passed down for four generations - the foundation of the brand’s success.

The fourth generation of the Toppazzini family has continued to use the original bread crust recipe, now known as Authentic ItalianBread™, as a staple for unique recipes and specialty pizzas. The resulting success has made the brand one of the most popular pizzerias in Canada

and a premiere franchising option for entrepreneurs across the country.

Topper’s Pizza has plans to add new locations in key markets throughout Ontario under an ambitious expansion plan that will increase the amount of pizzerias from 37 to 140 by 2018.

The first phase of growth included a brand new location for Topper’s Pizza in Lively, Ontario and a signed threepizzeria deal in the Richmond Hill

Canadian Franchise Magazine

“Jeff and Andrew are consummate professionals with successful track records. Together, they have developed a carefully crafted growth plan that will continue to yield impressive results.” area. Additional plans include pizzerias in prime growth markets like Ottawa, Kitchener, London and Mississauga.

After expansion throughout Ontario, Topper’s will continue to grow the brand, targeting the Western provinces of Canada. The initiative will be the largest expansion in the company’s history.

The recent hires of veteran franchising executive Jeff Dillon to serve as Executive Vice President of Topper’s Pizza, overseeing daily operations and strategic growth initiatives, and former A&W and Boston Pizza developer Andrew Diveky as the company’s new Director of Franchise Development, have proven to be extremely beneficial. With their development expertise, Topper’s has become a force in the franchising community.

“Jeff and Andrew are consummate professionals with successful track records. Together, they have developed a carefully crafted growth plan that will continue to yield impressive results,” Topper’s Pizza Co-CEO Keith Toppazzini said in a news release announcing the expansion.

According to Kelly Toppazzini, Co-

CEO of Topper’s Pizza, the company is seeking experienced franchisees that are prepared to open and operate multiple locations. The expansion will also create critical economic growth in the communities Topper’s serves, he added.

Topper’s Pizza was built on the tradition of taking care of family first, and this includes guests of its pizzerias, franchisees and employees. With a strong tradition of growth from within, Topper’s recently welcomed one of their newest owners, Lalit Kainth, who climbed the ranks in the company and made the transition from manager to owner.

Kainth, originally from India, has been in the restaurant industry since 1998 and is no stranger to the pizza sector.

In 2002, he came to Canada to begin his pizza adventure as a manager for a different brand. After managing for a few years, he moved to Toronto, where he owned two pizza restaurants that he later sold. Moving on to work as a manager for Topper’s Pizza in Oakville and after seeing great success at this location, Kainth developed a great passion for the brand and purchased a Topper’s Pizza location in Georgetown, Ontario.

“Through these initiatives, Topper’s Pizza is opening the door to entrepreneurship for countless individuals. This strategy will generate more than 1,000 jobs, and we are very excited to put people to work across Canada,” Kelly Toppazzini said.

The Toppazzini brothers believe the new expansion initiative will increase market share by bringing the brand into previously underserved areas.

“Our customers are just as passionate about Topper’s Pizza as we are,” Kelly continued. “We can’t wait to introduce new customers to our one-of-a-kind pizzas.”

ABOUT TOPPER’S PIZZA Founded in 1982, Topper’s Pizza is one of Canada’s most popular pizza brands.

The company began franchising in 1992. Topper’s Pizza currently has 37 pizzerias throughout Ontario. The recipe for Topper’s success includes quality ingredients, an unbeatable crust, a proven system and first-class Franchise Partners.

As a result, Topper’s Pizza amazes its customers.

For information about Topper’s Pizza franchising opportunities, visit www.toppersfranchise.ca.

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focus

M as s ag e Ad di ct

addicted

to business growth Massage Addict just can’t get enough of that sweet business growth that has seen it jump from six franchises in 2012 to currently over 40 in 2015.

The company started in 2008 in Halifax, NS and began franchising soon after in 2009. But, CEO Fraser Clarke explained during a recent interview from the company’s headquarters in Toronto, Massage Addict didn’t truly start growing until after the then-owners appeared on the television show Dragon’s Den, which sees entrepreneurs pitch their business ideas to a small panel of venture capitalists in the hopes of getting financial backing.

The owners appeared on the show in mid-2012 and received offers from three of the venture capitalists on the show and agreed to the deal offered by Jim Treviling. Ultimately, though, after the show aired, the business owners found they were receiving so many inquiries about franchising from across the country that they didn’t need the backing from Treviling and opted to go it alone.

Now, the company has 41 clinics up and running with their first Manitoba clinic set to open in Winnipeg in June, and two more following shortly after. Port Coquitlam, BC will be opening in June as well, which means Massage Addict will be in every province except for Quebec, which it has plans to enter in 2016.

“Our expectation this year is to open

Page 20

between 25 to 30 locations within the next eight months,” Fraser outlined.

Location opportunities are currently available in every province except for New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, which are both fully accommodated with Massage Addict clinics.

The business has roughly 400 Registered Massage Therapists (RMT) across their 41 clinics offering massage therapy in a unique way.

“It’s a membership-based business,” Fraser explained. “A client initially comes in for an introductory 1-hour massage for only $49.99. And then we look to convert that individual into a member. And, as a member, they commit to one massage per month and in return get preferred pricing for themselves and their family members.”

Fuelling the company’s growth is Canadian’s increasingly better understanding of the health benefits of massage, Fraser noted. Stress relief, injury recovery, pain management and pure relaxation are just a handful of benefits that people are now starting to attribute to massage. It can help with chronic headaches, anxiety and

Canadian Franchise Magazine depression, he said, and this is all backed by an enormous amount of research.

large reach, Fraser said Massage Addict performed 30,000 massages in April.

“People are starting to understand that a lot more,” he observed.

“We help a lot of Canadians and our plan is to help many more,” he said.

Employers are also offering coverage for a certain amount of massage therapy with their health benefits, Fraser added.

And Massage Addict is there to fill the gap in the industry to provide clinical level massage therapy at convenient locations with affordable prices so people can capitalize on the health benefits of massage.

The second thing that sets it apart from its competition is that it is membership based and it offers a stronger value proposition to clients because of the affordable pricing, which makes their health insurance stretch further.

The Ideal Franchisee The desired franchise owner for Massage Addict is not necessarily an RMT, Fraser said, as only about 10 percent are.

But, franchisees have to be passionate about healthcare and wellness and have a background in customer service and membership management and must have strong leadership skills. From Fraser’s perspective, the most important quality from an owner is their ability to hire and lead great RMTs and the administrative team to allow them to create a strong culture around customer service and top quality massage.

“Having these skills is critical,” he said.

Having franchisees with those skill sets also helps differentiate the company from its competition. Fraser listed three ways that Massage Addict sets itself apart.

The first is its size. It’s the largest massage franchise and has the most locations across the country. It’s also the fastest growing and is already over four times as large as its closest competitor.

To illustrate the company’s already

Finally, the quality of the RMTs involved with the company helps it to create the highest quality of service and treatment in the industry.

Training the Team To ensure they can quickly and easily start contributing to the culture of success at Massage Addict, new franchisees receive a week of training in Toronto and then an individual from the training team will support that franchisee to their clinic in their first week of opening.

Ongoing training consists of regular conference calls and ad hoc training for specific items that franchisees may want help with in their clinics. The company also has an annual national conference for all franchisees and corporate employees, plus the corporate team keeps franchisees up-to-date on operational and marketing initiatives, clinic performance with ongoing communication such as

reports and a monthly dashboard to help them focus on areas of opportunity within their clinics.

“We’re quite active and we’re committed to helping and supporting our franchise partners,” Fraser said.

One of the best ways the company supports its franchisees is with site selection.

It has invested in software that takes transaction-level data from customers and determines who the most profitable customers are. It then builds a profile of the type of household those profitable individuals live in. The software determines how many of those types of households your clinic need within your trade area location to make your clinic profitable.

Based on that information, this software can determine neighbourhood’s across the country that can support a Massage Addict clinic. It not only maps the entire country based on available space and territories, but it also scores the potential sites based on how likely they would be to support a Massage Addict.

With all that going for it, it’s no wonder the business has become addicted to growth. www.massageaddict.ca

“To illustrate the company’s already large reach, Massage Addict performed 30,000 massages in April.”

Page 21

ex per t advice

Bill Redfern, CEO & Founder, A Buyer’s Choice Home Inspections & iCare – Intelligent Home Care Solutions

So You Want to Grow Your Franchise I n t e r n at i o n a l ly

Here’s What You Need to Know Page 22

International expansion is the natural next step for franchisors looking to broaden their reach.

But before you pack your bags and cross the ocean, there are many factors that must be taken into consideration.

Every street in every city in every country on every continent in the world has homes of some kind – and these homes house families who need a safe and reliable place to rest their heads at night. That’s what A Buyer’s Choice is all about – making sure that homes are in fine condition to be inhabited.

But it’s not as easy as simply selling your franchise concept to someone in a

Canadian Franchise Magazine

businesses there. We also connect with real estate industry professionals and specialists across the globe who can give lots of information on the real estate climate, and, in turn, give you an idea of what it’s going to take to find property for a franchisee in that market.

Face Your Hurdles Head-On It’s not easy to open a business in a country where you don’t even speak the language. Hire translators to ensure that your presentations are being communicated properly in different cultures. We conduct personal interviews with the translators we hire to build the proper business relationships and to ensure they understand our business concept and model – after all, they’re the people who will be communicating our wants and needs with interested parties.

It’s not always smooth sailing, either.

For example, the word “inspector” has a very negative stigma in ex-Communist countries. So, we had to make a concession and change our name in those areas from “A Buyer’s Choice Home Inspections” to “A Buyer’s Choice Home Experts.”

Face it – miscommunication is going to happen. A good attitude can overcome any potential awkwardness so we can learn from our mistakes moving forward.

different country. There are hundreds of considerations to be made before you take this huge step, and they all boil down to one word: research.

Additionally, some countries don’t have the healthiest franchise climate.

Market research can help you determine which economies are more receptive to your franchise model. We have found that Australasia is more franchising friendly, and smaller countries are more independent.

Get on the Same Page

Consider Local Customs

The chances of a Canadian location of your Canada-based franchise looking the same as a location in the Middle East are low. The basic structure of your business can be the same, but it’s important to tailor your concept to the idiosyncrasies of different cultures.

Start your international journey with extensive research and exploratory travel.

We outsource and hire market research firms to conduct research in the countries in which we’re interested in growing.

We want to have a good handle on the market before we even consider opening

North Americans tend to have a very fastpaced business mindset. We’re plugged in 24/7 and we’re straightforward, which can rub some people the wrong way – after all, many cultures operate differently. The translators we hire also clue us in on these customs so they can take our message and convey it in a respectful, appropriate manner.

We always make sure to ask a lot of questions to uncover different barriers in this area. For example, we have found that sometimes, people in different countries take a year to make a decision.

Bill Redfern

We try not to step on their toes by establishing their local customs and ways of communication. We have found that some cultures are more relationshipdriven and friendly, while others are extremely independent.

The bottom line is this: research, research, research. You’ll never know if your business can truly succeed in a completely different market if you’re not willing to put the time and resources into market research and exploration. The home inspection industry largely didn’t exist outside North America before we expanded – with the language barriers and cultural differences, it can be a challenge to initially explain our concept to different markets, but it has been incredibly rewarding to see different parts of the world embrace the A Buyer’s Choice concept so readily.

Bill Redfern is the CEO and founder of A Buyer’s Choice Home Inspections and iCare – Intelligent Home Care Solutions. Based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Bill and his team are passionate about making the entrepreneurial journey accessible to qualified candidates all over the world.

ABCHI is North America’s fastestgrowing home inspection business meeting the huge demand for home inspections. Focused on developing and maintaining local, trust-based relationships with its customers, ABCHI is creating a home inspection business unlike any other. Currently, there are more than 150 ABCHI offices in North America with dozens more internationally.

For more information, visit: www.abuyerschoice.com.

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f ra nchisor in depth

Ve ra’s B u rg e r S h a c k

Vera’s Burger Shack

best known for it’s great meat, it’s incredible product and it’s undeniable customer service What started as a Vancouver beach concession stand in 1977 has since grown into a great franchise opportunity and is now a well-known burger establishment in the West Coast of Canada.

Gerald Tritt bought the business in 2000 and has been expanding it ever since.

“My intention was to test the business out and see the potential of opening another location and trying to expand

Page 24

it because I felt that in Vancouver there is a need for the better burger segment,” explained The Founder and CEO. “I ran this concession stand for a year, created a new menu and brought in a partner and we opened our first stand alone restaurant in 2001.”

Vera’s now has sixteen stores, with 15 in the lower mainland of BC and one in Ottawa. However, they do not want to stop there. Locations are available in Northern Alberta, Saskatchewan,

Manitoba and Ontario, with Southern Alberta under negotiation.

The franchise hopes to expand from coast to coast eventually and establish a national presence within Canada.

Vera’s Burger Shack specializes in the better burger segment with over 1,000 combinations, if one considered all the flavoured sauces available and various toppings.

“We are traditionalists, we make our burgers in our stores every day, we get the ground beef in, and we have our own

“Vera’s Burger Shack takes pride in the fact that they are Canadian born and bred and continue to provide Canadians with a great product.”

Canadian Franchise Magazine

preparatory spices,” said Gerald proudly.

Early in the morning, meat that arrived that day is thrown on the grill for lunch and then again in the late afternoon for dinner. Burgers are made on site fresh that day.

In fact, the company has won Best Burger in Vancouver for over twelve years. Now that’s something you can sink your teeth into. Even with new entrance into a competitive market, Vera’s burger has established a great taste for a consistent amount of time.

“That is in large part of our franchisees’ commitment to excellence and our commitment to staying with a program that we started over almost forty years ago,” continued Gerald.

During the summer season there is a huge take out business that offers six and twelve pack of burgers for people to bring home and cook themselves.

Vera’s Burger Shack takes pride in the fact that they are Canadian born and bred and continue to provide Canadians with a great product.

“We use Alberta Beef and for us the important thing in the beef is the fat

content. We make sure it’s consistent and the burgers we make are juicy, fresh and delicious,” Gerald told Canadian Franchise Magazine. “We are a Canadian company. We didn’t come up from the states, we aren’t using US beef.

We are proud to have Canadian roots and franchisees. It’s part of what makes us special.”

Vera’s is looking for franchisees that are hardworking and have proven to be people with some experience in the food industry, preferably. Most importantly, the company is seeking individuals who are eager to learn and willing to put in a lot of effort.

“This isn’t a business for the faint of heart, it’s hardworking but can be extremely rewarding,” said the CEO. “What you can make out of that business is by and large, what you can make out of that business: the personality, the customer service, the commitment to quality and commitment to the program.”

Vera’s franchisees understand that when a franchise is bought, people are investing in a business base and it’s up to them whether or not they can make it a success.

There is no business background required, but great customer service is an essential element to run a Vera’s franchise properly.

“We know the food is great, we wouldn’t have won best burger in Vancouver for over a decade if it wasn’t. It’s a matter of understanding the burger is great and knowing the product is there, “ said the founder. “It’s getting people committed to executing that product the way it needs to be executed.”

While most burger places are slapping burgers on flattop and serving them to the customer as is, Vera’s Burger Shack is taking their product to a whole other level.

They make a truly memorable and unique experience for their customers with a chard broiled burger and an ice-cold beer, offered with huge variety of spices and toppings.

“Those elements are the separator that creates the value proposition for people. We are not going to be the least expensive burger in the market place but we are going to provide a great burger, great room, with a beer at a good price,” stated Gerald.

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f ra nchisor in depth

Ve ra’s B u rg e r S h a c k

“We know the food is great, we wouldn’t have won best burger in Vancouver for over a decade if it wasn’t.”

Training The bulk of the training is done at the corporate store, as well as office training. Once a store has completed a soft opening, there are staff that stay on location to work with the franchisee to ensure they are ready to go and set up for success.

Franchisees are offered ongoing support through area managers and anyone can reach out to both founders and connect with them directly for support.

“Our franchisees know that when they reach out they speak to us. They don’t speak to an intermediary. They don’t speak to a third or fourth person down the line but us,” said Gerald. “We treat our franchisees the same as our customers. We want them to be able to know that they can talk to us.”

Vera’s Burger Shack is committed to both their customers and franchisees because when they are working hard and creating great results, it’s easy to support them and assure them, knowing they have the company’s best interest in mind.

When considering the better burger business, it’s obvious that Vera’s offers a substantial Canadian product that is well accepted and has an establish brand, but what else can it bring to the table besides a great meal?

“We feel we bring a strong value proposition. Our built outs aren’t as high as some of the other companies, our royalties aren’t as high and our average unit volumes are higher than some of the other companies,” said Gerald. “We offer an opportunity to get a good return on your investment and we also offer an opportunity to have a transferable asset when you decide you want to either sell it, move along, buy another one, there is opportunity there.”

For a great Canadian opportunity, with a delicious burger on the side, check out Vera’s Burger Shack for a taste of home.

For more information go to www.verasburgershack.com

Page 26

“Our Franchisees are in

Canadian Franchise Magazine

business for themselves but not by themselves” and that makes a big difference!

FRANCHISING OPPORTUNITY

Own a Garage Door Depot® Business The Garage Door Depot® is Canada’s only “national” residential and commercial garage door company and is a leader in the industry. As a Garage Door Depot franchisee you will learn from the best and be the most up-to-date, best trained and best supported garage door business in the country. We are here to help you along the path to business success.

What You Can Expect as a Franchisee t The use of the Garage Door Depot® name, trademarks and reputation t A comprehensive 15 day initial training program with follow up coaching t Library of support materials, templates, manuals, videos and more t Proprietary Business Software System to operate your franchise t Your own fully functional Garage Door Depot website for your territory t Ongoing support from our national support team t Startup marketing materials, uniform & branded wrap package for your service vehicle t National supplier pricing and support to make you competitive t National business partnerships and programs to help you launch and operate successfully t Plus more!

What We Look For in a Franchisee We strongly believe that the success of our franchisees is based on our franchisee selection process and of course your desire to succeed. We want people who are not afraid to work hard and be rewarded for their efforts. Best of all, you don’t need garage door experience! A good technical aptitude coupled with a great attitude and desire to always do the best for your customer is what we’re after!

For more detailed information, please visit our Franchise Opportunity website at: www.garagedoordepot.ca/franchising-opportunity/ Call 604-526-1086 or, Email us at franchise@garagedoordepot.ca Ask about our Veteran or First Responder/Emergency Services Discount Program. This is our way of saying thank you for your service to our country and our communities.

www.garagedoordepot.ca

ex per t advice

Wayne Maillet, Canadian Franchise Management Consultant and Published Author

Can My Business Become a include having committed operators who are motivated to build the business, since they have a vested in the bottom line. Second, the franchisor requires less capital than would be required to open all corporate stores, since much of the financing comes from the resources of franchisees. This allows a small firm to expand to a larger entity without large outlays of funds. Third, franchising and growth allows the sharing of costs such as administration and marketing, thus reducing operating expenses and increasing profitability.

Wayne Maillet

If you have a successful business and are looking to grow and distribute your product or service to more customers, then franchising may be a viable option.

Franchising is a growth business model that allows you to increase your points of distribution and increase market share by granting licenses to selected franchisees, which duplicate the franchisors business model, use the franchisors trademarks, and you share in the profitability. The advantages of the franchise growth model

Page 28

Today we are seeing almost every industry embrace franchising as a growth strategy. Certain types of businesses tend to lend themselves more to franchising than others. When assessing if your business is franchisable, consider these following criteria and factors.

Profitability The business needs to be profitable, ideally with a proven two year track record. Franchisees want to know that they are capitalizing on someone’s success and experience. The profit margins must be large enough to allow the franchisor to make money, the franchisee to make a return on his investment and the customer to get value for the price they pay. Reasonable expected returns on investment for the franchisee are around 20 percent.

A Viable Product or Service Your product must have wide appeal and long-term value. What is it about the product or service that differentiates it from the competition and makes the offering distinctive and in demand?

Once you have identified these elements, are they duplicable? There are many successful businesses that, once assessed, have achieved success due to their unique location or are dependent upon one individual, such as a chef or a talented hair designer. These businesses tend not to be franchisable because the unique elements cannot be trained or transferred to others. At the same time, the unique elements cannot be too easy to duplicated or the long-term value to the franchisee shall be minimal. Without distinctive elements that set your concept apart from the competition, franchisees will begin to question the value of the royalties and look at doing the business on their own, rather than through a franchise.

Market and Growth Potential The business must have the ability to expand into other markets. What is the size of the territory required to be successful? For example, if the territory required would be all of Canada, you may be challenged to create a sufficient franchise base to offset the investment of franchising. How does competition affect this? There will always be competition,

Canadian Franchise Magazine

“Today we are seeing almost every industry embrace franchising as a growth strategy.� no matter what type of business you are in. Can you effectively differentiate yourself from competitors so as to create disproportionate market share, taking business away from the competition?

What is the growth potential of the business? At what stage of the business cycle is the business industry in? The industry should have strong growth potential to allow you to fully capitalize on the investment made to develop the franchise.

Leadership A critical part of the success of a franchise is dependent upon the skills, aptitude and abilities of the franchisor.

You need to evaluate yourself and determine if you have what it takes. Are you willing to become a mentor, educator and trainer, working with independent, business-minded individuals? Ideal franchisors have a flexible, non-dictatorial management style. The relationship is unlike an employee-employer relationship. As a franchisor, you must often involve franchisees in the decision making process and sell the benefits of your decisions, rather than simply telling people how things are going to be done.

You need to have a strong desire to create success for others, accompanied by strong drive and ambition. During the early stages there will be challenges as processes and systems are more clearly defined and refined. You must have the ability to adjust and resolve conflicts that will arise along the way.

Working Capital

material and strategy is developed, dollars must be invested in marketing the franchise opportunity through advertising in newspapers, trade publications and participating in tradeshows. You will need working capital during the start-up phase as you initially market and award franchise licenses and then provide support to your first franchisees. There is a critical need for carefully managed cash flow during the start-up period so that you can provide the support to new franchisees that they expect. Typically costs to create a franchise program will range from $60,000 to $100,000. Many viable franchises have failed due to the franchisor being undercapitalized during the early stage of the venture.

Although franchising is less expensive than corporate expansion, it still requires an investment of funds. Putting together and implementing a franchise program involves a lot of details including, operating manuals, legal and professional fees for franchise agreements, development of training programs, overall strategies, trademark registration, accounting systems and the creation of franchise promotional materials, websites and audio visual materials. Once the

Today there are a record number of individuals looking for a business

Before proceeding to franchise your business, seriously assess your business to determine if it and you are best suited to franchising. There are many key factors to consider including profitability, viability of the product or service, market and growth potential, your leadership abilities and access to working capital.

Franchising should be evaluated and compared to other expansion alternatives.

opportunity and seeking a franchise. This number is expected to continue to grow over the next few years as baby boomers reach a stage in their lives where they can take control of their destiny. A well conceived franchising system can provide excellent benefits. For the franchisor, franchising provides a method of strong, controlled growth with committed operators who have an invested interest in success.

Wayne Maillet is a leading Canadian franchise management consultant and published author with over 25 years of practical experience in all aspects of franchise operations. He mixes practical experience with an academic understanding, having earned his Bachelor of Business Management degree from Ryerson University and was recognized for outstanding academic achievement in management and enterprise development. Most recently Wayne Maillet has become a published author. His book, Franchising Demystified, provides guidance to prospective or existing franchisees on how to acquire, operate and be successful with a franchise. www.franchisespecialists.com

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h e a lt h & b e a u t y issue 2#2

Sangster’s

He a lth growing stronger

Aging and Healthcare in the

SELF ESTEEM bus iness

health & beau t y feature cover stroy

S a n g ste r ’s O rg a n i z ati o n

s a n g s t e r ’ s o r g a n i z at i o n

continues to grow Within a growing industry Sangster’s Organization continues to grow and keep up with the everchanging market of Canada’s $3.5 billion organic health food industry.

Sangster’s is a leading family owned and operated franchise of vitamins, minerals, herbal and sports supplements, as well as natural and organic foods and natural body care products.

Quality of Products In addition to carrying other national brands, Sangster’s sells their own exclusive label, allowing them to ensure quality control so that their products meet the highest standards. Since the purchase of their manufacturing plant

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“As a franchised system, our focus is to continue to franchise across Canada.” in 2010, Sangster’s produces all of their vegetarian-capsuled supplements, packages their own protein supplements and some of their organic foods.

“With our integrated vertical system we purchase raw materials, manufacture our own brand of products then distribute them and other national brands to our stores across Canada. This helps us have a lot more control over the quality and the types of products that we can provide to our customers,” says Wanda Wilson, Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

Sangster’s sells a wide variety of products for people with all different types of nutritional needs. From black cherry juice concentrate to relieve pain associated with arthritis and gout, or oregano oil which is commonly used to

treat colds and flus. Their natural soaps, shampoos and lotions are gentle for the skin and free of harmful chemicals and petroleum. Other products include digestive aids, proteins powders and great tasting healthy snacks like kale chips and more.

Growing the Company Through their quality products and dedicated franchisees, Sangster’s is looking to expand their presence throughout Canada.

“We want to expand out into the west, specifically within Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and the Okanagan region. We would also love to be able to expand more into southern

Canadian Franchise Magazine

Ontario and in New Brunswick as well,” says Wilson.

There are two business models for those interested in becoming a franchisee: one is to operate one of Sangster’s Health Centres, which are franchises under 1,000 square feet, wherein owners sell primarily supplements, sports nutrition and natural body care products. A few years ago, Sangster’s also implemented Sangster’s Organic Market business model, wherein owners manage approximately 2,000 square-foot franchises. This alternate business model offers franchises with a much wider selection in organic foods, including gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options.

“As a franchised system, our focus is to continue to franchise across Canada. That process involves looking for people who have an interest or passion in the health food industry and want to own their own business,” explains Wilson.

In fact, Wilson attributes part of Sangster’s success to it being a franchised system that is based on a family legacy, as the corporate structure allows passionate individuals to thrive. The company embraces change, whether this entails the decision to create a new product, or something comparatively much larger— such as purchasing a manufacturing plant or introducing a new business model for franchisees.

“It plays into a lot of passion and desire to make sure that we’re still viable and relevant year after year. It leads into always looking for new things, whether it’s new technology for our stores or new

“With our integrated vertical system we purchase raw materials, manufacture our own brand of products then distribute them and other national brands to our stores across Canada.” and innovative products for the consumer.

We’re always looking to change and improve ourselves,” she says.

Educating the Public Sangster’s understands the importance of education in a field that’s constantly changing and growing. As increasing numbers of people are becoming interested in preventive care and eating organic, it is crucial to keep up-to-date and knowledgeable within the health food industry.

“We strongly believe in education: education for our franchisees and for their staff. The more they know and the more educated they are in our industry, the better they will be at providing good choices for our customers,” Wilson states.

People who are interested in learning more about how to live a natural lifestyle and sharing that knowledge with others are prime candidates for joining the Sangster’s team. Being a franchisee provides job satisfaction by giving franchisees a platform to build open, honest relationships with customers and work with a positive team with good family values.

“We’re looking for people who want to make a difference in people’s lives in a healthy, natural way. This is really a fun industry because it’s constantly changing.

It’s growing and growing year after year, especially within the organic category,” says Wilson. www.sangsters.com

Sangster’s keeps a close relationship with their franchisees to ensure that they communicate effectively with each other, listen to the franchisees’ needs and maintain a good partnership. As one of their main corporate goals is to provide a generous selection of high quality natural products to consumers, having passionate and educated franchisees is key.

“Whether it’s to our franchised system or to the consumer, providing good quality products and educated advice is our main focus,” says Wilson.

Page 33

health & beau t y feature

Lo r i K a r p m a n, Lo r i K a r p m a n a n d C o m p a ny

The Business of B

Buying a Beauty Fran

This spring edition of Canadian Franchise Magazine is dedicated to the health and beauty industry and I could not be more excited about writing this article.

With over 25 years of professional, and over 40 years of personal, experience in the industry, beauty is my true passion.

Over the course of my career I have worked with many of Canada’s largest and most successful beauty concepts as well as many smaller emerging brands and independents. Mandates have ranged from complete A-Z franchise development to turnaround mandates for individual locations. Personally, I’ve been an uber-beauty junkie since the age of 11.

As a self-taught cosmeceutical–chemist, I also follow the industry through its various organizations, trade newsletters, and magazines. Suffice it to say, I think I am uniquely placed to discuss the “Business of Beauty”.

Page 34

The beauty industry has grown over the years and there is now a large selection of concepts and formats in all price ranges.

There are full retail stores that carry only one brand of product, there are also retail stores that sell a variety of products in the beauty category, with or without some small array of services. Although nail bars are nothing new, the branded franchise concepts are. Additionally there are (almost) purely service-based offerings that offer massages and other treatments like facials or tanning salons. The newest kid on the block is a franchise chain of laser services and treatments. They offer numerous services such as laser hair removal and IPL face treatments, and they are vertically integrated as the product manufacturer.

Like all franchises, franchisees do have to come to the table with a certain skill set to be a successful in this business.

This is one sector where experience in the industry is required. There are a lot of rules, especially with respect to hygiene that must be complied with.

The franchisor’s training will cover the franchise policies and procedures, but not how to run a business or provide

specifics on the beauty industry per se. The majority of the skills needed do not come from franchise training; they are accumulated over time spent in the beauty industry. Prospects must have superb organizational skills and have managed staff. They also need to provide positive leadership and motivation to employees, have completed administrative duties (or are willing to pay to delegate this work), and, most importantly, have customer service and sales skills. This means not being shy about addressing a customer, selling and upselling products and services, and providing each customer with the most amazing experience they have ever had.

This creates loyalty. Do this and your clients will reward you with referrals, which are the number ONE best method of building a long term business and they’re fast and free!

The time commitment involved amongst the beauty franchises is more dependent on the location than on the service. The outlets in mall locations will be guided by the mall’s hours and must operate within set parameters. Street front or

Canadian Franchise Magazine

Beauty

nchise

office building locations allow for more flexibility to operate before/after business hours and on weekends. This does result in a much longer work day and time commitment than a mall unit and is something to consider when buying a franchise. A young family would not likely manage well with this kind of time commitment. Be clear about the time you are willing to invest in the business because there are not only business hours to commit to, but additional hours for administration need to be considered also.

Every business should have more than one source of income and in the beauty industry it is product sales. This is an essential revenue stream needed to supplement income because of its high margin and low cost to sell. Retail allows the owner to generate high margin product sales out of a small portion of space in the location. There is an income limitation on services as there are only so many hours in the day. The income limit is maxed out by the number of hours, service providers,

and treatment rooms. In order to make the “big” money, products, ancillary items to the services, and accessories must generate a fairly substantial portion of the annual revenues. Ideally, in a perfect world, the percentage of gross sales from products would be between 50 percent-70 percent of gross sales (of course this is a large generalization).

Getting and Keeping Customers Beauty customers are of their own ilk.

It does not matter who they are outside the “salon” (for sake of ease, includes all forms) because once she arrives at the front door and goes through it, she is a Queen. If ever there were a people’s business, this would be it.

From the minute she enters the salon personalized attention should be paid to her. Here she is going to get the kind of treatment she does not get at home. It’s this “making her feel special and understanding how hard life is and that everyone counts on her and

that this is her ‘ME’ time…..” that’s important. She needs to be taken away from the stresses of life for the amount of time she is in the salon. If a salon can create the experience of a one hour getaway or stress-free zone, you will be building a loyal following in no time.

Clients can be ignored at home, so the client is Queen for an hour, and you are her servant. What I coach is that “It’s not about you”. It’s ALL about HER. Use that as the company mantra and see what happens.

Let’s look at 10 ways to generate and “loyalize” beauty clients:

1

Ambiance

You only get one chance to make a first impression so make it a good one. Other than the reception counter, all areas should be open, including the product shelves so that clients can see and touch items for sale. Comfortable seating, relaxing music, and hot/cold

Page 35

health & beau t y feature

Lo r i K a r p m a n, Lo r i K a r p m a n a n d C o m p a ny

beverages are staples that are often ignored. In one spa I visited they would not let me even pour my own glass of water.

2

Attentiveness/ Personalization

As soon as a client enters, the person needs to be acknowledged immediately and their appointment confirmed. Once you have a name, it should be used for the rest of their session. It sounds small, but it has a great impact on the overall impression of the personalized service the client has.

3

Cleanliness

I cannot stress this enough. If you have to hire someone to spend the day going around sweeping and wiping, etc., do it. One hundred percent of clients will not return to a place they think is unclean and they will share this information with others, negating any referrals for your business. It has to be immaculate (especially because of the use of certain tools for services that must be disinfected before they can be used again) and the washrooms need to be properly stocked.

4

Products and Accessories

Product and accessory sales are a large part of the overall revenue generated and are high margin. How much is sold in product sales will directly impact your profits and losses as discussed above.

5

Loyalty Programs

Essential for any business not just beauty - it has been proven over and over that loyalty programs WORK! It can be as simple as having a card with boxes on it. Each box can be worth a specified

Page 36

dollar value and once filled up the client can get a free gift, discount, or another reward. There are more sophisticated loyalty programs, but this is really all that is needed to start.

6

Upselling and Packaging

If a client is recommended a face cream by an aesthetician for example, you can try to sell them a complementary product such as an eye cream or face mask. Additionally, you can create your own packages by taking products and bundling them at a discounted price.

When a kit is purchased the client gets value and is encouraged to use more products from the line. This is why trial packages and kits are so popular.

7

Local Store Marketing

Franchisees receive local store marketing ideas and templates from the franchisor and their only responsibility is to use it. A franchisor is only responsible for national not local advertising. The franchisee has to draw the clients in and can do so using print (newspaper ads, flyers, coupons), digital (a Facebook page with a contest, interesting content) email marketing, a referral program, and regular monthly specials. The ideas are endless and do not have to cost a lot of money; there are many free options.

8

The “Money is in the List”

If you have not heard of this before, this is the new way to generate revenue in the digital age. Your client list or database is extremely valuable to other companies who share your target market.

Since most businesses cannot and do not share/sell their lists, the best way for other companies to reach your clients is by having you send an email on their behalf to YOUR database with a click

through URL to their company website.

The URL clicks are tracked and you receive fees from the company for each purchase made by leads that came from that URL. This is called “monetizing” your list. You can also do the same thing in reverse with your suppliers or with those whose database is composed of your target clientele.

9

Managing Inventory

As discussed above, improper management can cost thousands of dollars a year and hundreds of thousands over time of a loss of pure profit.

10

Training

Training is a big investment and worth every penny. Employees at all levels must be properly trained in their domains, for example, all sales people and the aestheticians must be trained in all the product lines as should anyone who works reception. Most importantly everyone should have customer service and sales skills. A client may interact with anyone in the salon so these people must be able to provide the personalized customer experience that your salon is known for and to properly address clients with confidence.

Beauty industry opportunities are increasing daily as new concepts pop up across the nation. In fact, it is one of the fastest growing industries in franchising.

The keys to success are customer service, managing costs, and product sales.

The ability to provide a personalized “Queen for an hour” experience is what will determine if your business will be built by spending time and money on advertising or via fast and free referrals.

In all cases, a properly managed beauty franchise can make for some very pretty financial results.

Page 37

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health & beau t y feature

Anthony Padulo, Executive Vice President of International and Domestic Franchise Development, BrightStar Care

The Aging Population and its B usiness O pportunities

Recognizing the Need and Getting Involved In 2010, an estimated 524 million people were aged 65 or older – 8% of the world’s population. By 2050, that number is expected to nearly triple to about 1.5 billion, representing 16% of the world’s projected population of 9.6 billion people.

In Canada, in particular, the population continues to age at an unprecedented rate.

The estimate of citizens aged 65 years and older is more than five million and by

Page 38

2051 that number is expected to increase by 33 per cent.

that seniors can live where they feel most comfortable—in their own homes.

People want to remain at home as they age versus living in specialized seniorliving environments. In fact, according to a United Nations global study, 40 per cent of people age 60 or older choose to live independently. The reason is simple—living at home offers seniors a sense of familiarity and independence.

While most seniors want to remain at home, many are not able to meet all of their personal and medical needs there.

Private companion care and/or skilled inhome medical care providers can provide the necessary services to extend the time

With so many more people living longer—and wanting to remain in their own homes as long as possible—it’s no wonder that senior home care has become one of the fastest growing segments in franchising on a global level.

The aging trend has created a multitude of opportunities for businesses that offer unique solutions to serve seniors, particularly those with a desire to age in place in their own homes.

All of these factors lead to a strong demand for franchised businesses that

Canadian Franchise Magazine

“People want to remain at home as they age versus living in specialized senior-living environments.� deals with Area Developers in Canada to own and operate multiple locations at a time, or Master Franchisees, who can sub-franchise after opening two to five of their own locations. In the Toronto area alone there is the potential for 38 locations based on the population.

The ideal candidates to lead BrightStar Care development in Canada would be sophisticated operators who have experience in managing their own organizations and who clearly understand the franchisor/franchisee relationship and the training and support process for franchisees.

BrightStar Care is equipped to serve the needs of the aging population worldwide because the business model features the full continuum of care, including companion care, personal care and skilled medical care. The franchise also focuses on a collaborative, person-centered approach with Registered Nurse Directors of Nursing at each location that tailor care plans to the unique companionship and medical needs of each individual.

nvolved in the Solution provide reliable, quality in-home medical care.

The Business Opportunities within the Industry The aging issue can be seen as a success story for public health policies and for socioeconomic development because of the longevity of life, but it also challenges society to adapt to maximize the health and functional capacity of older people.

While aging trends present challenges, they also present tremendous business opportunities for those seeking business ownership in a booming segment. Even more, it offers a tremendous opportunity

to raise the standards of homecare for older adults.

After conducting an in-depth analysis of various countries across the world, BrightStar Care identified a significant need for its range of services and commitment to high standards of care in Canada. The BrightStar Care proven track record of growing franchise businesses that provide expert, compassionate care in the United States, coupled with our solid infrastructure and resources, make us the ideal franchise to be at the forefront of filling demand for in-home care needs in Canada. The company is focusing efforts on securing

The extreme global aging trends, along with an increased desire among seniors across the world to stay in the comfort of their own homes as they age, is causing a great demand for the high-quality services that BrightStar Care provides.

For more information on how to get involved, visit franchise.brighstarcare. com/international Anthony Padulo is the Executive Vice President of International and Domestic Franchise Development for BrightStar Care, the full-service home care franchise that provides both medical and non-medical care for seniors, with more than 270 locations in the United States.

To learn more about BrightStar Care International, visit franchise.brightstarcare.com/ international or email Padulo at Anthony.Padulo@brightstarcare.com.

Page 39

health & beau t y feature

G l a m a G a l Twe e n S p a

IN THE SELF ESTEEM BUSINESS

G lama G al T ween S pa M otivates F ranchisees and C lients In 2006, sisters Laura and Josie Cannone knew they’d created a winning business when tween relatives begged for spa parties after the fun they’d had at Laura’s spa-themed bridal shower.

From home parties to opening the doors of nine Glama Gal Tween Spa locations across Ontario, this entrepreneurial duo is building a sparkling pink empire.

Glama Gal Tween Spas use all-natural products and carefully tailor traditional spa services like manicures and pedicures to the needs of their young clientele. With no cuticle cutting, and safer environments and procedures, the spas embrace everything pink, glittery and happy. But that’s not all young girls will find there – Glama Gal prides itself on offering services and activities that make girls feel valued and empowered.

Every aspect of the business embraces their motto: Be Confident! Be Positive!

Be You! Initially, says Laura, the goal of Glama Gal was to offer age-appropriate, fun and safe spa services to young girls, in an environment that spoke to their youthful interests. That alone brought thrilled crowds through their doors. But their mission changed when one young girl came late to a party that had taken place earlier one day. Her classmates had intentionally given her the wrong time, and the young girl was humiliated and devastated. Laura and Josie not only treated this guest to a wonderful day to make up for having been bullied, they took it even further: they modeled their business around the idea that girls need support from the inside out in order to grow into positive contributing members of communities.

Building self-esteem and encouraging healthy peer relationships separates Glama Gal from other tween entertainment venues. From the motivational sayings on the spa walls, to the workshops and camps, they work to help stop bullying before it starts, by

“Every aspect of the business embraces their motto: Be Confident! Be Positive! Be You!” Page 40

Canadian Franchise Magazine

fostering self-esteem and healthy interests in tweens. Every aspect of the business embraces their motto: Be Confident! Be Positive! Be You! After the sudden loss of their father in 2011, the Glama Sisters channelled the sadness of losing their incredible mentor into reaching for the stars. If they could be successful with one location, could they replicate their achievements? Their second location was a huge success, too.

One year later, after proving they had developed a profitable business model, they began franchising locations across Ontario.

Glama Gal franchisee Jennifer Barci says, “Glama Gal Tween Spa Vaughan is my pink paradise! The sun is always shining inside our doors and the air is filled with joy, laughter, and positivity. Glama Gals represents all of my favourite things wrapped up in one very special place!”

Finding inspiration in role models such as Mark Cuban and Arlene Dickinson,

“The sun is always shining inside our doors and the air is filled with joy, laughter, and positivity.” the Cannone sisters approach their company’s growth with drive, excitement, and a good dose of humility. They embody the entrepreneurial mindset.

They’ve set their sights on expansion across Canada over the next five years and see entry into the U.S. market on the horizon as well. The Glama Sisters know they’re not in this alone -- thanking every person involved in their lives is important to them. Laura is careful to acknowledge that their grounded support system is as important as all their hard work. Being mothers themselves, they know how important work-life balance is to everyone in a business, and they extend this understanding and support to all franchisees, as well.

There have been unexpected rewards

beyond seeing their business flourish, too. Supporting female business owners is a great source of pride for Laura and Josie, and seeing franchisees at their ribbon cutting is one of their favourite moments. Says Laura, “There is a sparkle in their eye. I can’t explain it, but it is so inspiring. Seeing a mom who has raised three children open her own business and call that store her newest baby . . . it’s a surreal experience for Josie and me.”

Beyond the emotional support, Glama Gal franchisees have access to an interactive web-based online group, which hosts training modules for staff.

They’ve created a comprehensive, 65page employee training manual, and franchisees have access to the Franchisee Community Manager at all times. There

Page 41

health & beau t y feature

G l a m a G a l Twe e n S p a

“Motivating young girls and fostering healthy self-esteem and body image has proven indispensable to today’s youth.” is a store set-up team, social media and web staff, and a lab technician making all Glama Gal’s products. From top to bottom, the business has a solid web of support.

and aware of what’s most important: her inner beauty.”

Motivating young girls and fostering healthy self-esteem and body image has proven indispensable to today’s youth in particular. More than ever, tween girls need this kind of support, and Glama Gal’s clients stream through the doors to enjoy specially designed spa services, but to also participate in carefully crafted, fun and motivational workshops.

The business isn’t all about glitter, nail polish, and pedicures, though. Finding the right franchisee fit can prove challenging, notes Laura. Although they are inundated with requests to open new franchises, there is a strict process for choosing which applicants are approved to open new Glama Gal locations. “Everyday I get to make girls feel like they matter and are important.

At Glama Gals every girl can be herself.

Our goal is to have every young client identify what makes her special, unique and aware of what’s most important: her inner beauty. Some come in thinking we are “just a spa” but they all leave a little more confident, positive and feeling glamtastic,” says Sudbury franchisee Carol Woodliffe. It is that kind of heart and passion, that special “spark” that brings all Glama Gal spas to life.

Franchisees must embrace a love of inspiring children, and understand the importance of the motivational programs that Glama Gal designs.

“Our goal is to have every young client identify what makes her special, unique

Keeping abreast of trends and tween culture is important, too. The sisters

“Store owners don’t need to have previous spa experience. We provide them with in-depth training,” Josie Cannone says. Elisabeth Mensher, owner of the popular Unionville location agrees.

“They are completely hands-on,” she says, noting that support is available at all times via supportive emails, indepth training, and even text messages.

The extensive training offered to new franchisees combined with support going forward makes their business model one that succeeds time and again.

Page 42

know just how fast the landscape can change, and have designed the business to be flexible and able to embrace the fluidity of tween tastes. It is this understanding that keeps them at the top of tween entertainment choices.

Although services may change, the core vision remains constant: instilling confidence and empowerment in young girls. Elizabeth Buslovich owner of the bustling Newmarket Glama Gal location sums up exactly how Glama Gal fits into the market of available tween venues: “Glama Gals is the place for girls”.

“We’re going to paint Canada pink!” says Laura with a smile.

For more information about becoming a franchisee, or to arrange an interview, contact: Robert Cannone, Media Relations 905.856.8118 mediarelations@glamagalparty.com www.glamagaltweenspa.com

Canadian Franchise Magazine

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health & beau t y feature

Dan Mezheritsky, President & Founder, Fitness on the Go

H ow the R eal E state B usiness M odel

Bulks Up the Fitness Pay Scale

For years, I’ve heard personal trainers complain about their pay.

This should come as no surprise to anyone in the fitness industry, who has undoubtedly heard the same message from coworkers, employees Page 44

or even competitors: “How am I supposed to make a living on $25 thousand a year?”

Well, it’s not because the money isn’t there. Despite poor paychecks for trainers, U.S. health & fitness clubs alone produce over $22 billion a year.

Americans are investing in their physical well-being more than ever as 53 million gym memberships prove that a healthy and happy lifestyle is a growing priority.

There are endless reasons to believe that fitness is a flourishing industry- and yet most personal trainers are struggling to get by.

The problem stems not from consumer habits, but from the traditional fitness business model that all but few personal trainers have accepted as the norm.

Typically, two well-traveled paths are used to pursue their career:

1

Most personal trainers choose to work at health clubs. Although they see numerous clients a day and produce plenty of profit for high-priced lessons,

Canadian Franchise Magazine

“U.S. health & fitness clubs alone produce over $22 billion a year.” customers, stifled financial growth for trainers and ultimately a career path that leads to a dead end.

2

Others who are brave enough to choose a less traditional path test the waters of starting their own personal training business. Now they have the freedom to run their training sessions with a more personal touch and often take many of the clients with them when they separate from their former gym. The problem surfaces when it’s time to bring in new customers. Trainers that run their own business don’t have the marketing experience, client resources, structured business model and company support that an established fitness concept offers.

Suddenly, the trainer is wearing several different company hats to make sure ends meet. From a personal standpoint, I’ve tried this route and suffered from working 70 hours a week doing training sessions, sales and advertising on my own. It’s simply exhausting and doesn’t provide enough stable income for success in the long run, nor does it allow for a flexible, balanced or healthy lifestyle.

These are the two options that many personal trainers are aware of. However, once the traditional business model is rethought, another door opens that allows the best of both worlds.

much of the revenue goes straight back to the gym. The trainer is only making around $18 an hour when the customer is pays $70 for the session. Those from the outside of the fitness industry are quick to identify that poor compensation is what hinders any potential career growth.

However, it’s the clients in particular that are the fuel behind this conflict. As frustrating as this model is for trainers, customers are equally irritated by watching significant amounts of their payment go to a large gym rather than the trainer they’ve developed a relationship with. The result is less participation from

How Does the Real Estate Model Apply to a Personal Training Franchise?

For those that are unfamiliar with real estate, the franchise model is designed for fair compensation and work load at each level. Realtors are aided by franchisee support that oversee a territory. In return, the realtor and franchisee benefit from the company’s brand and resources.

Franchisees aren’t burdened with finding new clients; that’s up to the realtor’s determination for more income. This isn’t an overly complicated model, so why can’t it work in the fitness industry?

The day Fitness on the Go used this real estate model is when it became clear that

there was no need to settle for plateaued growth. Using this business model offers each player the benefit of seeing more rewards based on their work.

• Personal trainers are making double or, in some cases, triple their salary by receiving about 90% of the compensation. The company support and propriety software allows trainers to bring in more business, as well as better manage the clients they already have. By paying a small fixed amount to the franchisee each month, trainers receive premier marketing, business tools and support and a structured model, so their primarily focus remains on training.

• Franchisees benefit from having exclusive rights to a territory for a minimal investment. With corporate aid, they already have a business model and support system in place so that they can concentrate heavily on recruiting and managing their trainers.

Thanks to a rare opportunity that makes trainers happier and better paid, building a team in a territory is an easy sell.

• The brand benefits from franchisees and trainers that have more incentive to produce results. Thanks to this model, Fitness on the Go has become the most widespread in-home personal training franchise in Canada. As long as territories have a large population, there’s no end to the growth potential, which is why this year we’ve just announced expansion into U.S. markets.

• Finally, and most importantly, the customer benefits from all of the above.

Clients develop a strong relationship with their personal trainer and are more satisfied knowing a majority of their payment goes to the one they trust. With more time to focus on sessions, trainers are able to provide customers with improved and more personalized lessons. Happier and healthier clients are retained at a higher rate and business continues to grow to new territories.

For more information on Fitness on the Go franchising opportunities, please visit: www.fitnessonthegofranchise.com

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health & beau t y feature

PRO M a r ti a l A r ts

PMA Looking to increase presence in Canada PRO Martial Arts is looking to increase their presence in Canada building off of their three existing locations with four to be developed. The brand has aggressive expansion plans and is looking to have more than 25 Canadian locations in the next three to five years.

The PRO Martial Arts System is a cohesive blend of the best elements of traditional Korean martial arts. Founder and CEO Grandmaster Ed Samane began his martial arts training at the age of eleven, and in 1979 trained with Hapkido founder Supreme

Grandmaster Ji han Jae. Master Samane has successfully designed the PRO Martial Arts curriculum as a nationally recognized brand built on the belief that karate should teach not only self-defense, but also character by helping to improve overall attitude, self-worth, fitness, assertiveness, and self-awareness in both children and adults.

The ARMOUR™ program, a staple of the brand, is offered exclusively by PRO Martial Arts and teaches children how to stay safe in an increasingly dangerous world. The ARMOUR™ program teaches children how to stand tall against bullying behaviour and predatory activity - both online and in daily life.

Based on research from reputable sources specializing in child safety, child psychology and crime prevention, PRO Martial Arts offers weekly lessons on Bullying Prevention and Predator Prevention that students can enter at any time to gain an enhanced ability to assess, avoid and, if necessary, defend themselves from danger.

Why Choose PMA? The PRO Martial Arts System is the result of decades of training and teaching experience. It encompasses an exciting and diverse curriculum of martial arts techniques drawn from the Korean arts of Tang Soo Do, Tae Kwon Do and Hapkido.

Get In Touch!

For more information on this exciting Franchise visit: www.promartialarts.com/franchising/

“The ARMOUR™ program teaches children how to stand tall against bullying behaviour and predatory activity.”

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Veterans ISSUE 2#2

in Franchising

Canadian Franchise Magazine

w w w. c a n a d i a n f r a n c h i s e m a g a z i n e . c o m

Driverseat CANADA

Making the move

FROM Veteran to Franchise Why Veterans

MAKE THE BEST FRANCHISEES Page 47

vetera ns in f ra nchising

D r i ve r s e at

T u r n i n g t h e d e s i g n at e d d r i

into a successful business In a relatively short period of time, Driverseat has become a successful franchise operating in hundreds of communities across Canada.

“Where there are people and cars, there is a need for our service,” states Cofounder Brian Bazely. “We have created a truly scalable home-based franchise model.”

Driverseat is a unique home-based franchise. The company provides ‘Coachmen’ (drivers) to chauffeur a customer’s vehicle when the customer is unable to or using better judgement, unwilling to drive their own vehicle.

Brian and his brother Luke co-founded the business after they experienced real life scenarios where they saw the need for someone else to drive their vehicle.

Driverseat was the result of many hours of planning and researching the idea and it launched in Ontario in 2012. The business started franchising in 2013 and

now has 17 franchise sites across Canada servicing more than 200 communities.

“It has been such a rewarding experience to see our idea take off like it has. We’re going to launch in the United States this summer, which is really exciting,” Brian said.

The four main services of the business are:

1

Designated Driving:

This allows customers to designate a driver if they have had medical care, are impaired by drugs or alcohol, or if they choose not to drive themselves. An example of this service might be that a person is at a venue and is unable to drive his/her car home due to having consumed alcoholic drinks. Driverseat’s Designated Driving service is a cost effective alternative to leaving the person’s vehicle behind. The service will send a ‘Coachman’ (driver) and ‘chaser’ to the location, and the coachman will drive the customer home in their own vehicle.

2

Assisted Transport:

A Coachman can be called to help the elderly and vulnerable who need to

be driven somewhere, and who need assistance - for example walking into the doctor’s office, or getting groceries, or picking up pharmacy items. This service goes beyond transportation as Coachmen become the personal assistant for the day.

3

Airport Chauffeur:

A customer can be driven to the airport in their own vehicle by a Coachman, who can then return the customer’s car home. This allows the customer’s family to use the vehicle while they are gone. It is more convenient than parking and is less expensive than the costly airport carparks. The Coachman can also pick the customer up.

4

Vehicle Chauffeur:

A driver can transport a vehicle for a customer when they are not in the car. This includes, but is not limited to, car relocation, valet parking, taking the vehicle for oil changes, or picking up fleet vehicles for car lots.

The service is proving to be popular.

“We don’t have any direct competition,”

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Canadian Franchise Magazine

iver

“Where there are people and cars, there is a need for our service.” said Brian. “There are some smaller companies that provide designated driving but our service is unique in that our coachmen are uniformed, we use a mobile App, and our vehicles are all marked.”

To succeed as a franchisee in this business, Brian believes that an operator needs to be a fantastic communicator and someone who is passionate about the customer. Franchisees are well supported if they decide this is the business investment for them.

“We are very engaged with our franchise partners. We provide an initial one-week extensive classroom training session at our corporate office in Ontario. After that, our franchise partners attend educational sessions remotely every other week. We are also available every day for coaching and assistance by phone and we

hold an annual conference as well,” said Brian.

The brothers also support Veterans and see their business as a community service that is about more than simply making a dollar. “Our business model is one that is based on respect and social responsibility. We focus on the four ‘P’s – profit, play, purpose and people. We want to continue to give opportunities to great people who deserve to live a great life and control their destiny. Our franchise is just that.

“We focus on purpose, which is tied to the fact that we do great things for the community – it is not just about profit.

Our Vets have done the same thing: they have given to their country not just for a paycheque, but for purpose,” said Brian.

The business is currently in locations across Ontario and Quebec and will soon

launch in California. There are locations available in cities across North America as well as in Canada.

For more information visit: driverseatcanada.com

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vetera ns in f ra nchising

Lo r i K a r p m a n, Lo r i K a r p m a n a n d C o m p a ny

Why Veterans Make the Best Franchisees

Military veterans are one of the largest target markets for franchisors recruiting franchisees and for good reason.

Veterans possess a unique skill set that makes them the ideal franchisee; they have the right blend of traits to run a business including leadership, hard work, dedication and an understanding of the necessity of following rules and procedures.

As the ideal franchisee, a veteran can implement programs and make decisions quickly, all while leading and managing a team within the framework of the franchisor’s business model.

Let’s examine some of the reason why veterans should be part of your franchise system.

Commitment, leadership and teamwork Much like in a franchise, veterans are used to operating in an extremely

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“They are masters at absorbing the low points of their business and maneuvering through the obstacles.” structured and team-oriented environment that often functions under pressure. They are leaders and team players who know how to supervise, give orders and delegate. In the military every aspect of training; from how to walk and talk, to how to fly an F-18 fighter jet is in the “Standard Operating Procedures”.

Veterans are trained to execute assignments and to solve problems. A system of hierarchy and rank ensures that everyone knows their responsibilities and obligations towards their teammates. A commitment to the brand and a passion for success are essential to the success of a franchise and for veterans loyalty, hard work and commitment are a part of the job description. Veterans find starting a business much easier than boot camp! They do not see it as being insurmountable as many non military prospects do. To them, there is a “plan” and they just have to follow the plan; that is their way of life. You are not likely to find someone more dedicated to their business than a person who has sacrificed for their country.

Adept at following systems The franchise model is perfect for veterans who are used to following procedures, for them it is the norm. A

franchisor’s responsibility is to provide its franchisees with all the tools it needs for success, and the franchisee’s responsibility is to implement them.

Veterans understand the need to follow procedures precisely since in their case the result of not doing so can literally mean life and death. Veterans are used to wearing uniforms with pride and understand that a commitment to a “brand” stands for the goodwill of all locations and they represent the entire brand and not just their location. This is something that non military franchisees almost never consider. Additionally, veterans are often in circumstances that require that decisions be made quickly and often without all the necessary information. Veterans are used to this pressure and can make good decisions quickly and effectively without second guessing their choices. Being decisive is an important trait in a business owner.

Veterans are skilled at taking orders and getting things done and they create short and long term plans to ensure they reach their goals. They are masters at absorbing the low points of their business and maneuvering through the obstacles.

In fact, it is in these times that veterans put in even more effort, whereas other franchisees give up and fail. All of these factors explain why franchises owned by

Canadian Franchise Magazine

veterans consistently perform better than non veteran owners.

They bring essential skills to the table • Veterans are well trained and train well – veterans have less of a learning curve than non veterans since they are used to assimilating large amounts of information at quickly and at one time, and then being able to turn around and teach that material to others. The franchisor’s investment in these franchisees is much less.

• They have the respect, communication and interpersonal skills required to properly deal with customers, especially to handle a customer complaint.

• Veterans are internally motivated and used to being held accountable. They have their own drive to succeed as failure is not an option.

• Veterans understand the concept of risk versus reward and will often

take more risk than a non military franchisee. There is no greater risk than your own life so veterans have a higher tolerance for it and are more likely to make it through harder times.

• There is goodwill associated to a brand that honors veterans and has veteran franchisees. Veterans can benefit from special financing programs and other forms of assistance that is not available to the non military. Additionally, franchisors often offer special rates and discounts on franchise fees for veterans in acknowledgment of the service that they have offered their country. This makes it easier for veterans to buy franchises.

Research has shown that veterans who own franchises are happier overall with their franchise experience than non military owners in general. This is no surprise when you consider that a successful franchise is based on a strict following of rules and procedures, a business model that veterans are

extremely comfortable with. It is no secret either then why the most successful franchises are owned by veterans. I guess if you can run a war, you can run a business!

Lori Karpman, considered one of Canada’s leading experts on franchising and multi-unit business development models, is also the President/CEO of the multi-award winning consulting and legal services firm, Lori Karpman & Company (www.lorikarpman.com ). During her esteemed Lori has been a franchisor twice and the Master Franchisee of the Pizza Hut brand for the Province of Quebec.

The firm’s clients range from the Fortune 500 brands to the local start ups. Lori is a prolific writer and sought after guest speaker and has been featured on television, YouTube and radio.

Lori can be reached at lori@lorikarpman.com, (514) 481-2722.

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vetera ns in f ra nchising

To p p e r ’s Pi z z a

Canadian Franchise Association’s Military Veterans Program enrols

Topper’s Pizza

“Not only do Military Veterans have a great sense of discipline and exceptional leadership skills, they also often have strong family ties.”

By becoming a member of this program, Topper’s Pizza will now offer Military Veterans transitioning to civilian life, the opportunity to purchase a Topper’s franchise at an exclusive Military Veterans rate.

Recognizing the difficulties Veterans can face when transitioning out of service into civilian life, Military Veterans interested in becoming Topper’s Pizza franchise partners are eligible for a reduced licencing fee of $12,500 as part of the program – a 50% reduction from the standard franchising fee of $25,000.

Also, during the first year of operation, Military Veterans are eligible for a financial marketing incentive which is used to help launch, market and promote the Topper’s Brand and the new pizzeria within the community, done so through an assortment of proven marketing tactics.

“We are honored to be a part of this program and we look forward to being able to give back through business ownership to those who have given us so

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Canadian Franchise Magazine

much with their service,” said Topper’s Pizza Co-CEO Kelly Toppazzini.

“Continuing on in the Topper’s Pizza tradition of family, we are excited to introduce dedicated franchise partners from the military into our system and build lasting relationships with the Veteran community.”

Military Veterans are ideal for the Topper’s Pizza system for a number of reasons. With their extensive training to handle any number of situations and the ability to lead by example, this sector is the perfect fit for the brand. Not only do Military Veterans have a great sense of discipline and exceptional leadership skills, they also often have strong family ties, something that Topper’s Pizza holds in high regard.

The history of Topper’s Pizza dates back more than 100 years, to when Co-CEOs Kelly and Keith Toppazzini’s great grandfather, Giuseppe Toppazzini immigrated from San Daniele, Italy to Canada.

As part of his journey, Giuseppe brought his family’s secret Italian bread recipe, which has been passed down for four generations - the foundation of the brand’s success. The fourth generation of the Toppazzini family has continued to use the original bread crust recipe, now known as Authentic ItalianBread™, as a staple for unique recipes and specialty pizzas. The resulting success has made the brand one of the most popular pizzerias in Canada and a premiere franchising option for entrepreneurs across the country.

Founded in 1982, Topper’s Pizza is one of Canada’s most popular pizza brands.

The company began franchising in 1992 and currently has 37 pizzerias throughout

“We are honored to be a part of this program and we look forward to being able to give back through business ownership to those who have given us so much with their service.”

Ontario. The recipe for Topper’s success includes quality ingredients, an unbeatable crust, a proven system and first-class franchise partners.

Topper’s Pizza has plans to add new locations in key markets throughout Ontario under an ambitious expansion plan that will increase the amount of pizzerias from 37 to 140 by 2018.

Topper’s Pizza is looking for people who want to jump into the highly competitive pizza business with a growing partner that has a track record of success. An industry with a high level experimentation and a multitude of growth opportunities, it is difficult to have success without a strong partner like Topper’s Pizza.

The recent hires of veteran franchising executive Jeff Dillon to serve as Executive Vice President of Topper’s Pizza, overseeing daily operations and strategic growth initiatives, and former A&W and Boston Pizza developer Andrew Diveky as the company’s new Director of Franchise Development, have proven to be extremely beneficial. With their development expertise, Topper’s has become a force in the franchising community.

“Jeff and Andrew are consummate professionals with successful track records. Together, they have developed a carefully crafted growth plan that will continue to yield impressive results,” Topper’s Pizza Co-CEO Keith Toppazzini said in a news release announcing the expansion.

The first phase of growth included a brand new location for Topper’s Pizza in Lively, Ontario and a signed threepizzeria deal in the Richmond Hill area. Additional plans include pizzerias in prime growth markets like Ottawa, Kitchener, London and Mississauga.

After expansion throughout Ontario, Topper’s will continue to grow the brand, targeting the Western provinces of Canada. The initiative will be the largest expansion in the company’s history.

Through the brands focus on strengthening its system with key hires and bringing on strong franchise partners, the brand is primed for exceptional growth throughout 2015 and the coming years.

For information about Topper’s Pizza franchising opportunities, visit www.toppersfranchise.ca or call 1-877-558-5581

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vetera ns in f ra nchising

G i n a G ill, Ca n a di a n Fra n c h is e M ag a z i n e

Veterans and Franchising:

Starting your own Business Once a member of the Canadian Forces retires or steps down from their position, the transition into every day life can be daunting. A lot of veterans are unsure if they want to work again or if they have the ability to fully retire.

The military always takes care of their own, by providing housing, money, food and insurance. However, once a solider steps down, it can be difficult to reconnect with everyday life and find a way to provide for their family that reflects their abilities and everything they have learned during their time in the service.

Canada has recognized a need to help Veterans through the transition from soldier to civilian by implanting and offering a wide variety of programs to help ease this significant change for all Veterans.

“Canada has recognized a need to help Veterans through the transition from soldier to civilian by implanting and offering a wide variety of programs to help ease this significant change for all Veterans.”

CFA The Canadian Franchise Association (CFA) has established a program in recognition of all Canadian veterans and their sacrifice for this country. The CFA and the Department of National Defence created a program to help the honourably discharged transition from the forces and look at the possibility of franchising.

This program offers special deals and opportunities exclusive to those who were honorably discharged.

If a military personal is not interested in owning their own business, the program has arranged access to employment for veterans at either franchise head offices or at the locations in their area.

The CFA and Department of National Defence recognized a Veteran’s needs and understands that their questions may differ from others when it comes to franchising. Therefore, this program offers research materials and resource articles to help Military veterans achieve success in the franchising industry.

Veterans Transition network The Veterans Transition Network offers a two month long course exclusive to military vets who are transitioning back into society as civilians. Veterans work together to help recognize issues each of them may face, while also finding support in one another to overcome newly developed struggles.

The sessions are private and held by clinicians and other returning veterans who work with personal to help them successfully return to civilian life. The program focuses on typical adjustments that most military personal would face including family life, career opportunities and understanding one’s experience in the military.

The Veterans Transitions Network focuses on gaining strength from experience and using it to help support people after they return home.

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Canadian Franchise Magazine

Canada Company This establishment helps families of soldiers in transition through a Military Employment Program. A charitable non-partisan company, the initiative helps connect Canadian Armed Forces with businesses. They offer scholarships to families of fallen soldiers and educational initiatives surrounding the military.

Military Employment Transition Program (MET) This program works alongside The Canadian Company 10,000 Jobs Coalition, which asked Corporations within Canada to hire 10,000 veterans by 2023.

There are currently over 100 companies dedicated to helping achieve this success.

MET helps veterans recognize and access companies that are seeking military personal. This helps veterans gain access to employment within their range of experience and those who have programs specific to their needs.

MET recognizes the skills and education soldiers received during their training and service and helps veterans display those skills properly to the appropriate employer.

A lot of skills and responsibilities of veterans can go unrecognized in the work force and MET and Canada Company helps veterans access jobs that adhere to their experience and abilities.

They also educate the public, including companies about the skillsets military personal have to offer.

Second Career Assistance Network National Defence and The Canadian Armed Forces are behind the unique set of skills that military personal develops.

They also recognize the men and women who served in the forces and understand they are highly-trained individuals who will return to civilian life.

They offer a transition program that prepares personal for a second career and connect them with possible employers, as well as training.

The Second Career Assistance Network offers career and educational training, workshops, seminars, as well as session

for veterans and their partners, for example:

The Prince’s Charities (Operation of Entrepreneurs) Recognizing a veterans potential to start their own business, this operation focuses on training Canadian Forces members to become their own boss. For those interested, CAF personal can receive training, as well as mentoring to help set them up for entrepreneurial success in the future.

Vocational Rehabilitation Program CAF members who are facing medical release are presented with an opportunity for training in different fields through onthe-job training, and rehabilitation. This is a transitional activity to help serving members receive training prior to their release.

Integrated Transition Plan When a veteran has a suggested permanent medical leave, a plan to help them readjust and begin to live independently needs to be put in place.

This program is offered to those seeking help entering back into civilian life.

This program is available from six months to three years, dependent on the veteran’s individual needs. It is set in place to help CAF members achieve a proposed release goal and then considers job related organizations, if applicable to the member.

Franchise Options A lot of franchises have special offers and discounts available exclusively to veterans. Franchises are an ideal opportunity for a lot of military personal.

It allows them the freedom to run their own business, while experiencing a good work life balance, which is needed to readjust.

Veterans can obtain control of their career and their future while being a part of a great business opportunity.

Some examples of stores with veteran friendly franchises are Drivers Seat Canada who you can read more about in our Veterans in Franchising Cover story,

The UPS Store, Midas, Two Men and a Truck, and BeaverTails to name just a few.

UPS Store The UPS store recognizes the services the Canadian forces have made for this country and created a veteran opportunity to show their appreciation for all they have done.

The franchise believes military returning home can use their experience directly as a franchisee with UPS. The company offers a $10,000 discount rate on franchise fees and 50 per cent off the application fee.

BeaverTails BeaverTails is a fast-growing franchise within Canada that has become a well-known pastry in the country. The snack food restaurant has a lot to offer, including an opportunity to all Canadian Military Veterans with a $10,000 discount in purchasing fees.

With over 59 stores country-wide, a veteran can become a part of something else that is truly Canadian and using their military skills to execute a business with precision and pride.

MIDAS Midas is a trusted and globally recognized leader in the automotive industry. There are several ways for qualified candidates to enter the Midas franchise program, including the development of a new shop, purchase of an existing shop, conversion of your existing auto business or the purchase of a company owned Midas location.

Two Men and A Truck TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® franchise opportunity is best described as a “Professional Moving Business for the Business Professional”. As a proud member of the Canadian Military Veteran Program, Veterans who qualify and are awarded a TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® franchise will receive a 10% discount on the initial franchise fee.

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vetera ns in f ra nchising

M r M i ke s

Doing our part

M eals bring people together no matter the occasion Sometimes it’s in celebration — birthdays, weddings, or for no reason at all except to enjoy the company of friends. Sometimes in reflection. An occasion for observance and contemplation.

Remembrance Day has become that special occasion at the MR MIKES SteakhouseCasual restaurants in Yorkton, Prince Albert and Regina.

The Yorkton location opened three years ago and the Prince Albert and Regina locations are each just a year old, but already they’re getting involved in their communities. All Saskatchewan stores invite military veterans and active servicemen and women to receive a free meal on Remembrance Day. “We thought it would be an important gesture to give our active servicemen and veterans a complimentary meal,” says Dave Nussbaumer, spokesperson for Original Six Steakholders, a group of six Yorkton business partners that have opened three Saskatchewan Mr Mikes Steakhouse Casual locations.

“Community service is a pillar of MR MIKES SteakhouseCasual. Giving back is really important to us.”

All that servicemen and women need to do is show up at MR MIKES SteakhouseCasual on Remembrance Day in their uniform, and they get a free meal.

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“We don’t actively see people in uniform other than on Remembrance Day,” says Nussbaumer. “But if someone doesn’t have military identification we instructed our restaurant managers to give them a free meal anyway. We were very open with it,” he says. “I think they’ve done enough for us over their lifetimes, so we thought that providing a free meal was the least we could do to show our appreciation.”

At least 25 servicemen and women come in for the meal at the Yorkton and Regina stores, and Prince Albert is not far behind.

In Yorkton, they come in the early afternoon after the Remembrance Day ceremonies.

“Everyone is wearing their poppy and all of our staff wear poppies too,” says Nussbaumer, who was in the Yorkton last year during the occasion. “We all make sure to start wearing them a few days before.”

“In Yorkton our kitchen manager is actually a former military serviceman, so he has a lot of friends still active in the military,” says Nussbaumer. For this reason, the location often gets more current military officers than veterans.

“There are fewer veterans out there and they’re getting older,” he explains.

The active military personnel are either reservists or have served overseas and likely experienced the casualties of war first-hand. Nussbaumer and his team wanted to honour them too.

There’s a certain camaraderie noticeable during the occasion. “They all come from the same division and we put together

a bunch of chairs and tables for them and they all sit together, eat a meal and appreciate each other’s company,” says Nussbaumer. “It’s about enjoying their meal in fellowship.”

When military personnel come, the manager or server always makes sure to thank the officers for their service, “from us and the country,” Nussbaumer says.

The servicemen and women are always very thankful, and many can’t believe the MR MIKES staff would do this for them.

“I think we live the life we live because of the actions and bravery of our veterans. Canadians could do a better job of recognizing the sacrifices our veterans made. The free lunch doesn’t cost the restaurant a lot of money at the end of the day,” says Nussbaumer. “I just think it’s an important thing for us to do for the community.” www.mrmikes.ca/about-us/steakhousecasual/

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prof ile

S h e r p a K i ds

S herpa K ids will provide

after - sc h ool clu b s at unique school due to open in C ambridge

Sherpa Kids - an international franchisor that runs before and after-school care clubs and holidays activities for primary school-aged children – has been awarded a contract at a unique primary school that is being built in Cambridge.

Sherpa Kids will run the after-school clubs at the University of Cambridge PrimarySchool – which will be the first primary-level university training school in England and will deliver teaching, teacher-training and educational research.

The school, which is due to open in September 2015, is being built as part of the North West Cambridge Development, which will see the creation of a new district and extension to the city of Cambridge.

Places at the primary school will be offered initially at Reception and Key Stage One only. However, eventually, there will be three forms of entry, for children aged four to 11, with an overall enrolment of 630 children by 2021-22, and a 78-place nursery.

Sherpa Kids, which currently has more

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than 100 franchises worldwide, in locations including Australia, Canada, Ireland and South Africa, is expanding across the UK, where it has recently launched new clubs in two north London schools.

It offers safe, structured, engaging, fun, activity-based programmes that are tailored to fit in with the individual requirements of schools and their curriculums, while adhering to early learning frameworks.

Since Sherpa Kids’ clubs are run on a franchise basis, they contribute to economic and employment prospects locally as all decision-making is done by franchise owners who are encouraged to source products locally too.

James Biddulph, who has been appointed headteacher of University of Cambridge Primary School, said: “We are delighted to announce that Sherpa Kids has been awarded the contract to provide our after-school childcare provision. They are very passionate about responding to

the needs of our children and have great credentials.

“We were also very impressed by the fact that Sherpa Kids will enable us to play a key role in developing an inspiring after school curriculum that is tailored to our total community needs.”

Vicki Prout, Co-Director of Sherpa Kids International, said: “We are very excited tohave been chosen to provide afterschool care clubs at the new University of Cambridge Primary School.

“Working with individual schools to develop bespoke programmes that fulfil their needs is a core part of our offering. We look forward to helping the University of Cambridge Primary School create and deliver a programme that befits its unique status and offers real value to the children, and the wider community, including pupils’ families, staff and academics.”

For more information contact: www.sherpa-kids.com or vicki@sherpa-kids.com

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can include aftercare, holiday care and before school care.

Sherpa Kids is an out of school hours care business. Income streams can include aftercare, holiday care and before school care.

The services are managed by franchisees who employ staff to

The services are managed by franchisees employ are staff staffed to directly operate on school properties.who Services by qualified operate on school properties.

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ex per t advice

Jeff Grandfield and Dale Willerton – The Lease Coach

Questions

You Must Ask Your Franchis before Leasing Commercia Whenever we speak at major franchise shows there are always plenty of attendees at our leasing seminars and workshops. The majority of these are future franchisees who are virgin tenants.

Not only are they faced with selecting a great franchise system, they are entering into unfamiliar waters with regards to commercial leasing. Many have never negotiated a lease and do not always know what to expect. Before looking for suitable spaces to lease, ask these questions of your franchisor:

1

Will the franchisor sign the Head Lease and sublet the space to the franchisee – or will it be the franchisee alone who signs the lease?

Whichever party signs the Head Lease will assume the responsibility for the lease. Most franchisors want to avoid liability if the franchisee fails; therefore,

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“Don’t assume that just because you buy into a franchise system there will be a location or landlord waiting to take you in.” more often than not, the franchisee solely signs the Head Lease. Ideally, the franchisee would want to sign the Head Lease to retain as much control as possible. As a subtenant to the franchisor, the franchisee would be 100% responsible, along with the franchisor, so why not sign the Head Lease yourself?

There is no extra protection or benefit for a franchisee to sublease from a franchisor.

2

What role(s) will the franchisor and franchisee play in the site selection and leasing process?

One reason so many franchisees get upset with their franchisor is the lack of defined roles each party will play in the process. Some franchisors truly provide next to no real estate/leasing help at all. Alternatively, they may shovel the process off to a real estate agent who may care more about his/her commission than your long-term viability. Defining

the role of each party is a good approach; doing this in advance will create a better end result for both parties.

3

Will a real estate agent or broker be involved in the leasing process?

There are most commonly two types of agents - the listing or inside agent and the outside agent. The listing agent has his/ her “For Lease” sign on the building and works for the landlord to get the best deal possible (the highest rent, most deposit etc). The outside agent (an individual or real estate company hired by a tenant but being paid by a landlord) may or may not be working in the tenant’s best interest. Some franchisors may match their franchisees up with local brokers who find a location and do the deal but ultimately get handsomely rewarded with a commission check from the landlord.

One franchisee asked us why the agent was only showing her the agent’s own listings. We explained that the agent

Canadian Franchise Magazine

sor al Space would earn a full commission or fee and not have to split it with other agents if she leased his listing. Some franchisees think it is naïve of them to expect the landlordpaid agent to represent the tenant too – who can serve two masters?

4

Will the franchisee have final control or say over the location and lease terms?

Most franchisors will defer to a franchisee’s wishes when it comes to choosing between two or three sites for lease. But did you ever stop to confirm that you, the franchisee, have that right?

The argument may not be even picking the best site – it might be you trying to avoid a location you hate because the franchisor insists that you lease there.

The franchisee is the one taking the risk, signing the lease and paying the rent – make sure you have the power of veto when it comes to site selection.

5

What if we can’t find a good location or reasonable lease deal?

When we finished speaking at the franchise show in Washington, DC we met a young couple who had just signed up for a franchise and knew several plazas in their community that would be

perfect for their concept. They wanted us to negotiate one of these locations to a completed lease. Unfortunately, all of these plazas were achieving rental rates 25-30% above the franchisor’s maximum recommended rental rate. These potential franchisees finally gave up and forfeited their franchise fees because the right space at the right price was not available.

Don’t assume that just because you buy into a franchise system there will be a location or landlord waiting to take you in.

For a free CD, Leasing Do’s & Don’ts for Franchise Tenants, please e-mail DaleWillerton@TheLeaseCoach.com.

Dale Willerton and Jeff Grandfield - The Lease Coach are Commercial Lease Consultants who work exclusively for tenants.

Dale and Jeff are professional speakers and co-authors of Negotiating Commercial Leases & Renewals For Dummies (Wiley, 2013). Got a leasing question?

Need help with your new lease or renewal? Call 1-800-738-9202, e-mail DaleWillerton@TheLeaseCoach.com or visit www.TheLeaseCoach.com.

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fr a nch ise & serv ices di r ecto ry

CANADIAN FRANCHISE

Excellent for branding and recognition.

INTRODUCING OUR NEW A-Z LISTING SECTION!

Choose a 12 or 6 month package or simply add the A-Z directory onto your FOCUS, PROFILE or AD!

Making an appearance every issue in Canadian FranchisE magazine, each detailed, 4 color A-Z listing comes with a 150 word write up and your logo.

To learn about the A-Z directory or any other products, please contact Kimberly Kutnick: kimberlyk@cbgpublishing.com or 847-607-8407.

baskin robbins

Baskin-Robbins was founded in 1945 by two ice cream enthusiasts whose passion led to the creation of more than 1,200 ice cream flavors and a wide variety of delicious treats.

In 2013, more than 13 million ice cream cakes were sold in Baskin-Robbins shops worldwide.

Headquartered in Canton, Mass., BaskinRobbins is part of the Dunkin’ Brands Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: DNKN) family of companies. For further information, visit www.BaskinRobbins.com.

Named the top ice cream and frozen dessert franchise in the United States by Entrepreneur magazine’s 36th annual Franchise 500® ranking in 2014, Baskin-Robbins is the world’s largest chain of ice cream specialty shops. BaskinRobbins creates and markets innovative, premium hard scoop ice cream and soft serve, custom ice cream cakes and a full range of beverages, providing quality and value to consumers at more than 7,500 retail shops in nearly 50 countries.

Dickinson Wright Our franchise and distribution law lawyers are some of the most widely published and most respected practitioners in the world and have decades of experience representing a broad spectrum of businesses, from start-ups to multinational and multi-brand enterprises, in a vast range of industries. With access to Dickinson Wright’s full scope of capabilities, we support our clients in their every need, including: • Creating domestic and international franchise and distribution networks • Preparation of disclosure documents and materials • Drafting and negotiating franchise and distribution agreements, including unit, area, development, master and international agreements

driverseat Driverseat is a vehicle chauffeur service, offering professional driving services under 4 categories, Designated Driving, Assisted Transport, Airport Chauffeur, and Vehicle Chauffeur.

Driverseat provides its clients with Coachmen (drivers) to either drive them somewhere in their own vehicle, or to relocate their vehicle for them.

As a franchise, Driverseat is a low cost, low breakeven, high opportunity business model,

Fired – Up Pizza Fired – Up Pizza is a mobile fired pizzieria that offers fresh made thin crust wood fired pizzas, Calzones, fired pies and fired dogs that will guarantee to satisfy appetites for something different.

Fired up Pizz Inc has developed and owns a unique propriety franchise system relating to the establishment, development and operations of a mobile restaurant trailer, specializing in the sale of wood fire pizza, Calzones, Fired dog and Fired pies that are prepared using the best ingredients

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www.canadianfranchisemagazine.com

To learn more about franchising opportunities, visit www.baskinrobbinsfranchising.com

• Drafting and negotiating licence and dealer agreements • Litigation and alternative dispute resolution • Marketing, advertising, promotions and contests • E-commerce • Regulatory compliance, with particular emphasis on franchise disclosure laws, product licensing and competition law • Protecting trademark and other intellectual property rights • Purchase and sale of individual units or complete systems • Leasing and real estate acquisition • Corporate and personal tax planning • Corporate and business law • Employment and labour law Phone: 416-646-3842

where franchisees work from home offices and focus primarily on the local sales and marketing campaigns. We offer an extensive 5 day training program, a mobile app to manage the on-call services, and significant ongoing support through our team of Franchise Conductors.

Contact: Brian Bazely Phone: 855-374-8390 Email: info@driverseatcanada.com Website: www.driverseatcanada.com

available and cooked using a wood fired oven.

The Franchisor will train new Franchisees uniformily to its high standards of quality and service. Seasonal business 7-12 months depending on area – Easy to learn system Turn- key operation within 48 hours of concession trailer delivery – Strong GPM – Estimated ROI 1.5 -2 Years.

For more information Tel: 866 746 6999 or email rob@firedup-pizza.com www.firedup-pizza.com

Franchise Gator is the leading destination for those seeking to invest in a franchise or business opportunity.

Serving the franchise community since 2002, Franchise Gator has consistently ranked as the #1 franchise Portal.

With a directory of over 300 franchise opportunities to browse through, the website is a one-stop destination for those interested in getting free information about franchise

The Interface Financial Group – IFG 50/50 The Interface Financial Group – IFG 50/50 is an affordable home-based franchise that provides short-term working capital to small and medium-sized businesses by purchasing current, quality invoices at a discount, thus accelerating the client’s cash flow and growth.

All transactions are syndicated 50/50 with the franchisee and the franchisor, and that means less working capital required to fund transaction: IFG does the bulk of the due diligence and the ‘paperwork’ for the transactions, and IFG 50/50 franchisees will concentrate their efforts on building the referral relationships – they do the ‘people work’.

opportunities so they can begin their exploratory process.

The Franchise Gator directory is searchable by industry type, location, investment amount and by top franchises. In addition to its directory, the Franchise Gator site also features numerous resources to help franchisees get started with searching for and purchasing a franchise. It also releases its own Top 100 rankings of franchise opportunities.

For more information phone: 678 748 3000 or email sales@franchisegator.com

• No staff to hire, fire, or manage • No storefront to own, lease, or maintain • No Inventory or stock to purchase • No extensive travel because IFG franchisees do business locally • Business-to-Business, professional environment with regular business hours of operation • Flexibility to relocate for part of the year or permanently and continue doing business Our franchisees are excellent communicators, relationship builders with decision-making and problem-solving skills, and much more sales & marketing oriented.IFG has been in the ‘invoice discounting’ business since 1972, and employs its franchise network around the world.

Key advantages of being an IFG 50/50 franchisee include:

www.interfacefinancial.com

massage addict

• Approximately 80% of treatments are paid by insurance

Massage Addict is the country’s largest and fastest growing provider of massage therapy services, with over 40 clinics across Canada. Massage Addict is a proven business concept serving a gap in the market by helping Canadians improve their health through affordable, convenient massage therapy without sacrificing quality or service. Clients love the quality of Massage Addict’s Registered Massage Therapists and our franchise partners love the business model.

• Low investment and start-up costs • Recurring revenue and quick ROI

planet beach Planet Beach has taken the spa experience to a new place. Our automated spa is a unique and innovative approach to the traditional spa. Customers enjoy unlimited fully automated, spa services for a monthly membership fee. This is a recurring revenue business model for our franchisees.

• Opportunity for multi-clinic ownership • Straightforward clinic operations • 100% Canadian owned and operated Massage Addict is the right industry, the right business model, the right brand and most importantly it’s the right time. Call today.

Phone: 1-855-852-6108 Email: info@massageaddict.ca Website: www.massageaddict.ca

The Planet Beach automated spa concept connects with members because it delivers what they want: • Convenient and affordable luxury services • A place to relax and recharge • Privacy, no need for an attendant • Innovative technology

Once a luxury item, spa and wellness services are in high demand because they minimize health costs, reduce stress and help people live healthy, happy lives. Planet Beach to offers luxury spa services at affordable prices.

• Reciprocal membership-based offering

Sangster’s Health Centres®

Franchise Association’s prestigious “CFA Award of Excellence in Franchising”, and in April of 2015, Sangster’s® once again was recognized by the Canadian Franchise Association by winning the 2015 “Franchisees’ Choice” designation award at the Annual CFA Awards show. This marked the 5th consecutive year Sangster’s® has won this prestigious award.

Sangster’s Health Centres® is ‘ The natural choice for health®’ and Canada’s #1 retail vitamin and nutrition franchise specializing in retail sales of vitamins, minerals and herbal products, sports nutrition, body care and wellness solutions to Canadians’ health and nutritional needs.

fr a nch ise & serv ices di r ecto ry

Franchise Gator

For more information Website: www.planetbeachcanada.com or Email: kim.snidar@planetbeach.com

Serving Canadians since 1971, Sangster’s has grown across the country with store locations coast to coast. Put the power of our 4 decades of experience to work for you and your success.

Sangster’s® proven success system includes extensive operational and nutritional training, ongoing support, site selection, lease negotiation, national advertising, exclusive national magazine and exclusive Sangster’s branded supplements trusted by Canadians coast to coast.

On May 4, 2009, Sangster’s Health Centres® was recognized as the 2009 Grand Prize Winner of the Canadian

Website: www.sangstersfranchise.com Email: franchise@sangsters.com

®

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fr a nch ise & serv ices di r ecto ry

Sherpa Kids

Each member of the Sherpa Kids Franchise System has an important role to play.

Sherpa Kids will work and engage with all stakeholders to ensure continuous learning that meets children’s needs. We pride ourselves on creating a nurturing and caring environment for the care of your school-aged children. We do this through a structured and wellbalanced program in before, after school and vacation care services.

The success of every individual Franchise strengthens the Sherpa Kids brand. A growing Franchise System means greater marketing and advertising power, more brand awareness, higher market penetration, new and improved systems, and more team members to share knowledge, ideas and strategies.

Become a Sherpa Kids Country Master Franchisee and make an investment on two levels.

Your new life will be rewarding financially and personally as you help school communities and franchisees achieve their business and lifestyle goals.

skedaddle Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control has been Canada’s leader and pioneer in the area of urban wildlife control for over 25 years, helping home and business owners remove and exclude wildlife from their property in an effective and humane manner.

As cities, towns and suburbs continue to expand the need for value-added wildlife management will continue to grow.

Skedaddle’s proven three step approach includes humanely removing the wildlife, repairing the damage and securing the home against future intrusion. This ensures a customized and complete solution for customers at a premium price point.

Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control is the latest brand to join That Franchise Group who manage a portfolio of six home service franchises with over 400 locations across North America. With this strong backing, Skedaddle has aggressive growth plans to

The Garage Door Depot® The Garage Door Depot is Canada’s largest and only coast to coast garage door supply, service and installation company, headquartered in Port Vera's Burger Shack® Logo CMYK Coquitlam, British Columbia with franchises (RICH BLACKS & ART AND TEXT CONVERTED across TO OUTLINES Canada. ®

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Blacks TheRich Garage Door Depot is committed to providing c m y kConsumers, Business customers, Canadian 63 52 51 100 Builders, Garage Door Dealers and its Garage Door Depot Franchise partners with a one-stop

Vera’s Burger Shack The consecutive winner of “Best Burger” awards in Vancouver’s largest readership polls for more than a decade, Vera’s Burger Shack is a preferred supplier of the BC Lions and THE place to watch the game and enjoy a fresh, tasty burger.

Vera’s Burger Shack started as a beach concession in 1977 under the watchful eye of Vera and her husband Frank. Vera prided herself on serving the freshest, tastiest burgers, fries and milkshakes around and had a passion for looking after the people who came down to the beach, sometimes daily, for lunch or dinner. In 2000, Gerald Tritt, a

Z-teca Z-teca (pronounced “zee-tek-ah”) is a Canadian fast-casual Gourmet Burrito concept operating since 2007.

Ten (10) locations are currently operating and many more under development. We serve premium quality Mexican foods, such as twohanded Burritos, Burrito Bowls, Salads, Tacos and Quesadillas, all made fresh daily in our kitchens and prepared to order.

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Already operating in 6 countries – Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, England , Canada and Ireland.

Contact: Vicki Prout Email: vicki@sherpa-kids.com Phone: +61 8 8354 4886; Mobile: +61 4 3980 3078 Website: www.sherpa-kids.com

spread its footprint across Canada in the coming years. Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control is a community based business that currently provides profitable and rewarding service in 22 locations throughout Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia. No prior experience is required to get out from behind your desk and become your own boss today.

Key Benefits Include - high demand - low competition - cash business - limited accounts receivable - few employees - minimal supplies and equipment required - rapidly profitable - home based business - low start up costs - excellent head office support - environmentally friendly and socially responsible services For more information about this exciting opportunity: Website: http://www.skedaddlefranchise.com/

destination to provide for all their residential and commercial overhead door and related product/ service needs.

CFA Franchisees Choice 2014 CFA Franchisees Choice 2015 Contact: Dean Carman Phone: 604-526-1086 or 1-888-698-3667 Fax: 604-526-1087 Email: franchise@garagedoordepot.ca Website: www.garagedoordepot.ca

family friend, took over the concession and, under his watchful eye, continued the traditions that have made “Vera’s” an institution among locals and tourists alike; namely quality and freshness.

Since 2001, Gerald and his business partner, former BC Lions Defensive Tackle, and four-time Grey Cup Champion, Noah Cantor, have grown Vera’s Burger Shack into a thriving, award-winning burger chain with 15 locations across the Lower Mainland, one in Ottawa, and with plans for expansion into Alberta.

Tel: 604.683.8372 Website: www.verasburgershack.com Or Email: info@verasburgershack.com

The Burrito category is experiencing significant growth and we are looking for Burrito Aficionados – quality franchise partners who share in our vision and are hungry for success. Area Developers and Master Franchises are also available for the provinces of Quebec, Alberta and British Columbia.

If you have what it takes and want to get on board with a quality Burrito concept, give us as call: 416 636 3181 ext 222 or email gave@z-teca.com

Canadian Franchise Magazine

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COOL BRAND,

HOT FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITIES Baskin-Robbins has existing shops available for franchising in Toronto and throughout Canada, Wbb e¢[h_d] m^Wj oek d[[Z WdZ mWdj0 • Delicious and innovative products that create a loyal customer following • Convenient operating hours • Ijeh[ Z[i_]d Ô[n_X_b_jo \hec jhWZ_j_edWb i^efi to kiosks

D[m \hWdY^_i[ j[hh_jeh_[i Wh[ Wbie WlW_bWXb[ # just ask!

#1

ICE CREAM & FROZEN TREATS CATEGORY Entrepreneur Magazine 2015 Franchise 500

LEARN MORE ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT CANADA Contact Brian Savage, CFE, Business Development Manager, at 847-341-7619 or Brian.Savage@dunkinbrands.com Page 66

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