Franchise Canada March/April 2022 (UNLISTED)

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RECOGNIZING

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DIVERSITY IN FRANCHISING

REAL FOOD FOR REAL LIFE. A REAL OPPORTUNITY.

the future is frozen As more people turn to meals prepared at home, M&M Food Market has become the franchise to own.

Times are changing and our stores are changing right along with them.

Never standing still, innovating, and adapting to the challenges of today while

preparing for tomorrow has been a key to success in our 40 year history.

Learn more about a franchise opportunity built for today and tomorrow at mmfoodmarket.com.

CONTENTS FRANCHISE

MARCH/APRIL 2022

CANADA

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Canadian Franchise Association

21 COVER STORY

21

RECOGNIZING DIVERSITY IN FRANCHISING

22 Franchising for All 26 You Grow Girl 31 F ranchising at Any Age

FEATURES

45

Making the Move Examine moving franchises that have helped Canadians through unique challenges and life transitions

49

Celebrating Diversi-tea Chatime franchisees Dovelin and Allison Hawthorne share how the tea industry complements their unique Caribbean cultures

51

Real Estate Franchises Across Canada Discover the franchise brands that help Canadians find their dream homes

SPECIAL FRANCHISE FOCUS

www.cfa.ca | www.FranchiseCanada.Online

37

Home Improvement Get an up-close look at the ever-growing services industry that helps Canadians turn a house into a home

Franchise Canada is published by the Canadian Franchise Association www.cfa.ca | www.FranchiseCanada.Online

DEPARTMENTS

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HOME-GROWN & LOCALLY-OWNED 100% Canadian Franchise Systems

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NEXT GENERATION IN FRANCHISING A Slice of Success Score Pizza’s director of operations Gabrielle Arvanitis shares her experiences as a young franchise professional

61

LEADERSHIP PROFILE Educating the Masses For Bluekey Education founder Peter Han, spotting a gap in the education market has sparked franchising success

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A DAY IN THE LIFE Going Pro Nursing student Emilie Nadeau shares how she discovered her passion for leadership by owning a College Pro franchise

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THE FIRST YEAR Making a Mark Hallmark franchisee Shawn Stack dives into his unique first year, using creativity and innovation to keep serving his community

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ICONIC BRAND History in the Baking Iconic brand Boston Pizza has been serving up cheesy pies since 1964, while collecting new franchisees and fans along the way

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SHOW ME THE MONEY 4 Franchises for $150K-$250K

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CHECK OUT SEASON 5, NOW ONLINE!

FRANCHISE FUN Stretch Goals Jen Hamilton of Oxygen Yoga and Fitness shares her franchising advice, passion for fitness, and the importance of occasionally pressing pause

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FRANCHISE TUTORIAL Tutorials 9 & 10 This issue: • Intro to Operation Manuals • Intro to Franchisee Advisory Councils

COLUMNS

10 CFA CODE OF ETHICS 12 INDUSTRY NEWS 76 ASK THE EXPERTS 82 MARKETP­LACE 89 ADVERTISERS’ INDEX 90 GIVING BACK

LISTEN & LEARN

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Visit www.LookforaFranchise.ca to find more information about the franchises featured in this issue.

Franchise Canada

March | April 2022

5

PUBLISHER’S MESSAGE

F

DIVERSITY IS OUR STRENGTH

ranchising is one of the most popular and successful business models in Canada today. In fact, the Canadian Franchise Association’s economic forecast for 2019 shows that franchising is the 12th largest industry in the country, employing approximately two million Canadians.

All types of businesses succeed with the franchise model, and the CFA counts more than 50 industry categories in its membership, from food service and retail to health and fitness, home renovations, financial services, education, even pet products and services. For a prospective franchisee, there are an incredible array of options when it comes to choosing the business you want to own and operate.

But diversity in the franchising industry doesn’t stop there. Franchising has also proven to be a resilient and accessible business model for people from all walks of life. A distinct advantage of operating a franchise is that anyone, regardless of their background, can find business success.

This means that as a franchisee, you not only have the support of a franchisor, but of an entire community of likeminded business owners: a diverse network of Canadians who are growing the franchise industry from coast to coast.

This Diversity in Franchising issue celebrates the inclusivity of the franchise industry in Canada. In the three-part cover story starting on page 21, you’ll find inspiring stories of franchisees from a variety of cultural backgrounds and generations. Within this cover story package, we share the successes of four powerhouse female franchisors, who run their franchise systems with an eye for inclusive and sustainable practices.

Beyond the cover story, we continue to share success stories from passionate franchisees and unique franchise systems. On page 64, we take you through a day in the life of Emilie Nadeau, an impressive 21-year-old nursing student who also runs her own College Pro franchise, and shares how owning a business has taught her leadership skills and shaped her future. We also introduce you to Shawn Stack, a Hallmark franchisee in Timmins, Ontario, who recently completed his first year of business ownership. Stack shares how he adapted the Hallmark gift store concept—one he discovered in this very magazine!—to his community during the pandemic on page 67.

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This issue also highlights CEO Peter Han of Bluekey Education (page 61), who founded his post-secondary tutoring franchise after immigrating to this country and experiencing Canadian university for the first time. And we share the story of Gabrielle Arvanitis, director of operations for Score Pizza, who shares her experience as part of a young upper management team in a growing franchise system on page 58.

Since the onset of COVID-19, home improvement franchises have proved to be a popular “pandemic-proof” industry—one that easily adapts to a mobile or workfrom-home set up and continues to be in high demand for Canadians looking to restore and renovate their homes. Turn to page 37 to find a Special Franchise Focus highlighting the many home improvement and renovation franchises operating in Canada.

On page 51, you’ll find real estate franchise brands helping Canadians across the country find their new dream home—and when they’re ready to move, the moving franchises featured on page 45 will be there to help with packing and unpacking, moving, downsizing, and transition services.

After you’ve explored the inspiring stories within this issue, don’t forget to visit FranchiseCanada.Online, where more members of Canada’s diverse franchise community share their stories through online content, podcast episodes, videos, and more. Be sure to check out our ongoing series of online exclusive content featuring success stories from diverse franchisees. Follow the CFA on social media and subscribe to Franchise Canada E-News to make sure you never miss a story.

We hope this issue inspires you to learn more about franchising. As the many stories in this magazine prove, anyone—regardless of age, gender, race, or place of origin—can achieve franchise success with the right brand, hard work, and a lot of passion.

We look forward to welcoming you into Canada’s diverse franchising community! Find the right brand for you, join the franchise community, and become a franchise business owner. There is a place for everyone!

Sherry McNeil President & CEO, Canadian Franchise Association

Canadian Franchise Association www.cfa.ca | www.FranchiseCanada.Online

HELPING YOU DO MORE BUSINESS IS OUR BUSINESS Create a consistent payment experience across your franchise locations.

Welcome our Consumer, Small Business and Corporate Cardmembers at your franchise locations. When franchisees accept American Express Cards, they get access to complimentary marketing programs such as American Express Maps®¹ so Cardmembers know you welcome their business.

To learn more about the benefits of accepting American Express, and how we can support your marketing efforts, visit www.americanexpress.com/canada/becomeamerchant

1. American Express Maps features eligible American Express Card accepting small merchants and is intended for general reference purposes only. It does not represent a comprehensive list of all Card accepting merchants. Data is updated from time to time and may not be 100% accurate. For a list of eligibility criteria or to access Frequently Asked Questions please visit https://icm.aexp-static.com/content/dam/one-amex/merchant/en-ca/footer/default/CAFAQs.pdf.

CFA BOARD OF DIRECTORS BOARD CHAIR Gerry Docherty*, Good Earth Coffeehouse PRESIDENT & CEO Sherry McNeil*, Canadian Franchise Association 1ST VICE CHAIR David Druker*, The UPS Store 2ND VICE CHAIR Ryan Picklyk, A&W Food Services of Canada Inc.

PUBLISHER

TREASURER Lyn Little, BDO Canada LLP

Canadian Franchise Association (CFA)

SECRETARY & GENERAL COUNSEL

VP, CONTENT & MARKETING Kenny Chan

Larry Weinberg*, Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP

EDITOR Lauren Huneault (on leave),

PAST CHAIR John DeHart*, Hartify Franchise Consulting

Joelle Kidd (interim)

CHAIR, LEGAL & LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Andrea Lee

Darrell Jarvis*, Fasken

COORDINATOR, CONTENT & EDUCATION

CHAIR, FRANCHISE SUPPORT SERVICES

Stefanie Ucci

Kirk Allen, Reshift Media

ADVERTISING SALES Om Mehta

DIRECTORS

AD COORDINATOR Andrea Lee

Steve Collette, 3rd Degree Training Chuck Farrell, Pizza Pizza John Gilson, COBS Bread Andrew Hrywnak, Print Three Franchising Corporation Rimma S. Jaciw, CFE, WSI Digital Joel Levesque, McDonald's Restaurants of Canada Ken Otto, Redberry Restaurants Gary Prenevost, FranNet John Prittie, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK Stephen Schober, Metal Supermarkets Family of Companies Frank Stanschus, Little Kickers Thomas Wong, Chatime Todd Wylie, Master Mechanic

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Georgie Binks, Suzanne Bowness, Jessica Burgess, Roma Ihnatowycz, Gina Makkar, David Chilton Saggers, Stefanie Ucci, Jordan Whitehouse, Kym Wolfe FRANCHISE FUN ILLUSTRATION Sam Gorrie FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION:

Om Mehta omehta@cfa.ca

TO SUBSCRIBE TO Franchise Canada

visit www.FranchiseCanada.Online or call 1-800-665-4232 ext. 238.

*Executive Committee member Note: At time of print

The CFA wishes to acknowledge and thank these National Sponsors for their support throughout the year.

Find out more about these companies at www.cfa.ca/sponsorship

We invite your comments, questions and suggestions. Please contact us at editor@cfa.ca or https://cfa.ca/ franchisecanada/franchise-canadamagazine/.

© 2022, Canadian Franchise Association.

All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of the publisher.

Publications Mail Agreement No. 41043018

LAW FIRMS:

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Canadian Franchise Association www.cfa.ca | www.FranchiseCanada.Online

Legal Disclaimer The opinions or viewpoints expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the Canadian Franchise Association (CFA). Where materials and content were prepared by persons and/or entities other than the CFA, the said other persons and/or entities are solely responsible for their content. The information provided herein is intended only as general information that may or may not reflect the most current developments. The mention of particular companies or individuals does not represent an endorsement by the CFA. Information on legal matters should not be construed as legal advice. Although professionals may prepare these materials or be quoted in them, this information should not be used as a substitute for professional services. If legal or other professional advice is required, the services of a professional should be sought.

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CODE OF ETHICS

T

he Canadian Franchise Association (CFA) is dedicated to encouraging and promoting excellence in franchising in Canada. Each member of the Association agrees to abide by the CFA Code of Ethics and to further the Association’s goals of encouraging and promoting ethical franchising in Canada. Each member of the Association agrees to comply with the spirit of this Code of Ethics in its general course of conduct and in carrying out its general policies, standards and practices. The following are considered by the Association to be important elements of ethical franchising practices: 1.

Franchise system and franchise support services members should fully comply with Federal and Provincial laws, and with the policies of the Canadian Franchise Association.

2. A franchisor should provide prospective franchisees with full and accurate written disclosure of all material facts and information pertaining to the matters required to be disclosed in advance to prospective franchisees about the franchise system a reasonable time [at least fourteen (14) days] prior to the franchisee executing any binding agreement relating to the award of the franchise.

3.

A ll matters material to the franchise relationship should be contained in one or more written agreements, which should clearly set forth the terms of the relationship and the respective rights and obligations of the parties.

4. A franchisor should select and accept only those franchisees who, upon reasonable investigation, appear to possess the basic skills, education, personal qualities and financial resources adequate to perform and fulfil the needs and requirements of the franchise. Franchise systems and franchise support services members of the Association should not discriminate based on race, colour, religion, national origin, disability, age, gender or any other factors prohibited by law.

5. ­­­ A franchisor should provide reasonable guidance, training, support and supervision over the business activities of franchisees for the purposes of safeguarding the public interest and the ethical image of franchising, and of maintaining the integrity of the franchise system for the benefit of all parties having an interest in it.

6.

Fairness should characterize all dealings between a franchisor and its franchisees. Where reasonably appropriate under the circumstances, a franchisor should give notice to its franchisees of any contractual

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default and grant the franchisee reasonable opportunity to remedy the default.

7. A franchisor and its franchisees should make reasonable efforts to resolve complaints, grievances and disputes with each other through fair and reasonable direct communication, and where reasonably appropriate under the circumstances, mediation or other alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.

8. A franchisor and a franchise support services member should encourage prospective franchisees to seek legal, financial and business advice prior to signing the franchise agreement.

9. A franchisor should encourage prospective franchisees to contact existing franchisees to gain a better understanding of the requirements and benefits of the franchise.

10. A franchisor should encourage open dialogue with franchisees through franchise advisory councils and other communication mechanisms. A franchisor should not prohibit a franchisee from forming, joining or participating in any franchisee association, or penalize a franchisee who does so.

11. A franchise support services member in providing products or services to a franchisor or franchisee should encourage the franchises to comply with the spirit of this Code of Ethics. A franchise support services member should not offer or provide products or services if legislative or professional qualification is required to do so unless the franchise support services member has such qualification.

LOOK FOR EXCELLENCE As you investigate the many franchise opportunities available to you, you will see a special logo featured in franchise literature, on franchising websites and in franchise tradeshow booths. This logo identifies franchise systems and franchise support services/suppliers as members of the Canadian Franchise Association (CFA). You should be on the lookout for this symbol when researching franchise systems or assembling a team of franchise support professionals to assist in your search. CFA encourages and promotes excellence in franchising in Canada and members of the Association voluntarily agree to follow the CFA’s Code of Ethics in pursuit of these goals. Start your search for your franchise dream with a CFA member.

Visit LookforaFranchise.ca today.

Canadian Franchise Association www.cfa.ca | www.FranchiseCanada.Online

perkopolis.com sales@perkopolis.com

INDUSTRY NEWS

Your source for what’s happening in Canadian franchising Wendy’s Opens 400th Restaurant in Canada, Celebrates Growth and Innovation Milestone Wendy’s®, the quick-service restaurant brand that brought its signature fresh beef to Canada in 1975, is now celebrating a major growth milestone and introducing a wholly enhanced restaurant design to Canada with the opening of its 400th restaurant in the country. The new restaurant located in Ottawa was opened in November. This not only marks a significant milestone, but also features the new Wendy’s International brand standard for design.

This includes a smaller footprint with a simple, efficient design that costs less to build while being adaptable to a range of locations including urban retail locations, food courts, drive-thru only, and even shipping containers.

This is a significant milestone and a testament to the brand’s leadership in design innovation and recent growth as it strives to bring more Wendy’s to more Canadians in unique ways.

“Wendy’s has strong momentum in Canada with nine years of consecutive same restaurant sales growth, and the addition of more than 50 new locations across the country in recent years,” says Abigail Pringle, Wendy’s president, International, and chief development officer.

The brand isn’t stopping with its 400th location.

“Looking ahead, and with commitments from current franchisees and through the recruitment of future franchise partners, we’ve laid out an ambitious plan to significantly accelerate growth,” adds Pringle.

“Expanding our presence also allows us to create more career opportunities as we bring more high-quality,

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freshly prepared food to customers across Canada.”

Wendy’s is actively recruiting new franchisees, with significant opportunity in Quebec, one of the most populous provinces in Canada, and the Maritimes. Both are regions where Wendy’s currently has a lower footprint and is looking to expand.

Additionally, Wendy’s is innovating to provide more access and convenience for urban customers, including through investments in its mobile app and delivery business, and through a new development commitment with REEF to open and operate 700 delivery kitchens over the next five years across Canada, the U.S., and the UK. The pilot with REEF started in Canada in 2020 and there are now nine REEF delivery kitchen locations to-date across the country.

Jack Rabba Receives Entrepreneur of the Year Award from Canadian Immigrant Magazine Jack Rabba, founder of Rabba Fine Foods, was named in November the Entrepreneur of the Year by Canadian Immigrant magazine, as well as one of the Top 25 Canadians honoured by the same magazine for his inspiring story and leadership since immigrating to Canada. In its 13th year, the awards program recognizes inspirational immigrants who’ve made a positive impact in their communities, including success in business.

“I’m deeply honoured to be recognized alongside so many Canadians who are working tirelessly to make our country a better place,” says Rabba. “We’re blessed to play a role in strengthening the neighbourhoods and communities in which we live. We take our responsibility to

Canadian Franchise Association www.cfa.ca | www.FranchiseCanada.Online

heart—and I’m not alone in embracing this task. I wish to extend my congratulations and thanks to all of the people at Rabba Fine Foods and all its associated wholesale, food, and real estate businesses.”

Jack Rabba was born in the Middle East into desperately impoverished conditions. During his youth, Rabba’s father was bedridden and, at age 13, he had to take any job he could find in restaurants and hotels to support his parents and siblings.

These jobs afforded him an opportunity to serve visitors from many nations, but it was the compassion and kindness of Canadians that sparked in him an undying love for the country even before his arrival.

Rabba immigrated in 1966 with only the promise of a clerical job at a hotel, clothes on his back, and his Canadian aspirations. Unwilling to take this opportunity for granted, he spent every moment focused on building a better life.

As his business grew, Rabba realized Torontonians were looking for more variety, so he expanded the store. Customers liked the new selection and so the small store became multiple neighbourhood markets.

In 1985, Rabba renamed the chain and launched Rabba Fine Foods.

Today, there are 35 locations across Ontario.

College Pro 50 Summers Live Stream Call Included 245 Window Cleaning and Franchise Professionals to Unite in Company’s Future Tony Valle, CEO of College Pro and longtime company executive of the brand, held the franchise organization’s 50 Summers event in November with 245 College Pro alumni who came together to celebrate the 50th

INDUSTRY NEWS anniversary of the resilient brand.

The call streamed live from the iconic El Mocambo music venue in Toronto, and included eight alumni party locations across North America and abroad to celebrate, network, and honour the business milestone.

During its 50 years in business, College Pro has provided entrepreneurial training and real-life business experience to more than 20,000 youths and businesspeople in Canada and the U.S., becoming integral parts of the communities they serve.

“We’re proud to look to our next 50 years within the industry which, according to analysts, is poised to grow by more than $4,730 billion from 2021 to 2025,” says Valle. “College Pro is driven by the advantages of online, on-demand, home services and an increasing number of startups and entrepreneurial minded people entering the market.”

Currently with 125 student franchisees, and several multi-year franchisees set to launch in 2022 and an anticipated return to the U.S., Valle is expanding opportunities with a select group of interested parties, including young people seeking to start their own business alongside seasoned professionals looking for a new career or business opportunity. The company is hiring regional managers and additional positions at College Pro locations throughout North America.

Spiritleaf is Named National Retail Brand of the Year by ADCANN Spiritleaf, the modern retail model for cannabis, was awarded in January the National Retail Store Brand of the Year by the ADCANN Cannabis Advertising Awards which celebrates the best in cannabis market-

ing and advertising.

“In a time where branded cannabis retailers should be an exciting thing, there are too many of them.

The concept of a cannabis retail brand was once awe-inspiring. You wanted to go in and look around.

This was something you’d never seen before. As more retailers came along, it continued to feel new until it wasn’t. Meanwhile, new retail stores continue to pop up. Now that the novelty has worn off, cannabis retail has become a competitive landscape,” writes ADCANN in its announcement for the National Cannabis Retail Brand of the Year Finalists.

Also included in ADCANN’s nominations were Social Good Campaign of the Year, Best Packaging Design, Best Social Media, Brand Marketer of the Year, Marketing Agency of the Year, Accessory Brand of the Year, and more.

YOUR BUSINESS. YOUR SUCCESS.

YOUR PIZZA PIZZA. FRANCHISES AVAILABLE www.pizzapizza.ca/franchising franchisinginfo@pizzapizza.ca

Franchise Canada March | April 2022

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INDUSTRY NEWS M&M Food Market to be Acquired

by Parkland M&M Food Market (“M&M”) announced in January that it’s entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Parkland Corporation (“Parkland”), a leading international operator and consolidator of convenience retail and fuel marketing businesses. The deal comes after M&M’s successful efforts to rebrand, the transformation of its stores and food portfolio and as M&M pursues its strategy for additional Canadian growth and international expansion.

Parkland’s focus on creating convenience destinations and growing their food offerings is expected to elevate the strength of the iconic M&M Food Market Brand. Through the transaction, Parkland will also benefit from a national network of more than 300 M&M stores, more than 2,000 M&M Express locations,

nearly 500 specialty frozen products, and M&M’s deep investments in technology. Parkland will bring scale, and complementary leadership strength that will see M&M Food Market continue to grow in Canada while expanding into new international markets.

“Today marks the start of a bold new chapter for our company and stands as a testament to the vision and tireless work of our dedicated team,” says Andy O’Brien, CEO of M&M Food Market. “After a comprehensive examination of our experience, products, profitability, dedicated franchise partners impressive store network, and our business strategy, Parkland concluded that M&M will be an essential part of achieving their long-term goals in the food industry.”

Underpinned by their food-first culture, the M&M team will play a

leadership role in advancing Parkland’s food strategy. The M&M brand, leadership, franchise system, store network, and office in Mississauga, Ontario will remain in place.

The transaction is subject customary closing conditions, including approval under the Competition Act (Canada). Parkland and M&M expect to close the transaction in the first quarter of 2022.

Pizza Nova Earns Top Spot in Toronto Star Reader’s Choice Awards Pizza Nova, the pizza brand that has delivered quality since 1963, was voted in December the Diamond Winner for best pizza in the Greater Toronto Area in 2021—the third consecutive year the company has earned top honours in its category.

“There’s a lot of love in the air— and in the food,” says Domenic

Is your dream to open a successful health & wellness franchise?

Massage Addict is the brand for you!

Massage Addict is Canada’s first and largest membership-based provider of massage therapy, chiropractic care, acupuncture, and reflexology. The health and wellness industry continues to experience significant growth, resulting in a large demand for high quality therapeutic services. As a trusted brand with over 100 clinics nationwide, Massage Addict has a proven business model that fulfills this need.

Proven System for Success Recurring revenue Low investment and start-up costs Quick return on investment Best-in-class support Straight forward in-clinic business model If your dream is to own a successful health and wellness franchise, Massive Addict is the brand for you. Learn more about becoming a franchise owner today. Contact us at Franchise@massageaddict.ca or call 1-880-550-1080 ext 112.

Proudly Canadian

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Canadian Franchise Association www.cfa.ca | www.FranchiseCanada.Online

MassageAddict.ca

INDUSTRY NEWS Primucci, president of Pizza Nova.

“Each day, our team pours out their hearts to deliver quality and fast service to our customers, and so it’s incredibly touching to receive this kind of recognition from the very people we serve weekly, sometimes more. Thank you for turning to us, and voting for us. We’re excited to continue delivering to your expectations.”

The Readers’ Choice Awards were created to celebrate the best businesses throughout the region and are determined by popular vote.

TrussPoint Equity Partners Completes Partnership with JDI Cleaning Systems Inc. TrussPoint Equity Partners (“TrussPoint”) of Toronto, Ontario was pleased to announce in January that they’ve acquired a controlling interest in JDI Cleaning Systems

Inc. (“JDI”), from its co-founders, Joe Imbrogno and John Simpson, who will maintain an investment in JDI. JDI, based in Burlington, Ontario, is a leading franchisor of commercial cleaning, janitorial, and disinfection service businesses serving the commercial and industrial sectors. JDI’s end customer base includes car dealerships, college and university residences, construction sites, day care facilities, dental offices, doctors’ offices, financial and insurance offices, industrial facilities, medical facilities, movie theatres, professional offices, retail stores, schools, shopping malls, and warehouses.

Founded in 1992, JDI’s franchise system is currently comprised of six regional franchise owners and approximately 140 local franchisees, servicing more than 1,000 customers across eight southern Ontario regions: Hamilton-Burlington,

Kitchener-Waterloo, London, Milton, Brampton, Niagara, Oakville-Mississauga, Toronto, and Windsor-Sarnia.

“I continue to be impressed by JDI, its founders, and its franchisees,” says Jonathan Draycott, partner at TrussPoint and newly appointed president of JDI. “Cleaning is a necessary service for every organization that occupies physical space and through all business and economic conditions. While many businesses have struggled over the past two years, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of a clean, safe work environment for employees and other stakeholders.

JDI has done a terrific job providing essential cleaning and disinfection services during the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring safe and clean spaces for employees and customers to return to.”

Serve your community with ethically sourced coffee, fresh wholesome food, and human connection!

Locations available across Canada. Contact us to learn more.

www.goodearthcoffeehouse.com franchise@goodearthcoffeehouse.com 1-888-294-9330

Franchise Canada March | April 2022

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ADVERTORIAL

Home Sweet Home

Neighbourly®’s home improvement brands are taking over the continent—and now just might be the perfect time to get in on the ground floor

BY JOELLE KIDD

H

omeowners want the best for their property, and that translates to a perfect opportunity for home service brands to ease the process of finding services and prove they can deliver with value. After all, the results page after typing “plumber near me” in the search bar can be pretty daunting.

How does a homeowner know which service to pick?

That’s where Neighbourly comes in. Featuring a network of home service brands, Neighbourly easily connects homeowners to nearby experts—local franchise owners who are vetted and trained to deliver quality services. The Neighbourly family includes 12 brands that operate in Canada, covering everything from plumbing to dryer vent repair to lawn maintenance.

For entrepreneurs looking to own their own business, franchising is an ideal choice that combines the freedom of working for yourself with the support of a proven system. With a Neighbourly brand, this benefit is compounded, because the business is also connected within the wider network and benefits from Neighbourly’s reach and resources.

“For any entrepreneur looking for autonomy, support, resources, and brand recognition, franchise ownership with a Neighbourly brand provides a red-hot opportunity to succeed, especially in today’s housing market,” says Neighbourly’s Chief Development Officer, Brad Stevenson.

Home services are an “evergreen” industry, Stevenson points out. “Ours is a business with staying power—one that won’t be replaced by technology or computers.”

“There will always be a need for professional home service providers.”

– Brad Stevenson, Chief Development Officer

He adds, “For most people, their home is their largest investment, so they’re incentivized to take care of it.

Neighbourly brands are focused on repairing, maintaining and enhancing that investment.”

Over the past two years, pandemic restrictions and shifts to working remotely meant that the average Canadian spent a lot more time at home. As a result, while many businesses have slowed or even closed their doors during the COVID-19 pandemic, the home services industry has actually grown, Stevenson explains. “Homeowners have prioritized improvements and renovations to make their investments more comfortable, enjoyable, and valuable. As a result, they continue to call on the professionals who can ensure their plumbing, air conditioning, and appliances are efficiently running. These realities have benefitted Neighbourly franchises.”

Franchisees can be glad to be running a business that’s recession resilient, but as Stevenson notes, a home services franchise can be a wise investment no matter the economic climate.

“Whether the home is new, up for sale, or getting older, it’s inevitable that homes will always require varying levels of maintenance. Therefore, there will always be a need for professional home service providers,” he says.

Why invest in home services?

Here are three reasons why the home service sector is an ideal opportunity.

D-I-Y is a D-O-N-T

“There was a time when students were required to take classes dedicated to teaching basic skills such as woodwork or mechanics. Over time, many of these courses have been eliminated and replaced with more traditional classroom subjects,” says Stevenson.

First-time homeowners, in particular, may not have the know-how to tackle major household repairs and renovations, Stevenson says. However, it’s not only a lack of expertise that have homeowners keeping their toolboxes packed away in the closet.

Even if they have the knowledge to complete a project themselves, many would rather leave it up to the professionals.

“As homes age, they require ongoing upkeep,” he adds. The best way for older homeowners to keep retirement relaxing or busy homeowners to keep items off the do list is “to bring in professionals to do the work for them—for example, Mr. Appliance or Mr. Electric to fix their smart devices, and Grounds Guys to mow their lawn.”

ADVERTORIAL

Convenience is worth the cost

“Before the pandemic, homeowners were known to have more disposable income, but less spare time to spend on home improvement projects,” Stevenson says. “In today’s current state, that may not reign true, but we have found through our brands that if homeowners can afford it, they are much more likely to pay to save time [instead of] learning how to tackle various household projects themselves.”

Capitalizing on this desire for convenience, Neighbourly has crafted its platform in a way that makes it simple for homeowners to find the service they need, all in one place. “Franchisors recognize this push for convenience, making innovative strides to ensure homeowners can connect with all the providers they need more easily than ever with ‘one-stopshop’ cross-marketing platforms,” explains Stevenson.

Homeowners are drawn to a convenient, simple experience, and once they receive a quality service, they’ll be likely to choose the same brand again.

Trend power

Franchise systems are capable of keeping up with trends and supporting increased consumer demand. Because the home services industry is always changing—with new trends, updating technology, and more—a franchised business is the best choice to meet customer needs, no matter what they are.

“A franchised business owner has access to training in the latest technologies, group pricing discounts, and more support to keep their business ahead of the competition,” says Stevenson.

No matter what’s trendy, Neighbourly is able to supply customers with what they need and support franchise partners to deliver quality service. Stevenson adds, “As long as people intend to live in and enjoy the comfort of their own homes, Neighbourly’s family of home service brands will be around to help them. And that’s why franchise ownership in the home services industry is the career path for anyone who seeks stability and a promising future— even in a ‘new normal.’”

To find out more about franchising opportunities with Neighbourly, visit franchise.neighborly.com

Meet the Neighbourly brands Aire Serv This heating and air conditioning service brand is the perfect choice for HVAC service entrepreneurs. Franchise owners benefit from a business that’s been streamlined through almost 30 years in business.

Five Star Painting As one of North America’s leading painting service brands with nearly 200 franchise locations in Canada and the U.S. combined, Five Star Painting has an established model and has transformed tens of thousands of homes since 2004.

Glass Doctor Specializing in glass repair for home, auto, and business, Glass Doctor has delivered high-quality repair and replacement services since 1962.

Grounds Guys Grounds Guys is a full-service grounds care company offering commercial and residential landscape management services, including snow and ice management and more.

Mr. Appliance Offering expert appliance repair since 1996, Mr. Appliance fixes everything from home washers and dryers to smart appliances to commercial kitchen appliances.

Mr. Electric Known for consistent, superior service, Mr. Electric is the go-to choice for electrical safety, installations, and lighting services for homeowners who want it done right.

Mr. Rooter With 50 years of experience, Mr. Rooter Plumbing has perfected its systems and processes to bring quality plumbing services to customers and make running the business a snap.

Rainbow International Restoration Disasters happen, and since 1981, Rainbow International has been there to help, providing 24/7 emergency service and restoration services for water damage, fire damage, and mold.

Mr. Handyman Coming to the rescue since 2000, Mr. Handyman helps customers fix up their homes, while allowing franchise owners to contribute to their communities.

Dryer Vent Wizard Offering reliable, highquality service and expertise, Dryer Vent Wizard has become the North American leader in residential, business, and multi-unit dryer vent cleaning, repair, and installation.

ShelfGenie This home improvement company specializes in custom glide-out shelves for new or existing cabinets, helping customers improve their storage and organization practices.

THE UPS STORE

®

RECOGNIZING

DIVERSITY IN FRANCHISING franchising Anyone can have success in brand with hard work and the right part behind them. In this threenada’s cover feature, Franchise Ca e diverse Diversity Issue celebrates th nchising faces that make up the fra hisees of community, including franc generations, different backgrounds and nchisors. and pioneering women fra

Franchise Franchise CanadaCanada March |March April 2022 | April 21 2022

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RECOGNIZING DIVERSITY IN FRANCHISING

FRANCHISING FOR ALL

Starting a business always carries some element of risk, but joining a franchise system means having a path to follow and the support of a proven system. That’s why, for people of all backgrounds, franchising is an ideal way to follow the dream of owning your own business.

Joining a franchise system has allowed the four franchisees featured here the freedom to work for themselves. For some, it’s been part of making their home as a newcomer to Canada; for others, it means forging a path of representation as a minority in the industry. These thriving franchisees show success comes from passion, hard work, and a supportive franchise system.

BY KYM WOLFE

“[Franchising gives you] a much better chance to succeed and expand.”

Reza Ardestani, Brioche Dorée

REZA ARDESTANI Reza Ardestani, Brioche Dorée Reza Ardestani always wanted to work for himself, and when he immigrated to Canada in 2008, he found an opportunity to do just that. “When I came to Canada there was a recession, people were being laid off, and newcomers with no Canadian experience were having trouble finding work,” says Ardestani. Rather than work as an engineer as he had in Iran, he decided he would own and run a coffee shop. His initial years were financially successful ones.

Then the Parisian bakery café Brioche Dorée arrived in Toronto. “I had seen the franchise in Europe and liked its products,” Ardestani explains. He purchased a franchise in 2018. “They’re an international company, with 40 years of experience, the royalties are reasonable, and they provide good support.”

Following two weeks of intensive training, Ardestani opened his Brioche Dorée in an office tower at Yonge St and Finch Ave, near Finch subway station. Initially, a training manager walked him through all aspects of daily operation. “The company is very helpful, and I have access to all of their support,” he says.

It was a busy location, sales were steady, and there were no major challenges to deal with—until COVID-19 arrived.

The pandemic has hit his businesses hard. “A lot of stores around us are now empty, sales were down 80 per cent at one point, and we’ve been drawing on our savings to keep our doors open,” says Ardestani. “In October and November 2021, people started to come back, and we were very hopeful.” But renewed restrictions imposed in January left him feeling less confident. “I’m not sure that

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there will ever be the numbers working daily in these areas that there were before.”

In 2021, a Bay Street storefront that Ardestani owned and rented out to another business was vacated. Rather than let it sit empty (“I had to pay the mortgage anyway,” he notes), Ardestani decided to open a second Brioche Dorée in that space.

Despite the challenges of the pandemic, Ardestani recommends the franchise route to business ownership.

“You definitely reduce the risk of failure and have a much better chance to succeed and expand,” he says. As for his advice to people who are considering a franchise: “Be smart and use the knowledge and experience that other people have gained through the years of establishing a successful chain, and be a part of that success.”

Learn more at LookforaFranchise.ca

Canadian Franchise Association www.cfa.ca | www.FranchiseCanada.Online

RECOGNIZING DIVERSITY IN FRANCHISING

“We live in a diverse community, so it’s very important to have people from different back­ grounds in franchising.”

Mamad Saeedi, MaidPro

MAMAD SAE EDI Mamad Saeedi, MaidPro While Mamad Saeedi worked in project management, both in Iran and after immigrating to Canada in 2005, he always had a goal of owning his own successful business.

He explored a number of opportunities before choosing to purchase a MaidPro franchise in 2019.

“When compared to the ground-up individual-owned business model, a franchise offers a proven success model,” he says. He was looking for a franchise concept that fit with his goals and values, and that led him to a cleaning service. “When people have a clean living space they feel better, and I like working in a business where you can instantly see the results of your work.” He picked MaidPro because “it has always been the best in class in cleaning services.”

Opening just before the pandemic proved to be both challenging and fortuitous. “After a short period in lockdown, we were deemed an essential business,” says Saeedi. “Our job as a cleaning company is to clean homes, but at the same time, we sanitize and disinfect high touch areas with our hospital-grade cleaning supplies that provide a deep disinfecting cleaning. We managed to survive with a few commercial and mainly residential clients. People realize we’re here to make their homes safer.”

Saeedi’s high standards and hard work garnered his MaidPro Waterloo location the award for best home cleaning service by Quality Business Award in 2021, and it was recognized as one of the Three Best Rated companies in 2021.

Saeedi credits MaidPro for giving him excellent training and support, beginning with full in-person training at MaidPro headquarters in Boston, and continuing with scheduled coaching calls, support for marketing, and a very structured system to follow. He notes that MaidPro

has received the Canadian Franchise Assocation Award of Excellence and says, “MaidPro is one of the best franchises in both peer-to-peer support and also franchisee and franchisor relationships.”

Saeedi has this advice for people who are exploring franchise opportunities, including newcomers to Canada: “Anyone who wants to be successful in business should always work hard and believe in their heart that they’re giving the best-in-class service to all members of their community. We live in a diverse community, so it’s very important to have people from different backgrounds in franchising.”

Learn more at LookforaFranchise.ca

Franchise Canada March | April 2022

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RECOGNIZING DIVERSITY IN FRANCHISING

“I didn’t want to continue work­ing for other people, I wanted to control my own career.”

Celine Ma, Osmow’s

CELINE MA Celine Ma, Osmow’s Celine Ma says she fell in love with Osmow’s Mediterranean food the first time she tasted it. “I love the taste, especially the sauces. The first time I had it, I applied for a franchise the same day!” Today, as an Asian-Canadian business owner, she owns two Osmow’s locations, and her goal is to open more.

“I have an accounting and business background, and had no restaurant experience prior to being a franchisee—other than being a waitress when I was at university, but that was totally different than owning and managing a QSR restaurant,” she explains. “I always wanted to run my own restaurant. I didn’t want to continue working for other people, I wanted to control my own career.

One of the benefits of franchising is the business assistance, training, and support we receive.”

Celine says the key factors to her success are her staff and her locations. “I’m not a micro-manager—I didn’t like it when I was an employee, so I treat my employees the way I would like to be treated.”

After success with her first Osmow’s location, she opened a second one. “My second location is close to Lakeshore Humber College—that was a big risk during the pandemic, but I believe it will pay off.”

Celine says she’s experienced challenges with being a female business owner. “Sometimes people don’t take me seriously or treat me in a condescending manner.”

Working with third party contractors or vendors in maledominated industries can be a challenge. However, she notes, “I’ve always believed that as long as I try my best and ignore the negativity of others, I can be successful. I always look for a second—even third—opinion, and leverage the support provided by Head Office.” She encourages more women to get into the franchise business.

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Her advice to potential franchisees? “Persistence and hard work. There may be times when you want to give up. However, before you do that, determine the reasons you wanted to get into franchising in the first place. I’m glad I persisted, because look at the outcome!”

Learn more at LookforaFranchise.ca

Canadian Franchise Association www.cfa.ca | www.FranchiseCanada.Online

RECOGNIZING DIVERSITY IN FRANCHISING

“There’s very rigorous training, and UCMAS Canada ... has kept the program solid and competitive.”

Swati Shah, UCMAS Mental Math

SWATI SHA H Swati Shah, UCMAS Mental Math Before coming to Canada nearly 30 years ago, Swati Shah was a teacher in India, so owning a math tutoring franchise has in some ways brought her full circle.

Nine years ago, she was at a crossroads in her career, and having seen the positive effect UCMAS had on their daughter, Shah and her husband decided to purchase a franchise in Brampton.

UCMAS uses the abacus method to teach math as well as foundational learning skills to children aged five to 13 years old. Swati says she felt that because UMCAS had done market research to identify the target audience, and laid out a path for franchisees to reach those potential clients, “we would have a better chance of success.”

Shah believes in the UCMAS program, which she says caters to the all-around development of children and helps them reach their full potential. Typically, a student will spend three to four years with UCMAS, and some return to be instructors and mentors with the program.

New franchisees need not have a background in education, she says—but more importantly have “an eagerness to learn something new, and a nurturing spirit and the ability to relate to children. There’s very rigorous

training, and UCMAS Canada has invested in ongoing research and development which has kept the program solid and competitive. Franchisees and course instructors are offered ongoing training to keep their knowledge base current.”

Demand was so high at their first location that the Shahs opened a second location in February 2020— right before the pandemic. The franchise was able to quickly move lessons to an online format while maintaining the integrity of the program, says Shah. Although UCMAS has now reopened at 50 per cent capacity, many parents prefer to continue their children’s lessons online. “This is meant to be in-person tutoring, and one-on-one interaction is important, but franchisees have been able to stay afloat with tools and technology, such as software that made it possible for our students to appear for tests and annual competitions from the safety of home.”

Learn more at LookforaFranchise.ca

Franchise Canada March | April 2022

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RECOGNIZING DIVERSITY IN FRANCHISING

YOU GROW GIRL

Franchising allows hard-working entrepreneurs to achieve the goal of owning a business, regardless of age, culture, or gender. For these four inspiring women, founding a franchise system was both a way to spread their vision and help this goal of business ownership come true for others. The forward-thinking female franchisors profiled here work in a variety of industry categories, from health and beauty to food service, and run franchise systems of different sizes.

But in each, diversity plays a fundamental role in fostering franchise success.

BY GINA MAKKAR

“It’s really important that our values, mission, and vision align.”

Kyla Dufresne, Foxy Box

KYLA DUFRE SNE Kyla Dufresne, Foxy Box Self-care soothes the soul, and a beauty routine can help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, while increasing self-esteem, energy, and productivity.

When Kyla Dufresne first started Foxy Box 10 years ago, she put herself through aesthetics school while bartending, and began offering services in the dining room of her shared home. “Bartending was a great platform to market my budding business. Everyone that came into the bar had a Foxy Box card in their pocket when they left.”

The brand began franchising two years ago, recently establishing roots in Toronto. It hasn’t been without its growing pains. From testing out full-service menus to trial and errors in her first partnership, Dufresne has learned a lot. “We do one thing and we do it well, and that’s hair removal.”

When the first partnership didn’t go as planned, Dufresne took the opportunity to pause, regroup, and work with a franchise coach to systemize her process before franchising again. “At this stage, I think we’re over-prepared because of all my learning. I call it my Harvard education! I learned so much from that.”

Dufresne says diversity and inclusion is part of the brand fabric. Recently, they’ve eliminated gender identifications from their language. Services labeled male and female were removed, and instead of terms like ‘Manzilian,’ the Brazilian service is sold in two different blocks of time (20 and 40 minutes) to cater to all genders.

As they continue to grow, they’ve also adopted environmentally responsible practices, becoming a Green Circle Certified Sustainable salon. Up to 95 per cent of waste is collected and shipped to Green Circle partners to be recycled, recovered, or repurposed. Each Foxy Box

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also looks and feels a little different, as they salvage and reuse as much as they can, keeping waste out of landfills and waterways.

During the pandemic, the launch of a Shopify store helped establish and maintain a presence. The ‘Make a Sister Smile’ campaign offered daily giveaways, and a $25 gift card was donated to a nurse with the purchase of every package. All helped create a solid foundation that reflect the company’s core values.

As a young franchise, Dufresne says Foxy Box is still learning about the talent they want to attract, but it’s paramount that franchisees align with the brand culture.

“Energy is contagious and will carry us through or be a detriment to us, so it’s really important that our values, mission, and vision align.”

Learn more at LookforaFranchise.ca

Canadian Franchise Association www.cfa.ca | www.FranchiseCanada.Online

RECOGNIZING DIVERSITY IN FRANCHISING

“People franchising with us are in a place where their community is important to them.”

Nan Eskenazi, Good Earth Coffeehouse

NAN ESKENAZI Nan Eskenazi, Good Earth Coffeehouse Many people drink coffee every day, and this habit has a long history. For centuries, people around the world have made connections, shared ideas, and strengthened community all over a cup of joe.

For founder Nan Eskenazi, Good Earth Coffeehouse evolved from values, lifestyle, and a love of socially and environmentally responsible food and coffee. “It’s more about being in a coffeehouse and engaging with other people,” says Eskenazi.

Her sister owned a coffee shop, which gave her an understanding of what she was embarking on in the early days. “I also had a supportive partner. It allowed me to set a good foundation for the business and focus on steering the brand and see how it was resonating.”

Eskenazi says that while women display a level of sensitivity and intuition when engaging with others, she feels her business model resonates with partners, couples, and families that enjoy working together as they develop their lifestyle. “Coffee houses are very community-driven. People franchising with us are in a place where their community is important to them whether it’s raising a family or establishing connections, and a coffeehouse is a natural extension of that.”

Franchise partners hail from countries all over the world, whether they’re newcomers or have been in Can-

ada most of their lives. Coffee houses are synonymous with social engagement, and are part of the fabric of many cultures and societies, so Good Earth Coffeehouse is a concept that’s often familiar and rings true, regardless of culture.

The brand draws professionals that are committed to community and align with the social and service-oriented aspects of the business. Multi-unit opportunities are open to prospects with business experience looking for a larger investment. The concept is easily adapted to community and hospital environments for plenty of opportunity to expand.

Eskenazi’s lesson for success? “It’s important to be yourself and to have what you do really align with your personal worldview and values. I think that if you can tap into that when looking for a franchise, and you’re thinking about making a shift and owning and operating a business, it’s important to feel good about the brand’s business model and impact.”

Learn more at LookforaFranchise.ca

Franchise Canada March | April 2022

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RECOGNIZING DIVERSITY IN FRANCHISING

“Helping other women open their own business is exciting. It's like a present.”

Debbie Cunha, Little Kids Daycare Center

DEBBIE CUN HA Debbie Cunha, Little Kids Daycare Center In a child’s eyes, whether it’s building a block tower or finding buried treasure on a walk in the park, every day is a celebration. President Debbie Cunha loved her career as a child and youth worker, but long hours oncall soon became draining. As she was debating returning to school, her mom, Dina, opened the first Little Kids Daycare Center in 2002. Cunha decided to join her.

“Going into childcare, there wasn’t a feeling of impending doom. The reality in my old role was that I lived by my beeper. It was just so happy, and the kids are so joyful. What’s better than happy toddlers?”

Cunha purchased the business from her mom in 2010.

Since then, she’s helped other female entrepreneurs get their own centres up and running. “I’ve been in childcare

for almost 20 years, and helping other women open their own business is exciting. It’s like a present. New location, new kids, new community—it’s so much fun.”

Fueled by the success, Cunha decided to take a more systematic approach and officially started franchising in 2020. Though there’s a great deal of interest, she’s still working to secure the first franchisee. “You don’t want the wrong people getting into this industry. They must be emotionally invested. By being difficult to get into with financial and government requirements, it means that the people that pass these tests are the people you want running daycares.”

Since daycare legislation differs provincially, Cunha has focused her expansion on the Ontario market, which will allow her to seamlessly manage the intricacies of

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*As referenced in Item 19 of the 2021 FDD. This statement is for information purposes only and is not intended as an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, a franchise. The following states regulate the offer and sale of franchises: California, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin. If you are a resident of one of these states, we will not offer you a franchise unless and until we have complied with applicable pre-sale registration and disclosure. MN Registration #F-1755.

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RECOGNIZING DIVERSITY IN FRANCHISING

opening a daycare while staying close to her family. “It takes months to figure out how to run a centre, and I want to give franchisees an abundance of support and communication. I want to be there with them.”

In an industry where women and diversity are celebrated, Cunha says networking and collaboration are vital. She connects to other female business owners on forums where she can be vulnerable and share difficulties. Perspective franchisees with a strong, hands-on work ethic and love for kids and families are poised for success. In fact, Cunha says many diverse cultures with

strong ties to family that celebrate children are a great fit. “These are the people that will come in as a franchisee and look at those children as an extension of their own families.”

Learn more at LookforaFranchise.ca

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Join our community and contact us 416-439-0015 franchising@pizzanova.com

Franchise Canada March | April 2022

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RECOGNIZING DIVERSITY IN FRANCHISING

“We’ve always been a diverse, multicultural organization. I’m very proud of that.”

Ruthie Burd, The Lunch Lady

RUTHIE BURD Ruthie Burd, The Lunch Lady Food is comfort, so it’s not surprising that our fondest childhood memories often include our favourite foods. When founder Ruthie Burd’s son was diagnosed with autism as a child, she wanted to secure a flexible career that would allow her to attend his therapies. She started The Lunch Lady, a service that would provide wholesome, freshly made lunches to schools, and began franchising in 2001.

“I thought maybe there’s other women out there that would like the kind of lifestyle that I have, where I’m working hard but I’m working around my son’s therapies and my family obligations,” she says. “Because how many choices are there really out there for women? That was one of my strongest motivations at the time.”

Though most franchise partners are women, there are also a few ‘lunch guys’ onboard. “We’ve always been a diverse, multicultural organization. I’m very proud of that. That hasn’t changed.” For Ruthie, key characteristics of success, like tenacity and resilience don’t have a gender, and The Lunch Lady opportunity is attractive to those looking for a brand rooted in diversity. “I also believe that because many of our franchise partners have come from other countries, they’ve already been though some challenging times of their own, and have a lot to offer.”

Building a community and culture is a part of the DNA that has kept Ruthie moving through the last 28 years.

“I’ve been through good times, bad times, happy times.

It’s just the ebb and flow of business.”

As a member of the Women Presidents Organization, she suggests all female business owners find a business group where they can gain a sense of community in a safe, secure environment. “There are days when things scare you, but to be in a trusting environment where you can vent to your fellow sisters in the group can make a huge difference.”

Ruthie’s advice to anyone looking to invest in a fran-

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chise is to talk to the people within the organization and get a sense of the culture. “Be clear about what your motivation is to start a business. Do you want to build a brand? Want to make money? Build an asset to sell? All these goals are valid and will direct you to the right kind of organization where you want to hang your hat.”

Learn more at LookforaFranchise.ca

Canadian Franchise Association www.cfa.ca | www.FranchiseCanada.Online

RECOGNIZING DIVERSITY IN FRANCHISING

FRANCHISING AT ANY AGE

As the old saying goes, age is just a number. Of course, that’s not entirely true, but as you’ll read in these four franchisee stories, age doesn’t have to be the central factor in deciding whether or not to jump into franchising. Sure, there can be particular benefits and challenges for business owners of different generations. But as each of these franchisees told us, having the support of a franchise system is the most important element. In the end, whether they were a millennial or baby boomer, success largely came down to one factor: passion.

BY JORDAN WHITEHOUSE

“Go ahead and follow your dream, whatever you’re trying to achieve.”

Brijnish Luthra, InXpress

BRIJNI SH LUTHRA Brijnish Luthra, InXpress Brijnish Luthra was 50 years old when he signed up to become the InXpress franchisee for Brampton, Ontario in 2017. Given his background in sales and finance, it was quite the change to pivot to shipping and logistics at such a late stage. But it seemed like the right fit.

As he did his due diligence, he not only found that InXpress suited his budget, but that it was professionally run and had a proven business model.

One core part that he’s appreciated the most is that it’s more about creating strong relationships with customers than it is about selling to them. “Our approach is very consultative,” he says.

“Over the last five years, I’ve developed quite a few very good relationships with some of my customers—they just love it and they trust me.” Luthra says he’s built that trust by always trying to add value to their business and provide them with the best possible solution.

Looking back, Luthra says he has no regrets about joining InXpress. The franchisee training program and ongoing supports from corporate are “very good,” he explains. Plus, the Canadian franchisees are a tight group who all help one another.

It’s taken a lot of hard work to build a profitable business, he says, but it’s certainly helped that shipping services are something that people always need, pandemic or not. “I really feel fortunate to have invested in a business that has provided a frontline service during this pandemic. And it’s really satisfying to be able to help

our customers navigate their businesses during this [difficult time].”

As for the advice Luthra would give to others thinking about getting into franchising later in their careers: go for it. A thorough due diligence process is always important, he says. As is being honest with yourself.

But in the end, age doesn’t really matter. “Age is just a number. Go ahead and follow your dream, whatever you’re trying to achieve.”

Learn more at LookforaFranchise.ca

Franchise Canada March | April 2022

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RECOGNIZING DIVERSITY IN FRANCHISING

“This is the type of business that I could continue into retirement.”

Caroline Bonham, Lice Squad.com

CAROLINE BON HAM Caroline Bonham, Lice Squad.com Caroline Bonham wasn’t looking for a franchise when she found Lice Squad.com in her early 40s. She had been enjoying a 20-year career in communications, but became interested in the head lice removal business after a personal experience. “Once I found out that Lice Squad.com was a franchise system, I assumed it was interested in growing nationally, that brand consistency would be very important, and that I’d have to pay royalty fees. That was it,” she says of her decision to join.

It was a good choice indeed. Bonham has grown her business exponentially over the past 15 years and now has two territories: London-Sarnia and Kitchener-Waterloo in Ontario. She says that her two biggest achievements are the retention of her contractors and the word-of-mouth referrals from past clients. “I advertise minimally because this is the type of service that moms tell other moms. We have high ratings and excellent feedback following our service, so this is the best measure of success to me.”

One of the main benefits of being a Lice Squad.com franchisee is the company’s hands-off approach, says Bonham. Franchisees are usually able to make local decisions about marketing as well as how to manage and administer their own businesses. And because the franchise is relatively small—21 locations in Ontario and 11 more throughout Canada—each franchisee’s voice counts when changes are proposed.

Another benefit is that Bonham, now in her late 50s, could choose to scale back or sell the business. She does find the physical work more demanding now, but she

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still enjoys it. “This is the type of business that I could continue into retirement, just working a day or two a week and contracting out other aspects of the business.

There’s also a small possibility that one of my grown daughters might like to inherit the business and take over from me. That would be a perfect scenario.”

Learn more at LookforaFranchise.ca

Canadian Franchise Association www.cfa.ca | www.FranchiseCanada.Online

RECOGNIZING DIVERSITY IN FRANCHISING

“If you can surround yourself with people who are a good resource for you, then that'll set you up for suc­cess.”

Mark Dewit, Scholars

MA RK DE WIT Mark Dewit, Scholars When you’re the franchisee of a tutoring service for kids, it helps to feel like a kid yourself. That’s not a problem for Mark Dewit, 35, who leads Scholars’ Calgary West location. The former Canadian Football League player calls himself “the biggest kid” in the tutoring room, easily going from conversations about sports to the finer intricacies of Pokémon.

“I’ve said it to every one of our teachers and parents: there’s lots of teachers out there, lots of tutors, but if you can’t connect with the students and make it an enjoyable experience for them and not [have them] feel the negative connotations that can come with tutoring, then it’s not going to be successful,” says Dewit.

Success hasn’t been much of an issue for him. Before opening in July 2020, Scholars, which provides personalized tutoring to students in kindergarten up to grade 12 in almost all subjects, didn’t have a presence in Calgary.

But now Dewit says that Scholars is the name his community turns to.

A big reason for that is the personal connections he and his tutors make with students, he says. The support

from the franchise has also been huge. “Head office has people who are experts in a few different fields, so it’s nice to be able to have somebody you can turn to and not have to make every single decision yourself.” Dewit doesn’t have a teaching background, so the education support has been particularly helpful, he says.

Still, that lack of teaching experience, combined with his age, means that sometimes Dewit has to work hard to earn the trust of parents. That’s where his ability to connect with people—and show his passion for education—comes in. “If you're passionate about [what you do], if you can surround yourself with people who are a good resource for you, then that'll set you up for success,” he says.

Learn more at LookforaFranchise.ca

Franchise Canada March | April 2022

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RECOGNIZING DIVERSITY IN FRANCHISING

“We’re in that generation where we’re trying to build our futures, our families.”

Krishan Zilka, The UPS Store

KRI SHAN ZILKA Krishan Zilka, The UPS Store For Krishan Zilka, now is the time for millennials like himself to show the world what they’re made of. “We’ve done our studies, we’ve worked our corporate jobs,” he says. “We’re in that generation where we’re trying to build our futures, our families. And being 32, I have that energy right now to come in every morning full-fledged.”

Zilka has been bringing that energy to his The UPS Store franchise in Orangeville, Ontario for less than a year. But in that short time, he’s put his business on track to break even and has even hired support staff.

He credits that early success to a few factors, including the brand recognition of The UPS Store, the company’s franchisee support systems, and the community of Orangeville itself, which is “so welcoming” to small busi-

nesses like his.

However, there are challenges that come with being such a relatively young franchisee, says Zilka. Number one is building the trust of customers who might not think millennials are capable of decision-making roles yet. He does that by being in the store every day and making contact with every customer.

“If they don’t see me in that decision-making role today, the next time they come in the store, they’re going to see me here. And they’re going to keep seeing me here.” That repetition is what encourages trust, he adds.

Yet, as important as that passion and dedication is to Zilka and other millennials like him, so is avoiding burnout. Thankfully, The UPS Store’s reasonable hours of operation allow him to do that, he says. “Our generation

MIDAS FAMILY

JOIN THE GROWING Midas is a leader in the global automotive service industry and the gold standard for total car care. Build your future with us as we continue to expand throughout Canada.

BECOME A FRANCHISEE

MidasFranchise.com | 800.365.0007 This advertisement does not constitute an offer of a franchise. A franchise offering can be made by us only after we provide you with an appropriate Canadian disclosure document (as applicable in each providence). Franchises may not be available in all provinces.

34

Canadian Franchise Association www.cfa.ca | www.FranchiseCanada.Online

RECOGNIZING DIVERSITY IN FRANCHISING is a little different. We want work-life balance. And I think that's the biggest thing that really intrigued me about The UPS Store network. It allowed me [that balance], because at 32, I'm thinking about settling down and having a family, and I think this will give me the opportunity to do so.”

Learn more at LookforaFranchise.ca

Franchise Canada March | April 2022

35

Are you franchising in Canada?

Join Canada’s largest franchise community and we’ll grow your business together!

Credibility

Lead Generation

Education

Networking

Advocacy

Discover all the benefits of CFA membership!

Contact Lou Gervasi at 800-665-4232 ext. 243 or lgervasi@cfa.ca Learn more at cfa.ca/join

Resources

is pleased to present a Special Franchise Focus on

HOME IMPROVEMENT

Franchise Canada March | April 2022

37

SPECIAL FRANCHISE FOCUS

Building a Better Future

A

Home improvement franchises help Canadians add the perfect finishing touches to their dream homes

t the end of 2020, the pandemic’s impact on ramping up home improvement sales became clear, as Canadians spent more time at home and realized the need for minor and major changes around their family homes.

From fresh wall paint to a bathroom or kitchen upgrade and all the way outside to a deck or yard refresh, Canadians were pinpointing key areas around their houses that were long overdue for an update. They turned to home improvement franchises across the country that provide services including painting, flooring, repairs and maintenance, cleanup and restoration, handyman services, disaster restoration, water damage, and much more.

In Canada, the home improvement industry is valued at $52.5 billion, up from the $50.2 billion reported in 2020. That’s according to Statista, who also report that 46 per cent of Canadian homeowners planned to spend $1,000 to $10,000 on home improvement projects in 2021.

The average planned spend for homeowners surveyed was $10,200 on home renovations that year.

Meanwhile, HomeStars reports that Canadians’ biggest motivation (58 per cent) to renovate was to “refresh” the look and feel while improving the overall aesthetic of their homes. For those who completed home improvement projects during COVID-19, another 77 per cent say they have plans for future interior renovations and 51 per cent for exterior renovations in the coming year, per HomeStars.

The most popular renovation category during the pandemic was outdoor projects including decks, pools,

38

and lawns, notes Statista. That may be because many people opted to turn their own homes into a relaxing and inviting space where they could enjoy time with family while restaurants and public spaces were temporarily locked down.

While restoration jobs were a choice for many, more than half of HomeStars’ respondents (54 per cent) reported having to complete at least one emergency repair service during the pandemic, with the top two reasons being plumbing and appliance repair, respectively.

Home improvement franchises are a great opportunity for individuals interested in joining a growing industry that provides support and care for Canadians’ most sacred spaces: their family homes. For many of these brands, franchisees aren’t required to have previous handyman or repair experience, as they’re responsible for overseeing projects that are completed by their staff. Others looking for a more hands-on experience can opt for a brand that lets them get involved in the repairs and support their customers on-site from start to finish.

It’s clear that the home improvement trend has rocketed up in the last couple of years. Statista notes that in 2021, about 11 per cent of Canadians had plans to spend more than $25,000 on renovations, showing that there’s no sign of slowing down when it comes to turning a family house into a dreamy abode.

Read on to learn why prospective franchisees should consider investing into the home improvement industry!

Canadian Franchise Association www.cfa.ca | www.FranchiseCanada.Online

SPECIAL FOCUS ADVERTORIAL

A system where franchisees have a say PAUL DAVIS RESTORATION is the only democratic franchise system in North America, where the franchisees have a vote in how the business model evolves to serve its customers and the ever-changing marketplace.

This unique relationship between franchisor and franchisee is perfectly aligned to ensure our franchise owners’ success and profitability.

We work with our business owners every day, right across Canada, to deliver support programs in all aspects of their business—from business planning and marketing, to hiring and training their employees. Paul Davis has been a top performer in the restoration industry for 56 years, and

that knowledge and experience— combined with our national industry contacts—allow our franchisees to dominate in their local markets.

At Paul Davis, we set our franchise owners up for success. Franchise owners receive customized training at our state-of-the-art training facility and flood house along with start up launch support that continues for three years to ensure the success of their business. Ongoing training and support ensure our franchisees are ready to build an “Employer of Choice” culture within their business and can lead a successful business from day one. Before a franchise location is even launched, we make sure

that everything is prepared to meet our customers’ needs at every turn.

Paul Davis Restoration is seeking owners who are “A-Players”: “One who has a winning spirit to serve others, a history of achieving great results, and has values congruent with our brand.” We are looking for franchisees who are motivated, driven, and disciplined and love the idea of making a positive impact in the communities where they live by helping people in their time of need.

Our mission is, “To provide opportunities for great people to deliver best in class service.” If you possess these traits, we have the perfect franchise opportunity for you. ■

To find out more, visit PaulDavisBusiness.ca

A BUSINESS BUILT on

SERVING PEOPLE in their time of need

Are You Ready To Own A Prosperous Business With Unlimited Growth Potential And Make A Difference In Your Community? At Paul Davis, we are dedicated to making a difference in the lives of our customers. We have over 55 years of expertise in essential cleaning & restoration in fire, water, mold, and storms. We are leaders across North America in emergency services and property damage restoration.

THE DIFFERENCE MAKERS ™

833-264-9149

daniel.hopkins@pauldavis.com

PaulDavisBusiness.ca Join our team and become a Difference Maker!

• •

Currently cleaning COVID-19

World class training facility & online training

SPECIAL FOCUS ADVERTORIAL

KEY TO GROWTH: BUILD CLIENT TRUST ESTABLISHED IN 2018, Revivify Paint-

ing made its mission to revamp the residential painting industry. CEO Mike Massel has one guiding philosophy for the company: we leave everywhere we go better than the way we found it.

As an entrepreneur with an eye for process management, Mike set out to address what he identified as the two major pain points in residential painting. Many small painting businesses lacked the resources and ability to build client trust and attract the professional and reliable talent needed to keep up with growth.

Revivify Painting focuses on addressing client trust by developing transparent systems from quote to invoice. The company has successfully developed its own proprietary software which standardizes the estimating, quoting, project management and invoicing systems for the business. This customized software has been instrumental in building the strong client relationships that have earned Revivify Painting locations outstanding reputations and awards for services within the industry.

Revivify Painting consistently attracts professional and reliable talent, in an industry that has a bad reputation for misusing subcontractors and not training new hires. It has dedicated itself to hiring fulltime, uniformed employees, who are committed to customer service, setting itself apart in a crowded space.

Painters often suffer from shortterm unreliable sub-contracts and the companies they are employed with do not give them the opportunity to grow their skill set. Revivify Painting offers training systems and

“Dedicated employees are part of our brand. We choose to hire full-time team members who have stable hours so that they can focus on growing with our company without worrying about where their next paycheck comes from. They are the key to our success.” works with its employees to develop new skills, build management teams, and more.

“Dedicated employees are part of our brand. We choose to hire full-time team members who have stable hours so that they can focus on growing with our company without worrying about where their next paycheck comes from. They are the key to our success,” Massel says.

Revivify Painting provides a healthy work environment that is safe, with ample opportunity for growth. Every franchise is fully insured and compliant.

The revenue generation plan at Revivify Painting is simple and effective. The first step is winning customers through great branding and advertising, delivered at the right time of the buyer cycle. After providing those buyers with an excellent product and the highest level of customer service, the next step is letting referrals and repeat customers power the business. This method has allowed some existing franchises to reach record sales and profits, even throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Being part of the Revivify Painting franchise model allows you to build your own business while benefiting from being part of a wider organiza-

tion. Every day as a business owner in the trades you will encounter product, substrate, and application issues that you have not dealt with before.

But as part of the Revivify Painting franchise system the collective knowledge of the company will be at your fingertips to solve these problems. Aside from the inherent advantage of bearing the brand name and profiting from its positive reputation, there are many other supports available to franchisees, such as; franchisee training, employee training, step-by-step guides, human resource training and practices, marketing strategy, and proprietary software.

If you are hardworking, disciplined, and ready to take a shot at building your own company, then a Revivify Painting Franchise may be the perfect fit for you. The highest level of success will be achieved by owners/operators who are ready to roll up their sleeves and dive headfirst into a business. Be in the business of leaving lives, homes, and communities better than you found them. ■

For more information on franchising opportunities available, visit revivifypainting.ca

After years of painting their own success, Revivify Painting is launching their franchise system across Canada.

Proprietary Franchise Management Software

Proven Marketing Method

Outstanding Reputation

For more information on franchising, contact franchising@revivifypainting.ca.

Locations are available across Canada.

Ongoing Support

revivifypainting.ca

SPECIAL FRANCHISE FOCUS

Top 3 Most Popular Home Improvement Spots: 1.

Interior Painting

(39%)

2.

New Appliances

(23%)

Most Canadian homeowners

More than

hired a professional to complete home improvement projects

of homeowners say they read reviews for home improvement businesses before booking professionals

(69%)

81%

of homeowners report having sufficient money on hand to fund their renovations during the pandemic

98%

Of the Canadians who renovated during the pandemic, 77% have plans for interior renovations and 51% plan to do exterior renovations in the next

12 months

Renovation Spend by Province (HomeStars 2021 Reno Report https://go.homestars.com/reno-report-2021)

British Columbia

$10,250 Alberta

3.

Bathroom Renovations

Saskatchewan/ Manitoba

$9,550

(21%)

58%

of people who renovated or improved their homes in 2021 did so to refresh the aesthetic feel of their space

42

Atlantic Canada

$10,410

Canadian Franchise Association www.cfa.ca | www.FranchiseCanada.Online

$11,050

Ontario

$11,560 The most popular (40% of respondents) fantasy renovation project if space or cost wasn’t an issue:

an outdoor cabana with full chef’s kitchen

SPECIAL FOCUS ADVERTORIAL

A strong brand poised for growth CertaPro Painters has aggressive growth plans, and an mercial painting franchise in North America. More than 360 opportunity to capture even more market share. The runlocally-owned and -operated franchises take pride in mak- way of growth is strong, as the construction and painting ing painting services easier and more convenient for home industries are both positioned for continued growth.

It’s the right industry. It’s the right time. It’s the right and business owners. Over the last 30 years, this has led to the company becoming North America’s Most Referred brand. ■ Painting Company® —a reputation that far exceeds any Each CertaPro Painters® business is independently owned and operated. other painting company. It’s an opportunity for individuals to grow their business in a $56 billion industry.

Because of brand recognition, CertaPro Painters has consistently experienced strong lead generation for its franchisees. This occurs with system-wide and local integrated marketing programs, ranging from digital strategies to tactics that re-generate business with previous customers.

Franchisees are positioned for operational success with field and online training. Curriculums for ® owners, staff, and painters provide valuable training on topics such as sales, • Largest residential and commercial painting franchise production, technology, in North America. and organizational health.

• 30+ years of experience with proven system-wide growth.

CertaPro Painters has a community of thriving • Support every step of the way with field and online training, business owners who love technology and resources. what they do and are ready to help their peers be suc• #1 Goal is to provide a business opportunity for franchisees to cessful.

Collaboration succeed and love what they do. between franchisor and franchisee is unmatched.

We seek assertive individuals who possess leadership, tenacity, introspection, and precision.

Franchise partners will manage a business that’s focused on transforming homes and businesses with a level of customer service that’s unmatched in the contracting space.

This opportunity is about Each CertaPro Painters® business is independently owned and operated. organization building and scaling a large business.

CERTAPRO PAINTERS® is the largest residential and com-

CREATE YOUR OWN SUCCESS STORY WITH CERTAPRO PAINTERS

800-693-5859

certapro.ca/franchise

SPECIAL FRANCHISE FOCUS

The Economic Impact of Home Ownership (Canadian Home Builders’ Association, Residential Construction in Canada: Economic Performance Review 2020 with 2021 Insights https://www.chba.ca/impacts)

RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION IMPACTS

1,244,635

ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF NEW HOME CONSTRUCTION

ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF HOME RENOVATION AND REPAIR

jobs

on- and off-site jobs

517,997

726,638

$81.1 billion

$33.8 billion

$47.3 billion

$138.1 billion

$59.9 billion

$78.2 billion

in wages

jobs

in wages

in investment value

in wages

in investment value

in investment value

Top Fantasy Renovations in Canada (Amongst those surveyed) (HomeStars 2021 Reno Report https://go.homestars.com/reno-report-2021)

40%

Outdoor cabana with chef’s kitchen

36%

Resort-style outdoor pool with waterslide

35%

Fitness centre

31%

Indoor pool/sauna

28%

Movie theatre 18%

Man cave

14%

She shed

14%

Outdoor sauna

13%

Climate-controlled wine cellar Private elevator

8%

Kids interactive super playroom/ball pit

8%

Pet spa Something else

44

5% 23%

Canadian Franchise Association www.cfa.ca | www.FranchiseCanada.Online

Making the Move

Examine moving franchises that have helped Canadians through unique challenges and lifestyle changes

BY GEORGIE BINKS

COVID-19 restrictions have made life transitions, downsizing, and moving homes challenging over the past two years. Thankfully for the many Canadians who have moved during the pandemic, these three essential service franchises have been more than happy to accommodate, while doing it safely.

Franchise Canada March | April 2022

45

MAKING THE MOVE

46

Photo Credit: Syx Langemann, Black Frame Studios

ONESource Moving Solutions When Danielle Carriere bought ONESource Moving Solutions in January 2019—just before the pandemic hit—she never could have imagined the challenges and opportunities it would bring. “Our company grew like crazy,” she explains. “Families couldn’t cross the border or travel, which left their loved ones needing assistance.

Retirement communities, which were essential services like us, were allowed to move people out, whereas the general public wasn’t always allowed in to assist.”

The franchise bills itself as a “one-source solution for all your moving, downsizing, estate, and organizing needs.” Danielle explains, “Our concept is to help seniors, professionals, and families take the stress of out of changing their address.”

The company began by specializing in moving seniors, but is now even busier with professionals.

One big challenge for ONESource during the pandemic was emptying properties. As Danielle notes, “We’d normally donate to local charities, but charities were closed. We had to learn a different way, so we adapted to online auctioning to empty properties completely.”

Staffing was also a challenge, she says, but “the franchisees and our corporate location have phenomenal staff. Our team members who work everyday in the business are very passionate about what they do and would never leave our clients unsupported.”

The company, which was declared an essential service, continued with on-site estimates but took special measures. “All team members were tested regularly, had PPE, and followed all the proper rules. We just had to adapt how we did things with clients, how many people were around, making sure everyone was wearing their masks. We had to let the clients know that wearing masks and equipment sometimes made the job a little slower, but nobody ever minded.”

The franchise has four locations now and is looking to expand across Canada. The benefit for franchisees is the top-notch training, ongoing support, and quarterly meetings. “Franchisees need to be driven, motivated, and love people,” says Danielle.

She says she loves her job. “The benefit [for me] is to show people how to help [others, and] basically take the stress out of changing their address. I show franchisees how to do the job I love. I get a lot of personal satisfaction out of it—you’re helping people in very stressful times.”

Learn more at LookforaFranchise.ca

Canadian Franchise Association www.cfa.ca | www.FranchiseCanada.Online

MAKING THE MOVE Transition Squad When Transition Squad president Viraf Baliwalla started franchising, he was helping clients sell their homes privately. But all that changed quickly. “Our first client had a mother with dementia and was going through a downsizing process,” he says. “I’d gone through it myself with my father and noticed my friends were going through it with their parents. I saw how much pain everyone was going through at an already traumatic time. I felt it was better to help those in need rather than helping people save some commission. So, we pivoted and became Transition Squad.”

Transition Squad helps seniors downsize and works with families settling an estate. It provides services packaged to the needs of each individual client, from finding a good home for their belongings to clearing out the premises and moving clients to a new home. “We’re unique because we have our own online auction platform and process,” says Baliwalla. In fact, a large chunk of the franchise’s revenue comes from online auctions.

Transition Squad has been an essential business throughout the pandemic. “We did more business during the COVID-19 period than we’d done prior to it. It forced us to re-evaluate some of our processes to make them more streamlined and profitable,” says Baliwalla.

The franchise is home-based with extremely low overhead and a flexible schedule. Minor staff shortages were an issue early on, Baliwalla says, but they weren’t significant.

The ideal franchisee has to be genuinely empathetic to their clients’ situations, organized to manage multiple jobs at a time, able to assemble a good, small team of

freelancers to guide and coach, and be willing to roll up their sleeves when necessary.

Extensive training is delivered via Zoom, YouTube, and other technologies. Ongoing support is provided by Transition Squad Downsizing Academy which provides one-on-one coaching and experience sharing.

And you’ve got to have heart. Baliwalla says, “It’s a great feeling when clients tell us we relieved them from a very stressful ordeal. It’s not just about finding someone who can afford a franchise. It is about finding the right people who can create the right rapport with the clients. After all, this isn’t just ‘stuff’ we’re dealing with. It’s people’s lives, feelings, and memories they’re entrusting to us.”

Learn more at LookforaFranchise.ca

Franchise Canada March | April 2022

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MAKING THE MOVE TWO MEN AND A TRUCK For some franchises, the pandemic has been very difficult to navigate. But not so much for TWO MEN AND A TRUCK. John Prittie, president and CEO of the franchise in Canada, explains that “2021 was a banner year with approximately 20 per cent year-over-year growth. Had there been a larger pool of employees, the growth could have easily been 30 per cent or more.”

That’s because so many Canadians decided to move during this time. “Countless families moved from the city to the suburbs or the suburbs to the country. As a result, demand for moving services went through the roof. Many customers decided to move from one province to another, resulting in longer moves and increased revenues.”

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK is a full-service moving company offering packing and unpacking; local, regional, and long distance moving; and storage and junk removal services. It started in the early ’80s in the U.S. and is now the largest franchised moving and storage company in North America with close to 400 franchises in Canada, the U.S., and the United Kingdom. There are currently 30 locations in Canada with plans to expand to 40 in the coming years.

When the pandemic began, the company was declared an essential business and its top priority was ensuring the safety of franchisees, their employees, and customers. Masks are worn in the truck and on the job site. The brand now completes virtual on-site estimates to help save time and money.

One of TWO MEN AND A TRUCK’s biggest challenges during the pandemic was recruiting and retaining movers and drivers, so it initiated several changes to wage and benefit programs.

Supply chain issues have also exacerbated an ongoing issue in the industry with the acquisition of new trucks and equipment. Prittie also says there have been chal-

Brig Sorber (left) and John Sorber—the original “two men”—pictured with a replica of their first TWO MEN AND A TRUCK vehicle.

48

John Prittie at the board room table January 2022

lenges to operating in Canada because of ‘fly by night’ operators taking advantage of unsuspecting customers.

Still, he adds, “It’s a great industry to be involved in as Canadian families move on average every five to seven years. The company enjoys many referrals and repeat customers.”

Franchisees don’t need prior experience—they simply need the skill set, desire, and financial capacity to join the team. They receive three weeks of training in the U.S., Canada, and their franchise location.

Prittie says they’ve done well throughout the pandemic. “Franchisees are resourceful, have strong interpersonal skills, positive attitudes, and are highly motivated individuals.”

Learn more at LookforaFranchise.ca

The team celebrates the grand opening of the brand’s first franchise in Canada in Hamilton, Ontario, July 2005. Left to right: franchisee Larry Renaud, founder Mary Ellen Sheets, president John Prittie, president Melanie Bergeron, and chairman Hugh Heron.

Canadian Franchise Association www.cfa.ca | www.FranchiseCanada.Online

Celebrating Diversi-tea Chatime franchisees Dovelin and Allison Hawthorne share how the tea industry complements their unique Caribbean cultures

BY STEFANIE UCCI

ONLINE EXCLUSIVE Check out this sneak peek from a new online exclusive article available on FranchiseCanada.Online

F

or years, Franchise Canada magazine has highlighted unique and diverse faces within the franchising community to inspire and educate prospective franchisees from all walks of life. In 2022, the celebrations will continue and expand online as we feature successful and diverse business owners who have incredible stories to share.

To celebrate Black History Month in February, we featured Chatime franchisees and husband-and-wife duo, Dov­elin and Allison Hawthorne, who immigrated to Canada from the Caribbean back in 1992. They planted their roots in Bolton, Ontario—which served as an excellent location to be the first to introduce the Chatime brand to their community.

Dovelin was born in Jamaica and Allison in St. Lucia, and today the couple of 25 years own a new franchise they opened in August 2021.

“We’re blessed to celebrate the rich culture of Jamaica, St. Lucia, and Canada,” says Dovelin, who explains that their daughters, aged 18 and 22, are first generation Canadians who get to celebrate their own three cultures—and who had a big hand in helping their parents choose Chatime to franchise with.

Prior to becoming business owners, the Hawthornes had no franchising or retail experience—Dovelin worked as a frontline emergency worker and Allison as an administrative assistant. “It was always our dream to own our

own business in the entrepreneurial world through franchising,” explains Dovelin.

Getting the par-tea started As a bubble tea brand that just celebrated its 10-year anniversary, Chatime has more than 70 locations across Canada and is in dozens of countries around the globe.

The Hawthornes note that Chatime has more than 100 ways to brew tea, as well as a support system featuring a business development manager who’s assigned to each franchise owner to help build an effective and successful franchise system.

When asked why they picked Chatime, the Hawthornes identify keywords that come to mind when they think about why they chose the brand: “innovation, multiculturalism, technology, forward thinking, and infrastructure.”

They add that being from the Caribbean, with its history of colonization by the British, tea is very familiar to them, and they had always dreamed of going into business in the tea industry.

“We wanted to wait until our children got older, says Dovelin. “Then in 2019, Allison got laid off due to COVID-19 and she said why not look into the tea business and take it more seriously. With our research, we came across Chatime.”

Once they brought up the brand name to their young daughters, they received a unanimous “yes!” The girls

Franchise Canada March | April 2022

49

CELEBRATING DIVERSI-TEA thought Chatime would be a great brand to introduce to their community in Bolton where there was high demand from their peers and people of all ages.

“We have customers coming in all the time saying, ‘thanks for coming to Bolton, we’re so excited you’re open.’ And that makes me feel so happy that we made the right choice,” says Allison.

Their community’s excitement certainly showed.

On grand opening day, the Hawthornes recall having a lineup from inside their store all the way through the parking lot. And they were elated to have the mayor of Caledon—the larger town that houses their small village of Bolton—join them for the ribbon cutting that day.

“I’ve learned and grown so much, and I still am,” says Allison. “With the help of Chatime head office, I’m able to do a lot and be successful. We have a great group of 13 staff and they’re amazing, I couldn’t do it without them as well.”

Dovelin adds, “We’re so grateful for the hard-working staff that showed up to work every day and have done their best to keep Chatime Bolton going. The staff brought competence, character, and chemistry to work which creates a wonderful team of Tearistas.” He says that their business’ success is also thanks to their faithful supporters and customers.

Alongside these business joys are some challenges the new franchisees faced. Allison explains that once the business was open, she was working 14 to 15 hours a day—and did that for 22 days straight during grand opening.

Dovelin adds that finding the perfect location was also a challenge, but one that was overcome with the help of going into business under the franchise model.

“Chatime has really good real estate agents they work with to find a location and negotiate all the lease contracts,” he explains. “That sometimes might be difficult for an individual [on their own], but Chatime has experience and bargaining power, which made it a lot easier for us.”

Read the full article here!

Learn more at LookforaFranchise.ca

JOIN THE MOVEMENT!

ONESource Moving Solutions is expanding across Canada.

“We take the stress out of changing your address.”

Essential Service • Home Based Business • Low Investment And Start Up Costs Room for Lots of Growth • Covid-19 Resistant Want to learn more about this exciting Franchise Opportunity?

email: franchising@onesourcemoving.ca

SENIORS | PROFESSIONALS | FAMILIES

50

www.onesourcemoving.ca This advertising is not an offering of a franchise.

An offer of a franchise can only be made by a franchise disclosure document.

Canadian Franchise Association www.cfa.ca | www.FranchiseCanada.Online

Real Estate

For Canadians looking to make a move or buy their first home, a real estate agent can help make smart choices in an ever-changing housing landscape. The real estate industry is also ideal for franchisees who want to benefit from the training, knowledge, technology, and credibility of a national franchise brand in a competitive field.

Here, we take a look at real estate franchises across the country that are helping Canadians find and buy the perfect home.

Franchise Canada March | April 2022

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REAL ESTATE FRANCHISES ACROSS CANADA

CENTURY 21 CENTURY 21 is a global real estate network active in 86 countries and territories, with 14,250 offices and more than 155,000 agents worldwide, and is a master franchisor in Canada. The vibrant and growing real estate network has more than 40 years of experience, and combines a global reach with local focus for Canadian business owners.

CENTURY 21 offers franchisees innovative technology, exceptional lead generation tools, state-of-the-art marketing, strategic partners, and award-winning training and business development programs. Franchise owners also get access to events and industry networking within the CENTURY 21 community that invites franchisees from coast to coast to share ideas, coaching, and support with one another.

Learn more at LookforaFranchise.ca

Charlwood Pacific Group Charlwood Pacific Group is an independently operated company that belongs to a powerful global network, providing service to businesses and consumers across Canada and worldwide.

Charlwood owns the master and/or territory franchise rights to leading national and international brands in travel and real estate, including CENTURY 21; UNIGLOBE Travel International, Canada and Asia Pacific; Centum Financial Group; and Real Property Management Canada.

With headquarters in Vancouver, B.C., Charlwood Pacific Group is led by U. Gary Charlwood in partnership with his sons, Martin and Christopher. The collective organizations under the brand have 1,759 franchise units, with 22,000 employees across 67 countries, creating an abundant network of support and franchise success for new and growing entrepreneurs.

Learn more at LookforaFranchise.ca

MaxWell Realty

PropertyGuys.com

Since 1999, MaxWell Realty has been a proud Canadian-born brand that’s founded on the principle of providing customers with genuine care and service throughout the process of buying and selling their homes. Today, there are nearly 1,000 MaxWell realtors across Western Canada. The brand operates with the vision to be customers’ first choice when exploring real estate services.

PropertyGuys.com is disrupting the real estate industry in innovative and exciting ways for both homeowners and franchise partners. The brand prides itself on being a valued partner in the long-term success of its franchisees, by offering exclusive territories and hands-on training as well as high tech tools and continuous support.

For entrepreneurs, MaxWell Realty is an ideal brand to help grow a strong business. It offers the leadership, technology, and support needed to succeed in a competitive real estate market.

Franchisees can benefit from a solid reputation, leadership support, positive culture, proprietary technology, true value, and abundant training and support.

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The PropertyGuys.com investment offers three main perks: it’s primed to disrupt the real estate market, it operates in a recession-resistant industry, and it offers world-class support designed to help entrepreneurs grow and thrive. Franchisees benefit from low ownership costs, a proven business model, and continuous support of the leadership team that built the brand from the bottom up.

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Canadian Franchise Association www.cfa.ca | www.FranchiseCanada.Online

REAL ESTATE FRANCHISES ACROSS CANADA

Real Property Management With more than 35 years of experience in North America, Real Property Management provides professional property management services to protect and maximize Canadians’ real estate investments. The brand has a vision to lead the industry with solutions that help property owners redefine the way they look at management solutions. Real Property Management offers services including rental management, building management, tenant management, rental marketing, and investment property management.

As an essential service that’s continuously growing in the Canadian market, the rental housing industry is booming with investors who own several rental homes or have become unintentional landlords. Property managers with Real Property Management can be found from coast to coast and benefit from a low investment and franchise fee of less than $30,000 to get started.

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Realty One Group With offices across the globe, Realty One Group aims to make an impact—ONE home, ONE dream, ONE life at a time. The brand offers the “6C’s” of real estate franchise success— commission, coaching, community, “coolture”, connection, and care. What makes Realty One Group unique in the market is its people, who lead by vision and success to help their franchise owners maintain their agent-first focus so the together we all succeed.

Franchisees with Realty One Group are offered benefits including a collection of tools and technology, training and education, and branding and marketing. They’re also provided with local, Canadian support from regional offices with training, recruiting, onboarding, and retention to grow their offices.

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Royal LePage

SnapHouss

Royal LePage has been a leader in the Canadian real estate market since 1913, growing to become one of the most trusted and reliable real estate brands across the country. Operating with an innovative mindset and dedication to customer satisfaction, the brand offers proprietary tools, products, and services that are designed to help its real estate professionals find success.

As of late 2021, SnapHouss is North America’s largest real estate photography franchise. It offers competitively priced, fast, professionally enhanced photos, videos, 3D virtual tours, aerial and drone content, floorplans, virtual staging, and even more digital content to truly capture every aspect of the real estate landscape.

Franchising with Royal LePage means benefiting from access to Canada’s largest referral network of more than 19,000 sales professionals, a brand that’s #1 in more than 100 markets across the country and considers itself the voice of Canadian real estate. Franchisees have access to a website that generates more than 400,000 client leads, and an additional 100,000 client leads from the rlpSPHERE that launched in 2020.

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SnapHouss Franchise Partners can open their own business in less than 30 days, and benefit from perks including: a low franchise fee; hands-free online marketing; extremely low fixed monthly overhead costs; large unrestricted, exclusive territories; on-going sales, operations, marketing, and technical support; and much more. Join the digital marketing wave sweeping the nation!

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REAL ESTATE FRANCHISES ACROSS CANADA

Sutton Group Realty Services Since 1983, Sutton Group has offered cost-effective alternatives for real estate professionals and entrepreneurs across the country. The brand was built on its priority for service, innovation, and achievement within the industry. Sutton Group has more than 6,400 associates across 200 offices, and achieves more than $15 billion in annual transactions across Canada.

Franchising with Sutton Group means gaining access to Sutton Connect events, the Sutton referral network, Sutton Social (featuring online social networking support), industry technology, accolades and success recognition, and a 100 per cent Canadian-owned and -operated brand with a strong presence from coast to coast.

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HOME-GROWN & LOCALLY-OWNED

100% CANADIAN FRANCHISE SYSTEMS

New products and systems continue to populate the Canadian franchise landscape. Thanks to the entrepreneurial drive of their founders and talent for spotting a market niche, they demonstrate how lucrative the domestic sector can be. BY DAVID CHILTON SAGGERS

BinMasters

The French have had some great ideas over the centuries. Now they’ve come up with another one: a unique portable waste compaction service. That is to say, a truck with a long arm mounted on the back that has a revolving steel drum attached to crush and compact waste placed in a dumpster by up to 60 per cent, all controlled by a joystick in the driver’s cab. It means far fewer trips to the dump, lower costs, and decreased vehicle emissions, says René Casas-Cordeiro, CEO. BinMasters began in 2021 with its first franchise in Montreal—where the French company behind the technology has a subsidiary—and there’s a second in Delta, B.C., a third in the Eastern Townships in Quebec, and expressions of interest in Edmonton. Casas-Cordeiro says he’s looking at expansion opportunities in Montreal, Vancouver, and Ontario, “and the big city [of Toronto] for sure.”

BinMasters clients are typically manufacturers and warehouses, says Casas-Cordeiro, speaking from headquarters in Delta, a suburb of Vancouver. Regarding new franchisees, he adds, “It’s a huge market with room for franchisees in every province. The more the brand grows, the more well-known the service will be, and the easier it will be for franchisees to acquire clients, but the clients are inevitable.”

The cost of a truck is $275,000 and there’s also a $35,000 franchise fee. However, trucks can also be leased

from BinMasters and some lessees (the person who holds the lease) can qualify for a zero-down payment.

Training is conducted in Montreal and takes a week. A background in trucking isn’t necessary, but franchisees will need a Class 3 truck operating licence in Quebec and in other provinces they must be qualified to use trucks with air brakes. Also, every investor should have someone interested in sales, Casas-Cordeiro explains, since direct sales will be an important part of initial growth.

The pandemic hasn’t affected BinMasters much, he adds, and in the one year the system has been in operation, he’s put seven trucks on the road. “Garbage hasn’t changed.”

The benefits of a BinMasters investment are numerous and easy to see. For example, the cost of entry is lower than some systems, the ROI is a lot faster on average than for other systems, and the company maintains a high profile on social media, he explains. And there’s one more thing: “If you see a large roll off bin, you know that’s a future customer. We crush, you save. Period.”

Learn more at LookforaFranchise.ca

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Kekuli Café

Kekuli Café began 17 years ago at a concession stand at the Vista Ridge Car Wash in West Kelowna, B.C. Sharon Bond, Kekuli Café’s owner, founder, and CEO says that over three years at the car wash, they marketed, planned, and researched a business plan, with an eye to opening a brick-and-mortar location. The plan came to fruition and their restaurant doors were opened in 2009.

“We treated it like a franchise from the first week of operations,” Bond says. And when a second location opened to sell its unique Indigenous food, it too was thought of as a franchise. “We wanted to test a franchise model system to make sure franchising would work.”

Since then, the system has grown. There are now three Kekuli Café stores in B.C. offering Indigenous foods such as venison (deer meat), wild salmon, and an Indigenous staple called bannock—a kind of flatbread. (Their tagline: “Don’t Panic … We Have Bannock!”) That second store is in Merritt and the third and newest is in Kamloops, which opened in February this year. Bond says from Kelowna that she’s had requests for investment information from Ontario and Quebec, but for the time being, she’s focusing their future growth in B.C., Alberta, and Saskatchewan.

Bond, who is Indigenous herself, says potential franchisees need a passion for running a business and must be hands-on, too. A background in business and some exposure to the restaurant industry will also help, she says, pointing out that she finds that married couples are among the most interested in investing. A franchise

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costs between $375,000 and $450,000, and location size varies, but their emerging system considers premises anywhere between 1,300 and 1,700 square feet. “We take over a store and renovate it,” is how Bond explains the real estate aspect of her business.

Training can take a total of four to eight weeks at the West Kelowna corporate store and then in the franchisee’s own store. Local customers of all ages provide a lot of her business, she says, but Kekuli Café also attracts tourists and travellers who want to experience and taste Indigenous food.

The pandemic, while challenging, also made her system more flexible, explains Bond, and it’s been able to adapt to changing conditions quickly. For example, provincial restrictions meant a temporary end to in-person dining, so Kekuli Café launched its own app for takeout and curbside delivery.

As for the benefits of investing with Kekuli Café, “Everyone here is acknowledged and treated like family,” says Bond, who notes relations between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians are resilient, and support from local communities and government is growing.

Learn more at LookforaFranchise.ca

Canadian Franchise Association www.cfa.ca | www.FranchiseCanada.Online

RAPiZZA / Volt Ventures

Vernon D’Mello, CEO of Volt Ventures Inc., says if you throw a stone in any direction in Canada, the chances are you’ll hit a pizza place.

So how could he distinguish new brand RAPiZZA from the established competition? With toppings selected from the top 50 foods in the world and tested by professional chefs, success for RAPiZZA was likely from the start. The pizzas are ready in only three to four minutes, hence the name, which combines the words “rapid” and “pizza.”

The brand’s start was in 2020, when D’Mello began with one location in Mississauga, Ontario, where his headquarters is based. There are now two stores in Mississauga, two close by in Brampton, another not far away in Vaughan, and a sixth in Waterloo, Ontario. As for expansion, D’Mello is looking at London, Niagara Falls, and St. Catharines, and there have been expressions of considerable interest from Whitby, Oshawa, and Guelph, all in southern Ontario. “We would like a minimum of 25 locations by the end of the second quarter [of 2022],” says Vernon.

RAPiZZA is owned by Volt Ventures Inc., which also began in 2020, and has other brands in its portfolio such as Shake Therapy, Kathi Rolls, and Dosa Eatery (dosa is a thin pancake or crepe originating from south India, made from a fermented batter predominantly consisting of lentils or rice). This creates some synergistic opportunities—for example, one store in Mississauga and another in Brampton are combo locations that offer RAPiZZA and Shake Therapy milkshakes. Two new stores with a combination of Dosa Eatery and Shake Therapy are under construction in Mississauga.

The cost of a RAPiZZA/Shake Therapy combo store is about $310,000 (construction and equipment), and training takes two weeks. In addition, an executive chef from Volt also works in-store with new franchisees for at least two weeks. A store’s sweet spot is 1,400 square feet and they all are storefront locations with the same look and feel, says Vernon. Dosa Eatery locations should be around 1,800 square feet, and a cook is provided for this fast casual brand.

Franchisees must have a passion for food, and business experience would be helpful. Vernon also wants those who are hands-on, will follow Volt’s executive chefs’ direction, and are willing to learn.

The pandemic meant the system had to close for certain periods, and it didn’t qualify for government grants, so growth was slower than Vernon would have liked.

Now the challenge has become finding the right staff, but business is again robust.

As for the benefits of investing with a Volt Ventures brand, Vernon is resolutely upbeat, saying his system is new, very flexible, and provides strong organizational support. And he concludes, “The business model is definitely, definitely there.”

Learn more at LookforaFranchise.ca

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NEXT GENERATION IN FRANCHISING

A Slice of Success Score Pizza’s director of operations Gabrielle Arvanitis shares her experiences as a young franchise professional

BY JESSICA BURGESS

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Canadian Franchise Association www.cfa.ca | www.FranchiseCanada.Online

NEXT GENERATION IN FRANCHISING

T

he abundance of opportunities in the world of franchising means that there’s no one way—and no one age—to be part of a thriving franchise system.

Score Pizza’s director of operations, Gabrielle Arvanitis, has quickly climbed up the ladder of success since joining the brand in 2020. Arvanitis was new to the franchising industry when she started with Score Pizza, but had 13 years of experience in the hospitality industry under her belt.

“My introduction to Score Pizza was working as the general manager for the Waterloo, [Ontario] corporate location, where I learned the ins and outs of the brand and what’s involved with the franchising model,” explains Arvanitis, adding, “I discovered that franchising is an incredible model for building relationships and growing a brand with like-minded individuals, all with the same goals and with that teamwork mentality. It’s also comforting to have the experience and support of a successful team and system behind you.”

It’s no surprise that Arvanitis has found success with the brand, now in her role as director of operations.

“Score Pizza is really all about serving an incredible thin crust pizza, quickly, in our stone-fired oven, and really giving a customizable experience,” says Arvanitis.

“The atmosphere and culture are very important, and that’s what makes the brand unique.”

On top of the strong support from head office for each location, there’s invaluable support among colleagues and franchisees. “When you [buy into a franchise], you’re buying into a system that simply just works! Another amazing thing that comes along with franchising is that there’s a small team involved in the training and operations of the brand, so everyone is super accessible to you and willing to give you any support you need.”

with Score Pizza has really given me the confidence in my abilities and shown me my strengths. It’s very exciting working so closely with entrepreneurs who see the value in [joining] a system that you’ve helped create.”

Arvanitis notes that the most common challenge she faces is working with people who have more experience and who may minimize her years in the business. But her passion for her work is evident, and she brings that youthful energy into all she does with the company, proving that there is no one “right” age for franchise success.

She says that she’s well supported by colleagues and knows that her hard work and dedication speak to her capabilities. “Despite being in an upper-management role,” says Arvanitis, “I make sure, no matter how busy I am, that I’m on the line and in front of customers every day. This daily practice ensures that I’m never out of touch with what our franchisees need or the joys and challenges they face on a daily basis.”

A score for franchising Franchising is unique in its ability to bring diverse people together for common purposes and goals, while contributing to local communities throughout the country.

On top of that, the franchise model means people with various levels of experience work alongside one another, sharing their strengths and learning from one another.

“Franchising allows me to meet so many people, some with thirty-plus years of experience within the hospitality industry and others who are new to the industry,” Arvanitis explains, adding that she has the opportunity to work with franchisees who have a wide range of prior experience and needs. “This makes every day so different, and has really allowed me to tailor my support to what each franchisee needs rather than giving them surface-level support.”

While being a young female in a male-dominated industry has many challenges, Arvanitis says, “working

INCREDIBLE FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITY

Looking forward As director of operations, Arvanitis is mainly responsible for continuing the company’s growth year after year, making sure every restaurant is serving up the highest quality products and services. “Staying organized,

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NEXT GENERATION IN FRANCHISING

informed, current, and executing our system to the best of our abilities is how we maintain our incredible products and amazing team,” says Arvanitis. In addition to this big-picture task, she also oversees the day-to-day operations of the corporate locations in Waterloo and Kingston, Ontario, provides support for the daily operations of franchise locations across Canada, and oversees marketing campaigns.

“I’m responsible for maintaining all online ordering platforms, making collaborations and partnerships within the communities that we’re based out of to help support the daily growth of our restaurants,” she explains, “and I ensure that all our stores are operating at an optimal capacity and executing the brand vision.”

Score Pizza, a fairly young brand born in 2016, is continuing to grow. “A recent milestone that we’ll be achieving is opening our first location outside of the province of Ontario,” says Arvanitis of the brand’s expansion into Halifax. “We’re super excited to bring Score Pizza to the East coast and have the communities there experience our unique serving style and amazing pizza.” In addition to this, Score Pizza is launching a smaller restaurant prototype. “This smaller format will make Score Pizza more accessible to all types of franchisees,” Arvanitis explains, “and allow us to move into [more] markets than ever before.”

For those considering franchising, Arvanitis recommends following the protocols and procedures that the franchise has in place which have been proven to work, while asking pertinent questions along the way. “We’ve

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streamlined every system to ensure we’re not limited in how much volume each restaurant can do,” she explains.

“We keep our system simplified to ensure that support is available to each franchisee at the time they need it.”

This support is on the micro and macro level, including marketing assistance with events and campaigns at the store level.

For those potential franchisees looking at Score Pizza, Arvanitis also suggests spending time in a corporate store, “to really get a sense of what the brand is about.

We work very hard at maintaining an amazing atmosphere and creating a working culture like no other!”

This culture includes embracing their identity as a Canadian brand, from the building materials used in the locations to the local suppliers and partners, as well as maintaining an open-door policy for franchisees and staff.

Any way you slice it, pizza is just good fun, Arvanitis says. “In the food and beverage industry, we have the very unique perspective of seeing guests on their best days and worst days, but we hope that visiting a Score Pizza location and interacting with our team will give you a mood boost—after all, pizza is Canada’s favourite comfort food!”

Learn more at LookforaFranchise.ca

Canadian Franchise Association www.cfa.ca | www.FranchiseCanada.Online

LEADERSHIP PROFILE

EDUCATING THE MASSES For Bluekey Education founder Peter Han, spotting a gap in the education market has sparked franchising success

BY ROMA IHNATOWYCZ

P

eter Han represents a modern-day immigrant success story, and it’s one that’s still in the making. The young entrepreneur came to Canada with his parents at the age of 17. Just seven years later, right after graduating from university, he had already launched his own tutoring business.

“I realized that a lot of students were really struggling and that there were no tutoring agencies or ‘academies’ that could help them,” says the CEO and founder of Bluekey Education. “Students were facing challenges with exams and with their studies, especially immigrant students like myself from China, India, Korea, Vietnam, and other countries.”

Armed with that knowledge, Han drew on his own personal experience as a young newcomer and plunged into a new, foreign education system to set up a tutoring service that would help post-secondary students navigate this oftenchallenging world.

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LEADERSHIP PROFILE The impetus was a disconnect he observed when he first arrived in Canada from China as a teen. Initially Han completed his high school studies in Edmonton, Alberta, where his family had settled. Sciences and mathematics came easily to him, given the more rigorous curriculum he had already mastered in these subjects in China. English, on the other hand, proved more challenging, but there were many English tutoring services available.

However, when he attended the University of Toronto to major in applied sciences, Han noticed a vacuum.

There was a lack of tutoring services targeting post-secondary students, despite the competitive culture found at one of the country’s top universities. Han observed that Canadian universities “encourage students to study independently, to figure out everything by themselves.” This stood in stark contrast to the tutoring support found abroad, where students readily get tutoring help as a normal part of their post-secondary education experience.

Similarly, Han noted the high numbers of international and new-immigrant students at Canadian campuses— students who, like him, may need some additional help acclimating to unfamiliar academic demands. “Canada is one of the western countries that accepts a lot of international students to study, but I noticed they didn’t have

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enough support. There wasn’t much out there in terms of university and college tutoring,” he says.

Instead, Canada’s more established tutoring companies were geared toward younger students at the grade school or high-school level, not university or college students. “I saw a gap in the market,” Han explains.

Getting started Gaps such as these are fuel for anyone with an entrepreneurial mindset and the drive and determination to forge their own path. Han was exactly one of these individuals, and he plunged himself into setting up his tutoring business shortly after graduating. “I thought I would give it a shot,” says Han. “I gave myself six months.”

The company’s beginnings were humble but well thought out. Han tapped into the wealth of talent available on the campus—young undergraduates or graduate students—to staff his burgeoning start-up, mostly on a part-time basis, and many of them were friends.

His parents helped out with the initial financing, and in the early days, Han carried a lot of the workload himself. “I was doing everything,” he says. “I was teaching, marketing, and managing operations. I was a young entrepreneur.”

That was almost 10 years ago. Today, Bluekey Education has grown into a national tutoring business helping higher education students across the country. It has franchised two operations—both in Ontario—with plans to expand the franchising model to more locations in the future. “Our first franchised location opened in 2020, and we would like to open three to five franchises each year at locations across North America,” says Han. The company’s initial growth was on the ground, as Han built the business by setting up brick-and-mortar tutoring centres at many of the country’s largest universities, including McGill University in Montreal, Western University in London, Carleton University in Ottawa, and the University of Alberta in Edmonton. With the arrival of COVID, however, the young entrepreneur pivoted to a more online business model to cope with the restrictions introduced with each new wave of the virus.

“When COVID hit, it was a shock. We thought, ‘What are we going to do?’ All the universities were moving their lectures online and students were back home, not on campus,” says Han of the moment when the grave reality of the pandemic became clear. “So, we introduced online learning as an additional tool to our inperson learning platform and began developing online learning resources.”

What was initially perceived as a nightmare scenario turned into a blessing. The transition to virtual learning allowed the company to target students outside of its established campuses, and even broaden its reach to students in the U.S.

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LEADERSHIP PROFILE

“WE AIM TO HELP A LOT OF STUDENTS WHO ARE FACING LEARNING DIFFICULTIES OR DEPRESSION. ESPECIALLY WITH COVID, STUDENTS ARE MORE STRESSED, SO WE PROVIDE FREE WEBINARS, CONSULTATIONS, AND OTHER RESOURCES.”

Bluekey now markets itself as an online tutoring business with a reach of more than 300 universities. It offers a series of modules for first and second-year courses in popular study streams like math, the sciences, and economics, providing one-on-one personalized tutoring as well as group sessions and tailored exam prep sessions.

It continues to rely on graduate and post-graduate students as part-time tutors, which helps keep its pricing model low for its target market.

Looking towards the future Future developments for the company include an artificial intelligence (AI) enabled platform that Han is currently developing to cater to the rapidly-digitizing global education market. These features will expand the business beyond educational needs, to what Han calls an “ecosystem of products and services” for online tutoring.

Startup costs for franchisees are low—as little as $80,000, which covers the franchise and setup fees— and profits are often seen in the first year thanks to the unique nature of the post-secondary tutoring market.

“There’s virtually no one else in this niche market,” says Han. “But the demand is strong because students need to pass their exams. You only pay a tutor once a student is lined up, so it’s a very low risk but high-volume business model.”

Han also launched the Bluekey Foundation, a nonprofit organization that responds to the educational and health struggles that students face during the pandemic.

The non-profit provides free, accessible support services to prospective and current higher education students who are battling everything from mental health issues to

struggles in their studies. “We aim to help a lot of students who are facing learning difficulties or depression. Especially with COVID, students are more stressed, so we provide free webinars, consultations, and other resources.”

Han describes his ideal franchisee as someone with some customer service experience, as well as experience studying or teaching at a Canadian or American university. Beyond that, it’s all about having the right attitude and a strong desire to build and grow the company. He also recognizes the benefits of signing on young franchisees, pointing to his own experience a prime example. He feels his youth proved to be particularly advantageous.

“This is such a great experience when you’re young, even if you’ve just recently graduated like I had when I started,” says Han. “You’re strong, internally and physically, and you can devote yourself completely to building your company. You’re not thinking about taking a vacation; you’re motivated to grow your business.”

Having experienced life as a new immigrant himself, he understands what it means to acclimate to a completely new education environment and has made it his life mission to help others overcome similar challenges.

For Han, “it’s all about helping more people become successful, confident, and innovative in the future.”

Learn more at LookforaFranchise.ca

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A DAY IN THE LIFE

Going Pro

Nursing student Emilie Nadeau shares how she discovered her passion for leadership by owning a College Pro franchise

BY JOELLE KIDD

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Canadian Franchise Association www.cfa.ca | www.FranchiseCanada.Online

A DAY IN THE LIFE

C

ollege Pro, the window-cleaning franchise system that seeks to develop young entrepreneurs, celebrated its 50th summer in 2021. The brand has been a go-to for business-minded post-secondary students looking to learn new skills and make an income over the summer months.

For Emilie Nadeau, a 21-year-old student in her final year of a nursing program, business ownership hadn’t been a conscious part of her life plan. Nadeau says she stumbled on the College Pro opportunity while looking for summer employment on a job site in the spring of 2021.

“My dad owns his own business, so I thought that maybe running my own business was something I would be good at,” she explains. “I found an ad for a student window cleaning business and … I just went through with it.” After going through the interview process, “it seemed like the perfect opportunity.”

It’s a move she says she’s more than glad she made.

By the end of the summer, Nadeau had learned valuable skills and realized her passions for leadership and building relationships—and she’s ready to do it all again in 2022.

Learning to shine Before joining College Pro, Nadeau was working in long term care while studying nursing—a difficult place to be during the COVID-19 pandemic. “It’s very stressful. The people I’ve been working with had been there for many years, and were starting to get [drained by] the pandemic. It was causing a lot of stress for them. And even though I was new to long term care—I had only been there for two years—it was starting to get to me too.”

She decided to look for a different job, a way to learn new skills and broaden her abilities. College Pro offered a brand-new routine and a chance to learn how to lead a team and manage many aspects of a business.

Nadeau’s typical day running the franchise began with an extra dose of discipline. “Balance is important, and I’m a person who likes to work out. So, I would get up every day at 4 a.m. so that I could go and do my workout at my CrossFit gym before I would get on with my day— just so that if things ran longer, I knew that I at least got my workout in!”

After that, she says she would head to the first job site to meet her crew of two employees. Then they would go from job to job, cleaning windows in Ontario’s North Simcoe County and part of Muskoka. Depending on the size of the homes they were cleaning, “we could go from one really big cottage job to maybe four or five smaller jobs in a day.”

At each house, Nadeau would greet the customer.

After cleaning the windows or gutters, she would reconnect with them, show them the job to make sure they were satisfied, and then move on to the next house.

“Just [believe] that everything that you do is working out in your favour, even if it doesn’t seem like it is right now.”

Then, after completing the jobs for the day and sending her crew home, Nadeau would head home and do various administrative tasks to keep the business running smoothly, from filing invoices to promoting her business on social media. “There’s a lot more work to do once the actual workday is done, that you don’t really see when you’re just an employee of a company,” she notes. On some busy days, she worked until 9 or 10 p.m., but near the end of the summer was able to finish her days around 6 p.m.

College Pro supplied a previous customer (PC) base for Nadeau’s area when she started out. While this provided a good starting point, Nadeau was able to grow her customer list significantly with a little gumption. “Before the actual window cleaning season started, I would knock on doors everyday—I walked outside around different neighbourhoods, just knocking on everybody’s door. I also posted on Facebook a lot.”

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A DAY IN THE LIFE

Left: Nadeau presents a speech about her year at the College Pro “President’s Club” awards night; Right: Nadeau pictured here with College Pro president Aaron Anders (left) and her business coach, general manager Lauren Bellefeuille

The pandemic has put strains on every small business, and brought some challenges for Nadeau. Some adaptations, like wearing masks indoors and wiping down surfaces and tools with disinfectant wipes, were fairly easy adjustments, but its effect on staffing was a challenge.

“For a lot of the summer I didn’t really have employees—people kept quitting on me,” she says. In all, Nadeau hired three rounds of two employees, and had all of them leave the position before the end of the summer, a challenge Nadeau attributes to the availability of CERB at the time and a general shortage of applicants willing to work hard at a job like window cleaning.

Still, she was happy to have had the experience. “I did a lot of the summer by myself, but it taught me to have good work ethic and grit—you just have to keep your head down and keep going.”

The benefit of joining a proven system like College Pro was the training and community it provided. “Before the summer, we had weekly training sessions so that you could learn the foundations of running a business,” Nadeau says. Throughout the summer, College Pro offered monthly training sessions. Depending on COVID restrictions at the time, these were held virtually and in person.

But the best part, Nadeau says, is the company culture.

“They’ve created a culture which I tried to replicate in my own business. It’s a culture of very like-minded young people who are interested in developing themselves.” Before even meeting the College Pro team in person, Nadeau says she felt they had all become close friends.

Skills for success Nadeau says that being a franchisee gives her invaluable tools to take into her daily life and her future career in healthcare.

“Before I found College Pro and this franchise opportunity, I thought that I would be a nurse. But then during the pandemic, I started to see a different side of the

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healthcare system that I hadn’t really seen before—so I didn’t really know what I wanted to do,” Nadeau explains.

“This franchise opportunity really made me realize that I’d be good at running a business, or being more on the leadership side of things, as opposed to being a floor nurse.” Inspired by the corporate culture at College Pro, Nadeau says she can see herself in a future leadership role, creating an environment where’s it’s fun to come to work and people are free to voice their ideas to make the team stronger and more inclusive. “I think that’s really important, especially right now, given the pandemic. A lot of [healthcare professionals] are feeling burnt out.”

Owning the franchise helped Nadeau come out of her shell, she says. “Before I ran this franchise, I was super shy!” Running her College Pro location meant getting herself out there, meeting new people, and sharing genuine connection. “I feel like owning this franchise just shaped my life in a totally different way—if I look at myself from one year ago, I’m completely different now. It’s helped me in so many ways—I can’t even begin to explain it.”

For those interested in running a College Pro franchise, Nadeau says it’s important to be personable and able to create relationships with customers, and to be willing to work hard and push the limit.

When asked her number one piece of advice for a new or prospective franchisee, Nadeau says, “Your intuition will often know what to do, even if you feel uncertain about it. Just [believe] that everything that you do is working out in your favour, even if it doesn’t seem like it is right now.”

“Just trust yourself.”

Learn more at LookforaFranchise.ca

Canadian Franchise Association www.cfa.ca | www.FranchiseCanada.Online

THE FIRST YEAR

Making a Mark

Photo Credit: Cool-man Photography

Hallmark franchisee Shawn Stack dives into his unique first year, using creativity and innovation to keep serving his community

BY STEFANIE UCCI

Franchise Canada March | April 2022

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THE FIRST YEAR Photo Credit: Cool-man Photography

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hawn Stack says he first discovered the Hallmark franchise opportunity while browsing the July/August 2019 issue of Franchise Canada magazine. That’s one for the books!

It was one of this magazine’s regular features profiling an iconic brand in Canada that put Hallmark in the spotlight. As Canadians’ go-to store for memorable keepsakes and uplifting greeting cards, Hallmark has 104 independently owned stores across the country, including 36 Gold Crown Store-Within-A-Store locations, where the brand’s iconic offerings are highlighted in another retail setting.

This unique concept is in good company with Stack’s location—he owns a Hallmark in Timmins, Ontario, right next door to a novelty gift shop he also owns, called Wicked Stuff. Stack operated his first small business in a local mall for a while before customers started requesting that he add a Hallmark store so they could get their hands on some keepsake products for year-round occasions.

Now the two brands have a yin and yang style operation.

A Hallmark moment Stack opened his Hallmark franchise in November 2019, bringing nearly a decade of experience as manager of a Tim Hortons restaurant on top of owning a gift store. “[Wicked Stuff is] independent, so we don’t have a franchise backing us, but we do very well with it,” says Stack.

“We did have a Hallmark in Timmins for quite a few years, and it closed about two years prior to opening up mine.

So, it was really lacking in the community, and we just wanted to bring it back.”

He explains that his first few months were smooth sailing through the Christmas season (while also noting that it’s Christmas year-round at Hallmark!) and the business was off to a great start until the pandemic hit about halfway through his first year.

“We went into lockdown, and with that, we had to lay off all our staff,” says Stack. “I was working 8 a.m. to 9

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p.m., seven days a week. It was a scary time. I was doing curbside pickup in store until 5 p.m. and then I would go with my wife to deliver a mug here and there. It was just to keep the connections with the customers, so they didn’t forget about us when we did reopen. And because of that, we made it.”

At the time, Stack didn’t have a website to direct his customers to order online and pick up in store. So, with quick thinking and creativity, he turned to social media to keep serving his community. Using his small Facebook page as a temporary online store, he would take pictures of products and displays in his location and post them online for customers to browse. Then they’d send him a private message with a list of items they were interested in purchasing.

“We had no social media presence. I even had to learn how to e-Transfer so customers could pay for the products,” Stack says with a laugh. “We’re lucky we’re in a mall with a back entrance, so they could come to the back, and I would bring it out to them, and it worked.”

With the multiple lockdowns in Ontario, Hallmark—best known for its wide product selection for holidays and milestones—was closed for in-store shopping throughout major holidays including Valentine’s Day, Easter, and Mother’s Day. Picking up the pieces “When we did eventually re-open, I taught myself about websites and we built one on Shopify,” explains Stack.

“Then from there, we started growing since people are used to ordering online.” With flat rate shipping available across Canada, Stack can reach a wider audience than just his small community in northern Ontario.

But it’s not just keepsakes and greeting cards that customers are most interested in. “Our top sellers are actually puzzles! There was a niche [during the lockdowns] as everybody was looking for a puzzle when they were stuck at home. I’ve never been afraid to stockpile products, so

Canadian Franchise Association www.cfa.ca | www.FranchiseCanada.Online

THE FIRST YEAR

we never run out of anything. We changed all three backrooms into puzzle storage, with wall-to-wall puzzles and that’s all we’ve been selling. Puzzles saved us.”

With a whopping 23 pages of puzzles on his website (www.gifting-online.ca), there are designs for customers of all ages, and Stack notes that his online presence has also allowed him to reach a younger and more diverse crowd, including new moms and collectors.

He adds that he also likes to keep it personal when people order from his website. Just like many small business owners do with their online orders, Stack says his team handwrites personal thank you cards for every single order—which has amounted to more than 2,000, at the time of writing.

Not a cookie cutter franchise When speaking of the benefits of franchising with Hallmark, Stack explains that the brand isn’t a traditional franchise model, nor does it discourage owners from straying outside the lines. Of course, there are agreements in place, but franchisees can also bring in their own products that compliment core Hallmark products.

“It’s not cookie cutter. You can expand on Hallmark’s great product lines and displays with your own creativity. It really feels like your own store,” notes Stack. “Every city and customer are different, so what sells here might not sell down south. We know our market and can bring in our own products.”

He adds that he was very drawn in by the fact that Hallmark has no royalty fee in place. Instead, there’s a nominal Hallmark Gold Crown fee of $210 a month, and that’s all franchisees are expected to pay. There’s also an online ordering website for products called Hallmark Marketplace, and franchisees are sent major samples for the season four times a year. For example, in January the brand is already sampling Christmas products for the next holiday season. “If you love Christmas all year round, then this franchise is for you!”

Plus, Stack explains that “Hallmark pays for all the freight, which is huge [because otherwise we’d] spend a lot of money to bring products up north. There are also a lot of Hallmark rebates throughout the year, which is fantastic.”

As for training, Hallmark provides “The Experience” program that’s focused on four core units: orientation, customer service, product knowledge, and operational excellence. Franchisees receive a physical box that has different tabs inside to sort through and learn from.

When it comes to ongoing support, each franchisee is assigned a business development specialist that works in the field to provide samples, support, and anything that comes up during the franchisee’s career. They can also turn to the customer support department for all issues and questions related to shipments.

Under regular circumstances, Hallmark organizes an annual in-person conference in January for franchisees across the country to meet with senior leaders, view product programs, explore new products, and talk to the product development team. It’s also the perfect place to meet other franchisees and discuss the ins and outs of their small businesses.

Stack’s advice for others considering franchising is simple: “Do your homework. It doesn’t matter what franchise you’re looking into, call other franchisees up and ask them questions—everybody’s there to help. Look up reviews and know what you’re getting into.”

At a time when many are craving connection and joy, Hallmark’s brand vision is right on cue: as “the company that creates a more emotionally connected world by making a genuine difference in every life, every day.”

Learn more at LookforaFranchise.ca

Franchise Canada March | April 2022

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ICONIC BRAND

HISTORY IN THE BAKING

Iconic brand Boston Pizza has been serving up cheesy pies since 1964, while collecting new franchisees and fans along the way

BY SUZANNE BOWNESS

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teve Silverstone had worked for Boston Pizza’s corporate marketing department for eight years before he realized that he didn’t just want to market this iconic brand, he wanted to represent it as a franchisee. So, in November 2017, after 25 years in marketing, he made the leap to take over an existing franchise in Vaughan, Ontario. “It was always something I wanted to do—I started out early on in my career in food service, and I wanted to take responsibility to run my own business,” recalls Silverstone.

Before signing on to his own location, Silverstone did his due diligence as a potential owner by checking out other franchises. But his research led him back to his career home base, both because a location became available in his community, and because he knew he could trust the brand. “I knew who my partner would be in terms of the franchisor, and I understood their culture and commitment to making their franchisees successful.”

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Canadian Franchise Association www.cfa.ca | www.FranchiseCanada.Online

ICONIC BRAND

Many Canadian franchisees feel that similar comfort with this brand that they first experience as customers, says Cailin White, director of national development for Boston Pizza International. “The Boston Pizza brand has served communities from coast to coast for more than 56 years since opening its first restaurant in Edmonton, Alberta in 1964. Today, Boston Pizza proudly remains a Canadian company with its hundreds of local franchise owners operating more dining rooms, sports bars, and patios than any other single brand in the country.” She adds that Boston Pizza also stands out as a brand for offering two experiences under one roof: a family-friendly casual dining restaurant and a separate sports bar.

For Silverstone, one of the benefits of becoming a franchisee was the ability to connect with his community. In taking over a location that had already been established for 12 years, he looked for ways to increase the visibility of the brand through support for grassroots sports, and local philanthropy with a group called 360˚kids that helps youths in York Region.

White says that Silverstone’s perspective is one that she hears from a lot of franchisees. “Not only do you get to do what you love and work for yourself, you do so while giving back to your community. There’s wonderful opportunity to impact the lives of your team and those you do business with,” she says.

In pizza we crust Ask any restaurant these days about the challenges of running their business and you’re likely to get a one-word answer: COVID-19. At corporate headquarters, White says the focus was on helping franchisees keep their customers safe while following local health regulations.

“As Canada’s largest casual dining restaurant chain, we

knew we had a part to play in helping get through this global health crisis. This included proactively closing our dining rooms and bars in advance of government mandates in many regions,” she says.

For Silverstone, the challenge was with being very adaptable to lockdowns, which required a lot of quick action in terms of increasing and reducing staff. When it came to customers, one big question was how to stay top of mind with the current customer base, which he accomplished by making multiple pizza donations throughout lockdowns. He also reached out to local businesses that had supported the business in the past and stayed active on social media to maintain a consistent presence.

Equally challenging was the effort to keep in touch with his 40 or so staff members. “We focused on keeping the team engaged and committed while they weren’t working. We kept communications open, whether through texting or platforms like WhatsApp, and we were very honest and transparent about what was going on,” says Silverstone.

He adds that they offered the full takeout menu and delivery options throughout the pandemic, connecting with third-party delivery for those who are loyal to those platforms. He also put a sign out on the main thoroughfare letting customers know they were open. “I think never closing, keeping the message that we were open for takeout and delivery, staying open for lunch, and maintaining close to regular hours helped,” says Silverstone.

At the corporate level, White says that the franchise continues to deal with the pandemic by also looking at new ways to create better experiences for diners. “As we maintain a focus on safety, we’re continuing to explore the implementation of new technologies for touchless dining and take-out experiences,” says White.

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ICONIC BRAND

Franchising aficiona-doughs In terms of maintaining its brand consistency, the franchise standardizes its employee training with an orientation period for staff and an ongoing online component called BP Learning, which offers a booklet to complete through various stages, online modules, and includes general manager coaching through the process. For franchisees, the training period starts with a four-week Hospitality Leadership Training Program and extends through work at the restaurant which covers everything from how to make pizza dough to how to build schedules.

Now that he’s been on the flipside of the franchise for four years, Silverstone says he loves the instantaneous feedback of being a franchisee. “If guests come in and have a positive experience, you see that immediately.

You see sales results on an hour-by-hour basis, so you can adjust and change on the fly. It’s more like a hockey game than a triathlon,” he says.

Equally engaging is getting to work with a team, adds Silverstone. “I love the opportunity to work with a very youthful, high-energy group, that’s committed to the restaurant’s success. I also like helping them in their personal development and training and to achieve their [own] goals, which is very rewarding.”

Silverstone is also grateful for the support of a franchise, which he says was the right choice for him. “My risk tolerance was high enough to run my own restaurant, but I wanted the supporting infrastructure of a great franchisor like Boston Pizza. [It helped] to have the IT expertise, menu expertise, ability to solve problems—and to have a network of other franchisees across the country to be able to tap into, and to come up with solutions to problems that frankly I don’t have a lot of experience in,” he says.

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As for his advice for achieving success in franchising, Silverstone says it’s important to love what you do.

“Figure out what you like to do day in and day out—you need to love it. Because it’s your own business, you’re all in.” He adds that finding good supports can also pave the way to future success. “Surround yourself with an amazing support group, particularly for areas you’ll need to rely on for the business to be successful, from business partners to electricians to your accountant or your lawyer.”

White echoes Silverstone’s recommendation in terms of finding the right franchise. “It’s important to do your homework. Explore anything and everything that’s exciting to you to find your best fit. Once you’ve identified a concept that speaks to you, visit locations, sample the product, speak with other franchisees and as many people within the organization as you can,” she says.

Silverstone echoes the recommendation to get to know many franchisees as a good barometer of the franchise’s success, adding that he felt aligned with Boston Pizza’s core values, belief system, and capabilities. All this has led to a great career expansion outside head office, where he gets a diversity of experiences and challenges. “No day is the same and it never gets boring!” says Silverstone.

Learn more at LookforaFranchise.ca

Canadian Franchise Association www.cfa.ca | www.FranchiseCanada.Online

SHOW ME THE MONEY

4 FRANCHISES FOR $150K-$250K Franchising is about diversity, and opportunities may be found in nearly every industry and business sector. It’s a great way for Canadians from all walks of life to go into business for themselves but with the support of a franchise system behind them.

One of the most important considerations for a prospective franchisee is investment level, including figuring out a budget that fits with your financial situation and goals.

Here, Franchise Canada showcases franchise systems in which you can invest for $150K-$250K. Active Green + Ross

Capt. Submarine

This tire and auto centre brand boasts more than 65 locations in Ontario. Active Green + Ross offers its customers a wide selection of tires from the premier manufacturers across the globe, such as Michelin, BFGoodrich, and Uniroyal. In addition to its impressive tire selection, all locations also offer complete general automotive service, maintenance, and repairs for cars and light trucks, including digital inspection reports.

Franchisees with the brand benefit from a turnkey system, initial training and ongoing support, buying power based on agreements with authorized suppliers, advertising, and more.

This submarine sandwich concept from Grinner’s Food Systems has been serving Atlantic Canada since it was founded in Prince Edward Island in 1972. The nauticalthemed QSR concept features fun décor and a menu of oven toasted sandwiches on fresh baked bread. Wraps, salads, and soups are also menu highlights for hungry guests. The Capt. Submarine “Xpress” concept, which operates as an add-on to an existing retail operation, is currently available for operators in Atlantic Canada.

Learn more at LookforaFranchise.ca Learn more at LookforaFranchise.ca

The Burger’s Priest Since opening its first location in Toronto in 2010, The Burger’s Priest has expanded to 25 locations in Ontario and Alberta, all of which serve a unique menu of freshground premium beef burgers, hand-breaded chicken sandwiches, premium fresh-cut fries, and old-fashioned milkshakes. Putting a modern twist on the classic burger joint, the brand operates with a belief in putting service and hospitality first and cultivating an energetic, vibrant atmosphere. As a member of the Recipe Unlimited family of brands, franchisees with The Burger’s Priest benefit from a competitive advantage in purchasing, real estate, construction, marketing, information technology, and more.

Print Three Smart Business Centres Customers rely on Print Three for imaging solutions, including commercial printing, print-on-demand, digital reproduction, design, finishing, fulfillment, and more. Need for on-demand digital imaging continues to grow rapidly, and Print Three Smart Business Centres prides itself on being the only print franchise with a fully integrated web-based ordering system. Franchisees that invest with this well-established system benefit from being a part of a recognized Canadian print brand that’s been in business since 1970. Print Three offers its franchisees access to innovative web-to-print technologies, proven marketing programs, an optimized website, training and ongoing support, access to a hightech production facility, and more.

Learn more at LookforaFranchise.ca Learn more at LookforaFranchise.ca

Franchise Canada March | April 2022

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FRANCHISE FUN

STRETCH GOALS

Jen Hamilton of Oxygen Yoga and Fitness shares her franchising advice, passion for fitness, and the importance of occasionally pressing pause

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xygen Yoga and Fitness is not your typical yoga studio—and CEO Jen Hamilton is more than just the energetic founder of the franchise. Oxygen “offers diverse yoga and fitness fusion classes in an infrared heated environment,” says Hamilton, who started the business in 2011 and has been franchising since 2012.

This is the go-to spot for members to feel better in their mind, body, and spirit while burning calories and detoxing their bodies through a variety of modern yoga and fitness classes. Franchisees with Oxygen get the chance to provide a dynamic service that makes a difference in their customers’ lives every single day.

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Canadian Franchise Association www.cfa.ca | www.FranchiseCanada.Online

FRANCHISE FUN 2022 will be a big year for Oxygen Yoga and Fitness as Hamilton notes that, “We’ll have 100 locations sold by the end of this year in Canada. There’s also an interest in international opportunities.” What better way to celebrate that milestone than by getting to know the creative, funny, and understanding founder behind the brand.

Here, Hamilton shares her effective advice for franchisors, the iconic Rocketman she’d love to meet, and her adoration for her children and family who remind her about the importance of taking breaks and enjoying the sunshine with loved ones.

The most interesting thing I’ve done recently is… Booked a spontaneous trip to Hawaii to rediscover and ground myself by being as close to the water and sand as possible.

In its best form, work is…

Very gratifying. I love working with franchise owners and the members they serve.

This business model creates a community that promotes health and wellness and so much positivity.

A good franchisee… Is open to communication, able to follow the systems, and continues to be accountable and provide feedback to allow us to learn and redevelop plans and identify their strengths and weaknesses.

A good franchisor… Understands the business from the fundamentals and is able to listen, understand, and empathize.

They have the ability to build on successes but also bring in support where systems are lacking to create solutions and opportunities for the brand.

My top advice for prospective franchisees is… To understand that you’re coming into a business that has systems, policies, and procedures already established. You still have to put in the work, but the systems and support networks have been established so it gives you the security and reassurance that you don’t have to problem solve on your own.

My top advice for new franchisors is… To ensure that you have a good team who’s

as passionate as you are and better than you in their areas of expertise, so that you can all learn from and inspire each other.

You also need to make sure you have a short- and long-term plan, breaking it down from three months to six months to a year, and then build three and five year plans beyond that.

The most important thing in life is… My family.

One of the most enjoyable things to do is… Spend time with my family and loved ones doing outdoor activities.

Canadian franchising… Gives you the ability the open a business that you’re passionate about and that you can duplicate to create business opportunities on a national level.

My franchise system began because… I really wanted to share the idea and concept with others, building a community that was an extension of my own personal beliefs and passion.

The most positive influence on my life as a person is…

My children.

The hardest thing for me to do is… Take breaks for myself and turn off work. As an entrepreneur, it’s hard to press pause on work but I’ve learned to take breaks because it ultimately creates a healthier mind space for me to work and balance my own personal life.

The key to success is…

Discovering what you’re passionate about and not being afraid of failure, because you get to learn and grow from that as a person.

My favourite drink is… I love my flat white in the morning and a pinot gris in the evening!

The accomplishment I look forward to the most is…

Winning the Canadian Women’s Entrepreneur Award that I’ve been nominated for three times.

If I could change one thing…

I would spend more time with my mom before I lost her.

If I could meet anyone, it would be… Elton John.

The person who has had the most positive influence on me as a businessperson is… Dale Saip at the beginning of my career, for networking me with so many different people and opening up new doors. My current business partner, Patch Evans, gives me so much praise and reassurance on decisions I make and provides a lot of support and confidence.

I’d like my friends to describe me as… Funny, charming, caring, and trustworthy.

My personal motto is…

I love my life.

One necessary item on my life’s “to do” list is… Lunch with Jimmy Pattison.

Learn more at LookforaFranchise.ca

Franchise Canada March | April 2022

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Q A

ASK A LEGAL EXPERT What are non-competition and non-solicitation clauses?

NON-COMPETITION and non-solicitation clauses are common restrictive covenants in franchise agreements.

That’s because non-competition clauses prohibit franchisees and their principals from operating a business that competes with the franchisor. What constitutes a “competing business” will vary from franchise system to franchise system. However, franchisees can generally expect to be prohibited from being engaged in a business that offers goods or services similar to those of the franchisor.

Non-solicitation clauses prohibit franchisees and their principals from soliciting or “poaching” employees, clients/customers, or service providers from the franchisor or encouraging these persons to abandon their business relationship with the franchisor.

Both non-competition and non-solicitation clauses will usually apply during the term of the franchise agreement and for a period, usually one or two years, following the termination or expiration of the franchise agreement or following a sale of the franchise by the franchisee. Non-competition clauses are generally limited in geographic scope and only prohibit competition in a specific geographic area in relation to the franchise, other franchises, and corporate outlets.

Are non-competition and non-solicitation clauses enforceable?

Non-competition and non-solicitation clauses are essential to franchisors because they protect them from unfair competition by current or former franchisees who will have learned trade secrets and acquired confidential information from the franchisor during their franchise relationship. However, the scope of this protection isn’t without limit.

Courts will only enforce non-competition and nonsolicitation clauses that are unambiguous and reasonable. A clause will be ambiguous if it could be interpreted more than one way or is otherwise unclear as to what is protected. Reasonableness, on the other hand, is assessed based on the duration and geographic scope of the clause and the nature of the prohibited activities.

Courts will examine non-competition and non-solicitation clauses to ensure that they don’t go beyond protecting a franchisor’s legitimate interests. Provisions that prohibit franchisees from engaging in activities beyond the scope of its franchised business activities— which last for an unreasonable period of time or cover an overbroad territory in which the franchisor has no legitimate business interests—may not be enforceable in court. However, if a non-competition clause is properly

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tailored to be unambiguous and reasonable, the franchisor will likely be able to enforce the clause.

How can non-solicitation clauses affect franchisees?

Franchisors have a variety of legal tools at their disposal to enforce non-competition and non-solicitation clauses, including actions for damages for lost business and applications injunctions ordering the infringing franchisee to comply with the terms of the clause. Even in cases where the franchisor is ultimately unsuccessful, defending an action or injunction for infringement of a non-competition or non-solicitation clause is expensive and time-consuming for a current or former franchisee.

As such, these clauses will significantly hinder a franchisee’s ability to operate or engage in a competing business regardless of the clause’s ultimate enforceability.

Therefore, franchisees are strongly encouraged to treat all such provisions as if they’re enforceable.

That said, franchisees can protect their interests and ability to earn a livelihood following termination of their franchise agreement by negotiating the scope and other terms associated with non-competition and non-solicitation clauses. For instance, franchisees in large metropolitan areas may seek to limit the geographic scope of these clauses to allow them to continue operating a similar business without the need to relocate to another city.

Similarly, franchisees who enter a franchise system with an existing portfolio of competing businesses should always seek an exception to non-competition clauses for those existing businesses.

The best time to negotiate non-competition or nonsolicitation clauses is at the outset of the franchise relationship before a franchise agreement is signed.

However, franchisees should temper their expectations when negotiating such clauses. As mentioned above, these clauses are essential to protecting a franchisor’s interests. Without non-competition and non-solicitation clauses, franchisors may hesitate to invest time, resources, and know-how in franchisees. As such, it’s

Canadian Franchise Association www.cfa.ca | www.FranchiseCanada.Online

(continued on page 89) Chris Pelkey Lawyer McInnes Cooper chris.pelkey@mcinnescooper.com

Q A

ASK AN ACCOUNTING EXPERT

As a new franchisee, how do I figure out when I will be profitable?

WHEN STARTING A NEW FRANCHISE VENTURE, one of the main hurdles that a franchise owner may face is how to reach the point of making a profit. Although franchisees often get into a business model because they love the related industry, ultimately, they need to pay the bills.

Understanding timing of profitability is often personally important for the franchisee. However, it’s also critically important to the business plan that the franchisee also be able to demonstrate and articulate the path to profitability. A potential lender or investor will want to know that the franchisee has carefully considered the relevant costs and revenue levels required to make the business successful and whether the revenue levels are attainable, since franchisee success leads to successful loan repayments or investor returns.

Different individuals have different ideas about profitability. It’s important to distinguish between a business’ break-even point, having net income, or being cash flow positive since these terms all mean slightly different things. A break-even point is the point at which a company’s sales equal the costs of production and other fixed costs. Net income represents accounting income, which is loosely based on break-even calculations, but contain some non-cash elements such as depreciation. Being cash flow positive refers to an increasing cash level for the company over time.

So how can a franchisee determine when they can expect to reach profitability? It’s a combination of following some comprehensive steps and ensuring a base understanding of key financial concepts.

One of the first steps is to work out what the start-up or purchase costs will be. These may include the initial franchise fees paid to the franchisor, costs related to the buildout of a location—including equipment, furniture, and fixtures—and costs to get the underlying franchise company up and running, such as legal, accounting, or consulting costs. Other initial outlays such as inventory, employee training, and deposits for rent or utilities must also be considered in start-up costs.

Once a business is started, there’s often a period where the revenue experiences growth. The break-even point is reached when the revenue earned in a business covers all ongoing costs. To determine the break-even point, the franchisee needs to consider fixed costs, variable costs, and related revenues.

Fixed costs, also called indirect costs or overhead costs, are those costs that don’t change depending on the volume of revenues. It’s important to understand your fixed costs since high fixed costs require a high level of revenue, whereas lower fixed costs allow a busi-

ness to continue to operate even in periods of low revenue. Fixed costs may include items such as property taxes, most utilities, or loan interest. Rent is often a fixed cost but in some franchise systems, rent has a variable component based on sales volumes.

Variable costs are those costs that change with the revenue volumes. Since they can fluctuate based on revenue levels, having a solid understanding of your variable costs is critical to helping you make good projections and determining when you’ll reach profitability.

Examples of variable costs include advertising fund fees and royalties, wages, utilities, and consumables such as raw materials or packaging.

It’s important for a franchisee that hasn’t yet broken even to understand what proportion of each dollar of revenue is covering variable costs. As long as variable costs are less than the related revenue, additional sales will result in the business being closer to profitability.

In contrast, if variable costs exceed the related revenue, either big changes are required to the business model, or the business won’t be viable.

The final step is actually calculating the break-even point. This can be accomplished by dividing fixed costs over the percentage of revenue that remains after variable costs. The result is the actual volume of revenue required to cover all fixed and variable costs.

This is where the hard work for the franchisee begins.

They must determine if they can achieve the break-even revenue because if they can’t, they need to determine if either fixed, variable, or both costs can be adjusted to be in line with anticipated revenue levels.

Buying a new franchise can have its benefits and challenges. However, franchisees can successfully navigate many of the challenges through proper planning, particularly around financial needs and projections of the business. Understanding the finances of the franchise may not be why franchisees chose to operate their business, but laying a solid groundwork can pay off down the line.

Lyn Little Partner BDO Canada LLP LLittle@bdo.ca

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FRANCHISE TUTORIAL

TUTORIAL 9: THE FUNDAMENTALS OF FRANCHISING

INTRO TO OPERATION MANUALS THE OPERATION MANUALS of a franchise system are the written documents that provide the franchisee with all the details to duplicate the business model. It’s the proven operating system defined in writing. Critical success factors are identified and communicated so that franchisees can consistently duplicate success.

Depending upon the maturity of the franchise, there may be one general manual or, more typically, the document extends over a series of different manuals. A manual for management may be separated from a manual for employees. A pre-opening manual will often outline how to find the right location and how to build the physical store with typical licensing requirements and build-out processes. An advertising or marketing manual will provide all details regarding the use of the trademarks and provide standardized advertising formats.

A good set of manuals will serve to reinforce the franchise agreement and those areas that require consistency and compliance in order to preserve the integrity of the brand. No matter where in the world, each franchise location should deliver a consistent product or service. At each location, there should be the same look and feel within the store. The food or service needs to be the same and provide the same experience to the customer.

It’s through this consistent duplication that a solid brand is established.

In the past, operation manuals were typically provided in hard copies to franchisees in a series of threering binders. Today, franchisors are increasingly making the manuals available electronically through a secure website. This allows updates to be done more easily, and the franchisor can monitor that the changes have been viewed and downloaded by franchisees. Franchisees can print off appropriate sections as needed.

Operation manuals will vary in details and to what degree they outline the business model, but strong franchise systems will leave nothing to chance. There’s an emphasis on price, value, quality, consistency, and customer service. Topics typically covered in operation manuals include: • Overview of the company, its mission statement, vision, and company values • Clarity on expectations and roles of the franchisee and the franchisor • Site selection and store build-out

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• Operating standards and policies • Recipes or service procedures • Receiving and rotating stock • Opening and closing procedures • Detailed job descriptions • Hiring, training, and leading staff • Administration, accounting, and reporting requirements • Supplier contacts and purchasing procedures • Proper use of the trademarks • Local marketing initiatives and advertising templates.

All of these topics are important, and serve to provide franchisees with the details required to run a successful business. An established system and brand is the most common reason for purchasing a franchise. Rather than starting a business and going through the typical trial and error that’s experienced by an independent business owner, a franchisee can learn from others’ experiences by simply following the manuals, often saving thousands of dollars in the process.

With so much information to cover, operation manuals may be quite comprehensive. In a start-up franchise system, the manuals may be more general in nature. As time passes and the franchise develops into an established and mature system, the operation manuals will evolve and become more detailed in scope so as to leave nothing to chance or misinterpretation. A franchisor will often use the services of outside consultants to ensure that the manuals cover all aspects of the operation and are easily understood. The manuals become the reference materials during initial training and throughout the life of the franchise.

To simplify and make the document more userfriendly, forms and checklists often complement the materials to facilitate easy execution. Support materials such as operation software, employee policy and procedures, and training materials for employees, all form part of the operation manuals and serve as a resource for how to use these tools.

In the franchise agreement, there’s typically a clause stating that the operation manuals form part of the franchisee’s obligations. The operating systems and standards outlined in the manuals must be complied with in order to protect the goodwill and reputation of

Canadian Franchise Association www.cfa.ca | www.FranchiseCanada.Online

FRANCHISE TUTORIAL the franchise system. Due to the proprietary nature of the operation manual’s contents, the franchise agreement will clearly state that the manuals are to be kept confidential and returned in the event that the franchise relationship comes to an end.

During operational visits, the franchisor will look for compliance with the operation manuals, and will make reference to the manuals where deviations exist. It becomes the standard reference for the entire operating system. There may be occasions where deviations are found to be positive and actually enhance the operations.

These changes are often integrated into the manuals.

Operations are typically always evolving, and therefore the existing operation manuals should be reviewed and updated annually to ensure that the manuals reflect current best practices and systems. Technology and

systems change over time. Service or product offerings change in order to meet the changing needs of the customer. Experienced franchisees of established franchise systems often serve on operation manuals committees or participate in focus groups to contribute and identify best practices or processes that work well and should be shared with other franchisees.

Brand awareness is driven by repetition and uniformity, and operation manuals provide the tools to establish a brand. Useful, readable documents provide a framework to standardize the operating system, and are an essential part of any franchise system’s success.

It provides an objective standard against which to measure compliance and consistently duplicate the customer’s experience.

TUTORIAL 10: THE FUNDAMENTALS OF FRANCHISING

INTRO TO FRANCHISEE ADVISORY COUNCILS A FRANCHISEE ADVISORY COUNCIL (FAC) is a group of established franchisees who meet with company executives to discuss business issues that are of relevance to the majority of the franchisees. It’s a structured vehicle for constructive two-way communication between the franchisee and franchisor.

The FAC may operate under different names or formats, but is typically organized by the franchisor. A slight variation is a Franchisee Association. This is formed by the franchisees and is independent of the franchisor and may function similar to an FAC, but the franchisees set their own structure, policies, and agenda. They’re typically formed when there’s a system-wide crisis, major change, or event. In some franchise systems, there may even be an FAC and Franchisee Association both functioning at the same time.

The purpose of the FAC is to provide a formal channel of communication between the franchisees and franchisor about such issues as advertising, field support, operations, and changing market trends. It serves as a sounding board to the franchisor for the implementation of new programs before these programs go systemwide. The franchisor will solicit suggestions and ideas for improvements to the franchise system. It provides a forum for franchisees to voice their mutual issues and concerns. Through the FAC, franchisees can provide advice and input to influence company decisions.

Ultimately, the final decision-making authority remains with the franchisor executives.

For the FAC to be effective, both franchisees and the franchisor are required to have an open-minded attitude, actively listen, and have a respect for different perspectives. The agenda must be focused on the interests of the overall system, and there must be a focus on finding solutions, setting action plans, and getting results. The FAC will establish policies, by-laws, and have meeting agendas in place to keep discussions on track. Without this focus, the FAC can easily go off track and evolve into a session of complaints with no clear resolutions.

How franchisees are selected to participate in the FAC will vary between franchises. In some cases, the franchisor will appoint franchisees, while in other systems, there’s an election process where franchisees vote as to who will participate on the FAC. The franchisor will typically set some requirements for involvement, such as the franchisee must be in good standing under the terms of the franchise agreement, meet performance standards, and have been in the system a minimum of one or two years. Ideally the franchisees sitting on the FAC are positive, successful, and respected by other franchisees. They have the ability to set aside their own personal agendas to look at what’s best for the system (continued on page 81)

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FRANCHISE TUTORIAL (continued from page 79) as a whole. There’s also a real commitment of time. Not all franchisees can take the time required away from their business to participate in the council.

The number of franchisees sitting on the FAC will vary from five to 20 or more members, depending upon the overall size of the franchise system. There’s usually an effort made to ensure that different geographical regions and size of operations are represented on the FAC. The term will vary from one to three years, with a staggering of the council members so as to have a balance between experienced and new members sitting on the council at any one time. Franchisors will often limit how many terms a franchisee may sit on the FAC to give more franchisees the opportunity to participate.

The FAC will meet formally two to four times a year, with informal phone calls and discussions between these meetings. They will meet at the head office, a resort, or conference centre. Sometimes the FAC meeting takes place around the annual convention. Travel, meeting room costs, and other business expenses are often

covered by the franchisor, although in some systems such costs are paid entirely by the franchisees through the payment of FAC dues. It’s customary that FAC participants won’t be financially compensated for their time.

Most successful franchise systems today have an FAC. There are no hard and fast rules as to when an FAC should be formed, but the sooner an FAC is put in place, the better. With a smaller system, the FAC may be more informal, but it plays an integral part in forming the direction and policies of the franchise organization.

The FAC can be an important part of a franchise system. It permits constructive two-way communication between the franchisor and franchisees. A positive culture of mutual respect and working together is fostered when the franchisor and franchisees seek to evolve the brand for the benefit of the common good and system as a whole. Successful franchisors recognize that the franchisees have a valuable contribution to make, as they’re working the business model on the front lines everyday.

Through an effective FAC, franchisees feel empowered and have confidence that the franchisor is listening to their needs and perspectives.

STUDY QUESTIONS TUTORIAL 9

TUTORIAL 10

1. Operation manuals are: a) the written documents that provide the franchisee with all the details to duplicate the business model. b) the proven operating system defined in writing. c) both a) and b).

1. A Franchise Advisory Council is: a) a not-for-profit organization that provides guidance and direction to small businesses in the process of becoming franchise systems. b) a group of established franchisees who meet with franchise system executives to discuss business issues that are of relevance to the majority of the system’s franchisees. c) a committee of the Canadian Franchise Association.

4. Operation manuals are typically not considered an obligation of the franchisor.

True or False? a) True b) False

3. A Franchise Advisory Council can be an important part of a franchise system. True or False? a) True b) False 4. Only top-performing franchisees are permitted to serve on Franchise Advisory Councils. True or False? a) True b) False 1) b 2) c 3) a 4) b

3. An operation manual cannot be changed or added to. True or False? a) True b) False

2. In order for the Franchise Advisory Council to be effective: a) franchisors cannot be permitted to attend meetings, as they may limit discussion among franchisees. b) a third-party representative must chair all discussions. c) b oth franchisees and franchisor are required to have an open-minded attitude, actively listen, and have a respect for different perspectives.

Answer Key:

2. A good set of operation manuals will: a) be provided electronically through a secure website. b) provide suggested operation procedures that franchisees choose to use. c) serve to reinforce the franchise agreement and the areas of operation that require consistency and compliance to preserve the integrity of the brand.

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Answer Key:

1) c 2) c 3) b 4) b

MARKETPLACE

Helping you do more business is our business. When you accept American Express® Cards, you gain access to higher spending customers and a greater number of business clients. We also help franchisees grow through business solutions that include cash flow management, providing working capital opportunities and lucrative rewards. Contact us to find out more about how we can help your Franchise grow.

CFA Member Since: 2017 Web: www.amex.ca/canadianfranchiseassociation Email: franchisesolutions@aexp.com

Big Frog is more than a business; it’s a lifestyle!

Big Frog Custom T-Shirts & More® is a franchise concept specializing in custom decorated apparel with more than 88 locations opened or in development in the U.S. Big Frog’s goal is to become the world leader in the $20 billion garment decorating industry. Using high tech direct-to-garment printing, it is the only chain or franchise of its kind. Big Frog has a strong history of success and wonderful validation from its franchise owners. This exciting opportunity is now available in Canada!

Franchise Units in the US: 80+ Franchise Units in Canada: 1 Business Since: 2006 Franchising Since: 2008 Franchise Fee: $29.5K Investment: $190K+ Training: Training manuals, online courses, 1 week in Florida, 1 week onsite at your store Available territories: AB, BC, MB, NB, NL, NS, NT, NU, ON, SK, YT, US Address: 13083 – 156 Street NW, Edmonton, AB T5V 0A2 Phone: (587) 525-8000 Web: bigfrog.ca Email: info@bigfrog.ca Contact: Tom Suggitt, CEO

Business Professionals, explore a better fit than you ever imagined!

CertaPro Painters® is the largest residential and commercial painting company in North America. We consistently deliver extraordinary experiences, whether it’s on a large commercial project or in a residential home. This experience has made CertaPro Painters® North America’s Most Referred Painting Company®.

We have spent nearly 20 years continuously improving each aspect of our business so there has never been a better time for you to reap the rewards of our efforts.

CertaPro Painters® offers a business model that is highly scalable - without high overhead costs. You can grow your operation by developing commercial accounts and by adding key staff to build your infrastructure. CertaPro® provides many options, even if your goal is to have a professionally managed business that does not require your presence to grow.

Take a closer look at the business model, earning potential and culture of the Market Leader and you’ll immediately see the CertaPro® difference.

Call us today at 800-693-5859 or visit certapro.ca/franchise.

Transform your future!

Each CertaPro Painters® business is independently owned and operated.

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FRANCHISE WITH AN ESSENTIAL BUSINESS • A trusted brand – Nearly 700 locations worldwide and 35+ years’ experience franchising • A robust model – COBS Bread is built on providing exceptional product, friendly service and a welcoming environment for all customers • Community focused – All bakeries donate to hundreds of local schools, groups and charities across Canada • Authenticity – COBS Bread operates with honesty and transparency • No initial franchising fee for new bakeries • Flexible financing options Awards 2015 Recipient CFA Award of Excellence in Franchising, Silver Award Winner 2010 & 2012 Recipient CFA Award of Excellence in Franchising, Bronze Award Winner 2011–2021 Recipient CFA Franchisees’ Choice Designation Contact the COBS Bread Franchising Team E franchise@cobsbread.com P 1 866 838 COBS (2627) W www.cobsbread.com/franchising

Canadian Franchise Association www.cfa.ca | www.FranchiseCanada.Online

MARKETPLACE

Shuttle Services Driverseat is an award-winning system, that specializes in transportation solutions. Our franchise partners provide shuttle services through their team of Chau eurs, while they work on business development in their community. Driverseat franchise locations o er transportation to airports, for winery/brewery tours, non-emergent medical transport and weddings in mid-sized commercial shuttle vehicles.

• Total capital required - $42K to $68K • $20K – $30K franchise fee (include in the total capital required) • $6 billion industry • Home based • No need for inventory • No capital real estate leases • Comprehensive training program • Award winning support • Innovative technology platform • Canadian owned and operated

The Employment Industry realizes $150 billion in annual revenue with predicted growth reaching $182 billion by 2022. According to Item 19 in the Franchise Disclosure Document, the average annual sales for Express offices open more than five years is $5.4 million. Plus, as an Express franchise owner, you control your life with flexible weekday hours in a professional business setting. Express is in the business of people. From job seekers to client companies, Express helps people thrive and businesses grow. Their international network of franchisees offer localized staffing solutions to the communities they serve, employing 526,000 people globally in 2020. Express was also ranked as the No.1 staffing franchise in the Entrepreneur 500 and has been for 11 consecutive years.

ExpressFranchising.com // 877-652-6400

Contact

• 1-855-DRIVE-90 • franchise@driverseatinc.com • www.driverseatinc.com

Do good. Feel good. Own your own coffeehouse.

At Good Earth we’ve been creating authentic, community coffeehouses since 1991… serving ethically sourced coffee and fresh, wholesome food, with a down-to-earth attitude.

We believe in our coffee farmers. We choose Organic, Fair Trade, Rainforest Alliance Certified, and Direct Trade coffee... and every cup is exceptional.

We believe in good food. Our food is fresh and wholesome. It sets us apart from the competition. Good Earth is uniquely a coffeehouse with good food.

We believe in community. Coffeehouses have a long and colourful history. Our coffeehouses are warm, friendly, and inviting. A Good Earth Coffeehouse is a community-gathering place like the coffeehouses of old.

We believe in you! Good relationships are at the core of Good Earth. Is it time to invest in yourself and your family?

Find out more about growing with Good Earth.

Visit us at www.goodearthcoffeehouse.com.

Connect at 1-888-294-9330 or franchise@goodearthcoffeehouse.com.

With people spending more time at home, they are investing more in their outdoor living spaces.

PROFIT FROM A PROVEN SYSTEM. Are you looking for • An opportunity to be your own boss?

• The ability to work from home and create your own schedule?

• A healthy and creative work environment?

A Hickory Dickory Decks franchise offers: • Entry into a multi-billion dollar home renovation and improvement industry • A strong reputation and buying power • A proven training and support system • Industry leading technology and marketing Now expanding across Canada!

Prime territories still available.

Contact Hickory Dickory Decks today. www.decks.ca/franchise 1-800-263-4774

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MARKETPLACE

“Our Family Protecting Your Family” We are here to help with your auto & home insurance needs.

CFA’s exclusive AUTO & Home Insurance Program saves you an additional 15% on our already low rates. This discount is for all CFA Member companies and their staff. Call us anytime this year and be entered to win one of 30 prizes of $5,000!

In business since: 1982 CFA member since: 2018 Phone: (905) 238-0668 ext. 2242 Web: www.insuranceland.ca Email: harminder@insuranceland.ca Contact: Harminder Kapoor, Account Executive

Interac Corp. empowers Canadians to access, spend and send funds whenever and from wherever they choose. With nearly 300 financial institutions connected to our network, we enable payment and ID experiences that support Canadians’ accelerated use of safe and digital payments while prioritizing interoperability, security, privacy, and inclusivity. We are proud to be one of Canada’s leading and most trusted financial brands, with Canadians choosing Interac products an average of 18 million times a day to pay and exchange money. Interac champions workplace culture and corporate citizenship based on the principles of responsibility, diversity and inclusion. For more information, visit www.interac.ca/en/content/.

Contact: James Monaghan, Sponsorship and Corporate Social Responsibility Phone: (647) 641-4105 Email: jmonaghan@interac.ca Web: www.interac.ca

After over forty years of providing easy-to-prepare, top quality foods, M&M Food Market has become a trusted and iconic Canadian brand that customers have come to rely on for a uniquely convenient and welcoming shopping environment which has never been more relevant than during the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Canadians were looking for help to serve real food that fit with the reality of their busy lives when eating at home has never been more prevalent.

As the only national food retailer in Canada with a full food portfolio of products that have absolutely no artificial colours, flavours or sweeteners, our Real Food Promise has remained a key differentiator that sets us apart from our competition. We offer innovative products for those looking for new and different meal solutions including more than 35 gluten free products spanning every category, our customers can trust they’ll find something that suits their dietary needs.

The initiatives that we implemented during our recent brand transformation such as our new store design, food innovation, digital marketing and eCommerce (including in-store, curb-side pick up and delivery) along with our industry-leading loyalty program have put M&M Food Market in a position to be able to continue to serve our loyal customer base when they need us the most.

Reach out today to find out about the opportunities we have nationally where you can be your community’s M&M Food Market brand ambassador!

For more information, visit our website at www.mmfoodmarket.com/en/franchising or call us at 1-800-461-0171.

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Massage Addict is Canada’s first and largest membershipbased provider of massage therapy, chiropractic care, acupuncture, and reflexology. The health and wellness industry continues to experience significant growth, resulting in a large demand for high quality therapeutic services. As a trusted brand with over 100 clinics nationwide, Massage Addict has a proven business model that fulfills this need.

Proven System for Success • • • • • •

Recurring revenue Low investment and start-up costs Quick return on investment Best-in-class support Straight forward in-clinic business model 100% Canadian owned and operated

To learn more about franchise opportunities with Massage Addict contact: Michael Mutsaerts, VP Franchise Development Franchiseinfo@massageaddict.ca or by visiting MassageAddict.ca.

Canadian Franchise Association www.cfa.ca | www.FranchiseCanada.Online

MARKETPLACE

Midas is a globally respected automotive products and services provider with franchised, licensed, and company-owned locations throughout Canada, the United States and the world.

Here are just a few of the ways we help you build success as a Midas franchisee: • Outstanding brand recognition • Growth-focused business model geared toward expanding customer base • Exclusive product warranties and lifetime guarantees • Exceptional advertising, utilizing today’s most powerful media • Knowledgeable and experienced senior management team with diverse backgrounds in retail, wholesale, operations and development • Unparalleled support and resources, strategically positioned for long-term franchise growth • Complete training and marketing support

Benefit from over 40 years of our brands’ collective experience delivering training and systems for digitally savvy marketing, cutting edge technology and easy to follow operations. Gain the foundation to begin your journey toward successful business ownership and a more flexible lifestyle.

Discover which of our franchise brands is right for you.

Visit: go.nbly.com/CFA • Call today: 866-687-1106

No business or retail management experience necessary.

Build your future with a leader ... Trust the Midas touch!

Contact us to learn more: www.joinmidas.com or call 800.365.0007 This advertisement does not constitute an offer of a franchise.

A franchise offering can be made by us only after we provide you with an appropriate Canadian disclosure document (as applicable in each province). Franchises may not be available in all provinces.

All-in-one Payroll and HR Management Solutions for SMEs Are you a small franchise business owner? Nethris offers all-in-one management solutions to make your work easier. We automate payroll preparation and processing and simplify HR, time and benefits management. Already over 19,000 Canadian SME owners use our affordable, easy to use and secure cloud solutions to free themselves from administrative tasks that prevent them from growing their business. Contact Nethris to receive a free demonstration and learn how you can better manage your employees.

In business since: 1976 CFA member since: 2010 Phone: (888) 650-6291 Web: nethris.com/cfa Email: payroll@nethris.com

We take the stress out of changing your address…

We are professional move managers who can plan, coordinate and organize every detail of your moving process. ONESource specializes in senior moves, professional organizing, household downsizing and estate dispersal. We offer a menu of services customized to meet your needs and budget. Whether you’re moving or just want to de-personalize, the ONESource Moving Solutions can help you sort and organize your home. We are a one-stop solution that ensures everything is done to ensure a positive experience. It’s about so much more than moving. Easing your transition from one home to another. ONESource Moving Solutions provides move management solutions to all ages for a wide menu of services.

Franchise units in Canada: 4 Corporate units in Canada: 1 In business since: 2008 Franchising since: 2014 Franchise fee: $25K Start-up capital required: $30K-$50K Investment required: Financing available Training: 1 week at corporate location Available territories: All of Canada Contact: Danielle Wellings-Carriere, Owner (519) 984-2111 • franchising@onesourcemoving.ca www.onesourcemoving.ca

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MARKETPLACE

BECOME A DIFFERENCE MAKER – JOIN OUR TEAM • Paul Davis Restoration provides emergency mitigation, construction and contents cleaning services to homes and businesses affected by water, fire, wind and environmental damage • Leader in the $6 Billion Canadian Property Restoration industry for over 30 years • Powerful, recognizable brand supported by national television advertising campaign, a proven franchise system and an experienced management team • As an ESSENTIAL business, that is both COVID-proof and recession-resistant

Perkopolis is Canada’s largest Employee Perk Program with over 1.1M members. Our member-only platform provides perks from a wide range of industries including a growing number of restaurants. With both local and national advertising opportunities available we are the ideal platform for franchises of all sizes. Discover a new way to reach highly engaged shoppers on Perkopolis.

Phone: (416) 236-4985 Web: www.perkopolis.com Email: richard@perkopolis.com Contact: Richard Joynt, VP Sales and Partnerships

• Over 60 locally owned and operated franchises across 10 Canadian provinces and over 300 across North America • Our Vision: To provide extraordinary care while serving people in their time of need For franchise information contact: Dan Hopkins, Direct of Franchise Development 416-299-8890 ext 118 Daniel.hopkins@pauldavis.com

The Pizza Nova story began in 1963 when a young Italian family opened the very first Pizza Nova restaurant. Still family-owned, we have helped hundreds of families open and operate our 145+ locations across Ontario and specialize in hand-tossed, Artisan-style pizzas that are complemented by an extensive menu of proven favourites.

Our 59+ years of success continues as a direct result of our uncompromising commitment to providing quality ingredients and product innovation. In 2015 we became the first Canadian pizza company to introduce pepperoni sourced from beef and pork raised without the use of antibiotics or added hormones. We have since expanded our ‘Raised Without Antibiotics’ profile to include bacon, chicken wings, chicken pollini, grilled chicken, and smoked ham. In 2021, we introduced the first pea protein-based pepperoni as a plant-based alternative to our diverse menu, as well as plant-based chick’n bites, thus further expanding our reach to include vegans, vegetarians and flexitarians alike.

We provide comprehensive training, easy ordering from our HAACP approved commissary, location identification & design, operations support and innovative marketing initiatives that bring customers through your door.

Pizza Nova is the Official Pizza of the Toronto Blue Jays™, Toronto International Film Festival, and the CNE. For more information on Franchise Opportunities please contact Meraj Jamal, Franchise Development Manager Phone: 416-439-0051 ext. 1016 Email: meraj@pizzanova.com

Grab Your Slice of Life!

Pizza Pizza began in December 1967 in a 300 square foot store in Toronto at the corner of Wellesley and Parliament Street. Since then we became the biggest pizza chain in the country.

Our success stems from our customer focus. Our commitments to freshness, quality, and innovation have led us to the top of the pile in the pizza industry. Pizza Pizza delivers on its goals time and time again as we strive to make the best pizzas around at reasonable prices. Moving forward, we will continue to hold our leading position through community involvement and environmental stewardship.

Consider what Canada’s most successful pizza chain has to offer you: • A commitment to quality, • Comprehensive training freshness, customer • Site selection, lease satisfaction and innovation negotiation and professional • Superior marketing and architectural design promotional support • Knowledgeable support staff • State-of-the-art technology • Administrative systems • Ongoing professional • We supply the ingredients development • Be your own boss!

Franchising information: franchisinginfo@pizzapizza.ca www.pizzapizza.ca/franchising

TORONTO BLUE JAYS™ bird head design and all related marks and designs are trademarks and / or copyright of Rogers Blue Jays Baseball partnership, used under licence.

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Canadian Franchise Association www.cfa.ca | www.FranchiseCanada.Online

MARKETPLACE

Revivify Painting is a successful painting business based in Ottawa, Ontario providing interior and exterior painting services as well as minor drywall repairs. Revivify Painting believes in prioritizing the client experience and building a team of employees rather than contractors to grow a positive reputation in their community. With Head Office providing many of the business mechanics, franchisees have time to focus on providing the highest level of painting expertise and service to their customers.

Join The UPS Store franchise network and count on the support from our experienced Home Office and in-field teams to get you to your grand opening and beyond. Many offer printing or shipping services, but our dedication to innovation and convenience are what keep The UPS Store at the top of our industry. With over 360 franchise locations across Canada (and continuing to grow), we have a proven track record of success!

As a franchisee you will enjoy an established system to get your business started off on the right track; in-depth training programs and ongoing support to make sure you continue to succeed; and an internationally recognized and award-winning brand to help you build instant credibility in your community. The UPS Store is there at every stage of your franchising journey. Proud to have been designated as an Essential Business at a time Canadians needed us most.

Franchise Fee: $50K Investment Required: $50K-$150K In Business Since: 2018 Available Territories: All of Canada CFA Member Since: 2021

Visit us at theupsstore.ca. We Print, Ship & More!

Locations, North America: Over 5000 Locations in Canada: Over 360 Minimum cash investment: $100,000 Total cash investment: $174,000 to $198,500 plus working capital.

For more information on franchising opportunities available, visit revivifypainting.ca

For more information on The UPS Store opportunity, call 1‐888-875-0007 or visit www.theupsstore.ca.

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WHAT’S NEXT

DON’T MISS OUR MAY/JUNE 2022 ISSUE! The Kids & Pets Issue One of the many perks of franchising is that you can go into an industry that provides support and guidance to the friendly faces in your community. In the May/June 2022 issue of Franchise Canada, we’ll spotlight franchises that provide services to kids and pets across the country. Prospective franchisees can examine franchise opportunities that offer vital education, active lessons and sports, diverse services to help children grow, and more. For those with a love for furry friends, the pet care industry is the ideal opportunity to have fun with cats, dogs, and other cuddly animals while making your entrepreneurial dreams come true.

As part of this Kids & Pets issue, we’ll take a trip across Canada to explore education franchises that deliver tutoring, training, subject specialization, and more supplemental education. We also include a special franchise focus on the health and beauty industry that keeps Canadians looking great and feeling better.

Check out the May/June issue for this content and more, including franchisee success stories and expert advice from franchise professionals!

WATCH OUT FOR THESE EXCITING FEATURES IN OUR MAY/JUNE 2022 ISSUE:* PET SERVICES: What better way to pair your love for pets with your passion for business ownership than with a pet care franchise? These brands help train dogs; provide boarding, grooming, and daycare services for fun-loving pups; and offer food, toys, and essentials for growing animals.

CHILDREN’S STEM FRANCHISES: Every child has a dream and some dream big—right into a discipline that can prepare them for the future and hone their unique abilities.

The STEM field—which stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics—is of growing importance to parents and kids.

We explore a variety of franchise opportunities that help kids develop vital skills and knowledge in fields that could take them to the moon (maybe literally!) and back.

ACTIVE KIDS: Most kids are full of energy and eager to dip their toes into activities that help them discover new hobbies, make new friends, and develop life skills and interests. As a franchise owner, you can support these eager tykes through franchises that provide sports, swimming lessons, and performing arts skills to children of all ages and abilities.

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CHILDREN’S SERVICES: There are many moving parts to raising a child, and children’s services franchises are the ideal way to support Canadians and their kids from coast to coast.

Whether it’s lice removal services, haircuts, clothing, meal production, or more, these franchise brands are a great way to care for your community.

EDUCATION FRANCHISES ACROSS CANADA: It’s never too early to start building children’s knowledge and life skills, and for some Canadians, their love for learning doesn’t stop after school ends! We’ll examine educational franchises that enhance the skills of students of all ages in subjects like reading, math, English, science, coding, arts, and more.

BEAUTY, HEALTH, AND FITNESS FRANCHISES: Nowadays, a lot goes into a beauty routine. From burning calories in the gym and nourishing your body with good fuel to taking off hair in unwanted areas or getting your perfect cut and colour, franchises in the beauty, health, and fitness industries help Canadians look and feel their best—inside and out.

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PLUS, A SPECIAL FRANCHISE FOCUS ON HEALTH & BEAUTY FRANCHISES! IN EVERY ISSUE: • Industry News • Show Me the Money • Franchise Tutorials • Leadership Profile • Giving Back • Home-Grown & Locally Owned • Ask the Experts • Day in the Life • The First Year • Next Generation in Franchising • Franchise Fun *Editorial subject to change

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX American Express.. ............................................... 7 www.americanexpress.ca/ canadianfranchiseassociation

Insuranceland....................................................... 35 www.insuranceland.ca

ONESource.. ............................................................. 50 www.onesourcemoving.ca

Big Frog....................................................................... 59 www.bigfrog.ca

International Franchise Association .............................................................................................. 80 www.franchise.org

Paul Davis. . ................................................................ 39 www.PaulDavisBusiness.ca

Certa Pro.. ...................................................................43 www.certapro.ca/franchise

Interac...................................................................18-19 www.interac.ca/en/content/

COBS Bread............................................................ 54 cobsbread.com/franchising

M&M Food Market.. .............................................. 3 www.mmfoodmarket.com

Diverseat....................... Inside Front Cover www.driverseatinc.com/franchise

Massage Addict ................................................. 14 www.massageaddict.ca

Express Employment. . .................................. 28 www.ExpressFranchising.com

Midas ............................................................................ 34 www.MidasFranchise.com

Good Earth Coffeehouse.......................... 15 www.goodearthcoffeehouse.com

Neighbourly..................................................... 16-17 go.nbly.com/CFAd

Hickory Dickory.................................................. 62 www.decks.ca/franchise

Nethris..............................................................................9 www.nethris.com/cfa

Perkopolis................................................................... 11 www.perkopolis.com Pizza Nova................................................................ 29 www.pizzanova.com Pizza Pizza.................................................................. 13 www.pizzapizza.ca/franchising Revivify............................................................... 40-41 www.revivifypainting.ca The UPS Store........................................................ 20 www.theupsstore.ca

ASK A LEGAL EXPERT (continued from page 76) unlikely that franchisees will score anything more than minor reductions to the temporal or spatial scope of such clauses or exceptions for the franchisee’s existing businesses. Concessions on restrictive covenants are highly unlikely following the termination of a franchise agreement or breakdown of a franchise relationship.

Franchisees who are subject to non-competition or non-solicitation clauses must exercise caution in deciding whether to take potentially competitive action against a franchisor. Franchisees can best protect their interests by negotiating exceptions to these clauses before entering into a franchise relationship. However, if the franchise relationship breaks down or otherwise ends, franchisees can reduce the risk of litigation by seeking early legal advice on the scope and enforceability of any non-competition or non-solicitation clauses to which they’re subject.

Franchise Canada March | April 2022

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GIVING BACK

Sweet Treats for Good Tim Hortons supports local communities and valuables causes—all while Canadians enjoy delicious baked goods BY STEFANIE UCCI FOR 58 YEARS, Tim Hortons has been known as a national coffee and baked goods restaurant brand admired by Canadians from coast to coast.

With 5,000 restaurants across Canada and 14 other countries around the world, the brand has always put community initiatives at the front of its focus.

“Tim Hortons has a longstanding history of supporting and giving back to local communities. It’s part of our brand DNA to show generosity and be inclusive, so there’s a number of initiatives that we support year-round,” says Solange Bernard, senior director of marketing communications.

Perhaps the most familiar to guests is the Smile Cookie, 100 per cent of proceeds from which go to support charities and groups in local communities. The Smile Cookie campaign was started back in 1996.

In 2021, Tim Hortons raised more than $12 million from the Smile Cookie, a new record, which helped support more than 600 local charities across the country.

Camp Day, another annual initiative, has helped offer kids from lowincome families the opportunity to go to camp and supports them with year-round programming. Over 30 years, Camp Day has raised more than $225 million in support of Tim Hortons Foundation camps.

Most recently, Bernard says that Tim Hortons was “incredibly proud to partner with Special Olympics Canada to sell the Choose to Include donut with 100 per cent of proceeds from each donut sold for $1.59 going to Special Olympics Canada.”

The campaign ran between January 28 and 30, and 2022 marked the sixth year of the partnership. Bernard adds, “When guests came in

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and purchased this donut, it went towards supporting more than 41,000 Special Olympics Canada athletes across the country. This partnership is one of the ways that we show our values—[through] action—of diversity and inclusion.”

She notes that in 2019, the Choose to Include donut was sold for only one day in July and raised more than $149,000 in proceeds. With a threeday campaign this year, Tim Hortons achieved nearly $600,000, which sets a new record for the fundraiser.

Guests who supported the campaign got to indulge in a chocolate cake ring donut with white fondant, sprinkles, and a dollop of whipped cream—all while supporting Special Olympics athletes across Canada.

It’s really the franchise owners who help support Tim Hortons’ numerous initiatives and get the word out to keep guests rolling through the doors, drive-thrus, and on delivery apps through charitable campaign days. “We couldn’t do any of these initiatives without the support of our owners,” notes Bernard. “They’re advocates of all of these programs and it’s proof because we’ve been doing it for so many years.”

She adds, “[Our franchisees are] upselling, supporting within their own channels, and even had athletes come to the restaurant, where it’s COVID safe and possible, to participate in the campaign day. [So, they] have an opportunity to show our guests and people working at the restaurants first-hand where their money and donations are going and who they’re helping.”

As expected, the pandemic pushed Tim Hortons to pivot their plans throughout multiple lockdowns, but the brand used its

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unique position to be able to touch communities across Canada at a local level. Bernard explains that franchisees donated coffee and donuts to frontline workers for months in an effort to give back and thank workers for everything they were doing in environments such as hospitals, testing centers, food banks, and bus terminals.

“We also launched a program called Tims for Good, which is a platform where all of our for good initiatives, including some of these community outreach programs, are in action,” says Bernard, noting that it started in 2020 and is still running at the time of writing. “We have trucks that are wrapped with Tims for Good, and they’re in local communities going around and doing drops of donuts and hot beverages to people in need and those who are servicing and keeping our communities up and running.”

Tim Hortons will continue thinking about ways it can give back that represent the brand values and can raise funds and support initiatives that are near and dear to the hearts of Canadians from coast to coast. “[Charitable giving] really represents the values of our owners, corporate staff, and of Canadians: generosity, inclusivity, and giving back,” concludes Bernard. “Being welcoming and friendly are the things that we absolutely stand behind and we want to make sure that everything we’re doing delivers upon that.”

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