COVER STORY
Silver, Traditional Winner:
Silver, Non-Traditional Winner:
SpeedPro Imaging Canada, London, ON
TWO MEN AND A TRUCK
Chris Vlemmix
Chris Vlemmix, a SpeedPro franchisee from London, Ontario, won the silver traditional Franchisee of the Year award. He says the benefits of franchising were clear and appealing to him before he left his previous job in 2008, in the engineering department of an automotive supplier. Meanwhile, the 2008 recession raged on, and many companies, including his, were downsizing. “All of this was happening at the same time as I was looking at franchise opportunities—including the Speedpro franchise.” As Vlemmix weighed the options of going into business for himself, he saw the benefit of Speedpro’s proven system, citing the great management team, their stellar marketing and training programs, and the positivity of other franchise owners with the brand. The latter point is especially important to future franchisees. “Do your research,” asserts Vlemmix to prospective franchisees. “Make sure you speak to a good cross-variety of owners at different stages of building their business ... and trust your gut.”
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John Bailey
Canada, Toronto, ON There’s a consistent mantra that runs through the world of franchising: you’re in business for yourself, not by yourself. John Bailey, a Toronto-based franchisee, cites the adage in reflection of why he joined TWO MEN AND A TRUCK Canada. Even when working from his office, he says, “If I needed help with something I knew I could count on someone to help me.” During his early interactions with the company, Bailey noted the supportive nature of the franchisor team. “It seemed like they cared about people and wanted everyone to succeed.” The shared success runs through the organization from the top down, meaning franchisees lean on each other and everybody wins. “We can work with other franchisees to develop our brand and our business at the same time,” says Bailey. “If we have a problem, we can count on someone else to be able to help us work through certain challenges.” As for advising prospective franchisees, Bailey says the best asset new members could bring to TWO MEN AND A TRUCK is a desire to work hard, work smart, and think outside of the box. “Be a good listener,” he says, “and by doing that you can come up with some creative ideas to be successful.”
Learn more at LookforaFranchise.ca
Canadian Franchise Association www.cfa.ca | www.FranchiseCanada.Online