40 minute read
The Changing Landscape
THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE The growing diversity of Canadian franchising lifts the industry to new heights
Sherry McNeil President & CEO, Canadian Franchise Associaton (CFA)
At one point in my career, franchising appeared to be a very male-dominated industry. Here in 2020, things have changed drastically. Canada’s female workforce continues to grow exponentially. Given the flexibility and favourable work-life balance the franchise business model provides, it should be no surprise that an unprecedented number of women are entering the franchising industry. According to The Wall Street Journal, as of May 2019, women own or co-own 35 per cent of the franchise locations in the U.S., representing a growth of 24 per cent from a decade earlier. Here in Canada, women are following suit, turning to franchising for the many benefits it provides.
This growth isn’t being seen solely at the franchise ownership level. It’s also happening in the corporate offices. Boardrooms are becoming more-and-more diverse as franchising offers women of all backgrounds incredible career opportunities not only as franchisees, but in franchise development, real estate, sales, marketing, operations, legal, and beyond. This is a benefit to not only women, but the entire industry. I truly believe that the more diverse companies are, the more collaborative they are, and the stronger they become. Franchising provides women with great opportunities to either own their own business or grow their career; they can be a franchisee for a brand they are passionate about, they can take a leadership role at a franchise corporate office, or they can help franchise concepts thrive and grow as a support service supplier.
We can see the growth right here in our very own Canadian Franchise Association (CFA) community. The women featured here have all grabbed the franchise business model by the horns and have harnessed it to find tremendous success as key decision-makers shaping the industry itself. Here, The Franchise Voice highlights a group of CFA Members who share what being a woman in the franchise industry means to them and why they think so many women are turning to franchising to meet their career goals. With this feature, we celebrate the growing diversity of franchising as more women are getting into the sector and adding their perspectives, their voices, and their skills. Their dedication is making the dreams of everyday Canadians come true. All of which results in making franchising stronger as we Grow Together.
Jen Hamilton CEO of Oxygen Yoga & Fitness
Aveteran of the fitness industry with more than 18 years of experience, Jen Hamilton was the founder of CardioCore Bootcamp, a national fitness franchise company that boasted 59 locations at the time that Jen decided to move on to other endeavours. From there, she moved on to purchase Oxygen Yoga, growing the Oxygen Yoga & Fitness brand into a thriving system of more than 70 franchise units across Canada. Q: Why do you believe the franchise industry is well-suited to women? A: Franchises offer prebuilt systems, best practices, and business models already in place that are easy to adopt.
This provides women with the tools and the infrastructure; which in turn, allows them to be emotionally engaged, passionate, and focused on their choices. I also believe, that in today’s world, with women having numerous and varied roles, having the infrastructure in place allows them to be successful while still attending to family and community responsibilities. The return on investment is faster and they don’t see the same kind of gender bias as they get from the corporate world. Q: What are some of the specific challenges women face in franchising and how have you overcome those challenges? A: One of the challenges we face is that there can sometimes be a perception that women make decisions based on emotion as opposed to logic; that they somehow lack the ability to look at the black and white. There is still a “glass ceiling” and the misconception that women are not able to hold upper management and CEO roles. According to Forbes magazine, women hold just 20 per cent of board seats at Fortune 500 companies, only 10 per cent of the world’s nations currently have a female leader, and only six per cent of S&P 500 companies have a female CEO. But this is changing. Women are changing the face of business. We are offering a different paradigm for communication and operations within a business model. What most people don’t realize is that having a more emotional approach is an asset. Women can see both sides of situations which creates the opportunity for effective negotiation. Women use their passion and drive to achieve monumental successes. Women, generally speaking, are more effective communicators, and demonstrate the ability to listen and problem solve. Women are more likely to practice self-development and take the time to inspire and motivate others. Q: What advice can you give young women in the franchising world who aspire to start their own franchise or become a leader within their current system? My biggest piece of advice is to always take a step back from what you are wanting to achieve, and visualize it, believe it is already yours. If you can visualize something and truly believe that you
can achieve your dreams, you are already on the road to getting there. Then create the path, goals, and steps required to achieve that visualization. Mapping things out, having specific goals and timelines, and creating a team around you to help support you in achieving that visionary goal is essential. Q: What does the future hold for women in franchising in Canada? A: The future of franchising is female. There are so many women leading the way and creating incredible businesses that are mindful, conscious, and on-trend with the market. According to a report released by the International Franchise Association (IFA), female-owned franchise businesses account for approximately 30 per cent of the market. Five years ago, female franchise-owners accounted for only 20 per cent of the market. Women are embracing their new role in the business world and franchising gives them a platform to do just that. With Oxygen Yoga & Fitness, my passion is to empower women to follow their dreams, realize what they have visualized for themselves, and help them create a team and a timeline in order to achieve those goals.
Deanna Loychuk President of 30 Minute Hit
When Jackson and Deanna Loychuk founded 30 Minute Hit in 2004, their goal was simple yet inspiring. The husband-and-wife power duo aimed to establish a fitness centre devoted to empowering women both physically and in their daily lives, using a unique workout regime.
The result was a 30-minute circuit combining boxing and kickboxing techniques, enabling women across the country to get their hearts pumping, with the added benefit of joining a fitness centre run by supportive franchisees. Q: Why do you believe the franchise industry is well-suited to women? A: Women are often naturally talented in developing community and working as a team. These skills are essential in effectively leading or working well within a franchise. We also hear frequently from our female team members how much they value the support system that exists in our franchise. They say they never feel alone and that confidence plays a huge role in their success. Q: What are some specific challenges that women face in franchising and how have you overcome these challenges? A: Balancing business and family life can be a significant challenge for many women in franchising, especially mothers. I recommend finding or starting a franchise that values family and understands the importance of negotiating a balanced life. When I first chose to franchise my business, I had two young boys so I understand first-hand the challenges many women face. I now know how to
find success in business and happiness in family life and I make it my mission to facilitate that for other women in franchising. Q: What advice can you give young women in franchising, who aspire to start their own franchise or become a leader within their current system? A: If you’re looking to start your own franchise, ensure that the product is something you are passionate about and truly believe in. And be sure to educate yourself on franchising, especially if you’re considering starting your own! Franchising is not just ‘business.’ The franchise industry is looking for people with specific interest and experience in franchising, not just general business expertise. Q: What does the future hold for women in franchising in Canada? There are more and more opportunities opening up; the franchise industry is booming! Over three-fourths of our corporate team is made up of women. Many women innately possess strengths that are vital to leading, growing, and sustaining a healthy franchise. Their ability to develop relationships, build connections, and provide support makes many women the perfect fit.
Ritou Maloni Co-Founder, President, and COO of Eat It Brands Inc.
Ritou started working in her parent’s women’s retail clothing company at the age of 13. She began packing boxes in the warehouse, moved to a sales associate in the stores to eventually become Chief Operating Officer. She learned every facet of the business, operated it with her parents, and built the company to a 50-store chain. In 2006, Ritou co-founded Electric Pixel, a marketing agency specializing in branding and design, where she worked on many exciting projects including many restaurant brands. She developed the corporate identity and branding for Ben & Florentine and fell in love with the restaurant franchising business. She went on to join the executive team at Ben & Florentine and worked with the team to grow the chain to 30+ restaurants.
In 2016, together with her partner Derek Massad, she cofounded Pür & Simple and Eat it Brands. In just over three years, Ritou and the team at Pür & Simple and Eat it Brands have opened over 30 restaurants across Canada. Q: Why do you believe the franchise industry is well-suited to women? A: I don’t necessarily believe that there is a difference between men and women being suited for the franchise industry or any industry for that matter. Women leaders are strong at building connections, fostering relationships, and have the ability to build trust, which is the cornerstone of the franchising business when working with franchise partners, employees, and customers. Women also tend to value work-life balance, team work and are good at multitasking which makes them great bosses who are respected, driven as well as empathetic and nurturing of their businesses. Women leaders are passionate about their work, intuitive, and in tune with what drives and motivates those around them to perform at their best. They lead by example, are able to quickly respond to changing environments, and have the ability to use creative problem-solving skills. Women make strong leaders because they can take big ideas and have the ability to turn them into concrete results. Their voices and perspectives can be influential in helping any business grow. Q: What are some specific challenges that women face in franchising and how have you overcome these challenges? A: The challenges that women face in franchising are the same as in many other leadership positions. The biggest being the balance between work and home which often causes women to neglect themselves as they prioritize their business and their families. Another challenge that I have experienced in the restaurant franchise niche is that women have to work much harder and smarter to gain the respect of men. I have had to develop “thick skin” because to be heard and respected from industry professionals and from franchise partners (who in my industry are mostly men) was and still is a challenge. I would say another major challenge is the lack of access to role models and mentors to be able to support women, which can impact confidence and lead to feeling overwhelmed and unsure if some big decisions are the right ones. In the end, as a woman in franchising, in order to overcome these challenges, you must have tremendous confidence in yourself and your brand. I also suggest staying fit, active, and healthy. Keep a good support system around you and stay true to your values and don’t forget that you matter. Q: What advice can you give young women in franchising who aspire to start their own franchise or become a leader within their current system? A: Believe in yourself and believe in your brand. Work harder than everybody else, embrace challenges, and don’t take no for an answer. Keep building equity and value in your franchise, promote it authentically, and have fun doing it! We will all face things that are challenging. The very act of stepping outside your comfort zone is critical to your success and will shape your future. Embracing challenges is important because only in the challenge do we grow. Tom Hanks said it best: “It’s supposed to be hard, if it was easy, everyone would do it.” Q: What does the future hold for women in franchising in Canada? A: Today’s women are striving to balance family, profession, social obligations, as well as health and wellness in order to have fulfilling careers. Due to having multiple roles, women have learned to work smarter, more efficiently and they are forward thinkers as they are able to manage multiple priorities at one time. I believe that Canada needs to promote women in leadership roles as women continue to be underrepresented in professional leadership positions. As more women adopt empowering leadership roles, they will empower other women, especially our new generation of young women. They will then become mentors for each other and challenge gender stereotypes and pave the path for gender equity.
Dawn Mucci Founder, Lice Squad.com
After finding head lice on her son, Dawn Mucci discovered there were few, if any, options in the market to help mothers like herself deal with the pesky critters. From there, Lice Squad.com was born. The franchise is now 36 franchise and corporate locations strong with over 250 service providers from coast to coast. Q: Why do you believe the franchise industry is well-suited to women? A: Franchising is a collaborative and mutually beneficial relationship between like-minded people who are passionate about a product and service. Women are very good at collaboration, communication, and fostering relationships. Women are also well-suited to performing multiple tasks while keeping things organized along the way. One of the main reasons women are well-suited for franchising is their ability to navigate complex situations and pivot when required. Q: What are some of the specific challenges women face in franchising and how have you overcome those challenges? A: One of the most challenging things, at least personally, in the beginning, was learning all of the laws and legislation associated with franchising. Franchising is quite complex and keeping up with changes in the industry can also be challenging. This is why having a good franchise lawyer who works hand-in-hand with your franchise development team is critical. Another challenge was getting financing. Not only for myself but for prospective franchisees. If you’re a smaller boutique type operation, banks and lenders don’t look at you as a low-risk borrower. Historically, women have had greater barriers when it comes to getting financing. I’ve always overcome this by bootstrapping and reinvesting in my business with profits to keep growing without having to rely on financing. Q: What advice can you give young women in the franchising world who aspire to start their own franchise or become a leader within their current system? A: I would tell her to never stop learning, be open to opportunity, and to collaborate and network with people in the industry as much as possible. Volunteer on boards and committees and get as much mentorship as you can. Surround yourself with supportive and skilled people because these people will help you get to where you need to go. Q: What does the future hold for women in franchising in Canada? A: The future is wide open, bright and rich with opportunities. There are many problems that still need solving out there and with the ever-changing technology and the environment we live in, new problems will need to be solved. I am excited to see what the next generation of women is able to achieve.
Helen Fotinos Partner and Lead of National Franchising & Distribution Group, Dentons Canada LLP
Helen Fotinos joined Dentons Canada LLP as a partner in its corporate group and leads the firm’s national franchising and distribution practice in Canada. She writes and speaks regularly on franchise law issues and trends, sits on the board of the Ontario Bar Association’s Franchise Law Section, the Canadian Franchise Association’s Legal and Legislative Affairs Committee and is an active member of the International Franchise Association and the American Bar Association’s franchise forum. Q: Why do you believe the franchise industry is well-suited to women? A: Let me start by saying, I believe all industries are well-suited to women. Having said that, franchising may be particularly well-suited because it draws on skills and qualities women often naturally possess or easily cultivate when given the opportunity, including sharp business acumen, which is required to establish and successfully operate a franchise system; attuned EQ to strategically manage the many relationships that exist within a franchise network; and finally an ability to multi-task in order to execute both immediate and long-term goals. Given the many roles and responsibilities women are accustomed to juggling, I believe franchising is an industry that allows us to showcase our many talents, while also keeping us challenged, engaged, and learning new things every day. Q: What are some of the specific challenges women face in franchising and how have you overcome those challenges? A: Some of the most common challenges are probably access to the opportunities, positions, and platforms we seek, and the selfconfidence to actively pursue them. The first problem is often external to us, the second is entirely within our control. In both instances, however, the only way I know to overcome such challenges is to have a clear understanding of who you are, what you offer, and to be able to articulate that value proposition to your target audience in a way that instills confidence in your abilities and generates enthusiasm around what can be accomplished. Spend time cultivating your brand. If you don’t believe in yourself, no one else will. And if you’re not quite there yet, that’s ok, it’s a journey, but seek out mentors and champions who can help you figure things out and help you find your voice. There is no shame in asking for help; we all need it. Q: What advice can you give young women in the franchising world who aspire to start their own franchise or become a leader within their current system? A: Step 1: Start with asking yourself the basic questions – Who am I? What are my strengths/weaknesses? What interests me? What do I enjoy doing? How do I enjoy working? What type of lifestyle do I want?
Step 2: Do your homework. Once you’ve got the answers to Step 1, study the market, consumer preferences, emerging technologies, etc. Is there an opportunity you can exploit, a product/service you can develop, a problem you can solve, or a need you can service that aligns with your identified strengths, interests, and vision for your future? Find or create a career where BEING YOU IS AN ASSET. If you can do that, you will never fail, and it will never feel like work. Step 3: Trust yourself. Once you’ve completed Steps 1 and 2 above, be relentless in the pursuit of your dream. Be bold, be tenacious, work hard, and take risks. Q: What does the future hold for women in franchising in Canada? A: The future is bright and absolutely limitless. Traditional ideologies around “male” / “female” roles in franchising, and the workplace generally, are eroding, and there is nothing women cannot do. Further, the rate of innovation, evolving consumer preferences, and the emergence of new sectors within franchising such as health and fitness, wellness, aesthetics, cannabis, teaching, home care/elder care, and the growing number of virtual/online-only franchise models exponentially expand the types of opportunities available to women interested in a career in franchising.
MORE FEMALE FRANCHISING SUCCESS STORIES Beyond the five women featured in this article, there are so many more women contributing to the Canadian franchise community. If you want to hear from more women in franchising, head to www.FranchiseCanada.Online. Here, you can find an all-new exclusive look at successful female entrepreneurs from around the country in a range of different sectors, including food service, the performing arts, education, and more. And, if you’re seeking further inspiration, you can also find previous profiles of successful female franchisees on www.FranchiseCanada.Online by searching “Women in Franchising.”
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HOW TO REGISTER: Complete the registration form included with this issue of The Franchise Voice, download a registration form at www.cfa.ca/convention or contact Janet O’Connell at joconnell@cfa.ca, or 416-695-2896, ext. 251.
From April 4 to 6, the cultural centre of Quebec will serve as host of the 29th annual CFA National Convention as franchising professionals from across the country converge on Montreal. Canada’s premier franchise education and networking event, the CFA National Convention is where the brightest minds from the franchise community come together for three days of non-stop learning, collaboration, and most importantly, Growing Together™. Hosted at Le Westin hotel in the heart of downtown Montreal, this year’s Convention will bring together franchisors and franchise support services suppliers for an engaging roster of inspiring education sessions and one-of-a-kind networking opportunities. At the event, our members will equip themselves with the tools they need to grow their businesses through keynote presentations, concurrent sessions, and roundtable discussions led by some of the most authoritative voices of the Canadian franchising industry. They’ll also network with their peers in an open exchange of ideas and perspectives to lift franchising to new heights. And finally, they’ll celebrate the very best that Canadian franchising has to offer at the always exciting Awards of Excellence gala. Growing Together™ at the 29th annual CFA National Convention in Montreal
We’ve got an incredible lineup of engaging events scheduled for this year’s Convention: • Power Sessions: Led by some of the most authoritative voices of the Canadian franchising industry, power sessions in sales, marketing, business development, management, and other key areas will help you attract the right franchise prospects, boost sales, and more. • Keynote Presentations: An inspiring roster of industry leaders will speak on a comprehensive range of topics to inspire you to lift your franchise system to new heights. • Concurrent Sessions: Addressing the key franchising areas of operations, business development, management, and legal, concurrent sessions led by leading authorities in franchising will help you meet your business needs for ultimate success. • Roundtable Discussions: Your chance to have your franchising questions answered by an industry expert, 40-minute roundtable discussions on topics ranging from lead nurturing to enhancing franchise agreements will help you develop new strategies in a group setting. • Celebrate the Best of Canadian Franchising: The CFA Awards Gala is like the Oscars of franchising! Don’t miss out on all of the excitement as we celebrate the awardwinning franchises of 2020!
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS Shift your thinking and transform your business as you hear from an inspiring roster of top industry leaders. Whether you’re a new or established business, these exceptional speakers will galvanize your entire organization towards reaching your franchise goals.
From A to Gen Z – How the next generation of consumers is changing the game Presented by: Suzie Finch, American Express Canada Saturday, April 4, 2020 5:00 PM–6:00 PM While millennials have been top of mind in recent years, a new generation of consumers continues to take on more buying power and influence. Franchises need to prepare for the rise of Gen Z and their unique habits as consumers. Join American Express Canada for a look into what’s driving Gen Z when it comes to how they spend, who they give their loyalty to, and what they expect from their favourite brands. This session will explore American Express Canada research about Gen Z purchasing trends, preferences, and expectations, and include a discussion with franchises and industry experts on the strategies and mindsets of Canadian businesses seeking to win over this generation.
Presented by: Vincenzo Guzzo, Cinemas Guzzo & Dragon on CBC’s Dragons’ Den Sunday, April 5, 2020 9:00 AM–10:00 AM Vincenzo Guzzo (aka Mr. Sunshine) is a movie industry titan based in Montreal, where he lives with his wife and five children. The brash businessman recently became a central Canadian media figure as the newest Dragon on CBC’s Dragons’ Den. His eccentric style and quirky demeanour have made the popular show must-watch television since its 13th season. When he’s not moonlighting as a Dragon, Guzzo is the formidable President and CEO of Cinemas Guzzo, Québec’s largest chain of independent movie theatres. A naturally savvy entrepreneur, he’s played a pivotal role in expanding Cinemas Guzzo into a business empire that includes offshoots in the construction, real estate, and hospitality sectors.
In addition to cinema expansion, Guzzo and his wife are renowned philanthropists, giving generously to numerous hospitals and culminating in the establishment of the Guzzo Family Foundation in 2007, which is aggressively invested in cancer nanotechnology research at Montreal’s Jewish Hospital Foundation and McGill University.
Unleash the LEADER in You! Presented by: Erik Therwanger, ThinkGREAT Monday, April 6, 2020 9:00 AM–10:00 AM Discover your greater purpose as a leader and unlock your potential, inspiring your team to set and accomplish important goals.
Participate in this session to discover the leadership strategies and techniques necessary to inspire, motivate, and influence your entire team. With an emphasis on creating an empowering culture, leaders will learn new ways to encourage their team members, achieve exponential growth, and experience unparalleled results. Learn strategies to increase engagement and understand techniques to embrace change, all while discovering new ways to unify culture and build teams. Today’s leaders will unleash the leadership potential in their teams!
CLOSED DOOR CEO SESSIONS
Presented by: Vincenzo Guzzo, Cinemas Guzzo & Dragon on CBC’s Dragons’ Den Sunday, April 5, 2020 10:30 AM–11:30 AM
A mogul in the entertainment industry, Vincenzo Guzzo first made his mark as the President and CEO of his family’s business, Cinemas Guzzo, Québec’s largest chain of independent movie theatres. Today, he’s helping others achieve their entrepreneurial goals as a judge on CBC’s Dragons’ Den. Learn what it takes to be an innovator, gain his advice and insights on your questions, and definitely don’t miss out on this exclusive chance to get up close and personal with a Dragon!
Planning for SUCCESS! Presented by: Erik Therwanger, ThinkGREAT Monday, April 6, 2020 11:00 AM–12:00 PM
Learn the techniques required to develop the leaders needed to set and accomplish the goals in your strategic plan. In this session, you will discover the leadership strategies and techniques necessary to define leadership, identify the traits expected of every leader, and learn how to communicate more dynamically. With an emphasis on identifying the goals necessary for success, leaders will learn new ways to empower their people to support the shortterm and long-term goals required for unparalleled growth. From this presentation, you will learn strategies to define leadership, receive techniques to establish leadership traits, discover new ways to communicate effectively, and develop the skills to create your plan.
POWER SESSIONS Start your Convention off right with these in-depth sessions guaranteed to pack a powerful punch! From making your franchise more profitable to attracting the right franchise prospects, world-class experts will share an extensive range of insights to help you bolster your business!
SALES Keys to Successful Franchise Development Presented by: Jania Bailey, FranNet, LLC; Frank Milner, Tutor Doctor; Gordon Gamble, PuroClean Canada Is your current development process aligned to grow your franchise successfully? Starting with being clear about “Who” you are looking for and ending with a successful Discovery Day, this session will outline the keys to successful franchise development. It will also address the critical issues in the process, each of which can make a tremendous difference in the success or failure of your development plans. The panel will explore various lead channels and their effectiveness and cost. If you want to improve franchisee acquisition, this session is for you.
CFE SESSION PROFIT MASTERY: Financial Bootcamp Part 1 – Driving Network Profitability & Performance Saturday 8:00 AM–12:00 PM Imagine leaving a four-hour session with a complete set of financial tools guaranteed to improve network profitability and cash flow. That’s exactly what you’ll get at internationally-acclaimed CFE session “Profit Mastery: Financial Boot Camp Part 1 – Driving Network Unit Profitability and Performance.” Profit Mastery turns standard financial statements into powerful financial intelligence, and you will find the Financial Report Card – combined with the unique Financial Performance Road Map – to be unusually effective in pinpointing and quantifying the dollar impact of improved efficiency.
Over the last two decades, Profit Mastery has become the “Gold Standard” in financial performance management. This is stuff that virtually NONE of your franchisees know – and they absolutely need to. This is also stuff that every franchisor needs to know – regardless of their role in the network.
MARKETING Today’s Consumer is Tech Savvy. Are You? Presented by: Steve Buors & Kirk Allen, Reshift Media Technology innovations such as voice and image search, chatbots, wearables, and machine learning are having a profound effect on how potential customers – particularly millennials and Gen Z – find and interact with your organization. Forward-looking companies are already making major changes to their websites, apps, marketing strategies, and communication methods in order to stay relevant in 2020 and beyond.
This session is ideal for franchise executives and marketing professionals who are interested in learning about major digital media trends impacting Canada over the next 18–24 months. We will walk through examples of what leading organizations are doing to remain current, and we’ll also discuss specific actions your franchise organization can take to stay ahead of competitors.
ESSENTIAL LEGAL UPDATE The Hottest Legal Issues in Canada Saturday 3:30 PM–4:30 PM Whether you’re a new or established franchisor, your franchise success largely hinges on your compliance with the law. That’s why a solid understanding of the Canadian legal issues that affect your business is imperative. Get up to speed in this information session!
Hosted by a panel of top franchise lawyers, this interactive presentation will provide an update on the latest developments in Canadian franchise law, while allowing for lively discussion and debate. Catching up on the latest judicial decisions, legislative updates, and practical legal matters has never been more fun! Franchisors of all levels will benefit from this comprehensive discussion that will help ensure your business ventures are protected and liability risks are minimized.
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Chairman’s Choice: 0 to 100 Overcoming the Road Blocks in Building a System to 100+ Units Presented by: John DeHart, LIVE WELL Excercise Clinic; Ken LeBlanc, PropertyGuys.com; Steve Gill, Quesada Franchising of Canada Corp. U.S. data shows that after two years in business, 65 per cent of franchisors had ZERO locations; 27 per cent had 1 to 10 (so 92 per cent of all systems have less than 10 units) and fewer than 5 per cent of franchisors reach 100 units within a 10-year time frame.
This will be a two-hour “power” session devoted to sharing the best practices that emerging franchisors need to know to break through these barriers and grow to 100 units and beyond. This session will dig into the successes and failures of some of the most successful franchisors in the country, all of whom have built systems in the 100+ unit category, with a specific focus on how they scaled up in the early days of building their systems.
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS Essential Government Relations Update Sunday 3:30 PM–4:30 PM It’s a full time job to stay on top of the laws, regulations, and emerging issues that could affect franchised businesses. This is why the Canadian Franchise Association (CFA) works with all levels of government to protect franchising and ensure the best possible outcome for all stakeholders. The Government Relations Update is an opportunity to learn about the most relevant and up-to-date information regarding issues and developments affecting the Canadian franchise community. David Black, the CFA’s Director of Government Relations & Public Policy and Larry Weinberg, who is a partner at Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP and General Counsel of the CFA, will address advocacy goals and discuss a number of key issues concerning the franchising industry.
CONCURRENT SESSIONS Gain in-depth knowledge from leading authorities on franchising in these sessions. Divided into four tracks, easily attend the sessions which will meet your business needs for ultimate success.
OPERATIONS • Avoid the 5 Most Common Franchise Fails • How Franchisors Can Set Up Multi-Unit Owners for Success • Ultimate Franchise Alignment – Harness the Power of Unity
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT • Empowering Women to Lead in Franchising • Engage and Convert More Qualified Franchise Leads • Just BRAND It! Become a Brand Master
LEGAL • Making the Most of the Relationship Between Franchisor and Legal Counsel • Expanding and Operating in Québec – What you need to know • Coast to Coast – How to Expand Nationwide
MANAGEMENT • Growth & Exit Strategies…a Preview • Build Your Community Through Charitable Partnerships • Understanding & Working with Millennials
FSS/SUPPLIER FORUM How to Be a Successful Supplier to the Franchise Community Sunday 2:00 PM–3:00 PM Many businesses focus on attracting and engaging new customers and forget to nurture their current ones. By consistently maintaining an engagement plan, businesses secure repeat business and unlike for new clients, it doesn’t require the large capital investment to attract new customers. In this session, learn the best practices for retaining franchise systems as customers and the importance of building and maintaining those relationships.
ROUNDTABLE SESSIONS With more than 20 discussions to choose from, share challenges and opportunities with solutions-oriented individuals and unveil new strategies for your business. Benefit from having your questions answered by an industry expert in these 40-minute sessions.
Topics Include: 1. Make Working Capital Work Harder: Finding Hidden Value in Payments 2. Increasing Franchise System Profitability Through Monitoring 3. Survival Tips for Franchise Owners from Ceridian, Your Payroll and Human Capital 4. Changing Your Communications Strategy from Good to Great! 5. Keeping Your Franchise Protected from Fraud 6. Off Sheet Balance Funding 7. Drive Explosive Franchise Growth by Intelligently Nurturing Your Leads 8. Understanding How to Work Within the Broker Network 9. Expanding to the US 10. Are Your Franchisees Really Independent Contractors or are They Your Dependant Contractors or Employees? 11. Strategies for Selecting Reputable and Financially Competent Franchisees 12. Digital Payments & Rewards 13. Sales Tax and the Franchise: What’s Bugging You 14. Planning for Restaurant Construction 15. Leveraging the Power of the Group Media Buy for ALL! 16. Seeing Through the Smoke – How the Legalization of Cannabis is Impacting Franchising 17. Accommodation of Mental Disability: Understanding an Employer’s Rights and Responsibilities 18. Is YOUR Brand Aligned with Your Franchise Brand 19. How to Attract and Retain Employees by Delivering a Better Employee Experience 20. Franchise Lead Generation 21. International Payments 22. 12 Surprising Things You Can Do on Your Next Franchisee Visit 23. Essential Banking for Smaller Franchisors 24. Stop Overthinking Social Media 25. Virtual Kitchens 26. How Many Locations to Grow in a Year 27. Digital Brand Strategy 28. Critical Prospect Engagement 29. Cyber Security
REMINDER TO New Members! New CFA members receive one complimentary registration to CFA National Convention. Contact membership@cfa.ca 416-695-2896 ext. 290 for details.
AGENDA
Saturday, April 4, 2020 7:30 AM-6:00 PM CFA Registration 8:00 AM-12:00 PM CFE Session 1:00 PM-3:00 PM Power Sessions 3:00 PM-3:30 PM PM Break 3:30 PM-4:30 PM Essential Legal Update 5:00 PM-6:00 PM Opening Keynote 6:00 PM-7:30 PM New Member Reception Sunday, April 5, 2020 7:30 AM-8:30 AM Breakfast in the Marketplace 8:30 AM-9:00 AM CFA Chair & President’s Address 9:00 AM-10:00 AM Keynote Presentation 10:00 AM-10:30 AM AM Break 10:30 AM-11:30 AM Closed Door CEO Session 10:30 AM-12:00 PM Roundtables 11:30 AM-12:30 PM CEO Break Out Sessions 12:30 PM-2:00 PM Recognition Awards Luncheon 2:00 PM-3:00 PM FSS/Supplier Forum 2:00 PM-3:00 PM Concurrent Sessions 3:00 PM-3:30 PM PM Break 3:30 PM-4:30 PM Essential Government Relations Update 5:00 PM-6:30 PM Marketplace Reception Monday, April 6, 2020 8:00 AM-9:00 AM Breakfast in the Marketplace 9:00 AM-10:00 AM Keynote Presentation 10:00 AM-10:30 AM CFA Chair – New Chair Intro 10:30 AM-11:00 AM AM Break 11:00 AM-12:00 PM Closed Door CEO Session 11:00 AM-12:30 PM Roundtables 12:30 PM-2:00 PM Lunch 2:00 PM-3:00 PM Concurrent Sessions 3:00 PM-3:30 PM PM Break 3:30 PM-4:30 PM Concurrent Sessions 5:30 PM-6:30 PM Marketplace Cocktail Reception 6:30 PM-9:00 PM Gala Awards Dinner & Closing Remarks 10:00 PM-2:00 AM After Party
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Dismantling Departmental Barriers 3 ways your marketing and business development teams can work together to accelerate growth BY MARTY MENARD
How do your marketing and business development departments work together? You likely wouldn’t be alone in thinking that these two departments are unlikely collaborators. In traditional business models, these two departments typically function as separate entities with disparate focus and directives. But in an evolving marketplace where current, past, and future customers can make purchasing decisions with the ease of a few keyboard strokes, traditional approaches are an anchor to outdated processes; franchise and multi-unit organizations draw a hard line between marketing and business development at their own peril.
From my marketing students to my business clients, an all-toocommon misconception about marketing is it’s all logos and slogans, fancy branding and eye-catching design. There is no denying that these are very important elements for supporting any brand, but your franchise organization’s marketing efforts must integrate and work together with your business development strategies to not only grow your customer base, but to also create deeper, more meaningful customer relationships.
Beautiful branding and flashy content alone will not stimulate growth or stave off attrition. So, let us first define the differences between business development and marketing.
Business development is about working at the front line of new business acquisition, cultivating client relationships for both the short and long term, networking, and most often, working on behalf of your clients and customers to drive growth and profitability. This is clearly what the entrepreneurial franchisee signed on for
when purchasing their first franchise location! That being said, it’s important to keep in mind that business development is just one of many hats franchise owners must wear, from bookkeeper to HR manager to team builder, and in many cases, service providers.
For this reason, franchisees often require tangible support from their marketing team when it comes to providing the tools they need to be successful in their new role as business developers for an established franchise brand.
I think it’s important to mention that though the scope of each unique franchise organization’s business development strategies can be wide-ranging and vary significantly from organization to organization, it should never vary from franchise to franchise within a single organization. This is where an interconnected marketing and business development strategy can ensure cohesion and consistency. Marketing is about identifying, reaching, and staying connected with the target audiences best suited to your products and services. Marketing is most successful when it addresses how you position the brand, the company, and your offerings in the competitive marketplace. Success is then measured by how successful your efforts were in increasing awareness amongst your target audience and in theory, creating a stronger flow of qualified leads and opportunities for, you guessed it, your business developers! And this is clearly what the industrious franchisee is expecting from their head office when purchasing their franchise!
And though it should be clear to us all that marketing and business development are different in how they’re executed, they can no longer remain siloed in any organization that wants to fully
realize their long-term goals for growth and brand loyalty. Business development and marketing are two sides of the same coin.
Here are my top three ways for your organization to begin aligning your marketing and business development strategies to work together and support one another’s efforts for increased growth and market share.
1. Your Marketing Strategy Should Have a ‘Leads Quota’ A huge part of the success of any franchise location simply comes down to the total number of inbound calls, online inquiries, and inperson visits they receive. The more of these ‘leads’ that can be created via strategic marketing efforts, the more opportunities for new business development and ultimately, closed business are created.
Once both franchisees and head office agree on a definition of a qualified lead, the marketing team can be held responsible for a lead’s quota with well-defined qualification metrics for all involved. Each business and organization will have unique characteristics; for one organization 20 leads a month might be necessary to stimulate consistent growth, while another might only need 10.
This is a great example of both the franchisor and franchisee committing to one another and sharing skin in the game, so to speak. Further, and this might be the business developer in me talking (of course it is), but experience has demonstrated that another wonderful by-product of setting a leads quota is that it really helps the marketing team hone in and better identify what strategies are cutting through the noise and ensuring your message is reaching your audience! This leads me to my second point.
2. Marketing Campaigns Must Be Agile For many franchise organizations, it’s too often the norm to have long lead-time marketing campaigns where both head office and the individual franchisees will not receive the real results of their campaign’s effectiveness until many months later.
I cannot stress enough that drawing up a year-long marketing plan in early November, only to have to wait until April to see whether any of the initial campaigns worked (or not), is a recipe for throwing away money and opportunities.
The marketing landscape is diverse, complex, ever-changing, and it gets more challenging to effectively make lasting impressions with savvy consumers. This is why marketing teams and their strategies must be flexible if they want to generate more meaningful data.
One of the best strategies to put this agility into action is ongoing test campaigns. By launching a brand-new marketing campaign and buying some pay-per-click (PPC) traffic to test your message, you can get volumes of actionable data within a few days … even hours! If this data passes your benchmarks, you can more confidently and responsibly move forward with launching it at scale.
This will generate faster results, stronger leads, and consistently valuable feedback from both consumers and individual franchisees! Which leads me to my third point.
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3. Franchisor and Franchisee Must Regularly Stay in Touch Gone should be the days where the franchisee and head office only meet annually to discuss ‘the year in review,’ providing lots of fancy slides, slightly-exaggerated stats, and maybe some decent catering.
The marketing team needs to be involved in the entire sales and business development process on a regular basis, producing informational material and helping their franchisees on the front lines address and respond to real consumer needs.
Three things are forever: death, taxes, and prospects having endless questions, objections, or concerns throughout the course of the sales process.
Traditionally, the individual franchisees and their teams handle direct objections and concerns. But in my experience, franchisees can increase closing rates tenfold by involving their marketing teams early on in the sales process.
When franchisee and head office have an open channel of communication, through a centralized advisory council or a MIS/CRM software platform, the marketing team can collaborate closely with the franchisees and create a list of common customer objections. They then can create targeted material for each meaningful query, so any time a franchisee encounters a similar objection, he or she has the informational material at their fingertips to move customers further along the sales cycle.
It should go without saying that a professionally produced marketing document will work much better than a quickly drafted
email from a franchisee in answering prospects’ questions. Not to mention the added benefit of saving your franchisees valuable time, since a vast majority of them spend up to 30 hours a month producing their own, perhaps less experienced, sales material.
Yes, there are unique responsibilities and machinations of the marketer vs. the business developer, but in today’s business landscape, true scalable success happens only when an organization’s marketing and business development tactics are integrated in a way that support the other’s efforts every step of the way.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Marty Menard is the Director of Business Development of Kre’Adiv House, a full-service marketing agency serving franchise and multiunit-based organizations. Kre’Adiv House has earned numerous advertising and marketing awards for strategically unifying large-scope organizations, with an emphasis on growth and expansion. A proud educator, Marty is a part-time Marketing Professor at Fanshawe College’s Lawrence Kinlin School of Business in London, ON, and serves as a mentor for the Ontario Centres of Excellence Young Entrepreneurs Initiative. A nationally published writer, speaker, and media consultant, Marty is a passionate advocate for creating stronger and mutually successful partnerships. You can reach Marty at marty@kreadivhouse.com | 519.694.9622 | linkedin.com/in/martymenard
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