TORONTO BUSINESS TIMES - September 2012 - 9
franchising
Franchise show adds seminars due to popularity Sanam Islam tbt@insidetoronto.com
T
he Canadian Franchise Association will be adding an extra seminar room and offering more seminars to attendees at the October Franchise Show in Toronto. “One of the highlights of the show is the free seminars that are available,” said Lorraine McLachlan, president and CEO of the Canadian Franchise Association. She said six seminars are typically offered each day, but in the show taking place Oct. 20 and 21 at the Toronto Congress Centre in Etobicoke, up to nine seminars will be scheduled daily. “We are expanding the number of seminars available because they have proven to be so popular. We are expanding to make
Details n WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 20 and Sunday, Oct. 21, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. n WHERE: Toronto Congress Centre, North Building, Hall J, 650 Dixon Rd., off Hwy. 401 n COST: One day pass is $10 and a weekend pass is $15 even more education available,” McLachlan said. The Franchise Show takes place in February and October in Toronto and provides an opportunity for prospective franchisees to meet with more than 100 franchisors – including big names such as Pizza Pizza, the UPS Store and Kumon Math and Reading Centres – registered with the Canadian Franchise Association and to learn more about the franchise industry. Attendees can
Education, pets emerging trends >>>from page 1 them to summer school or put them into crash courses before their exams so they can get good grades to get into a good university,” Etzler said. The pet services sector, which includes everything from dog walking to pet grooming, is also emerging as a trend in Toronto, particularly in the east end, the Beaches area and among condominium-dwellers along Yonge Street. “More people want to have pets for companionship, but they don’t have the time for it,” Etzler said. Barrier-free living and space renovation for seniors is also doing well. “A lot of seniors in Toronto who want to stay in their homes – because they can with condos – have showers they have to step over, so they want to make them barrier-free,” said Brent Barr, a professor who teaches a franchising course at Ryerson University’s Ted Rogers School of Management. In addition, many seniors who downsize to a condominium to save money for retirement convert their space to get the functionality of a larger home. Health foods and ethnic fare, such as Asian and Mexican cuisine, are also an emerging trend. “We’re getting a lot of fresh food options in the world of franchising. They are giving us ways to eat better, which is more in line with who and what we’ve become as we change our life socially,” Barr said. Toronto’s preference for unique dining options (rather than big brand names) allows homegrown, upscale healthy eateries at a slightly higher price point to succeed. However, outside of the city, such franchises tend not to be as popular, Etzler said. Like other cities across Canada, senior and home care services, as well as beauty care, are booming in Toronto. These sectors and, in fact, most sectors, are expected to continue growing. Etzler predicts there will be explosive growth in the environmental sector. While other sectors have been around for at least a decade, this sector has only emerged in the last few years. It includes products and services such as solar panels, green energy, environmentally friendly building cleaning and air-filtration products. “The environmental movement is creating whole new industries that didn’t exist 10 years ago or even five years ago,” Etzler said. Convenience-related franchises are also expected to be a major trend. As more people near the end of their careers, they have more funds, but less time, said Barr. This means they will be more likely to pay for tasks such as the picking up and dropping off of dry cleaning or meal deliveries.
visit booths, listen to informational seminars and talk to experts. Seminars are led by industry specialists such as franchise owners, franchisees, consultants, lawyers, accountants and bankers. Some of the topics scheduled for the October show include “10 Things You Must Know Before You Invest in a Franchise” and “How to Finance Your Franchise and Approach Your Bank”. After the seminars, speakers will available to chat with prospective franchisees and answer specific questions at the Ask The Experts booth. “There’s an ongoing involvement with the franchisor in terms of support and the network of other franchisees within that franchise system,” McLachlan said. “That’s certainly one of the hallmarks of our show and
there’s no other show that has even close to the number of franchises that we have.” Lucie Shaw, a Nurse Next Door franchisee, will be an exhibitor at the show, but she was once an attendee. In February 2009, she and her husband, both of whom had a corporate background, were still on the fence about becoming franchisees and attended the show looking to get more information. “It was a great learning experience. Not only were we able to meet and chat with different types of businesses, but it was a great eye-opener in terms of what was out there and the things that we didn’t want to do.” Shaw said attending the show solidified their interest in becoming franchisees, particularly in the health care industry. In May 2009, they opened
Nurse Next Door (a home care services business) in Mississauga. Single-day tickets cost $10 and weekend tickets
cost $15 at the door. Those who register on the CFA website will receive a $2 discount coupon. To register, visit http://cfa.ca
Be prepared 10 Sample questions to ask when investigating a franchise system: 1. Are you a member of the Canadian Franchise Association? 2. How many years has the franchisor been operating? How many units do they have overall? 3. How does the franchisor choose franchisees? How are qualifications reviewed? 4. What makes the franchisor’s product or service unique? 5. What kind of support and advice, including advertising, marketing and promotional assistance, does the franchisor provide franchisees? 6. Does the franchisor choose the location or does the franchisee? 7. Will you be provided with a disclosure document? Does it comply to provincial laws in Alberta/Ontario/PEI or CFA’s minimum disclosure requirements? 8. How much is the initial franchise fee? 9. What is the anticipated period of time between start-up and profitability? 10. What are the future plans of the franchise? – The Franchise Show
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