Franchise Canada Chats

This week on Franchise Canada Chats, Renée Boudakian, CFE, of Rubicon Franchise Partners speaks with Alexandra Lawlor, a Water Babies franchisee with territories in Vaughan and Simcoe. At just 25, Alexandra became the first Water Babies Canada franchisee outside of the original pilot location, and 9 years later, she’s grown her business to bring baby and toddler swim lessons to more families across Ontario. In this episode, we dive into the realities of owning a swim school franchise, how Alexandra leads and mentors a team of young women, and how she’s developed the business alongside a growing family.

In this episode of Franchise Canada Chats, host Renée Boudakian of Rubicon Franchise Partners is joined by two members of the Senior Helpers franchise system: Craig Dowling, Director of Franchise Development, and Robert Thornton, franchise owner in Victoria, B.C. Though their stories are unique, both Craig and Robert came into Senior Helpers with an intimate understanding of the importance of caregiving. Tune in to hear their stories, why they chose senior care, what Senior Helpers values in its franchisees, how the first year of owning a senior-care franchise can unfold, and more!

Renée Boudakian, CFE, of Rubicon Franchise Partners is joined by Cameron Johnson, a California Closets franchisee servicing Alberta and Saskatchewan, and a long-time member of the franchise community. In the last 28 years he’s worked with three brands under the FirstService umbrella, and in the last 20 years he’s grown his California Closets franchise from a team of 5 to about 75. Tune in to hear his story and learn about long-term franchise ownership, growing and developing a team, building a business that lets you shift from running daily operations to managing the big picture, and more!

To cap off Franchisee Appreciation Month, Franchise Canada Chats is releasing a bonus episode hosted by Steve Buors and featuring David Druker, president and CEO of The UPS Store Canada.

Join David and Steve on this special bonus episode, sponsored by The UPS Store, as they discuss the world of franchising, the opportunities it affords business owners, and the hard work that franchisees put back into their communities.

On the final episode of Franchise Canada Chats season 9, Renée Boudakian is speaking with Pizza Pizza franchisee, Tahir Siddique, to discuss his 25 years of experience in the franchising industry, from working in the kitchen to owning his own location. Listen in as they dive into Tahir’s transition from employee to franchisee, what goes into operating a top-performing location, the role that community has played in his journey, and so much more!

Franchise Canada Chats and Renée Boudakian welcome Kimberly and Andrew Severson, two franchisees with Wild Birds Unlimited in South Surrey, BC, to talk about their experience as franchise business owners. They share insights from their experience in accounting and finance, buying franchise units through resale, moving locations, proper franchisor-franchisee communication, and everything that goes into the business of connecting people and nature, and doing it with excellence as part of a franchise community.

Renée is talking with Elijah Mack-Stirling about what it’s like to be a franchisee with Canada’s first Indigenous fast-casual cuisine franchise, Kekuli Cafe. Learn more about different financing considerations, leadership tactics integral to multi-unit success, the importance of safe spaces for Indigenous youth, ensuring adequate support systems in difficult times, and more.

This episode was recorded on May 18, 2025.

Content note: This episode includes mention of familial grief and missing persons.

The Canadian Small Business Financing Act: https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/canada-small-business-financing-program/en

On Season 9 Episode 12, Renée Boudakian, CFE, is joined by David Everitt, a longstanding franchisee with The UPS Store in Thunder Bay, Ontario. David’s family was part of The UPS Store’s original move into Canada. Today, David shares with listeners the nuances of working in a family business, operating in a rural area, supporting staff to ensure their success, the importance of forming connections with your local community and franchise community, and what it means to be an Area Franchisee.

Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa franchisee, Christopher Fisher, joins Renée Boudakian, CFE on the Franchise Canada Chats podcast to share his experience as a multi-unit owner in Ottawa, Ontario. Tag along to hear about Christopher’s decision to join a franchise instead of opening another independent business, various financing options for franchisees, the difference between an Area Developer and a Master Franchisee, and the importance of conducting adequate market research during the discovery process.

Renée Boudakian is sitting down with Justin Enns, a multi-unit franchisee with CertaPro Painters. Justin and CertaPro’s story first began in 2017 when he joined his father’s team. In 2023, he took over his father’s franchise and has continued to grow the business year over year. Justin’s passion really lies in business itself, and in this week’s episode he shares the work that goes into fostering a successful business, curating the right team, taking over an existing franchise, and getting involved with one’s franchise community.