Franchise Canada Chats

Meet Jesse Pooni, a multi-unit franchisee with Tommy Gun’s Original Barbershop in British Colombia’s lower mainland. This week, Renée and Jesse are sitting down to discuss what can happen when one embraces an unexpected opportunity; the differences between taking over an existing franchise location and opening a brand new one; creating balanced partnerships in business; and the impact of forging connections in a local community.

On episode 8 of Franchise Canada Chats season 9, Renée is speaking with Shailen Vadera, a Crock A Doodle franchisee who's seen the system from all sides. As the founder’s daughter, Shailen has worked in the stores, with corporate, and now as a franchisee. Today she’s sharing all the insights she’s gained from this business, and shining a light on how a mathematical mind can help a creative business flourish. Pop in to hear about the relationship between a franchisor and its franchisees, why finding the right location for a unit is integral, different avenues for financial backing, and local store marketing as a key to success.

Renée Boudakian is sitting down with Christina Strudwick, an entrepreneur who’s personal experience with CEFA Early Learning led to her becoming a franchisee with the brand. Christina worked as the manager of a bank branch and oversaw a real estate portfolio before delving into the business world and opening her own CEFA location. Renée and Christina discuss the value of brand awareness, navigating business ownership during a global pandemic, financial preparedness, and the impacts of early learning opportunities on children… plus so much more!

Joining Renée Boudakian this week is Salima Mussaji, a franchisee with Spirit of Math—an after-school program for high-performing students. Salima and her husband had always been interested in owning their own business, and with Salima’s experience as a teacher, plus Spirit of Math’s reputation, they found the right fit for them with this franchise system. Tune in to hear about franchising in the supplemental education industry, the nuances of introducing a business to a new territory, and the impacts of supplemental education.

Renée Boudakian and Cédric Léveillé are sitting down to discuss his experience as a Fibrenew franchisee. Cédric worked with Fibrenew as a technician for 3 years before taking over his uncle’s franchise, and has gone on to expand the team, open a workshop, and move to a larger space. In this episode they’ll explore franchise growth, the importance of leadership skills, and how to build and care for a team of dedicated employees.

This week, Renée Boudakian explores franchising from two different viewpoints as she’s joined by Sabai Thai Spa’s CEO and founder, Nuttha Goutier, and their newest franchisee, Stella Hoang. See both sides of the franchising coin as we explore onboarding and training processes, franchise tradeshows, franchisor/franchisee alignment, and creating an immersive experience for customers.

Renée Boudakian is joined by Sean Bannerman, a former member of law enforcement who saw an opportunity to leap into the world of franchising. Now a master franchisee with Oxygen Yoga & Fitness, Sean shares the mechanics of making a career change with franchising, multi-unit ownership, master franchising, and the significance of work-life balance.

Join Renée Boudakian and Priya Vadivel as they discuss Priya’s experience as a franchisee with British Swim School. Learn about her business, the importance of swimming lessons for kids and infants, the unique opportunities that come with opening a franchise, and the ins-and-outs of multi-unit franchising.

Renée Boudakian is talking with Foxy Box Laser & Wax Bar master franchisees Mathieu Doyon and Valerie Bacon, about bringing the franchise to their province. Find out how a former cosmetic nurse and a serial entrepreneur joined forces to grow Foxy Box throughout Quebec!

After 17 years working in IT, Sohail Iqbal felt the urge to start his own business. He considered the food industry, but first consulted friends who also had their own businesses. He landed on The UPS Store as the right choice and has since grown his franchise empire to over six locations. Guest host Angelee Brown of FranOvation joins Franchise Canada Chats as we sit down with Sohail to discuss:

-How he consulted friends and family in order to find his ideal business opportunity;

-How franchising allowed him to automate systems between locations;

-The technology he leverages on a day-to-day basis for his business;

-The challenge of learning new systems while teaching new employees.