Franchise Scout

How many times have you said “someday I’m going to own my own business”? But it hasn’t happened yet. Fear is often at the root. Don’t feel bad - it just means you’re normal. Instead, understand and harness it! Our guest, Mark Holland, is a clinical counselor with a lot of experience helping people through career transitions. We bring fear out into the open and discuss why people get stuck before starting, spin their wheels in the middle, and get paralyzed at decision time.  Make your someday finally happen.

It’s easy to get overwhelmed or off the rails when starting down the path to finance your franchise. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Our guest, Don Nicol of RBC is an expert on financing franchises. We cover a wide range of topics from picking your bank - and banker, to how the whole process works, how long it will take, when to start... and what your bank really needs to see in order to help you get the funding to make your plan come to life. 

Technology is the silent killer-app that makes franchise systems roar. It doesn’t get the recognition it deserves, but will surely be one of the key selling features of any franchise you might investigate. We talk tech with our guest, Nabeel Rahman from Vonigo. Hear how the magic happens with their back-end solution, helping beautifully unsexy service business franchises become weapons of competition-destruction. You’ll develop an appreciation for what technology can do that will help you in your research.

There is nothing more terrifying than SALES to the non-salesperson. Every business needs customers, so how will you go about picking a business that works for you? In this episode of the Franchise Scout podcast, we explore the essential topic of sales and selling. Our guest, David Hiatt, is an authority on the subject. Formerly a sales trainer franchisee, he now oversees franchise sales for Sandler Sales Systems. Uncover the different types of business development along the Sales Spectrum - from low to high sales. Learn how to truly understand the business development role in your research (and how to honestly assess the fit). This episode is essential listening, particularly if sales and selling is uncharted territory. Sales: it’s not such a dirty word, after all. 

With experience comes wisdom! We have a fireside chat with Michael Del Pellaro, a long-standing franchisee, to discuss the evolution of the owner’s role from startup lead to top operator. With almost 20 years of franchising experience under his belt, Michael shares his wisdom on things like technology changes, standing out from the competition, and how to keep the energy and passion high heading into your 3rd decade.

Who knew that a waterslide ride could land you in a pool of business ownership?

We sit down with Tim Boothman, now in his 3rd year of operation with a residential services franchise. Join us as he shares his experience about getting into his franchise, breaking records and going onto acquire additional territory.

All part of the new master-plan… Emma left her 20+ year career in the Oil & Gas Industry to team up with her husband Dan and venture into a completely new field with their franchise. 

Hear their first-hand strategy on how to reach an agreement with a game-plan that leverages their individual strengths and factors personal preferences. (It’s not as easy as it sounds!)

Size matters. So does age. And so do lots of other factors that go into picking the ideal franchise system to partner with. What’s great for someone else might be a terrible choice for you. Our guest, Jania Bailey - CEO of FranNet, shares her insight as we talk about Stages of Growth and explore the range of franchisors from start-up to household brands.

Learn what’s going on at HQ for franchises at different stages and how to determine what’s best for you.  It’s crucial you nail the fit - find out how.

Do you feel overwhelmed thinking about the legal aspects of franchising? There is no getting around the fact that legal agreements are central (and essential) in franchising. In this Franchise Scout episode, we interview Blair Rebane, a partner and franchise lawyer at the Vancouver office of Borden Ladner Gervais.

We dive deep into the legal side of franchising,  franchise agreements, disclosure documents, partnerships, personal guarantees, and much much more in this fully-loaded episode. Bonus: why you’ll need a franchise lawyer and how to pick one.

Accounting is a non-negotiable factor for every business. But it doesn’t have to be so scary (or dull). Join us in this episode of the Franchise Scout as we sit down with Bill King, CPA, CA and partner in the BDO Canada Vancouver office. We cover a lot of distance, starting with ways to eliminate fears associated with the financial part of franchise ownership.

Learn from Bill as he shares insight on the economic and forecasting aspects of your research. Other topics range from incorporation and taxation to owner benefits and advice on how to find the right accountant - all aimed at new business owners.

Somehow we managed to make a pretty engaging episode about a potentially dry topic.