June 6, 2025
Meet Cisy Chao, CFE!
A seasoned management and marketing consultant with a rich mix of experience working with businesses of all sizes – from start-ups through to multi-national enterprises – in both B2B and B2C sectors across numerous industries including service-based operations to global CPG brands.
Diversely knowledgeable of all key areas of business from marketing and business development to operations and general business and financial management, Cisy utilizes her expertise to help business owners create solutions to achieve growth.
What inspired you to join the CFE program?
With over 25 years in franchising across a number of different industries, I’m a firm believer in the fundamentals of franchising and the difference it can make for someone who wants that opportunity to successfully build their own business. Joining the CFE program corroborates that belief.
What does having your CFE Designation mean to you?
The CFE designation serves to not only to validate the experience and knowledge I have gained in business over the last few decades but also how my expertise can be used to help others involved in the franchising field.
What has been the most challenging part of obtaining your designation?
Obtaining the CFE designation does require a certain level of time commitment. While a generous allotment of time is provided to complete the requirements, the challenge is not allowing competing priorities of the day, be it professional or personal, to overshadow the requirements of the CFE.
Do you have any advice for current CFE participants or those looking to get started?
There is a famous quote, “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” It applies to the CFE program. If you are involved in the franchising industry, just enrol and start. Yes, it does require a bit of commitment but after all, doesn’t everything worthwhile require that?
The Canadian Franchise Association (CFA) helps everyday Canadians realize the dream of building their own business through the power of franchising. The CFA advocates on issues that impact this dream on behalf of approximately 650 members and over 40,000 franchisees from many of Canada’s best-known and emerging franchise brands. Beyond its role as the voice of the franchise industry, CFA strengthens and develops franchising by delivering best-practice education and creating rewarding connections between Canadians and the opportunities in franchising. Franchising is the 12th largest industry in Canada and franchised businesses contribute almost $150 billion per year to the Canadian economy, creating jobs for almost two million Canadians.
