The 2023 Franchisee of the Year award winners share their challenges, rewards, and insights
The Canadian Franchise Association (CFA) Franchisee of the Year award celebrates the accomplishments of CFA member franchisees, recognizing their business performance, community service, and overall involvement in their franchise brand. These franchisees joined the franchise industry for various reasons, such as seeking leadership opportunities, career flexibility, and a desire to be a part of the inner workings of their favourite brands. They found opportunities that aligned with their personal values and found success going into business for themselves, but not by themselves. Let’s meet the Gold, Silver, and Bronze winners of the 2023 Franchisee of the Year Award!
Gold, Traditional: Annalisa Cilla, Scholars Education, Toronto, Ontario
There are no easy career switches, and Annalisa Cilla describes her transition into franchising as a whirlwind. As a former teacher, the classroom experience left her with a few non-negotiables for her future jobs in the teaching field. She wanted to see her students grow academically and personally, to interact with parents, and mentor teachers who were coming in after her.
Her desire to work with a forward-thinking methodology and curriculum further directed her goals. “I wanted to partner with someone who could share that same passion for teaching as I had,” says Cilla.
She met her match through Scholars Education, a supplementary education franchise that provides tutoring for students ages five to 18.
“When I connected with Scholars, I was happy to see that they too were aligned with the methodologies and shared the passion that we had to meet with students, collaborate with parents, and build that strong relationship within our communities,” she says.
“I make sure that my students and parents are happy, because they become your best marketing advocates for what you do.”
In addition, it’s great to have fellow educators she can call on for help with professional development, assessment, and giving feedback. Cilla notes that franchisees need to stay competitive when owning a business, namely the need to always be innovating and keeping your finger on the pulse of changing curriculum standards.
The opening of her first Scholars Education location in Toronto in March 2020 was quickly eclipsed by the COVID-19 pandemic. “The world changed overnight, and so did our business model,” she recalls. In-person lessons quickly shifted to online tutoring. The support from around her network made all the difference, and Scholars provided the online classroom for lessons.
“Whatever we needed, they were listening to the field,” explains Cilla. “Everything changed and having that network of support is ultimately what let us come out on the other end.”
Cilla says winning the Franchisee of the Year award has given her location increased visibility and enhanced its reputation. “I think, above all, it’s motivation and pride. It’s validated our hard work, dedication, and commitment with my team as we sit here within the centre and from head office.”
In a way, her commitment to staying the course through a challenging time has been validated through this award. “Doing this takes a lot of time, effort, and ingenuity, and you have to be prepared to work hard and be patient. I think if you stay committed, you’re more likely to stay on track toward what you envisioned with your business.”
Cilla says incoming franchisees should make sure they’re actively present in their communities, because although the franchise will work to make its franchisees successful, “you know what your community needs.”
Prioritizing quality is also a large part of the puzzle. “I make sure that my students are happy, my parents are happy, because they become your best marketing advocates for what you do.”
Gold, Non-Traditional: Brad Wheeler, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK Canada, Toronto, Ontario
“I always worked for other people,” says Brad Wheeler of the start of his franchise journey. “And I knew that, working for myself, I’d have a place that I could call home.” With a background in marketing, customer service, and restoration, Wheeler wanted a workplace that fit his core values and aligned with his personal integrity. He found a fit in TWO MEN AND A TRUCK Canada. “I knew it was the franchise for me, from the mission statement and core values,” says Wheeler. “I knew I could build a core team, as well as a group of people who could live out and believe in our values.”
Wheeler looked at several companies, initially not feeling any particular attraction to the idea of owning a moving franchise. “I looked at restoration, I looked at the box stores, I looked at restaurants,” Wheeler reminisces. “But after meeting John [Prittie, president], I knew what they stood for, and I knew there was start-up success there.” All the brand’s core values aligned with Wheeler’s, so he knew it was a good fit.
The recruitment process stood out to Wheeler, as members of the head office team regularly made in-person appearances through the discovery phase, rather than relying on calls or emailing back and forth. “That hands-on approach for myself was huge, and it was important to have those people that can relate to you,” says Wheeler. Where the other franchises he met with were strictly about the numbers, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK showcased many different aspects of the franchise experience—the rewarding and the challenging.
“I knew I could build a core team, as well as a group of people who could live out and believe in our values.”
One of the challenges was overcoming labour struggles and creating an ownership mindset in incoming staff and franchisees. “As much as you manage employees, you have to manage tendencies, you have to manage attitudes and your full environment inside the business,” Wheeler says.
Real estate was also a significant challenge when he started seven years ago and continues to be a hurdle now. “We need to park 26-foot moving trucks, plus parking for 20 to 30 employees,” says Wheeler. “We needed a niche location.” Luckily, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK Canada’s onboarding team came in to brief Wheeler on details that he wasn’t even aware he needed to think about.
“For them to have a checklist of exactly what we needed to do to fulfill our needs was huge,” he says. As Wheeler’s Toronto outlet grew in popularity, it needed to expand to accommodate more trucks, and then he even expanded the businesses service into storage and junk removal.
For someone who always envisioned having his own company, Wheeler says his work with TWO MEN AND A TRUCK is gratifying. In his community, people stop him when they see the logo on uniforms or on the side of a moving truck, thanking him for moving a cousin, brother, or aunt. Although he didn’t directly do the heavy lifting, he says, “It’s so rewarding to know that I was the reason that those things happened.”
The success of TWO MEN AND A TRUCK has allowed Wheeler to give back to his community in other ways as well. “Now I can work with youth shelters and women’s shelters. It’s so rewarding, being able to help those people and know I can do it.”
Silver, Traditional: Daksh Patel, Quesada Burritos & Tacos, Surrey, British Columbia
Before buying a franchise, it’s important for prospective business owners to take stock of what they want out of franchising. For Daksh Patel, his desire for entrepreneurial fulfillment and personal satisfaction encouraged him to follow his dreams as a Quesada Burritos & Tacos franchisee.
“The idea of being my own boss and having control over my work-life balance attracted me towards the franchise business,” says Patel. The brand’s fusion of innovation and convenience was another draw, streamlining bold, complex flavour blends into a quick, satisfying dining experience.
Quesada piqued his interest because of its unique customizable Mexican menu sourced from high-quality ingredients, “ensuring each bite tells a flavourful story,” he describes.
The product is both authentic and adaptable, which, for Patel, is a non-negotiable. “The concept’s commitment to quality and efficiency aligns perfectly with my vision of providing customers with a dynamic and flavourful way to enjoy Mexican cuisine on the go.”
Patel says the brand puts all the necessary pieces in place for franchisees to find success. “The ongoing training, marketing support, and community of fellow franchisees provide a robust backbone, making the journey of owning a Quesada franchise not just a business endeavour, but a flavourful odyssey of success,” he says.
As for advice for prospective franchisees, Patel says to conduct thorough research about your franchise options and reach out to other franchisees to get their perspectives. “Be ready to put in your hard work and dedication required to be a successful franchise business.”
Silver, Non-Traditional: Kevin Simpson, ActionCOACH, Calgary, Alberta
While many prospective franchisees attend tradeshows and do research before beginning their franchise journeys, others stumble upon the desire to own a business by chance. That’s how Kevin Simpson came across ActionCOACH, a business coaching and consulting services franchise. Having previously owned non-franchise businesses—a high-end bicycle store and a restaurant—he already understood the value of joining an established brand.
As an experienced business owner, he shared his expertise with other businesses as a coach, providing independent consultations before he formally joined ActionCOACH. When an ActionCOACH franchisee requested his services, he got a firsthand look at the brand—and he liked what he saw.
“I got to test-drive the system and see what it’s like to be a part of the community,” says Simpson. “And, they do a really good job of building a community, no matter how big the community is or how many countries they’re in.”
Simpson attended ActionCOACH’s North American conference in his first year in 2015 and was impressed by the community. The social atmosphere, and how the franchisees were in community, not competition with each other was a big draw for Simpson and played a major role in his success.
“I was like ‘this is the real deal.’ Not only do I get to be part of the franchise, but I get access to these people that are years ahead of me,” says Simpson. “They’re my friends now—I think that was a huge part of it for me.”
Bronze, Traditional: Benoit Chevrier, Batteries Expert, Gatineau, Quebec
For some franchisees, like Batteries Expert’s Benoit Chevrier, business and family go hand in hand. Chevrier and his wife were looking to start a family. But as a nurse, her chaotic schedule wasn’t suitable for family life.
“The franchise was an attractive option,” says Chevrier. “After analyzing and meeting with Batteries Expert owners and employees at the head office, we were convinced that this was a perfect business model for us.”
Batteries Expert sells and services portable and alternative energy solutions, from small watch batteries to large solar panel installations. When he saw that the brand had a territory available in his area, Chevrier began investigating.
As an electrician by trade, with a passion for renewable and alternative energy, the batteries industry was a natural fit for Chevrier. “With the support and training from our franchisor, my wife is now a battery specialist as well!”
Apart from training, Chevrier says being a Batteries Expert franchisee has major benefits including reasonable fees and brand recognition around Ontario and Quebec, where the brand has more than 60 locations. He adds that “the batteries world is very varied and technical, so having the experience and the support of our franchisor was and still is helpful,” and notes that “honesty, respect, and innovation are values that we could relate to!”