Franchisees who’ve gone into business with their loved ones prove families that franchise together succeed together
By Kym Wolfe
Family members have been running businesses together for centuries, and as has been well documented, it can pose both benefits and challenges. For one, there’s the reassurance of working with a person you trust, who you know will have your back in any situation. Having a shared goal and getting to spend more time together can strengthen your relationship–though of course it may also mean navigating difficult conversations.
Working with a franchisor can be helpful, as they provide proven operational systems and tools for success, industry expertise, and coaching from knowledgeable staff. To see what it’s like running a business with your other half, Franchise Canada spoke to three couples who own franchises together to learn what it’s like, and what advice they would give to others who are considering purchasing a franchise with a family member.
BeaverTails®
Kareen and Michael Enciso have a lot to juggle as they raise three children (ages 9, 15, and 16) while co-owning and operating both their BeaverTails® franchise and a real estate business. But they know the power of taking time for a sweet snack. “We used to take the kids to Banff, and no matter the season they wanted to go to BeaverTails®. We also took people who were visiting us from the Philippines and looking for something that was truly and uniquely Canadian,” says Kareen.
BeaverTails pastries are hand-pulled pastries served hot with a variety of topping options, from the traditional cinnamon and sugar to fruit, chocolate, or candies. You’ll also find ice cream, snacks, and beverages on the menu. “This is an iconic Canadian pastry,” Kareen explains, “and we all need something sweet every once in a while, so we decided, why not share this experience with Calgary?”
The Encisos opened their shop in Calgary in July 2024 after a thorough feasibility study and several discussions with their children. They recommend that anyone looking to run a business consider whether it will be a good fit with the entire family, because everyone will be impacted. “We looked for a business that the kids could be involved in,” says Kareen. “They love food!” Now the couple’s son works part-time at least twice a week, their daughter works every weekend, and Michael’s mother helps out, too. The couple’s younger son will also work in the business when he’s old enough.
“One of the benefits of working with family is that you know their personalities, their strengths and weaknesses. But the kids also know that this is a business, and there will be no special treatment for them,” says Kareen.
The Encisos feel that food industry and food preparation experience would be helpful for anyone purchasing a BeaverTails® franchise. Other essential ingredients include time management, creativity, marketing innovation, and a positive attitude.
Kareen is the public face of the business, and she handles most of the staffing, store opening and closing, customer service, and catering tasks. Michael handles most of the behind-the-scenes and paperwork aspects. They employ a full-time manager and several part-time staff, and occasionally call in friends “to give us a hand if we’re very busy,” says Kareen. “Family is not only blood ties, but also friends and community.”
Good Earth Coffeehouse
Sarah McDonald was a nurse who also taught and worked with research studies; Tim McDonald owned a residential building and electrical company. It was a busy life, and it got even busier when they added two new additions to the family. After their sons were born, says Sarah, “the 12-hour [nursing] shifts were difficult, and I wanted work that was more flexible. I was exploring becoming an entrepreneur, and a friend suggested we look at Good Earth. I was drawn to their commitment to community as well as their business model and values.”
Good Earth Coffeehouses are designed to be warm and inviting places where people can enjoy ethically-sourced coffee and wholesome food in an authentic coffeehouse environment. There were none operating in Ontario when the McDonalds signed their franchise agreement, and they had never been to one, but they believed in the concept. “At the time they were teaming up with Indigo across Canada,” says Sarah, which she felt gave the franchise additional credibility. In June 2023, the McDonalds opened their Good Earth location in Sudbury’s Indigo.
“Tim has been an entrepreneur his entire life, so it made sense to go into business with him. One of the benefits is that we get to bounce ideas off each other,” says Sarah, who appreciates her husband’s experience and knowledge, particularly with numbers and the financial aspects of running a business.
The biggest challenges in the first year were the rising costs of labour and coffee; the need to build Good Earth Coffeehouse’s brand awareness; and juggling familial responsibilities—Sarah was in the store every day, including weekends, until they could afford to hire a manager.
One of Sarah’s strengths is her good intuition regarding people, says Tim. Of the 13 people she has hired, 11 are still on staff, including one who was promoted into the newly created manager position.
Working well together has required excellent communication, clear expectations, distinctly defined roles, and solid boundaries between work and home life, says Sarah. “It’s important to be on the same page, to try to have hard conversations early [and] not wait until the last minute, and to carve out time to connect on something other than business. We try not to bring work home.”
PropertyGuys.com
After David and Raquel Hicks purchased their PropertyGuys.com franchise in 2017, David became the hands-on operator while Raquel continued to work full-time elsewhere. David supported homeowners looking to sell in Red Deer and central Alberta, providing tools and services so that they could sell their homes privately and avoid traditional real estate commissions.
The business soon expanded to include licensed real estate partners who work with both buyers and sellers. “I was [one of] the first franchisees in Alberta to get my real estate license,” says David. “Adding that allowed us to cover the full scope of consumer needs and changed our business dramatically.” He says that’s what he loves about PropertyGuys.com: the brand is always evolving its offerings to better serve buyers and sellers.
Before the Hicks themselves invested in the brand, David had worked for the previous franchisees. When he purchased the business from them, he says, he inherited a gifted administrator who stayed on for a few years. As the business grew and she moved on, it made sense for Raquel to join full-time.
Raquel started with PropertyGuys.com in 2022, and one of the challenges was transferring David’s operational knowledge to her without overwhelming her. “It was a steep learning curve,” says Raquel. “If you’re doing this with your partner you have to have detailed conversations about how you’re going to work together,” including clear conversations about roles and expectations. They had to figure it out together, she says, and patience on both sides was the key.
The PropertyGuys.com model supports that kind of partnership, the couple says. Raquel handles the back-end administrative tasks and David is mainly client-facing; but they collaborate when needed—David handles home visits and photos, then Raquel builds and posts the listings. There is a constant need to communicate, Raquel says. “Our communication is much better now that we are running a business together.”
“Real estate never stops—this is a service business,” says David. “You [need to set] boundaries to protect both your business and your marriage.” Luckily, PropertyGuys.com allows them to do just that.
