At its core, franchising is about people helping others achieve their goals through collaboration and mutual support, and during COVID-19, we have seen franchising’s strength shine brightly through Canadian Franchise Association (CFA) members. As business continues to resume throughout the country, Canadian franchise businesses have opened their doors and are finding new and safe ways to connect with their communities.
The CFA Awards of Excellence in Franchising celebrates the best of Growing Together™ and how our community of franchisors and franchisees is Stronger Together. We highlight these winners in this Franchise Excellence Issue. What makes this awards program so unique is the basis on which the awards are determined: feedback provided by the systems’ franchisees. Regardless of the size or concept, a strong relationship between the franchisor and their franchisees is vital to franchise success. This relationship has been pivotal in not only propelling Canadian franchising through the current crisis, but also in helping franchises continue to adapt to reach their consumers as we forge forward.
On page XX, we highlight the two CFA Awards of Excellence Grand Prize winners: MaidPro (Traditional Franchises) and Restoration 1 (Non-Traditional Franchises). In this cover story, we shine the spotlight on these top-notch brands, taking a closer look at how they found success and what’s coming next on their franchising journeys. We also hear firsthand from their franchisees for an inside look at how the strength of the franchisor-franchisee relationship drives their success.
Franchisees are small business owners who strengthen the Canadian franchise community by building connections and making positive contributions to their own communities. It’s important to celebrate the franchisees who, despite the obstacles they face, continue to make Canadian franchising stronger. The Franchisee of the Year award recognizes top-performing franchisees for their unique accomplishments and excellence in business performance, community service, and brand involvement. On page XX, you will meet the six Franchisee of the Year winners, including Gold winners Seema Ahluwalia of Oxford Learning Centres and Simon and Stephanie Jones of PropertyGuys.com, who share how a community focus has helped them achieve their accolades.
We also showcase franchisees from award-winning brands throughout this Franchising Excellence Issue, including Right at Home franchisee Ash Walani, who shares how he navigated challenges to get a strong start in his first year of business (page XX). Then, we take you through a typical day in the life of Paul Davis Restoration franchisee Sylvie Levesque on page XX, as she highlights her winning combination of business savvy and empathy. And, on page XX, we introduce you to millennial franchisee Cecilia Chen, who is thriving with Inspiration Learning Center thanks to her passion for education and a strong work-life balance.
You can learn more about all 2020 CFA Awards of Excellence Gold, Silver, and Bronze winners on page XX, along with the recipients of the CFA Recognition Awards and Membership Milestones, and the Franchisees’ Choice Designees.
These successful franchise brands and franchisees highlight the strength of Canadian franchising, which continues to thrive as we move forward on the path to economic recovery. The built-in support from both franchisors and fellow franchisees, along with the established system and access to resources and expertise make franchising an attractive model in times of economic uncertainty.
Beyond this issue, Franchise Canada has the resources to help you on your own path to franchise excellence. You can find educational articles, Franchise Canada Chats podcast episodes, and Franchise Canada TV videos on www.FranchiseCanada.Online. You can also connect with CFA member brands through the www.LookforaFranchise.ca online directory, Franchisor Spotlight webinars available on www.cfa.ca, and free Virtual Franchise Canada tradeshows.
While those featured in this issue are all demonstrating franchise excellence, they all started out in the same place: as eager and entrepreneurial Canadians looking to make their business dreams become reality. We hope this issue inspires you to take the first steps toward achieving your own franchising goals. Stay safe!