A Lice Squad.com franchisee learns that the lice treatment business is anything but lousy
By Kym Wolfe
Operating a highly specialized niche business can be challenging, but also rewarding, says Malika Rezgani, owner of three Lice Squad.com franchises across Ontario, in Burlington, Niagara, and Mississauga. She purchased her first franchise in 2017, and still has vivid memories of her first year in business, when she established not just one, but two Lice Squad.com locations in different cities.
Lice Squad.com provides nit removal services, headlice prevention and education, and sells specialty combs, and hair care and cleaning products. The all-natural products are extremely safe for children and the environment.
Rezgani initially became involved with the company by working as a consultant (doing the nit removal work), then as a clinic coordinator in the Mississauga clinic. At first, she worked part-time in addition to her full-time job as a rehabilitation support therapist.
Learning the business on the front lines is a route she recommends to others who may be interested in becoming a Lice Squad.com franchisee. It’s fairly easy to arrange since consultant’s hours are flexible, based on the individual’s availability, she says, and through her work as a consultant she was able to learn the daily operations firsthand. “When I became a Lice Squad.com franchise owner, I already knew a lot about the business and that made it much easier.”
Rezgani wanted to purchase the established Lice Squad.com operation in Mississauga, where she was living at the time, but it wasn’t available. She moved to Burlington, where she built her first Lice Squad.com location from scratch in February 2017. When she started getting calls regularly from people in the Niagara region, she applied to open a new franchise there as well, setting up shop in Niagara Falls later that year.
When the Mississauga franchise became available in 2019, she added that location to her portfolio.
A stunning rea-lice-ation
Her first year was quite hectic, Rezgani recalls. “The primary focus was on establishing the clinic, recruiting and training consultants, attracting clients, and I was also doing consultant work myself,” she says. “The most crucial task during the start-up phase was recruiting and retaining consultants, and that remains a primary focus. Ensuring their consistency and reliability is a significant priority.”
Since it began operating 23 years ago Lice Squad.com has established itself as an industry leader, with consistent rave reviews from clients, word-of-mouth referrals, and recommendations from doctors and others in the medical and social services community. The product offering has even branched into preventative care. Schools, daycares, and summer camps will contract their local franchise to provide head lice inspections, especially at the beginning of the school year or camp week. Rezgani has also been called into hospitals, jails, and other institutions that are dealing with a head lice outbreak.
READ MORE: One Lice Squad.com franchisee’s secrets to expanding franchise ownership
Rezgani notes that head lice are considered a nuisance, not a medical condition—a nuisance that many people don’t have the time, desire, or inclination to deal with themselves. It’s not something any family plans for, and when they have to deal with it, they want it gone as quickly as possible.
There is an option for a mobile consultant to provide service in the family home, but Rezgani says that 95 per cent of clients will come to one of her clinics, which operate from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily by appointment. The franchise has an online booking platform and client interface that will direct people to their closest Lice Squad.com location, and most appointments are booked the same day that Rezgani receives an email or call.
Franchises hair, there, and everywhere
Each of her franchise locations is different. The Burlington clinic, which pulls in clients from a large area, is consistently busy enough to have its own full-time consultant. For the other two locations, contract consultants are called into the clinic as needed or for mobile appointments. When the need arises, they may even drive beyond their home community to one of Rezgani’s other franchise areas.
Rezgani still finds herself doing front line consultant work as well, if a consultant is sick or unavailable for some reason, or if there’s a spike in demand. She says she enjoys the opportunity to chat with parents while she’s working on their children’s heads, and if it seems like a good fit, she’ll talk to them about becoming a Lice Squad.com consultant.
“I tend to hire my customers, mainly moms who want the flexibility to work around their children’s schedules and family commitments. It’s a unique job—you don’t need specialized skills or experience since we provide all of the training, and consultants can let me know their availability, so they won’t be scheduled during other times.”
Operating three franchises in three different regions is more than a full-time job. Some franchise owners might hire an assistant to manage incoming calls and emails, and to schedule appointments for the consultants, but Rezgani prefers to do that herself. Some of the initial calls with clients can be quite lengthy, as parents will want to discuss their situation before they book an appointment, says Rezgani. “Some are feeling angry or frustrated, and it’s important to be patient and to be a good listener. Having good customer service skills is definitely required!”
Rezgani had experience working in customer service before becoming a Lice Squad.com franchisee, and she also had experience working with small businesses. Before immigrating to Canada in 2006, she worked for a company in Morocco that supported new entrepreneurs. She decided then that one day she would own her own business. Once she had established herself in Canada and started exploring her options, she says, “I was attracted to Lice Squad.com due to its straightforward business model, and I like to help others. You have to like what you’re doing.”
After her initial training in all aspects of the business, Rezgani received regular guidance and support from the franchisor throughout the first months of start-up. “I called them whenever I had any questions. Gradually the number of phone calls decreased as I became more adept at understanding and implementing their systems.” Now she attends monthly meetings on Zoom for franchisees from across the Lice Squad.com system and will call head office whenever she encounters things that she hasn’t experienced before or has issues to discuss.
Even though it can be challenging at times, and 50- to 60-hour weeks have not been uncommon, especially during the start-up year for each of her franchise locations, Rezgani says, “The freedom to define your own objectives is unmatched. Even on days when I’m incredibly busy and don’t get much rest, the knowledge and experience that I’ve gained from running my business is unparalleled. It covers a wide range, from dealing with people and finances to understanding legal articles—it’s a comprehensive learning experience. I would encourage all aspiring entrepreneurs: as long as you’re willing to take some calculated risks and exert diligent effort, you’ll do just fine.”
