Choosing the right franchise can be overwhelming. There are a plethora of options available in any industry you choose to enter. So where do you begin?
The Franchise Expo is a good place to start. At the Expo, you will find hundreds of potential franchisees, free educational seminars and networking opportunities, all under one roof. Attending the expo will give you the opportunity to speak face-to-face with franchisors to get a better idea of what the business entails. The expo however should not be used in isolation during your research, but alongside your online tools like websites, franchise directories, discussions with existing franchisees, etc.
Let’s hear the some of the Industry experts talk about why they think the Franchise Expo is worth your time.
“Attending the franchise show is definitely worth the time to attend. The ability to speak first-hand with multiple franchisors and learn about their model is invaluable; your interaction with each franchisor’s staff is also an early indicator of the company’s culture. Attending the show is not just about talking with franchisors - the seminar series provides the ability to learn from industry experts and thus helps you see things from a deeper perspective.”
- Gary Prenevost, Franchise Matchmaking expert at Frannet, Board of Director at CFA
“I am excited for this show. It is definitely an anticipated event which brings together potential business owners and franchise opportunities. Given the continuous rise in Canadians seeking self-employment opportunities since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, attending a franchise show is one of the many ways to help educate and empower potential new business owners. I represent a number of innovative, first to market and emerging brands which will be exhibiting at the show for the first time-opportunities people have not seen before and may not be aware of. Finding the right business, right now, has never been easier given the extensive resources provided through franchise shows such as these. I encourage guests to stop by and meet with me, or any of my clients to explore unique opportunities for their future endeavours - including female-friendly and female-led brands which I have the pleasure of working with. As many are aware, the statistics of women entrepreneurs are the highest we have ever seen. Attending the franchise show along with attending information sessions, such as the one I am holding, is incredibly beneficial to anyone seeking a business right now. I look forward to meeting many new faces at the show.”
- Angelee Brown, Founder FranOvation
A 30-year veteran of the franchise industry, Gary Prenevost is a serial entrepreneur. He is Canada's leading franchise search coach, and a multi-unit franchisee with FranNet. He has been involved in start-ups, bought franchises for himself; brought new franchise concepts to Canada, and coached hundreds of entrepreneurs. Angelee is Canada’s first female founder of a full-service franchise firm. Both Gary and Angelee are experts in this Industry and they are both are holding free seminars at the Toronto Franchise Expo. Attending these sessions will give you valuable insights that will aid in your decision-making process. So, when you make your to-do list for the expo, do not forget to add their sessions.
We also asked our in-house experts – Rina Mancini, Managing Director and John Rogers, Vice President, Franchise Development for their expert opinions.
“You’ve decided you want to go out on your own and start your own business. You’ve also decided franchising is the way to go. It’s always a good idea to visit a franchise trade show because you’ll learn about many franchises at the same time. Franchise shows are a wealth of information on the franchise industry. You’ll have an opportunity to meet face-to-face with franchisors and narrow down your list of prospective franchises. Attending a franchise trade show can be a great time saver as you do your research in order to decide what franchise is a good fit for you.”
- Rina Mancini, Managing Director
“While starting your own business comes with many unknowns, a solid franchise system is proof of a successful model. It gives the entrepreneur the independence they crave, with support to ensure success. The Franchise Show gives you the opportunity to meet face to face with franchisors across different kinds of industries.”
- John Rogers, VP, Franchise Development
In the end however, you will have to put in efforts from your end too to make sure you get the most out of this event. Here are a few things you could do:
Do your research before visiting the Expo
Once you have decided that you want to visit the expo, make a list of all the exhibitors you might potentially be interested in. Now conduct at least a basic desk research on each of them. Find out what they do, how many franchisees they have and any other information they might have available online. So, when you’re actually talking to the franchisors you already have some knowledge of what they provide.
Make a list of all the questions you want to ask
The expo gives you a chance to clear all your doubts face-to-face with the franchisor. So make sure you have a list of questions ready even before you visit. Ask them who they are looking for, the kind of training and support they provide, if you can talk to their existing franchisees and more.
To know more about the list of questions you can ask visit here.
Attend the seminars
The expo is going to host a of free seminars by Industry experts. These seminars will give you valuable insights about the franchise industry and how you can effectively run a successful franchisee and more. Gary Prenevost and Angelee Brown are two such experts holding seminars at the Toronto Franchise Expo.
Follow up after the expo
After you come back from the expo, take time out to review all the material you collected and your notes. Now research more on the franchisors you think are a good fit for you and follow up with them after a while. There is a high chance that you will be contacted by the franchisors only which also shows they are interested in you.
TaxAssist Accountants will be available at booth No. 127 at the Toronto Franchise Expo being held on April 23rd and 24th 2022 at the Metro Convention Centre in downtown Toronto.
