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2021 SPONSORED BY
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POWERED BY
TOP 30 CONTENTS
CONTENTS
3 EDITOR’S NOTE
4 FOREWORD
6 MEET THE JUDGES
8 TOP 30 PROFILES
STANDOUT FRANCHISE
EXECUTIVES 2021
W
SPONSORED BY
hat a year! Just 12 months ago
we could not have envisaged the
disruption coming our way as
Inside Franchise Business
Covid-19 took hold around the globe. And Top 30 Franchise
it’s been a year that has tested us, in so Executives is published
many ways. by Octomedia Pty Ltd
So it’s been inspirational to read accounts of how
franchise executives have stepped up to the challenges
thrown at them in 2020 and marvel at the resilience, HEAD OFFICE
innovation, determination and commitment they OCTOMEDIA Pty Ltd
showcased in their business roles. Suite 3, Ground Floor,
There has been remarkable fortitude shown by 131 Clarence Street Sydney NSW 2000
franchise executives at all levels of the business from Ph: +61 2 9901 1800
marketing managers to CEOs, from product developers www.octomedia.com.au
to operations managers and HR leaders.
Every one of these franchise professionals has found EDITOR
a route to provide franchisees with much needed moral Sarah Stowe
support, financial assistance, smart innovations or P: 02 8224 8371
practical workplace guidelines and updates; and each sarah.stowe@octomedia.com.au
one has had to find ways to sustain their own mental
health and wellbeing while innovating and shifting
SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER
business processes.
Charlotte Redfern
This is the third annual quest to find the superstars
P: 02 8224 8373
in the franchise sector, and the standard of submissions
charlotte.redfern@octomedia.com.au
once again stands testament to the high performance
that is a byword for great franchising.
The key to our search is to look for individuals whose
ADVERTISING COORDINATOR
Simone Lagudi
actions have had direct impact on franchisees, and
simone.l@octomedia.com.au
never was there a better time to demonstrate brilliant
franchisee support than 2020.
I hope you enjoy reading about these outstanding GRAPHIC DESIGN
franchise professionals who have proven there’s no end Rozelle Carlos
to the creativity, care and commitment a franchise team rozelle.c@octomedia.com.au
can provide their franchisees when it really counts.
My thanks go out to the judges, for their stalwart
efforts in tackling a record number of entries and
bringing their unique perspectives to the evaluation
process.
Once again our friends at BlueRock are sponsoring
this report, exhibiting a commitment to best practice in
franchising, so a massive thank you to Bruce McFarlane
insidefranchisebusiness
and the team for their leadership in this.
Sarah
And of course congratulations to each of the www.linkedin.com/showcase/
executives featured here - your belief in franchising, and franchise-business-australia/
the actions taken to support franchisees when many
faced some very dark times, are what the franchise @insidefranchisebusiness
relationship is all about. Sarah Stowe
Editor, Inside Franchise Business
TOP30.FRANCHISEBUSINESS.COM.AU 3
TOP 30 FOREWORD
FOREWORD
W hile it’s been a tumultuous 12
months for many people around
the world, it’s certainly an exciting
time to be in franchising.
As entrepreneurs, you’ll know that a market downturn
often inspires change and innovation, and we’ve seen
a number of successful new businesses emerge this
year as a result of the pandemic and dynamic market
conditions. Many established franchise systems have
also been enjoying success as changing consumer
behaviours inspire people to ‘shop local’ and turn to
brands they know and trust.
But, of course, the real key to franchise success is
sustainable growth, and this isn’t possible without the
right franchisees and finance behind you. Successful
franchise executives know that the impact of
recruiting a poor fit to their brand can be a huge drain
on resources, recruiter confidence and marketing
money. They have been able to benchmark, target
and prospect franchisees effectively by leveraging
innovative tools and frameworks.
Supporting those franchisees to obtain the
finance they need is also crucial to growth, and
successful franchise executives work closely with
their franchisees on the strategy and documentation
required to assist the banks to say “yes”!
Part of this process is knowing when to outsource
and build business capability through experts within
our extended franchise community. At BlueRock, we
place a huge amount of importance on building and
supporting strong communities. Whether it's our
clients, strategic partners or the local organisations
we support through our Be BlueRock Foundation, the
relationships we nurture in our communities are what
drive our motivation and our success.
This year, we’re excited to once again support our
franchise community through sponsorship of the Top
30 Franchise Executives awards and to identify and
celebrate the members of the franchise community
that are excelling and contributing to a positive
franchise sector reputation.
On behalf of the BlueRock community, we’d
like to acknowledge and congratulate the amazing
work of the Top 30 Franchise Executives for 2020.
We’re proud of the contribution you’ve made to the
franchise industry and we’re excited to see what you
Bruce McFarlane achieve in the coming years.
Managing director
BlueRock Law
www.bluerock.com.au/industry/franchise
4 TOP30.FRANCHISEBUSINESS.COM.AU
An experienced
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IN
PARTNERSHIP
WITH
TOP 30 JUDGES
JUDGES FOR 2021
A massive shout-out to our fabulous judges for the hard work
and insights they applied to the challenging task of selecting
just 30 high performing franchise executives.
KAREN BOZIC DENIS MCFADDEN WARREN D’CRUZ GENEVIEVE SALEH
CEO Craveable Brands Founder, Just Cuts Franchisee, Auto Masters Franchisee, 7-Eleven
Karen is the Group CEO of In 1982 Denis McFadden had to After working as a mechanic for Genevieve is an experienced
craveable brands., home to nearly wait six months to vacate a lease 20 years Warren purchased his franchisee having spent more
600 restaurants under three he no longer needed as he had first Auto Masters franchise. Over than four years operating her
iconic Australian chicken brands: already moved his existing salon the last 14 years he has accu- 7-Eleven store at Carrara South
Red Rooster, Oporto and Chicken to new premises. To keep things mulated a further four stores in with husband Rob.
Treat. simple, he ran a promotion Adelaide and Perth. She has been recognised in
Karen has worked in some of offering a ‘no appointment $6 In 2019 Warren won the the 7-Eleven network through
Australia’s most recognised retail Style Cut’ for all Clients. The National FCA Multi Unit not only the outstanding offer
brands: Woolworths, BIG W, response was outstanding, and Franchisee of the year award and she provides to her customers
Caltex and Rebel Sport, having the idea of Just Cuts was born. he has also won multiple awards and the contribution she
been the CFO, COO, GM of The first Just Cuts opened in the Auto Masters Group. makes to the network, but also
Strategy, GM of Transformation in Engadine, NSW in 1990 and Warren takes an active role her commitment to her local
and Replenishment in these remains a successful Just Cuts in supporting and coaching community.
public, private and private equity business. Today, 30 years and franchisees in the group, often Prior to becoming a
organisations. 220+ salons across AU, NZ and mentoring new franchisees. franchisee, Genevieve worked in
Karen is passionate about the UK later Denis continues In 2015, he undertook the the banking industry and also in
retail, people and diversity. to innovate and mentor the MACA Perkins Cancer 200km providing support to people living
franchise community. fundraising bike ride. He has with a disability.
He is a much loved and continued to complete the ride
respected member of Australian annually, encouraging a team of
franchising and an FCA Hall of fellow franchisees to join the ride
Famer. and raise just under $200,000.
Warren continues to challenge
himself in business and believes
in setting goals for himself and
achieving them.
JUDGING PROCESS
Written submissions are independently judged.
Judges are recused from any submissions
within their own business or where there is a
conflict of interest.
Marks are tallied and divided by the number of
judges evaluating each submission to achieve a
total score and final ranking.
6 TOP30.FRANCHISEBUSINESS.COM.AU
TOP 30 JUDGES
JUDGING CRITERIA
Top 30 Executive submissions were judged across
the following categories:
Franchise citizenship, Leadership, Franchisee
support, Innovation, Positive franchising,
Professional development
BRUCE MCFARLANE JOSH CAIRNS ANTHONY CANNELL SARAH STOWE
CEO, BlueRock Group CEO, Op Central Director, former franchisor Editor, Inside Franchise Business
Bruce is CEO of the BlueRock Josh is the founder and CEO of Anthony is a dynamic As editor Sarah has headed up
Group, a multi-disciplinary franchisor software business Op entrepreneur with over 30 years the Inside Franchise Business
entrepreneurial advisory firm. It is Central, which helps franchisors franchising experience in the portfolio for more than 13 years,
a certified B Corporation, and has to reduce their operational travel, coaching and hospitality taking a hands-on role in the
been featured in BRW’s ‘Fast 100’ overhead whilst supporting their industries. business. She has interviewed top
two years in a row. franchisees with the resources Anthony has consulted with level executives, industry advisors
Bruce is also MD of BlueRock they need. businesses across a wide range and franchisees for both the
Law and leader of the firm’s M&A Op Central is built on the of industries and held senior professional executive audience
team and Franchising, Retail & latest technology, offering an roles in both large established and the franchise buying
Distribution team. He has over LMS, smart operations manuals, international brands as well readership.
20 years experience advising site auditing, staff engagement, as emerging entrepreneurial Sarah introduced the inaugural
franchisors and other businesses performance analytics and it's businesses, driving change and Top 30 Franchise Executives
on commercial issues. integrated with Deputy, Xero, extraordinary business results. report in 2019.
Supporting the franchise MYOB, G-Suite, Office-365, For five months in 2020 he
sector is really important to Active Directory, HubSpot and took on the MD role at Franchise
Bruce and he has been an more. Relationships Institute to lead
elected member of the Victorian Josh's suite of products are the business strategy and global
State Chapter Committee of the trusted by 9,400 businesses in 37 expansion program.
Franchise Council of Australia for countries, including many of the
over 10 years. most decorated, award winning
Bruce is a director of franchise and multisite brands in
investment company Everything Australia.
is Awesome Limited, a director of
ORDER esports Limited and BDC
Partners, a retail and franchising
advisor business.
TOP30.FRANCHISEBUSINESS.COM.AU 7
1 8 TOP30.FRANCHISEBUSINESS.COM.AU
TOP 30 PROFILES
MARK
MCGINLEY Chief executive officer, CouriersPlease
C EO Mark McGinley, who leads
a rapidly growing network of
750 franchisees, was swift
to respond to the varied challenges
presented by Covid in 2020. By early
As a result of the extra demands and long
hours drivers were enduring Mark championed
franchisee health and safety with the Safe Driver
Program. The program informs franchisees about
issues such as fatigue, manual handling and
On a more universal front, Mark set a bold
environmental strategy for the company to
be carbon neutral by 2025 and had its carbon
emissions audited by the Carbon Reduction
Institute to determine its baseline footprint and
March he took steps to minimise taking breaks and is easily accessed through their set reduction targets.
commercial risk, setting up and heading driver scanners. CP received a LowCO2 Certification and now
a business continuity team of senior Mark also introduced a Franchisee Covid offsets all operational emissions.
management and executives in health, Support Measures Policy to ensure franchisees The adoption of sustainable practices is both
safety and HR. were financially looked after if they were a business and personal goal for Mark. He set
required to self-isolate. up a partnership with Upparel, a sustainable
“I led the team to develop a business continuity In May, he oversaw the roll-out of the sock company with a textile recycling program,
plan through which we implemented proactive 12-month discovery phase of CPGo, an app that launching an at-home textile collection service
measures and planned for all possible risk helps franchisees find the most efficient pickup via the CP self-service returns portal Boomerang.
scenarios to protect our network,” he says. and delivery runs. Early results show a 15 per Since June, CP has made 5130 collections, which
Mark implemented stringent safety measures cent increase in productivity and reduction of 25 means 407kg of recycled textiles have been kept
across depots, including staggering shifts and minutes per day in traffic. out of landfill, and 1629kg of greenhouse gases
parcel collections, providing protective gear, “My business ambition is to continue have been offset. Textile recycling points have
and implementing high-grade sanitisation and our transformation journey which will both also been established at each depot.
hygiene practices. He also re-shaped the last- increase efficiency and improve our customer Looking back at 2020, what achievement is
mile processes – including contactless deliveries experience.” he most proud of?
– to go beyond mandated social restrictions. The year wasn’t just about efficiences and “Growing our business by 80 per
Through his leadership CouriersPlease (CP) customer experience however. cent whilst ensuring our franchisees and
earned the NSW Government’s ‘tick of approval.’ “I have been committed to demonstrating employees were provided with a safe working
Recognising early that the courier firm the benefits of the franchise business model environment,” he says.
would be in the lucky position of benefiting to Australia’s small business sector and the What does he think leadership will look like
from increased business during a lockdown, community as a whole,” says Mark. in the years ahead? “Leaders who adopt a more
Mark initiated a string of measures to improve In 2020 he shared industry insights in agile and decisive mentality are definitely leading
efficiencies while staying Covid-safe. He opened multiple media interviews including with the way which enables the capacity to scale
a new Sydney depot and relocated other depots Inside Franchise Business Executive and thought quickly in the most fluid of situations.” n
to improve processing capabilities, invested leadership articles about topical logistics and
heavily in automated sorting, boosted the e-commerce issues on CP’s B2B microsite.
franchise network by 40 per cent, increased He also worked to showcase the work of Judge’s comments
staffing levels, added hundreds of drivers, and franchisees across the network and to a
“In a year where we have faced many
staggered depot workers’ hours to maintain broader audience with the People Behind the
challenge Mark must be commended
on his many achievements. He
delivery standards. Parcel social campaign and the CP Franchisee
has made decisions with great
Despite a significant upturn in trade for much Appreciation Day.
foresight, used technology to bolster
of the network, some franchisees with CBD While the business is all about logistics, it’s
business, has shown unwavering
territories suffered a severe drop in business. the people within CP that drive Mark to succeed.
commitment to the health and safety
Mark extended their service areas to take “I take pride in seeing their development as
of his franchisees while making
advantage of booming residential zones, allowing leaders and watching them take ownership and
time to champion sustainability. An
them to pick up excess business that couldn’t be initiative when challenges are presented to them.
outstanding year!”
handled by existing franchisees. Their success is my success,” he says.
TOP30.FRANCHISEBUSINESS.COM.AU 9
TOP 30 PROFILES
BEN FLINTOFF General manager, Baskin-Robbins Australia
“B askin-Robbins Australia is
taking the early decision to
not be victims as this global
pandemic unfolds.” A bold statement
from Ben Flintoff set the scene for his
the country. In January 2020, Ben stepped up
and spent two weeks with the volunteer-based
organisation BlazeAid, working alongside rural
families and other volunteers to help rebuild
fences and damaged property.
service in University of South Australia’s Business
Career Mentor Program.
So what is really the biggest driver for his
career?
leadership through 2020. Through this initiative he secured additional “The trust placed in us by our franchise
support and funding with Baskin-Robbins partners, by our stakeholders and by our guests
It was a year of action, of highs and lows. At the Australia’s parent company Dunkin’ Brands remains a continuous source of motivation,” he
height of the pandemic 15 stores closed. Within and their Corporate Citizenship program. This admits.
two months five outlets had reopened, almost all resulted in a $36,000 donation being made Next year, he says, “Baskin-Robbins Australia
stores were back trading by October. to Australian Red Cross Disaster Relief and will leverage the body of work we have put in to
Ben spearheaded a reallocation of resources Recovery Fund. our systems and processes in 2020 to position
in the face of the Covid challenge - cancelling In August 2020, Ben saw an opportunity to for growth in under-represented markets in
ineffective marketing, reinvesting efforts give back to the community through cause- 2021”.
in digital ordering and delivery, appointing related fundraising. “Troll For Good”, for example, Leadership now is about a transition to
a delivery head and committee to oversee designed in support of mental health awareness, remote interactions, using digital platforms
accelerated activity within the channel. raised more than $20,000 for partners Beyond and other creative ways of keeping a team
He led the brand to undertake digital Blue. functioning and focused on aligned outcomes,
campaigns to drive awareness for dessert Inspired by his father’s saying, “If we put all he suggests.
delivery, subsiding the promotions to boost our problems in a pile and each took an equal He’s a strong believer in teamwork.
stores' sales and profitability. By the end of 2020 portion, you’ll wish you had your own problems “Collaboration is a critical element, but
Baskin-Robbins had seen more than 60 per cent back,” Ben has focused on building resilience by remains only one element – at some point
growth in delivery sales revenue. looking for the positives. you also have to make a decision and have the
An online learning platform named ‘Studio He has promoted the franchise sector support of your team to see that through.”
31’ was introduced to elevate the quality and through the media, meeting monthly with He is most proud of keeping his team
compliance of team member training and Ben other franchisee owners and leaders, and together through the tough months. “It would
appointed a national marketing manager to actively promoting positive franchising through have been easy and justifiable to make personnel
oversee a newly restructured department. participation in retail and QSR conferences, changes in 2020, yet sometimes the hard thing
Ben took practical steps to help franchisees’ panel discussions and podcasts both locally and to do and the right thing to do are the same
costings such as employing a leasing professional abroad. thing,” he says. n
to set up a rental abatement program and Despite his busy schedule Ben has developed
writing directly to 78 landlords requesting rental a disciplined two-hours a day reading habit
assistance - this action secured a 55 per cent and invested in a personal business coach for
Judge’s comments
rental abatement for 25 stores. monthly check-ins.
“Ben has adopted a solution-based
He also postponed a scheduled ice cream He has championed solution-based thinking
mindset and his franchisees have
price rise in April 2020, saving on average $170 in his team and his wider network (supported
reaped the rewards of his positive
a week per store over five months. by an engaged LinkedIn audience) tackling and empathetic approach to the
However the year had started in the midst challenges head on. challenges posed by Covid.”
of another crisis, the bushfires raging across Last year Ben was recognised for five years’
10 TOP30.FRANCHISEBUSINESS.COM.AU2 TOP30.FRANCHISEBUSINESS.COM.AU 11
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TOP 30 PROFILES
BEN
FLETCHERFounder and chief executive officer, Listen To Your Body
F ew sectors have been as hard
hit as the fitness industry by
Covid-19, and Ben’s business
was indicative of many, with the entire
network of 13 studios shut down by late
Ben points out that firefighting to retain
business brought him success.
Another achievement of 2020 would
also take the fitness chain further forward
when Ben signed off on an LYTB Academy
office on a Friday evening that Covid will be
the best thing that ever happened to us. How?
I wasn't sure at the time but it was all about
rebuilding the system and upgrading every
angle. It was a super busy period with project
March. So what did he do? A string of to provide personal trainers with courses after project.”
initiatives helped sustain franchisees, certified by Fitness Australia. It was crucial to adapt very fast, increase
maintain head office and create a As he has navigated the business through communication and support all stakeholders
foundation on which to build future the rough waters of 2020, he is planning on multiple levels, he says.
revenue. greater growth in 2021 with the addition of a Ben is driven by the opportunity to
national operations manager. positively impact all members, franchisees and
Ben took a 70 per cent pay cut and froze 90 He granted two new franchises mid-year, staff across Australia. It’s about living healthier
per cent of head office expenses, engaged despite the lockdowns and challenges facing lives, increasing fitness, providing careers and
with business advisors and the FCA on a crisis the fitness industry. seeing LTYB owners run profitable businesses,
management plan, created template letters The growth is set to continue he insists he says.
for franchisees to send to landlords who as his ambitions for the year ahead include “There are two achievements I am most
were identified as a possible risk to the LTYB expanding into two further states, opening proud of. Firstly, we stayed absolutely united
business and focused on technology to help seven more sites, and increasing average unit right through the darkest times with 75 per
deliver revenue. sales by a further 12 per cent for first year cent of our business in Victoria. And we all
He prepared a new partnership with an businesses. survived 2020 without losing a site.” n
online personal training platform, created Add to this the launch of the fitness and
videos and other content for staff, developed education academy for all LTYB Staff and it will
online workouts and a new online shop, and be an exciting year for Ben and his team.
added a new content management system to Ben has been an active ambassador for Judge’s comments
an app. franchising, with LinkedIn his channel of “Ben showed great leadership by
Ben also upgraded the operations system choice, promoting the benefits of franchising taking strong, decisive action with the
with Op Central. over starting-up as a lone operator. Through intention of Covid-proofing the busi-
Through all this he supported all 13 2020 he continued to network through a CEO ness and protecting his franchisees.
franchisees who feared the loss of their group, did podcasts and was a judge for the He has taken full advantage of tech-
businesses. FCA awards. nology and approached problems
“Overall, we survived 13 out of 13 studios A six-day-a week fitness fanatic, Ben used in an innovative way to allow the
with many reporting better cash positions the lockdown to go to the next level with his business to evolve despite the many
thanks to Zoom, Online PT, supportive own training, health, and fitness. challenges posed by 2020.”
landlords, and some government support.” “I made a decision on March 27 in the
TOP30.FRANCHISEBUSINESS.COM.AU 13TOP 30 PROFILES
AARON SMITH Founder and chief cultural officer, KX Pilates
A
aron Smith might be the founder, “We also saw Covid as an opportunity to The commitment has paid off. When asked
former CEO and now chief improve our culture,” he says. Last year the what he is most proud of from 2020, Aaron says
cultural officer at KX Pilates with business worked with Greg Nathan and the “That we made it through! We worked incredibly
company innovation and international Franchise Relationships Institute to better the hard to stay front of mind in our clients’ minds
growth in his to-do list but, like many partnerships and culture between franchisor with our pivot online and it has paid us back well
working parents, he found Covid-19 and franchisees. post reopening the studios, putting us in a great
brought unexpected challenges: being at In 2020 Aaron had set himself the goal position for 2021 to push forward and make a
home with small children and no childcare of developing an “improved and unmatched” very successful year.”
while sustaining a network of franchisees. Pilates experience, providing franchisees with a He believes a strong lesson was learned
point of difference in an increasingly competitive through the pandemic.
“Alongside my wife Andi, who owns KX with market. To that end after considerable “New leadership in 2021 comes with
me, we focused on trying to balance work and investment and research (producing five empathy and compassion, with more focus on
being parents to two kids under five. To cope, I prototypes), he saw the completion of a long- growing our people than growing the business,”
made my mental health a priority, making sure I term development project - an own-brand he says.
exercised and meditated daily, and quit alcohol bespoke and patented reformer Pilates machine “Business-wise I just want to see KX back on
to stay fit, healthy and maintain a positive that will enhance clients’ workouts and prove a track financially to where it was pre-Covid. At
mindset,” Aaron reveals. “gamechanger” for franchisees. the end of the day the business needs to be in
He became a mentor and ambassador for The signing of a joint venture with a China- a good place to be able to help people, and to
ForMen.org - a not for profit that sheds light on based partner was another milestone, set to grow and expand into more areas allows us to
mental health challenges for men and employed take the nine year-old brand to a massive new increase our reach.
Joe Pane, an emotional fitness coach, to help market. “Knowing that we change people’s lives on
support franchisees. However, the group’s revenue took a 98 a daily basis is extremely rewarding, gives me
Aaron attended weekly virtual Entrepeneur per cent hit during Covid and the business was purpose and allows me to live my passion of
Organisation seminars aimed at helping business forced to explore alternative revenue streams: helping others.” n
owners through the pandemic. He also joined online classes and on-demand video workouts.
the Victorian Active Government lobbying Aaron ensured some of the franchise
group, set up to rally for the vital role fitness agreement rules were relaxed to allow Judge’s comments
plays in mental health and to safely reopen franchisees to raise some revenue by leasing out “Aaron should be commended for
fitness studios. Pilates machines. his focus on not only the mental
“My goal has always been to help people and His efforts to lead by example took him to well-being of his franchisees,
the last 12 months have brought that into focus. instructing some freemium classes. “At one but for making an active
I offered support and new ways of thinking to stage these free sessions had over 700 clients contribution to the mental health
help the business survive and thrive.” working out with me at one time. In total, we of the wider community. Despite
Throughout the period Aaron sought to had close to 6,000 people attend our free the challenges of 2020 he has
reassure franchisees, promoting a message of sessions.”
maintained a strong, positive
positive mindset and reinforcing that everyone He even taught a midnight class at the
outlook, focusing on research
and development and using
in KX Pilates was facing the coronavirus Malvern studio, straight after lockdown eased,
technology to his advantage.”
pandemic challenge together. with 10 super-keen clients.
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TOP 30 PROFILES
ZOE FARRELL Head of product development, San Churro
“A
s leaders we need to the sweet-treats chain as a trial, and this is now multiple cross-departmental virtual catch ups
continually evolve in this new being rolled out across the network. and the support team’s regular virtual team
post-pandemic world having Zoe also set the pricing strategy on the native drinks.
more emphasis than ever on transparency, San Churro delivery app to support franchisees’ “In order to stay positive and active I have
efficient communication, empathy and sales and profitability. been participating in virtual exercise classes
flexibility.” She says it is this aspect of the business that including spinning and HIIT (high intensity
drives her to succeed: supporting franchisees by interval training). I ensure I go for a walk along
Zoe exhibited these skills in 2020 through developing new products and concepts to drive the Yarra river when possible to clear my mind
strategic product leadership; she was their profitability. and start the day refreshed.
instrumental in supporting stores through the Extensive market research identified San “Having family and friends living overseas I
Covid-19 period by leading product innovation, Churro’s own-brand coffee blend needed a have made a concerted effort to stay in touch,
launching items and categories and leveraging boost so Zoe worked closely with suppliers to organising a number virtual quiz and game nights
new sales channels with excellent results - an develop and create a Fairtrade coffee blend from to keep us entertained.”
increase in sales, and a boost in the service the Latin American region. Shortlisted blends Zoe also maintained her professional
effectiveness score of the ACE survey conducted were taste tested by more than 300 customers development, attending numerous conference
by Franchise Relationships Institute. across multiple states. webinars on marketing.
Some of the greatest challenges during Covid The choice of a Fairtrade coffee blend, “I am currently learning how to speak Spanish
were coordinating the product testing in store despite the premium costs, was a non-negotiable with a virtual teacher which will help me liaise
and accessing the necessary equipment, facilities for Zoe. with my Spanish suppliers in the future. In turn
and suppliers. “Developing a Fairtrade coffee blend gives I recently began teaching my Spanish teacher to
“Working remotely was a very large San Churro customers the opportunity and improver her English pronunciation skills, which
adjustment however the team was able to power to help farmers escape poverty, improve has been very rewarding.” n
continually deliver innovation whilst showing working conditions and build better futures for
resilience, determination and unresounding themselves and their communities,” she says.
commitment to the brand and franchisees,” she The community focus continued closer to Judge’s comments
says. home with the Share a Churros Week initiative “Despite the many challenges of
She also worked with suppliers to create launched during Covid-19. Customers were able 2020, Zoe has had an outstanding
a staff Covid-19 care pack which was sent to to double their churros for a donation and this year. She should be commended
all support office staff working at home - an initiative raised over $32,000 for Beyond Blue. for her passion for her role,
initiative that drew overwhelmingly positive Zoe’s launch of the Churro Loop and the commitment to her franchisees
feedback. supporting “Loop in a Loved One” campaign gave and ability to develop creative
The pandemic brought a focus on takeaway 20,000 customers the opportunity to send a free and innovative solutions. She is an
and delivery, and this was an area Zoe worked churro loop to a loved one with a message of excellent ambassador not only for
to grow with new menus, introducing 39 new support during Covid. her brand, but also the franchising
products and sourcing 42 new ingredients. In order to boost the morale of team sector.”
She introduced the first savoury option to members across the company Zoe drove
TOP30.FRANCHISEBUSINESS.COM.AU 17TOP 30 PROFILES
6
KERRI WANE
Interim chief operating officer, Mad Mex
W
hat a year to step in and head up operations at a fast
food business. “My remit as interim chief operating
officer and GM of development was to drive large
scale organisational change in the areas of real time data and
insights, technology, profitability and franchising and to drive
expansion and set up for future growth,” says Kerri.
Bringing executive experience in people management and sales, she
provided leadership and spearheaded initiatives which contributed
to franchisee and network success in key areas for Mad Mex; margin
improvement with a focus on food and labour, improving standards with This was a broad-ranging initiative which included risk mitigation;
new tools, and growth in sales and network footprint. shaping Mad Mex’s IR/ER compliance program and response; implement-
Margin improvement involved predictive rostering, supplier negotiations ing a national audit and self-audit program; launching training initiatives;
and reductions in OPEX and a suite of reporting tools to help franchisees designing tools to support correct payment.
control variable costs. Mad Mex recently received a clean bill of health when audited by the
Operational excellence was a key component to boosting standards Fair Work Ombudsman as a part of the emerging franchisor’s national
and compliance in training and food safety, and included the roll out of a campaign.
national auditing program, new training programs and POS integration with Kerri recognised the need to develop her own wellbeing and resilience
delivery platforms. to enable her to help others and found inspiration in the Resilience Project,
New delivery providers engineered better margins and growth focused on finding happiness through gratitude, empathy and mindfulness.
opportunities for franchisees. She also switched up overseas holiday plans to a local focus, discovering
Kerri also led the charge into two Asian markets, developing capabilities new local activities as part of what she called Bucket List Now!
to support launches and maintain ongoing support. Asked what drives her to succeed, Kerri says “One of my core drivers as
She was a founding member of the Covid-19 Taskforce, providing a leader is to make a difference; this motivates me to consistently look for
information on how to access vital government subsidies; negotiated rental ways to impact results, challenge the status quo and of course to make a
abatements under the code with landlords on behalf of franchisees; and difference to our people, whether it be through one-on-one interactions, or
worked on a recovery plan. at a network level.
On the one hand focused on practical projects to boost and improve “For leaders looking to capitalise in a post-pandemic world aside from
franchisee business, Kerri also championed several mental health, resilience strategy and scenario planning, it will be important to lead decisively and
and Mad Mex community support initiatives. She worked with the HR team ensure that the entire network is clear on the priorities and how they can
to deliver an Employee Assistance Program, engaged a range of speakers/ contribute; it is likely that someone in the network has the answer, so
mentors to inspire teams to thrive in a Covid-19 world, including surfing listening keenly and noticing is key to continuous learning and success.” n
champ Layne Beachley; provided feedback forums for the team.
On a more practical level, free pantry staples were supplied to team
members when hoarding and shortages were at a peak. Kerri also provided
assistance to the Victorian team with a one-off wage top up. Judge’s comments
“I am a big believer in the need for franchisors to ensure that their “Kerri has had an outstanding year in all aspects of
networks have a positive contribution to society and are good corporate her employment. She has showed commendable
citizens,” she says. leadership, a commitment to mental health,
Kerri points to wages underpayment as a crucial issue, and as the key empathetic and constructive support of franchisees.
executive for HR led a national initiative designed to ensure every Mad Her dedication to fair renumeration across the system
Mex team member was paid correctly and lawfully.
is commendable.”
18 TOP30.FRANCHISEBUSINESS.COM.AUTOP 30 PROFILES
7
BRENDAN SIGVART
Chief operating officer, Go Brands
F
or Brendan, there’s nothing the business. A new lease was signed, and 30 per
like seeing positive change in cent sales increases have since been recorded,
peoples lives. With an ethos says Brendan.
that “everybody matters” honed in a He signed up Go Sushi as a pilot partner
tough 2020, he is proud of maintaining for a cleaning and checklist app SpotCheck.
a strong network of three fast food The device sits on the counter, flashing red or
brands throughout the pandemic. green for checklists missed or completed, and
is expected to contribute to both customer
He’s also counting as a win the renovation of his satisfaction and business efficiency.
house as part of his wellness protection. Brendan has shared franchisee success
“My wife and I are expecting so that will add stories on LinkedIn, on the company’s website
another dimension to an already hectic life,” he and in new business brochures, with social media
says. assets developed for franchisees to share and
Brendan admits the previous 12 months’ franchisees encouraged to act as role models to
extraordinary circumstances required a shift in their local community.
his leadership approach for the Wasabi Warriors, As a member of multiple industry groups
Go Sushi and Kick Juice Bars brands. that meet regularly to support cross-pollination
“I recognised that empathy above influence of ideas he’s been an advocate for the franchise
was vital in sustaining the focus and faith of our model.
franchise network so business support calls were “By enabling and encouraging more to
implemented more frequently, more personally succeed, the franchising community can
and were framed around the wellbeing of the collectively demonstrate its value and excellence
franchise partner first.” to the broader community,” he says.
That also meant that material was tailored In the business he volunteered to act as
to meet franchisees’ critical needs, delivering a mentor for other parts of the business and
information on grants and Government relief completed several short online courses in
guidelines, financial advice to improve sales, P&L management, communication and marketing.
refresher training, and a dedicated strategy to Community is at the heart of a number
manage the impact of Covid. of initiatives Brendan instigated to improve
“In the face of such difficult times, I chose sustainability. Go Sushi alone contributes to one
to elevate the brand profile and anchor it as a tonne of landfill in disposable packaging a year
leader of healthy, fresh and affordable fast-food,” so a partnership was established with the Design
says Brendan. Faculty of the University of New South Wales’
He backed this strategy with increased second-year students to create a reusable sushi
marketing, introduced family packs to the container made specifically for hand rolls. Judge’s comments
product range, and modernised the brand pillars. Brendan took the approach of applying the “In a year of unprecedented challenges
In the months March to October sales lifted, newly updated Go Sushi brand values to his Brendan has demonstrated strong, yet
and overall there was a double digit rise year on personal life - fresh, sustainable, and innovative. compassionate leadership, adjusting
year. “Together as a family we built a vegetable his style to focus on empathy above
Switching up his communication skills to a patch that is now thriving. Our mealtimes are no influence. At a time when it would
more personal approach, Brendan also honed longer a rushed affair, as we spend time picking be easy to focus only on profit he
in on specific distress cases, approving a 30 from the garden and creating dishes around the has committed to environmental
per cent lease abatement for two franchisees, fresh ingredients we have. We’ve eliminated sustainability and shown great foresight
and through online meetings followed by food waste with the use of a compost bin that in
in dealing with the environmental
footprint of his brand.”
training and new procedures reinvigorating a turn nourishes the garden – a nice example of a
disillusioned franchisee on the brink of leaving truly cooperative partnership.” n
TOP30.FRANCHISEBUSINESS.COM.AU 19TOP 30 PROFILES
I
n early 2020 the brand unveiled its first project to set up 36 virtual stores with inventory
national TV program sponsorship of access.
‘I’m a Celebrity, Get me out of here’. The “While sales results have exceeded all
decision to align with a high ratings show expectations, the greatest achievement is
gave the brand access to its core consumer the increased positivity and feedback from
demographic, families, and proved an franchisees about the additional opportunities
extremely successful decision, Gavin says. and sales they now have access to,” he says.
He is a member of The Executive Connection
Following this boost, the annual national which combines one-on-one mentoring with
meeting in February attended by more than 60 meeting for business leaders to exchange ideas.
franchisees turned out to give the business just He says this process enabled him to constantly
the start it needed for the tough year ahead. review strategy and maintain a flexible mindset,
In 2020 Bedshed began a Predictive to make complex decisions in a rapidly changing
Index Behavioural Assessment, a process to environment.
understand leadership styles. “When I reflect on this year, I think this has
‘“The timing could not have been better as been a breakout year for me and for Bedshed.
when Covid-19 kicked in, the foundation of our Our journey of cultural change and evolution,
network was solid and united,” he says. coupled with the timing of some great initiatives
Gavin also prioritised mental health for the in terms of personal and business development
network, with a keynote speaker who shared has really benefited our business and most
his personal and professional vulnerability and importantly our franchisees.
struggle with mental health. “I work with a great team, my management
“This session has led to many honest team and our franchise team – we challenge
and even confronting discussions with our each other to be successful and I am driven
franchisees. It has shown how important it is to to succeed by the commitment we have to
be genuine in our communications and walk in our mantra, ‘strength of brand and strength of
our franchisees’ shoes – on both a business and culture equals strength of performance’.
human level,” says Gavin. “A strong team gives you the ability to
8
The business also introduced an Employment challenge ideas and be challenged but the best
Assistance Program. team does that along with taking the time to
In hindsight, Gavin’s commitment to mental listen first.
health issues was fortuitous, considering the “In a year that changed more rapidly than
resilience required over the last year. any other, I am proud of the decision to trade
When Covid hit, he made the decision to through the nationwide lockdown in March/
keep stores trading for as long as possible, and April as this set us up for the strongest possible
GAVIN
his proactive, calm and clear communication was recovery in terms of team engagement, supplier
crucial in managing the challenges. He offered engagement and staying connected to the most
support regarding landlord negotiations and important people, our customers.
CULMSEE
stock management, liaised with suppliers on “Staying open meant our franchisees were
behalf of franchisees, and continued to advertise in the strongest possible position to survive the
the brand even when consumer uncertainty ‘unknowns’ that were to come and, it has been
kicked in. our best ever year.” n
General manager, Bedshed Outside of the lockdown in metropolitan
Melbourne, all Bedshed stores have continued to
trade physically - the Melbourne stores offered
contactless delivery and collection.
Judge’s comments
“Gavin has excelled in all areas
“The decision set our franchisees up in terms
despite the many challenges
of cash flow and maintained our supply chain
posed by 2020. He has put in place
and set us up to have our best-ever trading
organisational and technological
results mid-year,” says Gavin.
structures to support the evolution
The biggest tech achievement was the
of the business, whilst prioritising the
launch of an e-commerce platform. In late 2019,
mental wellbeing of his franchise
he spearheaded a committee to fast-track the
partners. His outstanding leadership
launch but in March 2020 it was still months and passion for franchising should be
away from completion; he focused solely on this commended.”
22 TOP30.FRANCHISEBUSINESS.COM.AUTOP 30 PROFILES
9
STEPHEN
DUGGAN
Chief executive officer,
MBCM Strata Specialists
S
tephen has been leading the charge at MBCM Strata utilities and a location based map for new residents to locate essential
Specialists which is undergoing its biggest planned services, cafes, medical clinics.
growth phase, bringing about positive change in every The shift to a cloud based IT system reduced paper waste and the
aspect of the business. The goal is to position the brand as a company’s carbon footprint, which fits with its focus on sustainability.
leader within both the strata and franchise industries. MBCM Strata’s tagline ‘Helping Strata Communities Thrive’ is
actioned with continual involvement with local councils and with a
Communication is a critical part of this leadership, he says, with number of initiatives including Volunteer Week and Neighbour Day.
streamlined processes helping to improve franchisees’ jobs. In 2020 the franchisor matched every dollar donated by franchisees
“Leadership is more about open communication, empathy, leveraging for Melbourne-based organisation Launch Housing, which provides
using right technology, managing hybrid teams, empowering every services to people experiencing homelessness.
team member and encouraging agility and resilience. Another community-focused action was producing special edition
“A leader must also demonstrate honesty and integrity in everything newsletters for franchisees to issue to their clients providing important
they do,” he says. These two characteristics are also now embedded information on Covid, health and wellbeing, and valuable contact phone
into the company’s values. numbers such as Lifeline.
Building healthy, strategic relationships with all key stakeholders This year Stephen plans to be kinder to himself. Working from home
is critically important and thanks to a late February 2020 review of seven days a week straight for seven weeks at the beginning of the
processes and procedures, the business was able to seamlessly execute pandemic, he learned quickly he needed a way to shut off and blocked
plans throughout the lockdown. out time during the day to practice mindfulness.
Stephen is proud of a swift change of gears early in the pandemic. He maintained his professional development through 2020,
“In one weekend we were able to pivot our business and have the attending online seminars in subject areas around franchising, law, HR,
whole of head office working from home while transforming our and strata, and before lockdown attended monthly meetings of the FCA
communication with our franchisees and putting into place plans that VIC CES group.
ensured business as usual across the network.” Looking ahead, Stephen is focused on extending the Melbourne-
On top of tech initiatives and cluster groups to ensure based brand with a national footprint.
communication across the network, Stephen secured support for “The love of the role, staff and franchisees and working together
franchisees from the franchise’s bank partner, and with strata loan to achieve some amazing goals along the journey is my main driver,”
specialists negotiated sympathetic loan terms for franchisees. he says. n
He also organised some mental health sessions with speakers who
could help equip franchisees to look after their staff.
Judge’s comments
Over the 12 months to October 2020 Stephen introduced a series
“Stephen has led with honesty and integrity during
of innovations including an ICT system upgrade; an intranet which
the Covid crisis. He has taken decisive action to
contains training manuals, policies and procedures, marketing collateral protect his franchisees, maintained a commitment
and chat capabilities; a supplier portal; fortnightly Bite Size Seminars to good corporate citizenship, embraced technology
and a client community portal. and used innovation to his advantage. Despite the
The latter gives customers access to their bills, accounts, franchise challenges, Stephen has thrived and his passion for
contact details, messages, a closed committee area, specials from his role is undisputed.”
TOP30.FRANCHISEBUSINESS.COM.AU 23TOP 30 PROFILES
10
KAREN PURCELL
Regulations and accreditation manager, Foodco
Q
uick thinking transferred into Teams, WhatsApp and Dropbox in the same
swift action proved one of the audit.
foundations for success last year “Over the last 12 months, my working
and for Karen Purcell that meant her project relationship with regulators, inspectors and
planning, critical thinking and experience in authorities in Australia and New Zealand has
the food regulatory and accreditation space grown exponentially,” she says. “The respect and
came to the fore. trust developed in this network has shone a light
on the effectiveness and ongoing support the
“I communicated rapid, high risk operational franchise system provides.”
changes to over 300 franchisees, 4500 staff Karen is most proud of guiding the Foodco
members and 100 Foodco staff members businesses through all the varied regulatory
to ensure compliance with the fluctuating Covid-19 and food safety requirements and the
requirements,” she says. positive way franchisees dealt with the changes
Karen’s daily updates were relied on by the and uncertainty.
Foodco executive team and her leadership of She is driven, she says, by “a genuine desire
the critical response team without the need to impact and provide confidence for all within
for outside consultancy has been a huge the business in the ever-changing food safety
money saver - her specialist support in product and accreditation space with efficient processes, Judge’s comments
management minimised losses and saved the training and support”. “Karen has thrived under
franchisors over $50,000. “In 2021, I look forward to further embracing pressure,working tirelessly to
“My ability to modify processes, technologies to enhance efficiencies in the safeguard her franchisees
documentation, and recipes quickly, has added auditing area.” and Covid-proof the business.
substantial value to our brands and reduced Karen has been instrumental in helping She has maintained a strong
international franchise partners spending on reach a 20 per cent for recycling and waste commitment to corporate
duplication costs,” Karen says. reduction, and an increased awareness of the citizenship, successfully used
She also facilitated more than 40 internal issue across the organisation through mentoring technology and innovation to
training sessions to break down the complex an ISO14001 environmental management her advantage whilst continuing
regulatory requirements and arm field teams plan, advising on legislative requirements, to advocate passionately on
with the knowledge to ensure protocol documentation, training and implementation. behalf of the franchise sector. An
adherence. As a result more than 80 per cent She also transitioned a sustainability program, outstanding year.”
of stores were able to keep operating under Little Growers, from physical workshops to
extreme regulations. take-home kits. Little Growers repurposes coffee
“One of my proudest achievements is the grounds and takeaway cups, while teaching
creation of the state-based resource hub saving children the importance of recycling and tackling example, Karen attended a food safety and
hundreds of franchisee hours, created internally the war on waste. security conference, a food science and tech
using existing resources.” An increase of over 20 per cent in use of conference, food legal workshops, and upskilled
Karen oversaw the change from a paper- ecofriendly products and services was also her auditing qualifications.
based nutritional system to digital, which achieved. “I have learned that clear roles and
saved $15,000 in printing costs, and allows On a personal level, Karen maintained regular responsibilities are vital to ensure we can adapt
customers, franchisees and staff easy access team and family support, Skyping her interstate quickly and effectively use resources, while
to all recipes allergens, ingredients and daughters daily, and staying connected with supporting each other closely to achieve our
kilojoule information. colleagues. goals. In 2021 and beyond, I see leadership to
She also took the lead on shifting processes “The importance of maintaining my own be confident, decisive and trusted but with a
online: HACCP accreditation was completed professional development and currency during higher focus on empathy, personal relationships,
remotely using QR codes, Zoom, Microsoft the pandemic has been vital,” she says. As an increased communication and recognition.” n
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