RECOGNIZING DIVERSITY IN FRANCHISING
YOU GROW GIRL
Franchising allows hard-working entrepreneurs to achieve the goal of owning a business, regardless of age, culture, or gender. For these four inspiring women, founding a franchise system was both a way to spread their vision and help this goal of business ownership come true for others. The forward-thinking female franchisors profiled here work in a variety of industry categories, from health and beauty to food service, and run franchise systems of different sizes. But in each, diversity plays a fundamental role in fostering franchise success. BY GINA MAKKAR
“It’s really important that our values, mission, and vision align.” Kyla Dufresne, Foxy Box
KYLA DUFRE SNE Kyla Dufresne, Foxy Box Self-care soothes the soul, and a beauty routine can help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, while increasing self-esteem, energy, and productivity. When Kyla Dufresne first started Foxy Box 10 years ago, she put herself through aesthetics school while bartending, and began offering services in the dining room of her shared home. “Bartending was a great platform to market my budding business. Everyone that came into the bar had a Foxy Box card in their pocket when they left.” The brand began franchising two years ago, recently establishing roots in Toronto. It hasn’t been without its growing pains. From testing out full-service menus to trial and errors in her first partnership, Dufresne has learned a lot. “We do one thing and we do it well, and that’s hair removal.” When the first partnership didn’t go as planned, Dufresne took the opportunity to pause, regroup, and work with a franchise coach to systemize her process before franchising again. “At this stage, I think we’re over-prepared because of all my learning. I call it my Harvard education! I learned so much from that.” Dufresne says diversity and inclusion is part of the brand fabric. Recently, they’ve eliminated gender identifications from their language. Services labeled male and female were removed, and instead of terms like ‘Manzilian,’ the Brazilian service is sold in two different blocks of time (20 and 40 minutes) to cater to all genders. As they continue to grow, they’ve also adopted environmentally responsible practices, becoming a Green Circle Certified Sustainable salon. Up to 95 per cent of waste is collected and shipped to Green Circle partners to be recycled, recovered, or repurposed. Each Foxy Box
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also looks and feels a little different, as they salvage and reuse as much as they can, keeping waste out of landfills and waterways. During the pandemic, the launch of a Shopify store helped establish and maintain a presence. The ‘Make a Sister Smile’ campaign offered daily giveaways, and a $25 gift card was donated to a nurse with the purchase of every package. All helped create a solid foundation that reflect the company’s core values. As a young franchise, Dufresne says Foxy Box is still learning about the talent they want to attract, but it’s paramount that franchisees align with the brand culture. “Energy is contagious and will carry us through or be a detriment to us, so it’s really important that our values, mission, and vision align.”
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