Angela Cote Franchise Growth Catalyst

Let it Unfold Spotlight is an article feature looking into stories of businesses in order to celebrate and showcase how they’ve developed and grown since inception.

Our tagline ‘Let it Unfold’ speaks strongly about our company’s values, and inspired this feature, where we think a strong cohesive story should be at the base of any successful business.

To launch ‘Let it Unfold’ Spotlight Series, we have the pleasure to get an in-dept look at the story behind Angela Coté’s – Franchise Growth Catalyst brand, and explore the world of franchising. Her unique and up-beat attitude towards business and branding gives a fresh perspective that any business can learn from.

Unfold: Describe in one sentence what you do.

Angela Coté: I help business owners assess whether the franchise model is a fit for expanding their business, and help established franchisors create exponential growth, twice as fast, with half the effort …  while having fun!

U: How long has your company been in business? Tell us a bit about your company, its mission, goals.

A.C.: My mission is to leave people CLEAR and TURNED ON.  My brand promise is CLARITY | FOCUS | EXPONENTIAL GROWTH.  I started my business because I have lived and breathed franchising growth my whole life, as my father is the founder of M&M Food Market.  I have been on the franchisor side in many different roles – everything from dressing up as Kelly Kabob to getting franchises up and running in Western Canada in the late ’90s.  Since 2000, I have been a multi-unit franchisee in Victoria, BC, which has given me the unique perspective from the franchisee side.  A couple of years ago, I was restless, looking for a new challenge and decided to take all of this background and experience I had attained over the years and use it to help small business owners implement the franchise model for growth.  I am living the dream, having created a business and life I love – working with entrepreneurs with a “can-do” attitude, traveling to franchise events, networking with industry leaders and continuously growing.

My current goal is to build up systems so I can hire other franchise growth catalysts to deliver my knowledge, and my 10 year goal is to become the #1 Franchise Growth Catalyst in North America.

U: What’s your superpower?

A.C.: My “F3” 🙂  It’s the fact that I deliver to my clients the FRANCHISOR EXPERIENCE, the FRANCHISEE PERSPECTIVE and the FRAMEWORK for successful franchising (a proprietary tool I created that is the base for all of the required components of franchising.  My mission is to leave my clients “Clear and Turned On”.

U: What is your target market?

A.C.: North American emerging franchisors with 1 to 10 locations who want exponential growth twice as fast, with half the effort … while having fun.  Also small business owners who want to explore whether the franchise model is a fit and if we determine it is, then I help them implement the model.

U: What influences your industry?

A.C.: Risk-taking entrepreneurs with a “can-do” attitude!

U: How did you know your visual identity was the right fit for your company?

A.C.: By attempting to match it with my core values and then asking people in my target audience and influential leaders in my business network.

U: Why is brand important for your company, and in what ways is it executed?

A.C.: It is critical that people understand how my brand differs from the competition.  It is executed through living and breathing my core values, being real, staying fresh and trusting my gut feel when decision making.

U: How has your brand evolved / adapted in time?

A.C: When I first started out, I was planning on servicing small business owners who needed help with business building strategies as well as clients who wanted to use franchising to grow.  With the help of my rockstar coach (Isabelle Mercier-Turcotte of Leapzone Strategies), I got clarity and focus to get specific on servicing the franchise industry with my unique background and experience.  So in other words, I’ve become very niche 🙂

U: Is there anything you haven’t yet tackled, but want to do soon?

A.C.: Create webinars/online training videos with content for emerging franchisors. Get CFE designation (Certified Franchise Executive). Volunteer on a board for the International Franchise Association (ideally something like Women in Franchising)

U: What are some of the biggest mistakes you see new companies make in search for their identity? Can you offer any tips you have learned for new companies to consider when creating their identity?

A.C.: 100% it’s not being clear on – and then living and breathing – their PURPOSE and CORE VALUES!
My purpose is “to leave people clear, and turned on”.
My niche is “helping franchisors create exponential growth, twice as fast, with half the effort … while having fun. My brand promise is “Clarity | Focus | Exponential Growth”

So many business overlook this critical exercise and really don’t know WHY they exist.  They end up bringing the wrong people to their team and everybody is unaligned, working toward different goals, limiting growth. The most successful business’ out there are 100% clear on their purpose and core values and have dialed-in systems in place to breathe life into them every day.