Business opportunities come in all different shapes and sizes. As you can imagine, so does the price tag. In the July/August 2019 issue of Franchise Canada magazine read the article written by Jessica Burgess and titled, “Printing a Ticket for Success”. This article reveals how new owners Amber Shah and Saif Haq purchased a KKP Center serving the North York and Don Mills business communities in Ontario and propelled it from the bottom to the top tier in their first year of operation.
Shah and Haq were first-time franchise owners. “‘It made more sense to buy a franchise that offered resources and vendor relationships that would not have been available to us had we purchased an independent format,’” said Shah.
During their due diligence, they surveyed the competition and spoke with several KKP owners. “The KKP business model was appealing and Shah knew that if she and her husband could actively channel their sales and marketing efforts, they could likely turn things around for the struggling store.”
From the beginning the number one goal was growth. Shah and Haq focused on expanding services to existing clients, overhauling the aesthetics of the Center, hiring new staff, updating equipment, diversifying their products, and specializing in niche jobs. “‘Every quarter we set measurable goals for improvement and closely tracked our performance,’” said Shah.
This past July to prove that “customer care is baked into every project,” Shah and Haq gave away freshly baked pies on orders of $250 or more—“Doing business with you is so sweet.”
Shah offers advice to anyone interested in owning a printing franchise: “Stay current in the business, continually learning about the industry, and use the programs the franchise offers. In this franchise, you do not need to reinvent the wheel. The path is drawn for you. Follow it, and you have a strong chance to succeed.”
In the article, Burgess gives abundant credit to Shah and her husband for reinvigorating a printing franchise, boosting it to the 11th ranked Center in sales out of 43 in Canada, and becoming a vital part of their North York and Don Mills business communities. “‘I knew that my husband and I were destined for something bigger and better,’” said Shah.