After ten years of building a thriving  Filta Environmental Kitchen Solutions franchise, which provides commercial kitchens with fryer management, oil filtration, waste oil removal and other eco-friendly services,  Leo Tartaglia is just getting started. With a strong team in place and a growing reputation throughout Connecticut, Westchester County and the Bronx, Tartaglia recently signed a new 10-year agreement with the brand and is already laying the foundation for future growth. “I actually wanted to sign a new 20-year agreement, but they only allowed me to sign for 10,” Tartaglia said. “If I could have, I would have. I feel like I'm still fairly young, so I’ve got a lot more time to work.” Tartaglia’s path to franchising wasn’t conventional. Before discovering  Filta , he worked in construction and masonry, jobs that were physically demanding and tough on his body. “In my previous line of work, I was a contractor, and my specialty was concrete work and stonemasonry. It was a family-run business that required extremely hard labor, which caused me to undergo a back operation at a very young age.” Filta presented a new opportunity, even if the early days were uncertain. “It was a learning experience,” Tartaglia said. “I thought once I bought the business, it would just instantly take off on its own. I dragged my feet a little bit at first, and that’s why I wasn’t as successful as I could have been.  At the time, I was still working both jobs, but once I pulled back from construction and really put all my focus on Filta, that’s when I started to see a change.” That shift in focus helped him turn the business into a serious operation — one that now spans several markets and supports a growing team. “When you start to see, ‘Hey, we added another van,’ you're like, ‘Wow, I built this,’” Tartaglia said. “So, it's really great to look back and see all that hard work is finally paying off.” A big part of Tartaglia’s success stems from the relationships he’s built with both customers and staff. “For the last 10 years, I’ve made it a priority to service every single fryer, no matter what,” he said. “It takes a lot of effort, but over time, you earn your customers’ trust. So, if something unexpected happens, like a van breaking down, they know we’ll figure it out. They say, ‘No problem, Leo. We get it.’ That kind of goodwill only comes from consistently showing up and doing the job right. There’s a real relationship there, even a friendship, and we’ve worked hard to build that.” Technology and brand recognition have also played a key role in the business’s evolution. Tartaglia says the new Symphony software platform helped streamline operations in ways he never expected. “I used to manually build Environmental Impact Reports for almost every customer at year-end. It took me weeks. I dreaded it. Now, you click a couple of dates and it’s done in 30 seconds.” Even more importantly, the Filta brand has come a long way since Tartaglia first joined the system. “Ten years ago, if you said Filta, most people had never heard of it unless they were already using it,” he said. “Now, when you say Filta, people say, ‘Sure, I know that company.’” With the brand’s growing recognition and his operation hitting its stride, Tartaglia is focused on strengthening his current business and laying the groundwork for future expansion. One major initiative on the horizon is the launch of bulk oil sales. “We’re hoping to move all of our waste oil to a new building so we can free up our main facility,” he said. “That’ll let us start selling oil at a lower rate, since we can get it cheaper. I think once we drop our price a few bucks a box, we’re going to win a lot more customers.” He’s also looking to expand into new territories, though he’s not ready to reveal where just yet. “We want to blow this thing up to be bigger than you could possibly imagine,” he said. “But I’d rather keep the details quiet for now.” For those considering franchising, whether with Filta or another brand, Tartaglia said it’s essential to go in with a clear understanding of the financial structure. He stresses that you need to see the bigger picture. “It’s important to do your research and understand what you’re paying for,” he said. “[Franchising] is a lot less risky than doing it all on your own. The brand name backs you up. As long as you follow the system and procedures, you have a real chance at success.   For Tartaglia, the business has become more than just a job — it’s a long-term investment in his family and his team. “I’ve got two boys that want to work with me,” he said. “Hopefully, they’ll be signing my contract when they get old enough. And I’ve got a great staff. A lot of people count on us, so we always make sure there’s a safety net, just in case, for a rainy day.” That’s also why he never considered stepping away. “At this point, walking away would be crazy,” he said. “That’s why I signed the 10-year, and that’s why I wanted to sign the 20. I would’ve signed a 30-year if they had one.” About Filta Environmental Kitchen Solutions Since its inception in 1996, Filta has positioned itself as the pioneering leader of active fryer management and environmental kitchen sustainability across the food and hospitality industries. Brought to North America in 2002 as a franchise concept, Filta is part of United Kingdom-based Franchise Brands (AIM: FRAN). The cornerstone of the company’s offering is FiltaFry, the complete fryer management service incorporating on-site micro-filtration as well as the removal, recycling, and replacement of cooking oil. Furthermore, the brand provides humidity control in cold storage devices through FiltaCool, prevents drain blockage through its grease-free drain foam brand FiltaDrain, and deep cleans entire commercial kitchens through FiltaClean. Visit  www.gofilta.com for more information and  www.filtafranchise.com for franchise development opportunities.