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Melanie Bergeron: From TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® Franchisee to Chairwoman of the International Franchise Association
Melanie Bergeron has seen it all when it comes to franchising – from operating a single unit to rallying elected officials in the halls of Congress
Ask Melanie Bergeron how she got into franchising and she’ll probably tell you that she was born to be in the business with TWO MEN AND A TRUCK*®.
“It all started out as an idea for an after school business,” said Bergeron, chair of TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®. “With a hand drawn logo by my mother and an advertisement in a local paper, it just grew from there. I officially joined the family business in 1989 after being awarded the first TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® franchise in Atlanta, Georgia.”
It wasn’t long thereafter that Bergeron joined the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® home office in Lansing, Michigan where she assumed the role of president in 1994. Eventually she became the chief operating officer, then the chief executive officer. Now, she holds the position of chair of TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®’s board of directors.
Under her leadership, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® has grown both domestically and internationally to more than 330 locations worldwide — all supported by a strong system of nearly 8,000 employees.
Last year, Bergeron took another step forward in franchising after she assumed the role of chairwoman of the International Franchise Association (IFA).
“The first IFA Convention I ever attended was 20 years ago, and it was overwhelming and exhilarating all at the same time,” said Bergeron. “I remember meeting this man as we were walking out of the elevator and he asked me all these questions about my business, our model and how we were growing. After talking for a short time, I realized I forgot to ask him his name. He said, ‘I’m Fred DeLuca with Subway.’ And that was the start of a lasting friendship.”
According to Bergeron, that’s one of the most special things about being a member of the IFA. There is a genuine connection between all members, whether they’re titans of industry like Fred DeLuca was, or an emerging concept or supplier. Each member, regardless of their size, should always work toward protecting, enhancing and promoting the franchise business model.
“Over the past few years, there have been a lot of internal and external pressures put on the business of franchising due to the false notions of the relationship between franchisors and franchisees, such as the joint-employer issue,” said Bergeron. “Collectively, everyone involved in the business of franchising has to become an ambassador for the business model so we can change the narrative about the industry.”
While Bergeron worked tirelessly to defend and promote the business model during her tenure as chairwoman of the IFA, she is equally excited about the voice that incoming Chairman Aziz Hashim, managing partner of NRD Capital, will lend to the issues facing the franchising industry.
“One of the most critical issues facing franchising is that there is a fundamental lack of knowledge and understanding of the business model itself,” said Bergeron. “The idea of local franchisee ownership has been overshadowed by the more than 50 years of our industry delivering a seamless customer experience. I’m excited that Aziz and the IFA’s leadership is ready to tackle this issue head on. Together, we must redefine our collective voice and explain to the public and elected officials, in easy to understand terms, what the true nature of franchising really is.”
With her role as IFA Chairwoman behind her, Bergeron is excited to refocus her energy back into the reason why she got into franchising in the first place — TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®. On the heels of a 14.61 percent year-over-year revenue increase in 2015, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® is poised for continued growth this year. The brand has its sights set on growing in top markets such as California, Oregon, Washington, New Jersey and throughout the Northeast U.S., and plans to sign 30 new locations by the end of the year.
For more information about franchising with TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®, click here.
*This brand is a paid partner of 1851 Franchise. For more information on paid partnerships please click here.
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