Richmond-based company Men in Kilts Franchises Services Inc., which first began offering pressure washing and window and gutter cleaning services in Greater Vancouver in 2002, is about to launch what it hopes will be the first of many franchises in the United States.
The company, which has 35 employees, two operations in Vancouver and one operation in the Fraser Valley, recruited Tressa Wood as its new CEO last fall.
Wood has extensive experience in expanding franchises across North America: she was the vice-president of operations for Vancouver’s 1-800-Got-Junk between 2003 and 2008.
When she began working with the waste removal chain, it had about 40 franchises and $10 million in annual revenue.
When she left the firm (she was five months pregnant at the time), it had grown to 340 franchises and revenue of $130 million.
After 1-800-Got-Junk, Wood was recruited to help launch the Houston, Texas-based franchise 1-800-Plumber.
She approached Men In Kilts last year, in hopes of working with the company as it expands.
In addition to becoming CEO, she bought an ownership share in Men in Kilts, which now has three partners with ownership stakes.
"Owning part of the company makes you so much more motivated to make it a success," Wood told BIV last week.
"We’ve been testing our new business model with one test franchise in Vancouver and now we’re ready to expand into the U.S."
The first U.S franchise will open in Seattle in April. Men In Kilts plans to expand rapidly from there.