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September 2018

To Whom It May Concern,

It was February 2016 when I got down to work, right after completing my initial training week with Schooley Mitchell. Since then I’ve been working very hard, and I can’t remember how long it’s been since I had so much fun.

When I became aware of Schooley Mitchell over three years ago, my first thought was much the same as what I hear now at many of my briefings – “Okay, so what’s the catch?” The truth is there is no catch. We offer a valuable service to our clients and it costs them absolutely nothing. One can’t blame a client for thinking it’s too good to be true.

It’s not just a solid business model with a reasonable investment and low overhead. A Schooley Mitchell franchise provides outstanding training and execution tools in all aspects of the business.

The initial training is informative and highly focused, providing a clear vision of how to become established in the community.

Support is ongoing and responsive. The staff at Head Office are always willing to help any way they can. They say their purpose is to help franchisees succeed, and they mean it. No request is too big or too small.

The marketing tools are top-notch and effective.

The Quick Start program helped me prioritize and execute a plan of action in my first year, and I continue to receive mentoring and coaching as I need.

Incremental options such as appointment setting are very effective. Performance to date has exceeded my expectations significantly.

The Warehouse provides a wealth of information and solid selling tools.

Franchisees are always willing to help and take pleasure in each other’s accomplishments.

Production specialists are knowledgeable and efficient.

This has turned out to be among the best business decisions I have made in my career.

Axel Nafthal

Strategic-Partner, Schooley Mitchell

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November, 2018

To Whom It May Concern:

What I remember was pain. Pain over the 45 minute commute to work and the one hour drive home every day. I remember the pain over it taking two weeks to find two minutes to pickup my dry cleaning. I remember the pain of marketing reports and opportunity funnel diagrams and upper management and everything else that corporate America reared forth at a 1000 miles an hour. It feels like a hundred years ago I wasn’t my own boss – in actuality, it’s been a little less than 17.

When I left my job to open my own business all I’d promised myself was that I wouldn’t buy another one. There were a few franchises that looked to be a good fit for me with good profit potential and a nice exit strategy, but most of them seemed caught up in the ‘flavor of the day’. I needed something where my own intelligence, drive and sales ability would make or break the success and not a gimmick whose catch phrase or nutrition content could turn on a whim.

At this point I hadn’t figured out that I needed help so I struck out on my own. No lack of marketing material, no tools, no buying power, no back office support or success stories could slow me down. I’d had a career as a salesman – why couldn’t I do this for myself? My last job found me working in the telecom world, and with all the seeming confusion amongst the carriers it seemed like as good a place as any to start blazing my trail.

Maybe it could have worked or maybe not. The fact of the matter is though, there had to be an easier way, so I started to look around. I was quite confidant that my decision to get into and stay in an IT or telecommunications related field had to make sense. Consulting in these arenas wasn’t new, but as expenditures accelerated and the clutter became more prevalent, those few good players just couldn’t keep up. The niche was there and it needed to be filled but little ole me couldn’t do it without some partners and they all wanted too big a piece.

It was here that I found Schooley Mitchell. I had known about the organization from my past life with AT&T and had bumped into them on a few occasions. From the carrier side, it was again the pain I remembered first – the pain in reduced margins by their involvement. The marriage seemed to make sense if the numbers worked and in the end I feel I got a lot more value than what I paid. The marketing material, for example; frankly I’d done the homework and knew what it cost to develop it on my own and it almost covered the franchise fee in itself. The tools, the clout with the vendors, the support from head office in those inevitable areas I waded into over my head, and most importantly the network of consultants able to share projects and expertise (a two-way street I might add) all made it the best decision I’ve ever made.

Sixteen years later and I still work too much, but I work for myself. I still do projections but they’re for my goal setting and no one else’s. I’ve seen an increase in sales every year I’ve been in business and am happy to say we broke the $2.5 million mark.

Whatever you’re doing, stop and look hard at Schooley Mitchell. If you can get out of bed by yourself, you can make this work.

Sincerely,

Neil Hostein

Schooley Mitchell

PO Box 34021

Guelph, ON

NIE 6V7

[email protected]

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November, 2018

To Prospective Franchisees,

I started looking at Schooley Mitchell about four years ago and signed with the organization in October 2015. I come from an extensive sales and management background. I’m in my mid-fifties and went through several personal changes before I joined Schooley Mitchell that left me questioning whether or not working for someone else would get me to where I needed to be, from both a personal and financial perspective. To use a football analogy to describe the situation, it’s the fourth quarter and I’m down two touchdowns. It was time to take the risks and put the ball in the air. A conservative ground game to wind out the clock was not an option for me.

While I have considerable business skills, starting my own business completely from scratch was not realistic.
I did not want an extensive office staff, nor did I want to be locked into a brick and mortar operation. What I needed was an opportunity to blend my skill sets with the support system of a strong company and a proven product or service. As I researched Schooley Mitchell, it was apparent that this concept was a good match for my needs.

The concept of auditing telecom, merchant services, and small package shipping expenses, and then splitting the savings with the client is a very simple concept to present. The overhead is minimal. The company is the largest and best at what we do. There is very little competition. The greatest liability in this business is just the personal willingness of the franchisee to go out and work. With the addition of telemarketing services, there is more value to the system than before. Schooley has a proven support team in place, and the business coaching that is provided allows the new franchisee to hit the ground running.

I can’t stress enough that the key to success with this business rests with the franchisee. This is not a fixed location, “build it and they will come”, type of business. You don’t have customers banging on your door begging you to do business with them; but then you don’t have a two million dollar initial investment either. You will succeed or fail on the basis of your willingness to go out there work the business. If you have the willingness to build this one client at a time, then over a reasonable time frame you can be very profitable. If you treat it like a part-time job…you will fail.

When I train people, I tell them that there are three keys to winning and keeping clients: the perceived value of the sales person, the perceived value of the product/service, and the perceived value of the company. Schooley Mitchell gives you the credibility you need to deliver on the last two, but your success or failure will be up to how well you deliver your value to the prospective clients.

Good luck out there, with whatever you choose to do!

Craig Le Duc
Owner/Primary Consultant Schooley Mitchell of St. George

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November 26, 2018

Before I joined Schooley Mitchell almost six years ago, I was working in corporate sales with one of the largest Canadian telecom companies. After years of long hours, missing important personal events, and not feeling truly fulfilled, I decided to make the leap and invest in the Schooley Mitchell franchise system. I joined with a franchise partner so we could optimize both of our strengths and increase our chances of growth. Becoming my own boss in a system that delivers equal success for every party involved – the franchisor, franchisee, and client – is a rare model that is hard to find in other franchises and businesses.

I had done quite a bit of sales training before I joined Schooley Mitchell and didn’t think I would learn anything new, but I definitely did. The training involved a perfect mix of sales coaching and practical application of resources like the Warehouse, which is an intranet of sales tools, CRM, marketing materials, webinars, continued education, and so much more. We were especially amazed to see the amount of marketing content it housed. Every type of flyer, Chamber and BNI marketing pieces, emails, letter templates, referral scripts – the list is endless. There are multiple examples of anything you could possibly need to acquire clients. We always check there before starting any new campaign or requesting customized materials, as it is usually already there!

Support from head office has been excellent from the very beginning. Whether we need custom flyers for a new association, updated posts on our social media accounts, or have a technical inquiry regarding the Warehouse, the team is always quick to respond. The support from other franchisees has also been a huge asset to us. We always take calls from other offices to bounce ideas off each other, discuss verticals, challenges, and best practices. It’s a great group of people with all types of backgrounds, each bringing their own unique perspectives to the table.

The annual conference is an opportunity to further exchange ideas and finally meet the franchisees we email and talk to on the phone throughout the year. During the roundtables, we always seem to find one or two good ideas that we can implement to further improve our business.

Anyone with a strong work ethic would be a good fit for this business. If you are looking for recurring customer revenue and you want to be your own boss, then Schooley Mitchell is the perfect opportunity for you.

Your truly,

Neil Brady

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November 26, 2018

Letter of Testimony

To Whom It May Concern:

I have been a Schooley Mitchell Franchisee for just over two years and discovered the business when I was working as a Franchise Consultant. The reason I bought into the system in the first place was because of the support I noticed from head office. Looking at over 400 franchises every day on behalf of my clients, it was my job to make sure the people I was helping were looking at franchises that matched their needs. At the top of this list was finding a franchise with outstanding central support. Schooley Mitchell had everything needed for my clients who were well suited to this kind of model. After looking at many franchises on a daily basis, it became clear to me that Schooley Mitchell would be a great fit for me too.

In addition to the amazing support, I was attracted to Schooley Mitchell’s model of helping business owners manage the minefield of costs and services in our specialist areas: telecom, courier shipping, and merchant services. I love approaching business owners with a 100% guarantee that unless I increase their bottom line, there is no charge for my services. I also genuinely love helping people. Schooley Mitchell gives me a vehicle to help people in business, as I already do in my personal life. My experience thus far is that I am operating in an area of expertise that every business owner needs, whether they know it or not. It is my job to teach them that every business, large or small, should be keeping on top of their costs.

Schooley Mitchell’s head office is always available for any concern or question I have. The ongoing support from within the network of franchisees (it is truly ongoing) is phenomenal, and we have a com-pelling offer to our clients. The yearly conference is invaluable – you learn lots of new techniques while practicing and brushing up on older ones. Collaborating with franchisees from around North America is a unique learning experience on its own, as we share important ideas and practices.

If you are prepared to work hard and fully engage in the Schooley Mitchell system, there is a good chance you will generate success as I am doing. Great system; great support.

Sincerely,

William McKissock
Optimization Specialist
Schooley Mitchell

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December 10, 2018

Back in 2015, I had spent the last several years working in the corporate world and had become increasingly frustrated with the instability of large organizations. The time it took to get changes approved was lengthy, having to go through so many parties to sign off on new proposals. I reached a point in my life where I decided I wanted to take control of my future, meaning I wanted to bet on myself versus potentially becoming a statistic as a result of a new regime coming into my workplace. I wanted to be able to make changes to my business plan without having to go through months of approvals. Furthermore, I wanted to be my own boss. I had mostly positive experiences with my supervisors, but I saw the potential for a very displeasing outcome watching others. All of these issues led me to take a leap of faith into an opportunity that gave me independence, along with the backing of a franchise system.

I wanted to pursue a franchise opportunity because I didn’t want to start something completely from the ground up. I liked that marketing materials were available to me and there was a process to follow that would lead to success if I stuck to it. Visiting Schooley Mitchell during a Discovery Day was the clinching moment when I decided to join this franchise system. It was clear to me that the people at the corporate head office were dedicated toward making the franchisees successful. They realized the success of the franchisees ultimately led to their own success. What really stood out to me was that, at the end of the day, we went to a local establishment to get to know folks on a more personal level and it seemed the entire staff was present. I know from witnessing other corporate cultures in the past that this is something you cannot fabricate. The people from Schooley Mitchell’s head office genuinely liked each other and were driven by a shared mission to help their franchisees succeed.

I enjoyed my week of training in Stratford, Ontario where I was given the tools necessary to hit the ground running. It was particularly useful for me because I did not come from a networking profession previously and I learned a great deal about how to be effective in these situations. The Quick Start team was wonderful in that I had a monthly call to assess my progress and adjust my business plan if needed. I really had much more than a monthly call. If I needed help, I could call head office every day and there would always be someone willing to assist me. This type of support has continued over my three years at Schooley Mitchell. I now have regular coaching sessions which help shape the future of my business.

Over the course of my time at Schooley Mitchell, I’ve benefitted from great relationships forged with other franchisees. The annual conference is the best place to facilitate these relationships. Other franchisees are always willing to offer advice and provide support, which can be very valuable when addressing various client situations. It took some time for me to build my practice, but that was expected as revenue earned is a cumulative process. I feel like I’m hitting my stride as I enter my third year.

If you are looking for a franchise where you get out what you put in, I would recommend Schooley Mitchell. If you follow the process and put forth the effort necessary, you will be in a good position for success. When you think about what we do at Schooley Mitchell, which is mainly save companies money and time by reducing costs and increasing their bottom line, our value proposition is a no brainer. You still need to communicate effectively for businesses to give you their time, but if you can do that well, the sky is the limit for your business.

One of the best aspects of this franchise is that you can literally do no wrong. You either help clients become more profitable or you give them peace of mind that their business is doing a good job managing expenses. It’s nice to be a part of a system where only positive results occur. I recommend Schooley Mitchell to anyone that has the sales skills, drive and effort to become a thriving franchise owner.

Marc Schwalb
Strategic-Partner
Schooley Mitchell of Pittsburgh

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January 14, 2019

In my life, I have had the opportunity to work for some amazing companies. Some of them were Fortune 100 companies, and others were just startups. During this time, I was always managing my own businesses. Those who know me often call me a “serial entrepreneur”. I have had over 20 businesses in my lifetime – some of them failed, some have sold, and others still operate till this day. In 2017, I had just finished consulting for a company when I decided I wanted to start another business. I spent the next six months discovering what I really wanted in my next entrepreneurial venture.

I came to realize I needed an established, successful business model that was fair and equitable, had a proven track record of profitability, and was not too limiting geographically or financially. One of the options presented to me was a Schooley Mitchell franchise. I have always thought business should be fair and not overshadowed by trying to make a quick buck. When I discovered Schooley Mitchell’s risk-free, contingency-based model where each party shares in the savings, I could not help but have an overwhelming feeling of altruism.

After visiting head office for a Discovery Day, I was thrilled to see there was a support system for every one of the franchisees, whether they had just started out or had been in the franchise for 10 years. After initial training, I experienced this support right away. The Quick Start team was continuously guiding, encouraging, teaching, and even challenging me to be the most successful franchisee.

Schooley Mitchell provides you with all the tools necessary to run your business. The CRM comes equipped with specific accoutrements that connect franchisees with referral partners, prospects and clients. Most processes are automated and require just a click of your mouse. To top it off, there is an annual conference to share in the success, learn tips and tricks from other franchisees, and discover new opportunities. The system Schooley Mitchell has created for success is one of the most comprehensive systems I have ever seen.

I am just over six months in since I started. It has been one of the best decisions I have ever made in my entrepreneurial life. The success I have experienced has been more than I imagined, and the support was even better than what was promised. The only regret I have is not finding Schooley Mitchell sooner in my career.

If you are like most people looking for a new opportunity, you probably have a million questions: “Will it work for me?” “Is this for real?” “Why have I never heard of Schooley Mitchell?” Take your time and dig deep. You will find the staff at head office and the other franchisees are more than willing to help you.

To quote JFK, “A rising tide will lift all ships.” Schooley Mitchell is doing everything it can to raise the tide. Is your ship in the water?

Treigh Hubbard
Business Optimization Specialist

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January 19, 2019

There’s a lot to summarize when describing my experience and impressions of a Schooley Mitchell franchise. As you investigate potential business opportunities, you likely have a checklist of your own. For me, Schooley Mitchell exceeded my criteria. With a strong value proposition that works no matter the economic conditions, a quick ramp-up period, ROI, and the ability to earn an unlimited income, I knew this was something I had to pursue. The information I received in the discovery process
only further cemented my choice to become a franchisee. I was met with a professional and friendly environment when I attended a Discovery Day and found a corporate culture that aligns with my beliefs and values.

Even though I spent my career in Sales and Marketing at the C-suite level representing several Fortune 500 companies, I found the training at Schooley Mitchell added to my skillset and gave me the recipe to be successful. Even someone who does not have a sales background but is willing to practice the strategies laid out, will no doubt be successful if they follow the recipe.

The backend support is phenomenal. We use an intranet system called the Warehouse that houses our CRM, marketing collateral, training materials, webinars, and the list goes on. I have not come across an instance where a template I needed was not already there.

The staff at head office has been amazing and they hold every franchisee accountable. I view them as key members of my team who genuinely root for my success every step of the way. The other franchisees also want to see you do well and are willing to answer questions and share best practices.

I am only six months in, and within the last month I have really started to gain traction in my business. More clients are signing off on the Value Reports I present – in some instances it takes a while, but persistence pays off. Once I have final sign-off on these reports, I will have recovered my franchise cost. My current clients love what I am doing for them and have started giving me referrals, so the revenue stream will continue to flow. Now that I have a better feel for the business, I am in the process of hiring additional staff in order to accelerate sales and growth.

If you are like me, you might be tired of corporate America. The pressures of hitting the numbers, managing a team, and being away from family while at the mercy of company demands can take its toll. If you are looking to design a career and lifestyle on your terms, then consider Schooley Mitchell. You will experience amazing guidance, the ability to create a business with realizable value, and a strong exit strategy.

Rob Newcombe

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January 19, 2019

I wanted to take a moment and share with you my experience as a Schooley Mitchell franchise owner. Prior to investing into this franchise system, I had spent eight years in B2B sales. When I came across the Schooley Mitchell business opportunity, my strengths and career experience were a perfect match and it just made sense to move forward.

Where Schooley Mitchell sets itself apart as a franchise is in the support it offers. I was impressed at the support I received within my first year (and continue to receive three years later). As convenient as it is to operate a business from your home, you can also feel isolated. The weekly call with my Quick Start coach really kept me focused, motivated, and on track to building my business, which is critical in your first year. The marketing support was also top-notch. What’s great is there is a team at head office to assist you in managing your website and marketing your business through social media. Head office also offers ongoing sales coaching, monthly webinars, and additional information sessions after your initial training to help solidify your foundation as a consultant.

The Warehouse is our CRM and reporting system that is extremely user friendly. It’s easy to navigate and helps keeps your business organized. We generate reports for our clients to show them the areas they are overspending and how we can help them save money. It’s a streamlined process that makes the analysis simple.

One of the main things that attracted me to the Schooley Mitchell franchise system was the business model. It’s a no-risk, no-lose opportunity for our clients. If we find savings, the client pays us a portion of the found money. If we don’t find savings, they just received a free audit from us and reassurance they are optimized. With each sales call and meeting, you never know what you could find.

It’s important to remember your success hinges on what you put into the business. You must be willing to consistently network and make calls. Persistence really pays off, and some of my most skeptical clients were the ones I found the biggest savings for, which is genuinely rewarding at the end of the day.

Sincerely,

Ryan Dryden
Strategic-Partner

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January 23, 2019

To Whom It May Concern,

After thirty plus years of various global financial leadership roles, I decided to become a business owner. After looking at numerous existing small businesses and franchise systems, I made the choice to join Schooley Mitchell.

Schooley Mitchell met my criteria for joining a franchise system. Some features that really stood out were: 

• Our performance-based cost reduction services are beneficial to all businesses
• My prior financial management expertise and experience would be transferable to my new business
• Our margins are attractive given our high value-add to clients and low overhead
• It affords me the opportunity to become more involved in the local business community

We have a strong network of franchisees who are always willing to help each other succeed. Our Head Office team is great to work with and since they handle our production operations, it allows me more opportunity to provide great service to existing clients and network with prospects.

Joining Schooley Mitchell was the right decision for me and I look forward to continued growth and profitability.

Sincerely,

Rich Bartolotta

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January 30, 2019

What led me to consider a Schooley Mitchell franchise opportunity was an unusual chain of events. In my previous life, I was VP of Sales for a specialty contracting company. Due to unforeseen circumstances and changes in the business, I sold my shares and began seeking new opportunities. My former college roommate was a Schooley Mitchell franchise owner and he was doing very well. Like me, he did not have a background in telecom, which was our sole service offering at the time. I purchased the franchise almost seven years ago and haven’t looked back.

What attracted me the most to Schooley Mitchell was the variety of organizations we can target as expense reduction consultants. There are virtually no limits in this business – we can target any market we want across all verticals, industries, and sectors, both private and public. I almost always find that companies have at least two of the services in which we offer consulting.

Being part of the Schooley Mitchell franchise system means you will have access to what I consider our most important resource – the Warehouse. All of my clients are housed here, along with production tools that I use regularly, Sales and Marketing libraries, training videos, and webinars, which are hosted at least once a month. During my time with Schooley Mitchell, the marketing and production tools have drastically improved, and I am quite happy with the content available. Additionally, I still find myself referring to the Sales and Marketing manual I received during my training because it is full of valuable information.

Another asset to joining a franchise system is the support you will receive, which I have found to be outstanding at Schooley Mitchell. The responsiveness is impressive; I have never felt that my questions or concerns were not being addressed. I have come to rely heavily on the production team at head office in the last couple of years due to a new referral partner that brings me large telecom accounts. The team I work with are flexible, adaptive, and they handle my requests with a positive and eager attitude. Recently, I had a last-minute request that required extra manpower and time from the production team, and they arranged for additional resources so I could promptly deliver to my client.

I discovered early on that there is also a large support network between franchisees. As part of my due-diligence, I had contacted several franchisees when first examining Schooley Mitchell. A few months into my business, some of them reached out to me personally to check in and see how I was doing. They didn’t have any obligation to contact me but did so because they really believe in supporting one another. That really stuck with me, and now I do the same for new franchisees.

Schooley Mitchell is an ideal opportunity for someone who wants unlimited growth potential in their business and the flexibility to work with multiple industries. One my favorite parts of this business is that I am a trusted resource for my clients, rather than another vendor selling a product or service. Companies call me because they trust me. I feel like my clients are happy to pay me because it is proof that they are saving money and increasing their bottom line. It’s immensely fulfilling to be valued in your career, and you will have that with a Schooley Mitchell franchise.

Sincerely,

Matt Denburg