Business: Franchise management software
Born: Gatineau
Biggest business achievement: Founded a high-tech startup named FranchiseBlast that supported more than 100 franchise brands before being acquired by FranConnect.
OBJ360 (Sponsored)
Upgrading tech without the price tag: How one Ottawa company is changing the game
They say, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” But what if it’s outdated? Keeping up with the latest technologies can be a challenge when the pace of innovation is
Esmee Bennison says she wasn’t sure what she wanted to do with her life back in Grade 11, when she enroled in a technological design class at uOttawa. She had
Biggest obstacle overcome: Starting with no money right out of university, managed to bootstrap the company to its exit with no outside equity funding.
Biggest influences: Becoming a teaching assistant for Daniel Amyot (and later doing my master’s under his supervision) marked a pivotal moment in my self-confidence, which was critical in my development as an entrepreneur.
Biggest lesson learned during COVID-19: Avoid knee-jerk reactions. Even as many of our clients were being shut down by governments, we decided to take our time before making any major decisions. In the end, we made no layoffs and staff appreciated our transparency.
Charitable involvement: I’m a big fan of kiva.org, helping other entrepreneurs help themselves.
First job: Phone surveys in a call center
Advice I’d give the younger me: Surround yourself with people who excel at your weaknesses, but don’t be afraid to learn their skills and apply them yourself.
