Samantha Sherman: Guiding Franchisees to Thrive Beyond the Rulebook?

Franchising offers a unique path to business ownership—one that combines the independence of entrepreneurship with the structure of an established brand. But while the model provides a roadmap, success isn’t as simple as following directions. Behind every thriving franchise is an owner juggling financial targets, operational standards, customer expectations, and team dynamics. Striking the right balance between adhering to the brand’s framework and making smart, independent decisions can be a challenge, and for many, the difference between struggle and success comes down to one thing: guidance. 

Owning a business is often portrayed as a leap of faith, but franchise ownership is more like a high-stakes relay race. You’re handed the baton of an established brand, but what you do next—how you run, who you rely on, and how you adapt—determines the outcome. Many franchisees step into ownership with passion but quickly realize that passion alone doesn’t keep the doors open. Financial management, leadership, and operational efficiency are skills that must be sharpened. And while franchisors provide the playbook, they don’t always offer the hands-on coaching needed to turn a struggling location into a profitable one. This is where business coaching transforms from a luxury into a necessity. 

Samantha Sherman knows this better than most. Having once been in a franchisee’s shoes, she saw the gaps firsthand—the moments where an extra layer of support could have made all the difference. 

Turning Lessons into Legacies 

Samantha Sherman’s journey into business coaching was shaped by her firsthand experience as a franchisee. While she benefited from corporate support, she also identified areas where additional guidance could have significantly impacted her growth and success. This realization ignited her passion for helping other franchisees navigate the complexities of business ownership more effectively. She aspired to provide the support she had received while also addressing the gaps she had encountered. 

Over the years, her coaching approach has evolved considerably. Initially, she concentrated on operational best practices and ensuring franchisees adhered to brand standards. However, she soon recognized that successful coaching extends beyond processes. Today, she focuses on empowering franchisees with the confidence, mindset, and leadership skills necessary to make informed business decisions, fostering long-term success. 

Samantha is a Franchise Business Coach with over 10 years of experience supporting and coaching franchisees. She leads an active life in Toronto with her husband and son and values the strong work-life balance that her career allows her to maintain. 

Passionate about travel, Samantha seizes every opportunity to explore new destinations, discover great restaurants, and experience live music. Her career not only fuels her enthusiasm for business growth but also provides her with the flexibility and autonomy to pursue her personal interests while making a meaningful impact in the franchise industry. 

Turning Franchise Dreams into Thriving Realities 

Samantha Sherman employs a combination of strategic planning, operational excellence, and leadership development to help franchisees achieve measurable success. 

One of her key strategies is guiding business owners in creating and maintaining a comprehensive business plan. She emphasizes the importance of having a clear roadmap to profitability, which includes a deep understanding of financial benchmarks such as break-even points. By providing franchisees with tools to track and analyze relevant metrics, she helps them identify trends, understand benchmarks, and make informed business decisions that drive growth. 

Operational efficiency is another critical focus of her coaching. She works with franchisees to optimize daily operations while implementing scalable systems and processes that support growth without compromising quality or value. 

Recognizing that a strong team is fundamental to success, she also prioritizes leadership and team development. She coaches franchisees on hiring, training, and retaining high-performing employees while fostering leadership skills that contribute to a positive and productive workplace culture. 

Beyond strategy, Samantha emphasizes the importance of accountability and mindset. She understands that business ownership comes with challenges and that resilience, perspective, and a commitment to continuous improvement are essential. As an accountability partner, she helps franchisees stay focused, motivated, and committed to achieving their goals. 

Crafting Personalized Roadmaps  

Samantha tailors her coaching methods to meet the unique needs of each franchisee by starting with a comprehensive "contracting & info" session. This initial meeting allows her to gain a deep understanding of their specific challenges, strengths, and goals. By taking the time to assess their individual circumstances, she ensures that her coaching not only supports business success but also aligns with their personal and professional aspirations. 

During this session, she also establishes a coaching agreement that outlines mutual commitments, including the frequency of sessions, expectations for engagement, and methods for measuring progress. This structured approach enables her to provide personalized guidance while fostering accountability and long-term growth. 

Overcoming Financial and Leadership Roadblocks 

Samantha frequently helps business owners overcome common roadblocks, particularly in financial management and leadership. While many entrepreneurs are deeply passionate about their businesses, not all have a strong financial background. She works closely with them to enhance their budgeting, cash flow management, and profitability strategies, ensuring they become confident in reviewing and understanding their P&L statements. Her approach is not just about driving profitability but also about helping business owners understand the steps needed to reach their next milestone. 

Another significant challenge she addresses is leadership and team management. Hiring, training, and retaining the right team members are among the most difficult aspects of running a business. Many owners struggle with delegation—either holding onto tasks they should delegate or attempting to hand off responsibilities that are still best managed by them. Samantha provides coaching on leadership development and effective communication, guiding business owners in identifying their greatest opportunities for growth and optimizing their team dynamics. 

Leveraging Cross-Industry Insights for Innovation 

Samantha is a naturally curious individual with a passion for learning new concepts, tools, and resources. She actively engages in peer groups within her professional community and regularly explores case studies on a wide range of businesses, regardless of industry or brand. Having worked with different brands across multiple industries, she has discovered that many frameworks and best practices are highly transferable. While each business has its own unique nuances, Samantha recognizes the vast potential for adaptation and successful application across different sectors. She leverages insights from various industries to gain fresh perspectives and develop innovative solutions that drive impactful results. 

Cultivating Resilience, Growth, and Success 

Samantha emphasizes the critical role mindset plays in business success, particularly in franchising, where owners must balance structure with adaptability. She believes that a growth-oriented mindset enables franchisees to navigate challenges effectively, embrace continuous learning, and stay motivated during difficult times. 

At Blo Blow Dry Bar, the importance of mindset is a key focus of her coaching. In 2023, one of the franchisees recommended the book The Wealthy Franchisee, which explores the mental and emotional attributes of top-performing franchisees. After reading it, CEO Vanessa Yakobson recognized its value and arranged for all franchisees to receive a copy. Samantha frequently references insights from this book and others in her coaching sessions, reinforcing the importance of mindset in achieving success. 

She helps franchisees build resilience and confidence by encouraging them to shift from a reactive to a proactive mindset, take ownership of their results, and focus on solutions rather than obstacles. Through accountability, strategic planning, and leadership coaching, Samantha guides business owners in developing the mental toughness needed to overcome setbacks and maintain a positive outlook. She believes that those who cultivate the right mindset are the ones who transform challenges into opportunities and ultimately thrive in their businesses. 

Medals of Merit 

One of the most rewarding aspects of Samantha’s work as a business coach is witnessing the tangible impact her guidance has on both a business and its owner’s personal growth. A success story that stands out is that of a franchisee who was struggling with profitability due to high team turnover. Lacking confidence in their ability to run the business, they felt overwhelmed and questioned whether they had made the right decision in becoming a business owner. 

Through coaching, Samantha implemented a structured approach, starting with refining their recruitment and training processes. She introduced new onboarding and retention techniques, which helped the franchisee build a stronger, more engaged team. As a result, customer service and operational efficiency improved significantly. Once the team was stabilized, the focus shifted to financial clarity. Together, they identified areas of opportunity and implemented cost-saving strategies. 

Over time, the franchisee not only turned their business around but also experienced a profound mindset shift. They transitioned from constantly feeling behind and putting out fires to confidently and proactively growing their business. More importantly, they found renewed happiness and fulfillment in their role. For Samantha, witnessing this professional and personal transformation was both inspiring and deeply rewarding.  

The Art of Guiding Without Dictating 

Samantha believes that a key aspect of business coaching is understanding what it is not. A coach is not a mentor, consultant, boss, or trainer who dictates what to do, nor someone who simply agrees or reassures. Instead, a business coach provides perspective, tools, and strategies that empower individuals to think critically, make confident decisions, and take ownership of their success. 

Her advice to aspiring business coaches is to listen closely and ask thoughtful questions. She emphasizes that clients already have the answers—they just need guidance in uncovering them. By asking the right questions and considering where a client currently stands versus where they want to go, a coach can help them gain clarity and direction. According to Samantha, the most impactful coaching comes from fostering self-discovery and empowering clients to navigate their own paths to success.