Blog Post

After a successful and fun 19 year long career in book sales, Bert, who was then the owner of Starbooks in Winnipeg, understood that the way people were buying gifts was changing. While the business was exciting and, as Bert describes it “like Christmas every day,” he knew that it was time to start looking for something new with a business model (and product) that could stand the test of time.

Being an entrepreneur his whole life, Bert started looking into various business ownership opportunities. When he came across an ad for Postcard Portables he was immediately drawn to the possibilities – a proven franchise system, comparably low overhead, and entrepreneurship, to name a few. Additionally, as much as the freedom of ownership appealed to Bert, the opportunity to still remain very active in the local business community was a solid selling point. Having spent so many years in sales engaging with other entrepreneurs, the networking aspect of Postcard Portables presented itself as a great way to continue doing what Bert was so great at and really enjoyed.

Three years has quickly passed since Bert joined the Postcard Portables team and so far his favourite part of being a franchisee is the built-in opportunity to learn from others. He says “You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. There is a system in place that will guide you and help you make things happen.” The learning curve is much shorter. Bert also likes that the business has a built-in advertising system in that the signs created for others also sell the signs themselves. “The more signs that are out there, the more they are noticed and the more you will inevitably put up for others.” says Bert.

We asked Bert “What do you love most about being part of the Postcard Portables team?” To which he replied “The people. I love getting out there, both with the team and also just in the community.” He says “One joy is that there is a story behind every sign and you get to know your customers very well. This absolutely leads to a sense of pride when I see my sign out there, supporting a local business, knowing that I put it up for them.”

If you’re considering purchasing a franchise, here are some words of wisdom from Bert “Like every entrepreneur, be prepared to work very hard. Try to anticipate your roadblocks before you encounter them. Most importantly, the customer is always right! Customer satisfaction is priority number one.”