Aicha Bascaro, From Pizza Delivery Girl to Global Franchise Mentor

Photo Credit: Avery Stehr

Throughout her journey, Aicha Bascaro gathered a vast array of experiences in hands-on franchise operations, management, and team leadership. Her passion is helping franchisees and independent business owners in the US and around the world be more successful. She is a veteran in the franchise industry and author The Franchise Fix and Multi-Unit Franchise Mastery. Recently, she was listed in the Nation's Restaurant News Power LIST of 2022. 

Can you tell our readers about your background?

It all started when I had my first little business, a boutique that imported fabrics and products from Guatemala, where I'm originally from. I opened it after graduating from college thinking I knew everything I needed to know to be a successful business owner. Of course, a young, naive me find out fairly quickly that that was not the case and within a year, I had to close my store before getting into any debt. To pay the bills and keep moving forward, I became a pizza delivery driver. That’s when I entered the franchise world. Little did I know that that temporary decision was going to end up being a love affair with the franchise world. I went from delivering pizza to assistant manager, then unit manager, and district manager later on, and eventually, I joined the international ranks of Domino's Pizza, opening franchises around the world, supporting franchisees, and running a massive franchise organization on behalf of the franchisees. I also worked on other food corporations, directly with CEOs and high executives, running large regions for top franchise brands. After a very successful 25 years of corporate career, I decided to found The American Franchise Academy to share all of the knowledge, experience, tools, and resources that I acquired with those franchisees that needed it to become more successful.

What inspired you to start your business?

The reality is that I left the corporate world to have a sabbatical and spend time with my family. But I started to get phone calls from franchisees that knew me from the past, who were asking me for help with coaching and consulting support because they were struggling with their businesses. That inspired me to venture out on my own and to help people that really needed it because they couldn't get this help anywhere else in the market. Phillip, the first franchisee phone call who asked me for help, was the one that planted the seed of what eventually became my business, The American Franchise Academy.

Where is your business based?

We are based out of Atlanta, Georgia, but our customers are anywhere in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and all around the world since we are a virtual academy.

How did you start your business? What where were the first steps you took?

After coaching and consulting some franchisees and helping some brands, the first step to officially professionalize my business was writing The Franchise Fix, a book that summarizes all the things, systems, and processes that I wanted to teach franchisees. This was also a request from one of my franchise clients. Then came the programs to teach the processes, which eventually became the current programs of The Academy to help our franchise business owners. The first one is The Command Program, where we teach coach franchisees through the process of creating systems and procedures for all of the aspects of their business so that they can then pass this information to their team and delegate operations. The goal is for them to find time and financial freedom because the business operates smoothly without them being involved in the day-to-day. The second program is directed to the development of multi-unit leaders, which are the district managers that oversee multiple units on behalf of the franchisee. There is no training in the market right now to help them do their job effectively.

What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?

Reaching out to people that we think we can help, one by one. As we reach out to them, we build our relationship and provide the knowledge and information of what we can offer and how can we help them. We also have a consistent delivery of valuable content, across all of our platforms and social media, so that people can see what we know and what we can do for them and their businesses. 

What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?

To find our clients on a more massive way beyond the one-by-one technique. Although it has been a successful strategy so far, we are looking for is ways to reach more people so that they can find us and use us to achieve their business goals.

How do you stay focused?

By remembering every day our purpose. The reason The Academy was created is to defend and protect the American dream of business ownership through franchising. All that we do and everything that we create is all towards that purpose. 

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

Our competition offers specialized services. Some focus on the people, others on finances, or the marketing area of businesses. The American Franchise Academy provides business owners with a full strategic overview of their company. We also don’t stay on the side of theory; we go deep into actual tactics. We grab all of the aspects that a business owner needs and give them the exact step by step on how to do it. We are very different from what’s out there and that is why clients fin us, join us, and stay with us.

What has been the most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?

I can’t say it’s been one in particular. I think having a different set of activities to get exposure across different platforms and mediums, from static to video, and providing valuable content has been the best marketing strategy. I cannot pinpoint one specific thing, because I think that all that we do, working together, has brought us to where we are today.

What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?

My best advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs is to make sure that whatever they decide to do is something that they love and are passionate about. That’ll get them through the ups and downs. Otherwise, it would be very difficult to go through everything that entrepreneurship implies. The joy for me, my life and what I do is in the journey, not so much in getting where I want to go. But I truly enjoy doing it every single day. If I wasn't doing something that I’m passionate about, it would be a lot harder and it wouldn't be worth it. 

What's your favorite app, blog, and book, and why?

My favorite book, aside from my first book The Franchise Fix, is from John Maxwell: The 21 indispensable qualities of a leader. I read it a long time ago and always keep a copy of it because while I do not consider myself a leadership expert, I just strive to get better and better. This book, I think, is critical to remember the principles of what it means to be a leader. As for my favorite blog, I don't read them, but I do see blogs on YouTube and my favorite one happens to be Roots and Refuge, a gardening blog that I really enjoy. My current favorite app is Monday.com. It helps us manage our students, clients, communication, and marketing calendar at The Academy so we can be better organized, more consistent, and faster at doing the work that we do. It really has made a huge difference in our performance. 

What's your favorite business tool or resource and why?

My favorite business tool right now is this platform called Kajabi, where we house our online learning center. It has allowed us to present the information in a very professional, easy-to-access way, and it has elevated the quality in which we deliver our products.

Who is your business role model and why?

Her name is Kelly Roach. She is the president and CEO of The Unstoppable Entrepreneur Organization. I think that just as my franchisees need a coach, I as a coach also need a coach to keep elevating my abilities and my skills. And I am part of her coaching program, where I have learned a lot from how she manages her business and how she has grown and expanded. 

How do you balance work and life?

The way I look at the balance between work and life is more like a work-life harmony. Because sometimes you have to work more and spend less time with family, and others you are able to dedicate fewer hours to the business and spend more time with your loved ones. I think it is more about the quality rather than the quantity. Also, I make sure that I am available to my family and that they know that if they need me, I will always be there for them. 

What's your favorite way to decompress?

As human beings, we're not all about work. A passion I discovered in the last couple of years is gardening. It has been a kind of a sanctuary or a refuge from the day-to-day stresses of work and something that helps me with my mindset and health. When I need a break, I get up from my desk, run to my garden, put on a pair of gloves, and spend 10 minutes there. Even in my business suit, I dig a hole or weed my garden while I listen to nice music, concentrating on the dirt and the soil. And then, I go back to work. It is amazing how much this regenerates my spirit and energy!

What do you have planned for the next six months?

We want to be more impactful and purposeful in the marketing that we do every day to be more effective and efficient. We do have systems and processes and we have gotten very far, but we want to become better. It's time to elevate our team and organization to the next level.

How can our readers connect with you?

If you like to hear more about us, go to our website www.https://www.americanfranchiseacademy.com, or connect with us on our YouTube channel The American Franchise Academy. You can also send us a message on our website. We will love to hear from you!