While attending high school in 1989 and working late evening shift at a neighbourhood Burger King franchise location, Bala Kumar realized that there was a room for a company to serve restaurants with nightly cleaning services. So dropping out of high school, he soon pursue the dream of creating a cleaning company that only cleaned restaurants. Now 25 years later, American restaurant service Inc. has become the largest restaurant and movie theater cleaning provider in Canada serving every brands of chains in Canada and most famous brands of casual commercial cleaning franchise chains in USA.
In 2004, Bala Kumar once again realizes a real need for an commercial exhaust hood cleaning services to fill the needs of national customers. So he created Hood Cleaners of America. In the last 10 years Hood cleaners of America has become the top 3 players in the Canada serving just about every major chains of restaurants.
Mr. Kumar still over sees the 2 companies with over 1000 customers across USA and Canada. He is married with 3 daughters residing in London Ontario.
BeTheBoss.ca: Tell us about the Hood Cleaner of America Franchise concept.
Bala Kumar: HCA Franchise was created in 2004 to fill a niche for a quality exhaust hood company right across the landscape and with that in mind, the name was created from the get go to serve right across America.
BTB: How and when did you become involved with HCA Franchise Business?
BK: From day one as I am the creator of the brand. Until 2008, I managed the Ontario operations and some of the Canadian US expansion on a day to day basis.
BTB: What was your background prior to joining HCA ?
BK: Involved with daily facility cleaning in the commercial cleaning industry right across Canada.
BTB: What are some of the advantages in being a HCA franchise business owner?
BK: Corporate Support, Excellent training, Established National accounts, Recession proof industry.
BTB: Who is your ideal franchisee for this franchise opportunity?
BK: Prior rest owners / managers anyone who is motivated into the service based business.
Someone who has an established existing services related business with existing accounts such as hotels, restaurants, schools.
BTB: Tell us a little about the Commercial Cleaning Market?
BK: The hood cleaning industry came into existence when commercial cleaning organizations (like HCA) recognized that kitchen overhead areas were not being properly maintained. It's easy for tired kitchen staff to simply put this task off day after day. Over a period of time, the hood fans and exhaust areas can not only get greasy and unsightly, the area turns into a potentially dangerous fire hazard as well.
BTB: What are some of the greatest lessons you’ve learned in growing this commercial cleaning franchise?
BK: Greatest lesson learned in growing this franchise business is knowing that we have a guaranteed stream of income because this industry is regulated by the fire marshals adding the dollar value for the service plus a small amt of competitors in any given marked gives the brand a very unique franchise opportunity.
BTB: Do you have a mentor and is their someone you use for inspiration?
BK: GM CEO Walsh & Sam Walton
BTB: What advice do you have for someone looking to acquire a Franchise Business?
BK: Just because you may have enough funds to buy into a franchise or get into a service based business, does not automatically qualify anyone to be a franchisee. My question to you is, are you ready to work? Do you have the passion to dot his work and are you ready to become hands on? If the answer is yes this franchise opportunity could be for you.
BTB: In your opinion, why do you think that HCA would be a great franchise opportunity for someone?
BK: Our company offers a quality business opportunity simply because our brand is recognized by most if not all national brands clear across Canada.
