Victor Daher Shares His Journey from Immigrant Roots to Fostering Diverse Franchise Ownership
Victor Daher decided on a career in franchising at an early age. His family lived in Brazil, where his father owned a cleaning service and worked diligently to expand that business and become a franchisor. Eventually, threats forced the family to emigrate to the United States, where his father again built up a franchise business.
“I was able to watch my father grow from a small business owner to a franchisor,” Daher says. “But most importantly, I was able to see my father support his franchisees and saw those franchisees who came into his brand with zero knowledge in the industry excel and build generational business wealth for themselves and their families. From that moment on, I was a true believer in the franchise model and couldn’t see myself doing anything else with my career.”
Today, as vice president of franchise development for Batteries Plus, Daher helps others fulfill their own version of the American dream of owning a business.
Daher has seen first-hand the benefits that business ownership has provided to immigrants. On the other hand, he has also witnessed discrimination against immigrants that limited their economic opportunities. “I firmly believe that business/franchise ownership is the best way for any immigrant to achieve their dream and build a legacy for themselves in the United States,” he says. “No matter where you are from or what the color of your skin is, franchising affords an equal opportunity for an individual to achieve their lifelong dream as a business owner.”
Businesses owned by immigrants also boost the economy at large. A report by the International Franchise Association (IFA) says that immigrant-owned franchises employ more than 8 million people and generate more than $800 billion in economic output in the United States.
At Batteries Plus, we pride ourselves in having an extremely diverse group of franchisees.
Diversity and Inclusion
Daher sees diversity and inclusion in franchising as a strength that benefits the organization as well as the individuals. “At Batteries Plus, we pride ourselves in having an extremely diverse group of franchisees,” he says, “not because I am a minority and immigrant myself, but because the more diversity we have, the more perspectives we have within our franchise organization.” Different points of view are invaluable in shaping new strategies, he says.
In his role, he meets with franchise candidates from various ethnicities, cultures and backgrounds. “If you think about it, isn’t that who we are as a country?” he asks. “One minute we are speaking with a veteran who fought for our country but is now looking to start their own business with their family, and the next we are chatting with a candidate who just recently moved from another country and wants to create their own version of their American dream through our business model.”
One of the initiatives that has been implemented during Daher’s time at Batteries Plus is the “commercial first” program, which allows new franchisees to begin selling commercially before they start retail sales and even before they open their physical location or spend money on rent and wages. New franchisees are supported by a commercial coach for the first year they are in business, helping them land commercial accounts during the first few months. “This commercial coach is a B2B expert who works closely with the franchisee to help work leads, submit quotes and close deals while the franchisee continues to learn on the job,” he says. “This program has allowed our new franchise owners to hit the ground running and has certainly accelerated their time to profitability as they ramp up their new business.”
Nationwide Expansion
Batteries Plus aims to continue expanding in the United States, Daher says, but the company is looking beyond the borders to the international market, and he can draw on his previous experience in international franchise development to help drive that effort. “Of course, Batteries Plus has done a tremendous job over the last 30 years in growing our brand and making it a household name throughout the country,” he says, “… but we are certain of the potential this brand brings to international markets.”
He notes that many developing countries lack a stable power grid, leading to frequent blackouts — a problem that Batteries Plus is well positioned to help with. “We believe that Batteries Plus has the potential to be a globally recognized brand synonymous with batteries and portable power solutions,” he says.
Providing solutions and helping others succeed is what he considers the most rewarding part of his job. “This is why I am so passionate about what I do,” Daher says. “I have the opportunity to affect real change in the franchisee’s life and change their lives forever.”
