Top Franchise Development Executives of 2024: Colette Bell, VP of Franchise Development, Ace Handyman Services

When Colette Bell and her husband Andy started Handyman Matters in 1998, they had no idea it would one day be their ticket into the world of franchising. After launching the franchise opportunity in 2001 and seeing major growth, the brand was acquired by Ace Hardware in 2019 and rebranded to Ace Handyman Services. As vice president of franchise development, Bell has continued to lead the brand’s growth, expanding from 119 territories to 389 across 47 states.

1851: Tell us about your brand.

Colette Bell: My husband and I started Handyman Matters back in 1998 because we had a baby on the way and were tired of corporate America. Once we had a business model that had some legs, we opened three corporate locations in California. We franchised it ourselves in 2001, and Andy and I had the blessing of selling the franchise business to Ace Hardware in 2019, which provided us with additional resources.

First and foremost, the brand name carries a lot of weight with candidates. You don’t get to be 100 years old in America without being good to customers. Also, our other franchisees are thrilled with the business. We don’t sell franchises — we call it “awarding” them. The only thing that sells franchises is other franchisees.

1851: How did you get into franchising?

Bell: Along the way, I’ve done a little bit of everything. When we went through the acquisition with Ace Hardware, the only thing I hadn’t done in the world of franchising was development.

1851: Are there any keys to consistent franchise growth?

Bell: Franchising is all about relationships. Our success comes from finding the right people — those who have the skillset to be a good match with our business model and have the necessary funding. It’s also about cultural fit. It can be challenging to keep all of these things in focus, but we've had many third renewals, which speaks to the strength of those relationships.

1851: What are the biggest hurdles to successful franchise growth right now?

Bell: High interest rates have been a factor for the past year. We’ve recently seen some reduction, which is favorable for 2025. Presidential elections tend to slow things down, as they make people nervous. Labor is also a significant concern — people don’t know if they’ll be able to find and retain good employees. If you can’t find a handyman, you don’t have a handyman business.

1851: Are there any common mistakes you see franchisors making when trying to grow?

Bell: You can grow too fast and outgrow your support and training. It’s easy to get caught up when a concept catches fire and you can quickly find people who want to start franchising. However, you also need people to help you grow. One issue we often see is the ratio of sold/not-open locations. This can be problematic and even lead to lawsuits if the franchise owner never opens the business.

1851: What is your number one goal at the moment?

Bell: I want to make sure that every single franchise owner we bring into the system is a good fit for them. Whatever is right for the franchise candidate ends up being right for the franchisor. It’s not just about hitting goals on our side; it’s about the individual person. We’ve seen some of our franchisees’ children grow up and even come to work for us. Getting into franchising impacts people’s lives and families, and it's important to ensure it’s the right thing for them.