Responses from Kevin Lake, President and Chief Marketing Officer,
HandyBee Home Maintenance & Repair Services
.
.
1. BeTheBoss.ca: Tell us about the HandyBee concept.
Kevin Lake: Handyperson services are in high demand. Canada is experiencing a looming shortage in skilled tradespeople who homeowners and commercial property managers have traditionally relied upon to complete many on-going home maintenance and repair projects that are required in maintaining their residential and rental properties. As a result, Handyperson services are becoming increasingly valuable in meeting their needs in addressing all of the various projects on their “To-Do” list, from seasonal maintenance like yard work, landscaping and power-washing of decks to home renovation projects like basement and room renos to appliance installations. If you are a handyperson, this could be the perfect opportunity for you to become your own boss and/or employ other handypersons to support a business that you can call your own.
.
2. BeTheBoss.ca: How and when did you become involved with HandyBee?
Kevin Lake: Tom Jacques (Founder and CEO) of Hickory Dickory Decks (Canada’s largest deck builder) had long recognized that an incredible opportunity existed to leverage the home improvement industry franchise system expertise that our affiliate company possessed by establishing a complimentary franchise model with the home maintenance and repair sector. Tom asked me to launch this new franchise system and serve as the President and Chief Marketing Officer. I have always been an avid carpenter and handyperson myself. Back in 1990, prior to embarking on my corporate career, I worked as a Crew Leader/Carpenter with Hickory Dickory Decks, so I guess you'd say taking on the HandyBee leadership role was destiny. HandyBee was launched June 2025 and is now up to 7 franchises in Ontario and Nova Scotia and growing !
.
3. BeTheBoss.ca: What was your background prior to joining HandyBee?
Kevin Lake: Prior to becoming the President and CMO of HandyBee, I held a diverse range of senior executive roles at the Vice President and Senior Director level in an over 30-year career within the consumer-packaged goods & retail food & beverage industry across North America. I have held functional roles and led large-scale teams in Marketing, Strategy, Innovation, Category Management, Insights & Analytics and Sales with several major companies including Kraft Foods, PepsiCo, ConAgra Foods, Maple Leaf Consumer Products, Irving Consumer Products, ARYZTA (Aspire Bakeries) and Sobeys. I have also served as the President & Founder of i34g Consulting, a privately held marketing, strategy & innovation consulting firm and have supported Hickory Dickory Decks in the capacity of Director of Franchise Development since January 1, 2024. I hold a Bachelor of Commerce degree from McMaster University, where I focused on marketing, finance and accounting.
.
4. BeTheBoss.ca: What are some of the advantages in being a HandyBee franchisee ?
Kevin Lake: There are many advantage in becoming a HandyBee Home Maintenance & Repair Services franchise owner. One of the top advantages is our affiliation with Hickory Dickory Decks, Canada’s largest deck-builder and a well-established franchise system with company roots dating back to 1987. Our HandyBee franchise owners become part of our broader team and have access to customer leads generated by our Hickory Dickory Decks franchises. Our franchisees are featured on our handybee.ca website and are provided with a 24/7 call center that provides customer leads to them. We have created turn-key marketing materials including brochures, signage, door-hangers and marketing collateral materials to support events and canvassing. We have a Moneris transaction management system available to manage payments, a back-end portal on our website to log all customer date by franchisee, Operations and Sales Training Manuals and a Head Office support team to assist our franchisees.
.
5. BeTheBoss.ca: Tell us a little about the Home Improvement Market?
Kevin Lake: Home improvement is a multi-billion industry in Canada with many Canadians in need of the home maintenance and repair services that HandyBee provides. There are 9.2 million boomers in Canada, the vast majority of whom are committed to aging in place and renovating their homes regularly. There are also 7.9 million Millennials, a cohort that is immersed in their careers and raising their families. Both of these sizable segments in the population are in need of professional help in maintaining their homes and managing their on-going “To-Do List” of various renovation projects. As skilled tradespeople are retiring, Canadians are experiencing a shortage of skilled tradespeople, which has dramatically increased the value of the local Handyperson, who can tackle the myriads of tasks that they need accomplished from yard work to painting to carpentry to major renovations. This resurgence of handyperson services has created an opportunity to leverage our franchise system management expertise and build a strong and growing brand in HandyBee.
.
6. BeTheBoss.ca: What are some of the greatest lessons you’ve learned in growing this franchise?
Kevin Lake: There are many Canadians who are seeking an opportunity to be their own boss and own their own business, however many of these aspiring entrepreneurs have stated that starting your own small business without support and experience can be a daunting task. Our expertise in growing a successful franchise network with Hickory Dickory Decks serves as a great advantage in the launch of HandyBee as a complimentary division. I have also learned that as a franchisor you need to be patient in working with prospective franchise owners to allow them sufficient time to carefully consider the franchise opportunity, provide opportunities to speak with existing franchisees and demonstrate continuous support and full transparency throughout the process.
.
7. BeTheBoss.ca: What advice do you have for someone looking to acquire a HandyBee franchise?
Kevin Lake: My advice is to choose a franchise within a growing sector of the economy. HandyBee definitely fits that description as the home improvement business is thriving in Canada. I would also advise a franchisee to choose a franchise that is “AI (Artificial Intelligence) Proof. While there are no guarantees that AI will not impact a significant number of businesses, handyperson services will need human completion of many complex tasks for many years to come. Nothing is completely AI-proof, but this is extremely close. I would also advise prospective franchisees to buy in to a business that you are passionate about. For those who are interested in home improvement, HandyBee is an excellent fit. Finally, I would suggest that you get to know the leadership team and the founder of the franchise. You’re investing in a business that they started and feeling comfortable and placing trust in the management team is extremely important.
.
7. BeTheBoss.ca: In your opinion, why do you think that HandyBee would be a great opportunity?
Kevin Lake: HandyBee supports a growing, on-trend industry sector. With the retirement of many skilled tradespeople as well as the retirement of the Boomer cohort, you have both a shortage of skilled trades supply combined with a rising demand by the boomers, who have time and money, but are seeking to outsource their “To-Do” list. It’s an opportune time for franchisees to take advantage of the need for handypersons that they trust as their “go-to” resource to enable them to age-in-place in the home they love. HandyBee’s affiliation with Hickory Dickory Decks also provides a depth of expertise in successfully growing home improvement focused franchise systems; one of the best teams in Canada.
.