Canada School of Barbering & Mr. Barber

A Five-Year Partnership. Two Growing Brands. Measurable Results.

2019–2024 | Alberta, Canada

38× Return on Ad Spend for the Barber School. Franchise Growth From 8 to 18 Locations. Five Years of Strategic Marketing Leadership and Business Development Consulting.

The Beginning of a Five-Year Partnership

In early 2019, I began working with Moe Sweiss, founder of two distinct businesses: Mr. Barber, a growing barbershop franchise, and Mr. Barber School, an established barbering education institution that would later be rebranded as Canada School of Barbering.

At the time, Mr. Barber operated approximately eight franchise locations around Edmonton, while Mr. Barber School was enrolling roughly 10–20 students monthly in its barbering certification program.

Although the two businesses operated in the same industry and shared a founder, they had different business models, customers, and growth objectives.

My responsibility was to develop and execute marketing strategies tailored to each business while supporting Moe's broader entrepreneurial vision.

What followed was a five-year partnership that became one of the defining experiences of my career.

Building Brands That Could Lead an Industry

Within months of applying my digital advertising and content strategies, Mr. Barber School was at full capacity and booked for months in advance.

In order to take advantage of the rapid growth, the school evolved into Canada School of Barbering, with a larger vision: attracting aspiring barbers from across Canada and beyond.

My advertising campaigns delivered a 38× return on ad spend for Canada School of Barbering, helping generate the student demand and revenue needed to support Moe's ambitious expansion plans.

Even during the uncertainty of COVID-19, the growth supported by our marketing efforts helped make it possible for Moe to invest in a significantly larger, purpose-built training campus, expand student capacity, modernize the educational experience, and eventually establish a second location in Calgary.

In 2022, Canada School of Barbering expanded its educational mission through partnerships with First Nations reserves, bringing professional barbering education directly into Indigenous communities.

These on-site training programs were designed to increase employment opportunities, equip community members with practical career skills, and create pathways toward successful careers in barbering and eventual barbershop ownership.

This initiative reflected Moe's vision of building something beyond a traditional barber school: a business capable of creating meaningful economic opportunities for the communities it served.

The same growth-focused approach powered Mr. Barber's franchise expansion.

Across 18 franchise locations, my advertising campaigns generated appointment activity, phone calls, and store visits at a reported advertising investment of just $1.88 per measured action.

This efficient acquisition strategy supported the franchise's customer growth, brand recognition, and expansion from approximately eight locations to 18 by 2024.

Behind the scenes, I managed a comprehensive marketing operation supporting both brands.

My responsibilities extended far beyond running advertisements. I worked directly with Moe on business strategy, customer acquisition economics, sales process improvements, website conversion optimization, and decisions that influenced the customer experience.

I personally handled Google and Meta advertising, professional video production, social media management, website design and management, email marketing, online reputation, digital communications, conversion rate optimization, and graphic design for digital & print marketing assets.

My involvement also extended into operational quality control. During regular visits to the school and franchise locations to produce content, I paid attention to the customer experience, staff practices, and overall presentation of the businesses.

Whenever I observed something that fell short of Moe's standards, I brought it directly to his attention. Protecting the brands' reputations mattered just as much as attracting new customers.

Through on-site filming, testimonials, storytelling, and performance-driven campaigns, we built a digital presence designed to reflect the quality and ambition of the businesses themselves.

One particularly rewarding achievement that made a large difference in student acquisition was optimizing the school's website through behavioral analytics and conversion testing. Elements of that work remain in use, years after my departure.

The Results

- 38× Return on Ad Spend: Delivered for Canada School of Barbering through performance-focused digital advertising.

- $1.88 Advertising Cost per Measured Action: Generated appointment activity, phone calls, and store visits across 18 Mr. Barber franchise locations.

- 8 → 18 Franchise Locations: Supported Mr. Barber's expansion during our partnership.

- Expanded School Capacity: Helped generate the demand supporting a larger campus and expansion into Calgary.

- Five Years of Strategic Partnership: Served as a trusted marketing professional and business advisor working directly with the founder.

Mr. Barber has since continued expanding, reaching a reported 21 locations and introducing its Express Cuts concept inside Walmart stores.

These achievements were made possible by Moe's entrepreneurial leadership, investments, operational execution, and the contributions of his teams.

My role was to help build and sustain the demand, visibility, and marketing infrastructure that supported that growth.

More Than a Marketing Contract

Throughout our partnership, Moe trusted me not only to manage marketing but also to serve as a sounding board for business decisions.

When our professional directions eventually diverged, we parted on good terms. I helped coordinate a smooth transition of marketing assets and responsibilities to his new marketing professional.

The experience reinforced something I believe strongly today:

Great marketing isn't just about generating clicks, leads, or impressions. It's about generating the demand, strengthening the economics, and supporting the operational standards that allow an ambitious business owner's vision to become reality.

Working alongside Moe taught me as much about entrepreneurship, resourcefulness, and business economics as it did about marketing.

That's why Canada School of Barbering and Mr. Barber hold a special place at the top of my Client Hall of Fame.

Five years. Two ambitious brands. A partnership I'm proud to have been part of.

Best Bite Fast Food

Turning a Family-Owned Restaurant Into a Recognized Neighborhood Favorite

2019–2021 | Windermere, Edmonton, Canada

Record-Breaking Revenue. A Recognizable Local Brand. A Family Business That Became Part of Its Community.

The Beginning of a Partnership

In 2019, I began working with Mike Akl, owner of Best Bite, a family-operated fast-food restaurant in Edmonton's affluent Windermere community.

Mike was no stranger to the restaurant industry. After years of operating a Burger Baron restaurant in St. Paul, Alberta, he brought his experience to Edmonton, opening Best Bite while creating an opportunity for his family to settle in the city and his children to pursue their education.

Best Bite served delicious donairs, pizzas, burgers, and classic fast-food favorites. But behind the restaurant was something equally valuable: a hardworking family, a passionate owner, and a genuine connection to the community.

Mike and his wife were personally involved in day-to-day operations, supported by a small team. I saw an opportunity to make that personal connection one of Best Bite's greatest competitive advantages.

Making Best Bite a Household Name in Windermere

My strategy went beyond advertising menu items. I wanted Windermere residents to recognize the people behind the food and feel a personal connection to the restaurant.

I managed Best Bite's website, produced professional video content, and developed digital advertising campaigns designed to build local awareness and bring customers through the doors.

Rather than relying exclusively on traditional food promotions, I made Mike and his family part of the brand's identity.

Our videos featured the real people behind Best Bite, combining appetizing food content with authentic, personable storytelling. The strategy worked.

Mike became so recognizable in Windermere that residents would approach him outside the restaurant, recognizing him as "the Best Bite guy."

For a small family-owned restaurant competing for attention in a busy commercial area, that kind of recognition was invaluable.

We weren't simply promoting another place to grab lunch or dinner. We were building a recognizable local brand that residents could associate with familiar faces, great food, and the satisfaction of supporting a family business.

Turning Community Recognition Into Record Revenue

The combination of professional video production, targeted digital advertising, and a personable brand identity helped Best Bite strengthen its presence throughout Windermere.

During our partnership, my marketing efforts helped Best Bite achieve its highest revenue on record. That result was particularly meaningful because Best Bite wasn't a large franchise with an extensive marketing department. It was a small restaurant operated by a dedicated family.

Our success demonstrated that effective marketing doesn't always require a massive operation or complicated strategy.

Sometimes, the greatest opportunity is identifying what makes a business special and ensuring the right people know about it.

The Results

• Record-Breaking Revenue: My marketing efforts contributed to Best Bite achieving its highest sales performance.

• Strong Local Brand Recognition: Helped turn Best Bite into a recognizable name within the Windermere community.

• Founder-Led Brand Building: Made Mike and his family central to the restaurant's marketing, creating a personal connection with prospective customers.

• Comprehensive Digital Marketing: Managed the restaurant's website, professional video production, and targeted advertising campaigns.

• Two-Year Partnership: Supported the restaurant's marketing and growth from 2019 to 2021.

More Than Just Another Restaurant

Our professional relationship concluded in 2021 when my service pricing increased and Mike elected to work with a more affordable provider. A few years after our partnership ended, Best Bite reportedly closed its doors.

Although our time working together had come to an end, I remain proud of what we accomplished during those two years.

The experience reinforced an important lesson that continues to shape my marketing philosophy: People don't just buy products. They build relationships with businesses they recognize, trust, and feel connected to.

Helping a small family-owned restaurant achieve record revenue while turning its owner into a familiar face in the neighborhood is exactly the kind of work that makes marketing personally rewarding to me.

That's why Best Bite and Mike Akl have earned their place in my Client Hall of Fame.

A family business. A community connection. Record-breaking results.

Mona Lisa Pub, Norwood Liquor, Liquor Time

Three Businesses. Five-Year Partnership. New Revenue Opportunities Unlocked.

2019–2024 | Edmonton, Canada

The Beginning of a Five-Year Partnership

In 2019, I began working with two brothers who owned three Edmonton businesses: Mona Lisa Pub, Norwood Liquor, and Liquor Time.

What made this partnership particularly memorable was how it began.

The brothers lived in Edmonton's Windermere community, where another one of my clients, Best Bite Fast Food, had been experiencing remarkable results from my marketing efforts.

They had witnessed the impact of that work firsthand. Impressed by the visibility and local recognition Best Bite was generating, they decided to bring me on board to manage marketing for their own businesses.

One client's success had become the foundation of another five-year partnership.

Transforming Mona Lisa Pub Into a Neighborhood Destination

When our partnership began, Mona Lisa Pub was primarily recognized as a place for VLT gaming, affordable drinks, socializing, and billiards.

The owners knew their customers and understood their business objectives. My opportunity was to help them expand the pub's appeal, introduce new reasons for customers to visit, and unlock revenue opportunities that weren't being fully realized.

Rather than simply advertising what Mona Lisa Pub was already known for, I developed a strategy to change what people associated with the business.

Through targeted digital advertising, social media management, website management, email marketing, online reputation management, and customer communications, we began positioning Mona Lisa Pub as more than a neighborhood drinking spot.

The marketing highlighted its food, pool tournaments, sporting events, holiday celebrations, and welcoming social atmosphere.

Over time, the pub became increasingly recognized as a destination where locals could enjoy a meal, watch a game, compete in billiards, or celebrate special occasions with friends.

One of the most rewarding outcomes was helping Mona Lisa Pub achieve record-breaking food sales.

Food became a much more prominent part of the pub's identity, creating additional revenue opportunities while broadening its appeal to customers.

Another unexpected success was the growth of its email marketing list. Our campaigns attracted enough subscribers that even the owners were pleasantly surprised by how effectively we were building an audience for a neighborhood pub.

That growing database gave the business a valuable channel to reach customers directly with promotions, events, and reasons to return.

Growing Two Liquor Stores Through Search Advertising

Alongside Mona Lisa Pub, I managed advertising for Norwood Liquor and Liquor Time.

Unlike the pub, where the objective involved expanding customer perceptions and encouraging repeat visits, the liquor stores needed a more direct customer acquisition strategy.

I used Google Search advertising to reach people actively searching for liquor stores and related purchasing options in their areas.

These campaigns helped increase revenue at both locations, demonstrating how different businesses can benefit from different marketing strategies, even when they share the same ownership.

My responsibility wasn't to apply the same formula to all three businesses. It was to understand each business's customers, commercial objectives, and opportunities, then develop marketing strategies suited to those realities.

The Results

• Record-Breaking Food Sales: Helped Mona Lisa Pub achieve its highest food sales performance through targeted marketing and stronger food positioning.

• Expanded Customer Appeal: Helped establish the pub as a local destination for dining, pool tournaments, sports watch parties, and holiday celebrations.

• Email Audience Growth: Built a larger direct marketing audience that could be reached with promotions, events, and customer engagement campaigns.

• Increased Liquor Store Revenue: Used Google Search advertising to support sales growth at Norwood Liquor and Liquor Time.

• Three Businesses, Five Years: Managed marketing across three distinct operations from 2019 to 2024.

• Reputation-Driven Client Acquisition: Earned the partnership after the owners witnessed the results of my work with another local business.

More Than a Marketing Contract

This partnership holds a special place in my Client Hall of Fame for several reasons.

First, it demonstrated the power of delivering results that business owners can see for themselves. The brothers didn't discover me through an elaborate sales pitch. They saw the impact of my work at Best Bite and wanted similar results for their businesses.

Second, it challenged me to apply my marketing expertise to businesses with different customer demographics, purchasing behaviors, and revenue opportunities.

Marketing a neighborhood pub is fundamentally different from marketing a liquor store, a barber school, or a growing franchise.

Understanding those differences and adapting accordingly made me a more versatile marketing professional.

Most importantly, I enjoyed working with the brothers. They understood their businesses, trusted my expertise, and gave me the opportunity to contribute to their growth over five years.

Our partnership concluded in 2024 as my business model evolved.

The experience reinforced one of the principles that continues to guide my work: The best marketing doesn't just attract attention. It identifies untapped opportunities within a business and turns them into measurable growth.

That's why Mona Lisa Pub, Norwood Liquor, and Liquor Time have earned their place in my Client Hall of Fame.

Three businesses. Five years. New opportunities discovered. Results delivered.

Flexitallic

Supporting the Training and Operational Excellence of a Global Manufacturing Leader

$220 Million in Annual Revenue. Approximately 1,200 Employees. Global Operations. Acquired by Michelin in 2026.

Working With a Global Industry Leader

In 2021, I had the opportunity to work with Flexitallic, a global manufacturer specializing in high-performance industrial sealing solutions used in demanding industries such as energy, oil and gas, and chemical processing.

Flexitallic is the largest company I've had the privilege of working with, operating on a scale considerably greater than the small businesses, franchises, and regional companies that made up much of my client portfolio.

The company's scale speaks for itself: approximately $220 million USD in annual revenue in 2025, 1,200 employees, and 17 facilities worldwide. In 2026, Flexitallic was acquired by Michelin, one of the world's most recognized industrial brands.

Working with Flexitallic gave me valuable firsthand experience supporting the needs of a major international organization.

Marketing Beyond Customer Acquisition

Unlike most of my client engagements, my responsibility at Flexitallic wasn't generating leads or increasing sales.

My work focused on internal marketing and professional training materials designed to make employee education more effective and accessible.

I produced training content that helped simplify the onboarding process for new employees while supporting the continued education of existing staff.

These materials helped communicate important product knowledge, giving employees resources to better understand Flexitallic's products and perform their responsibilities with greater confidence.

In an organization operating at this scale, consistent access to clear, professional training resources is an important part of maintaining operational standards.

The experience reinforced an important principle: marketing skills aren't valuable only when attracting customers. They can also improve how a business communicates internally, trains its people, and supports the delivery of its products and services.

The Value Delivered

• Employee Onboarding: Developed training materials to help new staff become familiar with Flexitallic's products and responsibilities.

• Ongoing Staff Education: Created resources supporting employee product knowledge and continued learning.

• Internal Communications: Applied professional content production skills to make technical information more accessible.

• Enterprise-Level Experience: Gained firsthand experience delivering work for an international manufacturer operating on a substantially larger scale than most of my clients.
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Why Flexitallic Belongs in My Hall of Fame

Flexitallic stands out in my career not because of an advertising return or a dramatic sales increase, but because of the company's scale and the different challenges my work helped address.

Working with a global manufacturer broadened my understanding of how professional communication and training contribute to effective business operations.

It also strengthened my ability to apply marketing and content production skills beyond traditional advertising and customer acquisition.

Marketing isn't only about bringing customers into a business. It's also about helping a business equip its people to serve those customers effectively.

I'm proud to have contributed to an organization of Flexitallic's caliber and to count it among the companies I've served.

Current Financial Corp, Medi Loans Financial, House To Home

Three Financial Companies. Two Brands Built From Scratch. Four Years of Marketing Partnership.

2020-2024 | Canada

One Partnership, Three Different Businesses

In 2020, I began working with a portfolio of three Canadian financial services companies: Current Financial Corp, Medi Loans Financial, and House To Home.

Current Financial was an established business-to-business lending company, while Medi Loans and House To Home were two new ventures preparing to enter their respective markets.

Each business served a different audience. Current Financial focused on business financing, Medi Loans provided medical financing, and House To Home operated in the rent-to-own housing market.

What made this partnership particularly rewarding was the opportunity to help grow an established company while building the marketing foundations of two entirely new businesses.

Modernizing an Established Financial Lender

For Current Financial Corp, my first priority was addressing an outdated website that no longer reflected the company's professionalism or served its customer acquisition objectives effectively.

I rebuilt the website with a modern design, improved loading performance, and a stronger user experience.

Alongside this transformation, I developed and managed Google Search and LinkedIn advertising campaigns designed to attract qualified business financing inquiries. My work helped increase customer acquisition while strengthening Current Financial's professional online presence.

Building Two Financial Brands From the Ground Up

Medi Loans Financial and House To Home presented an entirely different challenge. Both companies were starting with zero revenue, and I was involved from day one in developing the marketing infrastructure needed to bring them to market.

I created their brand identities, designed their logos, developed their websites, established their social media presence, and launched digital advertising campaigns to generate inquiries.

For Medi Loans, I also integrated specialized lending software into the website, connecting the customer-facing digital experience with the company's financing application process.

House To Home required additional technical development for a particularly complex website feature. Rather than attempt to handle every technical requirement myself, I researched and selected a specialized development agency, managed the working relationship, and advised the client on the appropriate cost of the project.

This allowed the company to access specialized expertise while maintaining coordinated oversight of its digital development.

Both new businesses began acquiring clients and generating revenue, progressing from startups with no revenue to operating businesses with paying customers.

Marketing That Extended Into Sales

My responsibilities across the portfolio went beyond attracting inquiries. I also trained staff responsible for handling incoming leads, helping improve sales processes and the transition from prospective customer to client.

Generating leads is only part of the equation. When a business invests in advertising, how its team responds to those opportunities directly influences the return on that investment.

By supporting both customer acquisition and the sales process, I helped the companies make better use of the opportunities their marketing generated.

The Results

• Two Brands Launched From Zero: Built the branding, websites, and digital marketing foundations for Medi Loans Financial and House To Home, helping both acquire their first clients and generate revenue.

• Increased Customer Acquisition: Used Google Search and LinkedIn advertising to help grow Current Financial's lending business.

• Three Distinct Financial Markets: Developed marketing approaches for business financing, medical lending, and rent-to-own housing.

• Integrated Lending Technology: Connected specialized financing software to Medi Loans' website to support its application process.

• Sales Process Development: Trained staff to handle incoming leads more effectively.

• Four-Year Partnership: Supported the growth and development of all three businesses from 2020 to 2024.

More Than a Marketing Contract

This partnership holds a special place in my Client Hall of Fame because it gave me the opportunity to work in financial services while contributing to businesses at very different stages of development. With Current Financial, the challenge was modernizing an established operation and improving its customer acquisition.

With Medi Loans and House To Home, the challenge was starting from nothing and building the brands, technology, and marketing systems needed to enter the market and begin generating business.

The experience strengthened my skills in branding, website development, software integration, advertising, sales process optimization, and managing specialized contractors.

It also reinforced an important lesson: Effective marketing isn't just about promoting an existing business. It's about building the systems that help a business attract customers, convert opportunities, and grow.

I'm proud to have contributed to the development of these three companies over four years. That's why Current Financial Corp, Medi Loans Financial, and House To Home have earned their place in my Client Hall of Fame.

Three companies. Two launches from zero. Four years of building and growing businesses.

Evolve Strength

Producing High-Impact Video Advertising for an Ambitious Canadian Fitness Brand

2019 | Canada

Professional Video Production. Brand-Focused Storytelling. Advertising Creative That Supported Membership Acquisition.

Working With an Ambitious Fitness Brand

In 2019, Evolve Strength became one of my first business clients under the ZL Social brand.

Founded in Edmonton in 2015, Evolve Strength was building a distinctive presence in the Canadian fitness industry by offering more than a traditional gym membership.

Its facilities brought together spacious training environments, premium strength and conditioning equipment, personal training, and access to health and wellness professionals, creating a comprehensive fitness experience under one roof.

The company had ambitious growth plans and wanted professional video content that reflected the quality of its facilities, the strength of its brand, and the diverse needs of its customers.

My responsibility was to bring that vision to life.

Showcasing More Than Just a Gym

I produced a collection of promotional videos designed to communicate Evolve Strength's value to different audiences.

Rather than creating generic gym advertisements, the goal was to showcase what distinguished Evolve from conventional fitness facilities.

The content highlighted the training environment, specialized equipment, fitness experience, and broader health and wellness offering.

Each video was developed with the brand's identity and intended audience in mind, giving the company's internal marketing team professional creative assets to use in targeted Meta advertising campaigns.

Evolve's in-house marketing team used my videos in campaigns that contributed to increased customer acquisition.

My role was focused on producing the advertising content, while Evolve's team managed the campaigns and customer acquisition strategy.

Learning the Value of Precision

One of the most memorable aspects of this project was working directly with Evolve's founder.

He had a clear creative vision, exceptionally high standards, and a strong commitment to ensuring every detail reflected the brand accurately.

Delivering that vision involved multiple rounds of revisions, careful attention to small details, and a greater production workload than initially anticipated.

As one of my earliest business projects, the experience was an important part of my professional development.

It taught me how to manage demanding creative expectations, remain adaptable throughout the production process, and understand that seemingly minor details can matter enormously to a business owner who has invested years into building a brand.

Those lessons influenced how I approached client relationships and creative work throughout the years that followed.

The Results

• Professional Advertising Creative: Produced a collection of promotional videos designed around Evolve Strength's brand identity and target audiences.

• Supported Customer Acquisition: Delivered video assets used by the company's in-house marketing team in Meta advertising campaigns that increased customer acquisition.

• Multiple Audience Segments: Created content showcasing the gym's equipment, training environment, and broader fitness and wellness experience.

• High Creative Standards: Delivered content through a detailed review and revision process to meet the founder's expectations.

• Early Career Milestone: Gained valuable experience working with an ambitious fitness company that would continue expanding into multiple Canadian provinces.

Why Evolve Strength Belongs in My Hall of Fame

Although this was a shorter engagement rather than a long-term marketing partnership, Evolve Strength remains one of the most memorable projects from the early days of my business.

It challenged me to deliver professional advertising content for a founder with a precise vision and high expectations. The experience strengthened my creative production skills, attention to detail, adaptability, and ability to work with demanding business owners.

Since our project, Evolve Strength has continued expanding beyond Edmonton, establishing locations across Alberta and British Columbia.

I'm proud to have contributed creative work to the brand during an earlier chapter of its growth.

The project reinforced a lesson that has stayed with me: Great marketing creative doesn't simply look professional. It communicates what makes a business different, resonates with the right audience, and gives customers a reason to take action.

That's why Evolve Strength has earned its place in my Client Hall of Fame.

An ambitious brand. High creative standards. A valuable early-career milestone.