Brothers Ace and Aiman Adhami open the doors to their second Baskin-Robbins shop, June 15 in Tecumseh, Ontario. Business partners since 2014, the duo own three franchises, all in Essex County.

Nothing in life is guaranteed, especially when it comes to business. But success can be attained, over and over again, when the right factors are in place. Looking at the life of Ace and Aiman Adhami, brothers from Windsor, one can clearly see this hope-filled dynamic at play.

“Support from one’s family, both the literal members as well as those who join the business around its mission, is the first ingredient to success,” says Ace who, along with his brother Aiman, co-owns Baskin-Robbins and Kernels shops in Windsor and Tecumseh. “When this type of support is present, there’s no limit to the endurance and resilience a small business can have, which is especially valuable during challenging times such as these. And, entrepreneurs know this quite well — obstacles and major challenges happen in any line of business.”

The brothers began working together in 2002. After living briefly in both Vancouver and Chicago, they settled in Windsor and decided to invest in the tech world starting their first franchising venture with Telus. From there they delved deeper into the field expanding their business to cell service, landlines and home security.

“We’ve now spent over eighteen years owning small businesses together,” acknowledges Ace. “And it truly is the perfect space for us. We have enjoyed a close relationship with our customers, neighbours, staff and practically everyone else involved in our businesses. It comes down to relationships with people, and the result is often word of mouth and other forms of encouragement that ultimately helps our business through the rough patches they will surely face.”

To the brothers, another key factor of success is understanding the nature of the benefit your service or product is having on the lives of customers.

“Ice cream is much more than a mere product,” said Aiman. “Buying something from Baskin-Robbins is more like a decision to celebrate life’s joys or help endure some of its challenges through a relatively small, but symbolic purchase. By looking hard enough, I’m sure most businesses can find their sweet spot in terms of what they’re truly offering.”

The duo’s ice cream shops have become a hub of social gatherings, even in these times of COVID-19.

“We’ve opened shops near large populations of families,” says Ace. “It’s true what they say about location. It’s so important to be present right there in the thick of things, exactly where your potential customers gather, commute or even congregate online. I would encourage any entrepreneur to really consider their location. Dedicating extra time to this reflection is a good idea.”

Even as seasoned entrepreneurs, Ace and Aiman knew full well that taking over management and ownership of additional franchise businesses would mean additional staffing and a lot of oversight for the new locations.

“It’s key to find, empower and rely on people – both family or friends and staff beyond that,” says Aiman. “We weren’t exactly sure how our newest shop would do, but once we saw the influx of applications brought in by people from the community eager to work with us, we knew we had made the right choice.”

Summary of Ace and Aidan’s top five variables for success in business:

1. Support from family, friends and close networks of people
2. Understanding the real reason why people consume your product or service
3. Relationships
4. Location
5. Communication and cooperation

For close to 50 years in Canada, 75 globally, Baskin-Robbins has earned a reputation as the world’s largest chain of ice cream specialty shops, offering guests its iconic 31 flavours—and more—while giving entrepreneurs like Ace and Aiman the opportunity to partner and grow with the brand in local communities. Baskin-Robbins continues to search for entrepreneurially-minded Canadians to help grow its network across Canada. Learn more at visit baskinrobbins.ca/franchising.