> Meet Our Team

Shawn Saraga

Shawn Saraga is the President and the visionary of the franchise and real estate development consulting agency called Mr. Franchise. With a wealth of experience in franchising and growth strategy in various reputable corporations such as Rapid Print, Continental Press, Pizza Pizza, Postnet Canada, MR. GREEK Restaurants, Druxy’s Famous Deli, and SWANN Fitness Centre For Women, Rasoee Indian Kitchen, and The Academy for Mathematics & English. Shawn currently represents Shoeless Joe’s Sports Grill. The awareness of this brand has increased making it stronger than ever before. Currently, Shawn is highly involved with Mount Sinai Hospital and was with numerous charities including North York Harvest Food Banks, Youth In Motion, TIP, Make A Wish Foundation. He was chair of 2008 and 2009 Canadian Franchise Association Convention.

Alexandra Grudkin

Alex Grudkin is presently the General Manager of Franchising and Real Estate Development. Previously, she has worked as a supervisor at various market research and telemarketing firms and was a great asset to the organization with her superior multi-tasking abilities. She has also gained plenty of experience working in various Franchises within the food service industry. Alex is currently working on a degree in a business program at York University and is specializing in Human Resource Management. In essence, she has a relatively diverse employment background alongside the skills and knowledge required to succeed in the business environment today. Additionally, Alex is responsible for coordinating our many tradeshows and the preparation of leasing documents and resales. Alex brings a work ethic to our company that is demonstrated in all of her daily activities. Our franchisor and franchisees have come to rely on her for communicating with our organization.

Success Stories

Does money make the world go round?

We begin this New Year with renewed enthusiasm and heightened optimism.  While the economic illness of past years have diluted the happiness and threatened the peace of many Canadian businesses, 2011 is proving to be the year of new beginnings.  Every new year I personally adopt a few old maxims as my beacons to guide my future, and the future of my teams.  This self prescribed therapy has ensured that with each passing year we grow wiser, not older.  I invite you to join me in tapping into the financial wisdom of our elders and become financially wiser.

Hard Work: All hard work will bring profit; however mere talk and poor execution only leads to poverty;
Complacency: A sleeping lobster is always carried away by the current;
Earnings: Never rely on single sources of income.  While it’s always important to do what you do “best”, one must always be diversified;
Spending: Buying things you don’t need will inevitably lead to you selling things you do need;
Savings: While any amount of money you have to save is worth saving, don’t save what is left after spending; spend what is left after saving, and invest in the future;
Accounting: It’s no use carrying an umbrella if your boots are leaking;
Auditing: Beware of little expenses; the smallest leaks can sink the largest ships;
Risk-taking: Never test the depth of a river with both feet; venture one step at a time;
Investment: Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.

I’m certain that those who have already been practicing these principles continue to enjoy financial health.  And I’m equally confident that those who resolve to practice these principles going forward will quickly regain their financial health. 

At Shoeless Joe’s we have already begun our journey.  The opportunity clearly now exists for the finance team to position ourselves at the heart of the organization.  With the closing of fiscal year 2010 (and the many challenges that brings) to the development and implementation of our refined 2011 budget plans, quarterly business reviews, IT systems implementation, staff development, and many cost savings initiatives, we are well on our way to acting as a key change agent.  We are empowered to execute and monitor the necessary changes to achieve the overall strategic objectives of the organization by means of aligning the roles of steward, operator, and strategist in tandem; all the while ensuring accountability prevails.  Financial freedom is our goal; transparency and tenacity are our tools.

Malcolm Webb

Director of Finance

Shoeless Joe’s Ltd.