For a franchise system, few endorsements are stronger than a successful multi-unit Franchise Owner choosing to invest again, this time across an international border.
In 2010, Joe Pietras left the oilfield industry to open a PuroClean franchise in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada—drawn to the opportunity to build a business helping people recover after property damage. Alongside his business partner, Pietras expanded into Calgary with three additional territories and became a 13-time PuroClean President's Circle recipient, establishing himself as one of the brand's top-performing Franchise Owners.
Now, Pietras is bringing that experience to Kalispell, Montana, introducing PuroClean's presence in the state and strategically extending his business from Canada into the U.S.
A Network Built to Maximize Revenue
For sophisticated entrepreneurs like Pietras, the value of the PuroClean franchise opportunity is tied to the infrastructure behind the brand. As a privately owned franchisor, PuroClean has the flexibility to invest where it matters most—back into the Franchise Owners rather than answering to outside investors. That long-term approach has fueled continued investments in franchise support, commercial capabilities, technology, strategic partnerships, and operational resources designed to strengthen the business for years to come.
"I have been investigating the opportunity in the U.S. market for a few years now," Pietras said. "Since Mark Davis and Frank Torre purchased PuroClean, I've seen the company build a corporate foundation that gives Franchise Owners opportunities they didn't know existed."
One of those opportunities takes shape through PuroClean's strategic partnership with Signal Restoration Services, a sister company under shared ownership that allows Franchise Owners to participate in large-scale commercial projects that may exceed their individual capacity. Pietras experienced the power of this partnership firsthand following the Fort McMurray wildfire in Alberta, which resulted in nearly $10 billion in damage. In the aftermath, Signal helped Canadian Franchise Owners restore numerous commercial properties, including one of the city's largest restaurants. The experience showed Pietras the scale of B2B opportunities available through the broader PuroClean network.
Through this unique partnership, a two-way referral system has been also established, allowing PuroClean Franchise Owners to earn an incentive by referring large-scale projects to Signal, while Signal can route local opportunities back to PuroClean Franchise Owners. As Pietras expands into the U.S., that relationship gives his newest location another avenue to maximize revenue through the PuroClean network.
Beyond the Signal partnership, PuroClean has invested in an in-house Commercial Operations Team that gives Franchise Owners specialized support for high-margin large loss restoration projects. From helping sell and secure the job to project coordination and operational guidance, the team helps Franchise Owners take on large losses across properties such as restaurants, bars, hotels, stadiums, and other large facilities.
National Relationships That Drive Growth
Pietras has experienced the value of national accounts throughout his time with PuroClean, but expanding into the U.S. opens an entirely new market. PuroClean partners with three of the top five national insurance carriers, along with dozens of third-party administrators and commercial clients, creating revenue-generating opportunities that can be difficult to access without the right capacity, systems, and brand trust.
Supporting those relationships is PuroClean's dedicated Business Development Team, which works to secure new accounts while helping Franchise Owners strengthen existing client relationships. By supporting account growth and delivering consistent service across the network, the team helps preserve the trusted partnerships that continue creating opportunities for Franchise Owners like Pietras throughout the U.S.
"These opportunities were a large part of my choice to open my location in Kalispell," Pietras said. "It definitely gives new franchise locations a lot more chance for rapid growth compared to my first location I opened in 2010."
Sharper Tools, Stronger Support, Greater Opportunity
Having gone through PuroClean’s New Franchise Training over a decade ago, Pietras’ recent return to the classroom offered a unique perspective on how the franchise system has evolved.
New Franchise Training begins with three weeks at the PuroClean Academy. The curriculum includes hands-on restoration training inside one of 31 Flood Houses in the world, while also covering proprietary software, business systems, marketing, sales, and operational best practices designed to help Franchise Owners launch and grow their businesses.
For Pietras, going through the experience again gave him a firsthand look into the high-impact resources available to Franchise Owners entering the system today and how much stronger the foundation for building a PuroClean franchise has become.
"The new ownership teams coming into the family are a lot stronger candidates than in the past," Pietras said. "They're given sharper tools and stronger support than the old days. I was grateful to be a part of the New Franchise Training class, and it reminded me how exciting being a part of this business can be."
Expanding with Confidence
As Pietras evaluated his next investment, he didn't need to look for a new franchise system. Instead, he saw even more opportunity within PuroClean, expanding into the U.S. with access to national insurance relationships, commercial large loss capabilities, and a franchise network built to help entrepreneurs build and scale high-margin businesses.
To learn more about owning a PuroClean franchise, visit PuroCleanFranchise.com.