Richard Verkely, Francois Perrault and Steve Thompson are names to ask about when dealing with FocalPoint International. These people are hiding behind the good name of Brian Tracy.
On the last count Verkley, Perrault and Thompson are fighting 3 law suits against them. The actions are based on their Master License ownership of another Business Coaching franchise (Action International Canada) that they operated from Calgary Alberta. Two of the law suits are from ex business coaches and franchisees of Action International Canada. There are 8 plaintiffs in the two law suits located in Eastern and Western Canada.in all cases the plaintiffs cite Verkley, Perrault and Thompson as being economical with the truth when they stated on a legal document, the Franchise Disclosure Document, that no one had failed or given up the franchise in the last three years. The plaintiffs have found, to date, a total of 28 failed franchises across Canada all dating back within the three year declared period. This is out of a total of just over 60 coaches across the whole of Canada.
The other lawsuit is from the Chairman and founder of Action International in Australia, Brad Sugars. It transpires that Verkley, Perrault and Thompson all signed a renewal agreement with Sugars to extend the Canadian Master License for another 5 years. At the very same time they were signing the renewal contract with Sugars, they were setting up a rival business coaching franchise, Focal Point International. Sugars claim is that they are using the Action International franchise system material for there own financial benefit and are harming Action International business and the current franchisees.
Verkley, Perrault and Thompson have now fled Canada and abandoned the remaining Action International Canada coaches and are holed up in various locations in the States and surrounding countries trying to avoid prosecution. They are also being investigated to provide details regarding the distribution of the Marketing Fund. They are unable to justify their case and defend themselves in court. Consequently they have resorted to hiring a lawyer whose sole direction has been to spend the plaintiffs out of existence by delaying all demands to attend hearings and not replying in time to requests for information.
All that I urge you to do is make sure you carry out detailed due diligence. Before you sign away a life time of savings with FocalPoint International, ask for more details about Richard Verkley, Francois Perrault and Steve (second hand car salesman) Thompson. Look in the Alberta court records for proof of the legal actions against these characters. You will see the link back to FocalPoint International. Remember that a Leopard never changes its spots just because it moves location. They have been economical with truth more that eight times already, why do you think they will be any different again?
0 comments