Franchise Owner Profile:
Chris and Angelica Verma
Age: Chris is 50 years old and Angelica is 39 years old
Market: Claremont, CA
Number of Stores: One – Opened in May, 2014
Education: Chris received his high school diploma in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area
Family: Angelica and Chris have one daughter, Evangeline, who is eight years old
Career Background: Prior to owning a Wild Birds Unlimited franchise, Chris spent almost 30 years in the Dallas
transportation industry, working for various companies involved in buying and selling truck parts. After Chris moved
to California in 1998 and retired in 2009, he devoted his time to his life-long love for bird-watching and became a
frequent customer of Wild Birds Unlimited. Three years later, Chris decided he was ready to open his own business.
While researching various franchise options, he came across Wild Birds Unlimited and concluded that it was the
perfect opportunity to turn his passion for bird-watching into a business.
What attracted you to the Wild Birds Unlimited franchise opportunity? The customer loyalty and the franchise
system’s focus on bird advocacy is what first attracted Chris to the franchise opportunity. Whether hunting, fishing,
mountain climbing or bird-watching, Chris has loved outdoor activities since childhood. He began photographing
birds when he was six years old, and his love for bird-watching grew throughout his life. Chris took a special interest
in Neo-Tropical birds and family vacations often center on bird-watching.
What are you most proud of so far as a Wild Birds Unlimited franchisee? Chris and Angelica are most proud
of the educational outreach that they have been able to accomplish. They’ve focused on being active in the local
community and partnered with the Rancho Santa Ana Botanical Gardens, where Chris leads bird walks. Through their
work with the Audubon Society, where Chris is a Board Member and Education Chair, they give talks at local schools
and advocate for the Audubon Adventures curriculum. They are striving to make their store unique, welcoming and a
haven for bird enthusiasts.
What is the key to your success? A welcoming store layout and a knowledgeable staff has been the biggest key
to their success. Their experience and passion for birds has resulted in customer loyalty and new opportunities for
outreach in the community.
You should not take the franchisee’s statement or their experience as an inference that the purchase of a franchise is
a safe investment or that failure, loss or default is impossible or unlikely, or that earning or profits are assured.
1-888-730-7108 • www.wbufranchise.com