B.Z. - Client
"We are so fortunate to live in a society whereby we do have choices especially when it involves children and the safety of them."
L.S. - Client
"Thanks for helping us to keep things civil during the rough times so that we could end up at this place. We are very thankful to have this second chance."
G.L. - Client
"Thanks for your work with us, you did a masterful job getting us through the issues without either of us walking out. At the end, I do think our resolution is fair for both parties."
B.L. - Client
"Other than financially – my divorce is picture perfect – no kid visitation rules – you had a lot to do with that and I thank you."
K. Y. - Client
"I spoke to my ex-husband on the phone the other night on what would have been our 10th wedding anniversary. Our conversation was authentic and completely loving. Thank you to Fairway Divorce for attaining a truthful and mindful division of our lives."
B. C. - Your City Interview Dec 12, 2006
"My specific goal was to try and get it done as quickly as possible and as painlessly as possible. I had got my first legal bill for an hour and a half of time and it was over five hundred dollars and realized maybe I should look at other options."
J. V. - Client
“Thank you for all your support. You are such a genuine human being. God bless you and give you the strength you deserve to help others as you helped me.”
L. D. - Client
“You guys are great – I would recommend you to anybody”
M.A. - Client
"Thanks for all of your help and support. I am so thankful that we chose your firm to help us through this difficult time and I am always recommending you to others that I meet."
B. L. - Client
"You are the first ray of sunshine I have had since this thing started..."
FAIRWAY DIVORCE SOLUTIONS EXPANDS INTO EASTERN CANADA
Leading Alternative Divorce Solutions Firm Opens Franchises in Toronto
Calgary, AB, March 2, 2009 – Fairway Divorce Solutions, Ltd. (‘Fairway’), a leading alternative divorce solutions firm, is pleased to announce its expansion into the Eastern Canadian market. The company announced today that five franchises were sold in Toronto, Ontario.
“We are thrilled to have a Fairway Divorce Solutions presence in Toronto. Since we began franchising over a year ago, we have experienced unprecedented success and there is a growing demand for our services across the country,” said Karen Stewart, President and CEO, Fairway Divorce Solutions. “That we now have 26 franchises across North America speaks to the fact that people are looking for an alternative to the traditional divorce system. It’s an honour to be able to help people through such a difficult time in their lives by offering them a proven, better alternative to traditional divorce.”
The Toronto franchises were purchased by Oscar Dal Bello. Of his purchase, Dal Bello says, “When I heard about Fairway, I was instantly intrigued. In educating parents to ensure that children are protected, the Fairway process improves the broken system of traditional divorce. It instructs couples to focus on the present and future, not the past.”
The first Fairway office opened in Calgary in 2006 after Stewart experienced first-hand the financial and emotional devastation that often comes with the traditional divorce system. “I wanted to provide couples with a clean break – a system that would allow them to divorce with dignity, save money and protect their children.”
The Toronto franchises are the first in Eastern Canada and Stewart has plans to continue expansion throughout the region.
Dal Bello continued, “This service is desperately needed in larger markets like Toronto where traditional divorce collides with already fast-paced lifestyles to produce extremely high levels of stress.”
Fairway’s success is attributed to its fixed-fee, step-by-step negotiated resolution process founded on cooperation. Professional negotiators lead divorcing couples through a well-defined process to achieve a fair and mutually acceptable division of financial assets as well as negotiating and preparing comprehensive parenting plans. Fairway clients work with their trained negotiator as a team to achieve a mutually agreeable resolution in the least amount of time possible while minimizing costs and stress.
For more information about Fairway Divorce Solutions expansion plans, please visit www.FairwayDivorce.com.
Divorce Guru Says Business of Separating is Recession Proof
(Feb 22, 2010) San Diego, CA – Unlike most industries, which have been negatively impacted by the economic downturn, Karen Stewart says the business of splitting with a spouse is pretty much recession proof. The divorce guru who started Fairway Divorce, a business that allows couples to separate using a mediator and negotiator process for a fixed cost, claims business is still booming.
“In general when a couple is ready to get a divorce they will move on it as quickly as possible,” said Stewart. “We haven’t noticed a decrease in business at all, in fact in some regions we’ve seen increases because we keep their costs down and therefore the money stays in their pockets.”
Stewart founded Fairway Divorce after enduring what she describes as a “nasty divorce.” After spending half a million dollars in legal fees and losing the ability to co-parent with her ex, Stewart decided their had to be a better way to divorce. She created Fairway, which saves disputing spouses time, money and emotional stress.
“We offer a model that doesn’t drain people emotionally or financially during one of the hardest times in their lives,” Stewart said.
Fairway Divorce was founded in Canada in 2006. There are now franchise locations expanding across the United States including San Diego, Sacramento, Columbus, Pensacola, Dallas and Fort Worth. Stewart expects the number of US franchise locations to increase to 50 by 2011.
Media Contact
Jennifer Maloney
Spark PR
604-727-4506
Jennifer@sparkgroup.ca
About Fairway Divorce Solutions®
Fairway Divorce Solutions offers a first-of-its-kind alternative to the traditional system of divorce by offering a new divorce paradigm that saves money, time, stress and protects the children. Growing rapidly, the company has franchised across Canada and is actively expanding into the USA. For more information, please visit www.fairwaydivorce.com.
About Karen Stewart
Touted as a national “divorce guru” by media and supporters alike, Karen Stewart is the author of the forthcoming book Clean Break: How to Divorce with Dignity and Move on with Your Life. She is also the founder and CEO of Fairway Divorce Solutions®, the first real alternative to the traditional divorce process.
Fairway Divorce Solutions Opens First U.S. Franchises in California
-- New franchises will be located in Sacramento and San Diego --
San Diego and Sacramento, Calif. – January 22, 2010 – Fairway Divorce Solutions, an alternative approach to divorce resolution, has opened its first United States-based franchises in San Diego and Sacramento, Calif.
Fairway Divorce Solutions in Sacramento is owned and operated by California-natives Becky Shook, Debbie Hannan, and Wade Hanley, and is located at 8880 Cal Center Dr, Sacramento, CA 95826.
The San Diego franchise will operate and offer its services to the public as “Divorce Solutions”, and is owned by Bryan Buljat, located at #530,1011 Camino Del Rio South, San Diego, CA 92108.
Fairway Divorce Solutions replaces the traditional way of divorce by offering couples an independent negotiated resolution™ process that reduces costs, time, stress, and protects children. The process is different than the traditional system of divorce—it offers parties a structured step-by-step negotiation process to determine what is fair; not just facilitating discussions. It also reduces stress among couples and allows them to negotiate without face-to-face meetings.
“Fairway Divorce’s expansion into the United States proves what we’ve thought all along: the divorce system is broken and leaves divorcees emotionally and financially drained,” said Karen Stewart, Fairway Divorce Solutions’ founder and CEO. “We’re confident that people in California who turn to Fairway will become well informed decision makers through the Fairway Process to achieve their win-win outcome.
“Having experienced my own divorce, what attracted me to buying a franchise is that Fairway Divorce Solutions’ process creates a healthy environment for both sides so they can work towards a resolution that is less stressful and more empowering.” said Debbie Hannan, Sacramento franchisee.
For more information about Fairway Divorce Solutions in Sacramento and San Diego, visit their Web sites at www.fairwaydivorce.com/sacramento or call 877-770-FAIR (3247), and http://divorcesolutionssandiego.com/or call 1-866-755-3247, respectively.
About Fairway Divorce Solutions®
Established in 2006, Fairway Divorce Solutions provides an alternative to the traditional system of divorce with a new divorce model that saves money, time, stress, and protects children. Charging a flat fee, Fairway Divorce Solutions uses a commonsense, step-by-step, proven approach called The Fairway Process™. The Company is growing rapidly with franchises throughout Canada, and is expanding in the U.S. www.fairwaydivorcefranchise.com.
FAIRWAY DIVORCE SOLUTIONS NAMES BROOKLINE PUBLIC RELATIONS AGENCY OF RECORD
(Calgary, Jan. 13, 2010)- Fairway Divorce Solutions, Ltd. (Fairway), a leading alternative divorce solutions firm, is pleased to name Brookline Public Relations, Inc. (Brookline) as its agency of record for 2010.
Karen Stewart, nationally recognized divorce expert, developed Fairway as an alternative to the traditional divorce system that saves money, time, stress and protects the children. Charging a flat fee, Fairway uses a common sense step-by-step proven approach called The Fairway Process™.
“We are incredibly honoured to be named Fairway’s public relations agency of record,” said Shauna MacDonald, Brookline’s Principal and Founder. “We are entering our fifth consecutive year working with Fairway, and we take immense pride in being able to contribute to Fairway’s tremendous growth. What started as a single location in Calgary, Alberta, in 2006, has now expanded to more than twenty franchises across North America. We are honoured to be a part of Fairway’s continued growth and we look forward to working on new initiatives with this successful franchise throughout 2010.”
2009 proved to be an exciting year for Fairway as it ventured into the United States, received national coverage, and continued to offer couples a positive, affordable and time-saving alternative to divorce.
“We are very pleased to carry on our relationship with Brookline by selecting them as our agency of record,” said Stewart. “We chose Brookline because of its history in launching successful media relations campaigns and its experience in franchise relations. We continue to work with the agency because of its ability to support Fairway as we look to expand nationally and further develop our brand. I look forward to the great work that I know they will deliver.”
Fairway Divorce Solutions Opens First Location in California
-- The Sacramento franchise will be headed by Becky Shook, Debbie Hannan & Wade Hanley --
Sacramento, Calif. – September 17, 2009 – Fairway Divorce Solutions, an alternative approach to divorce resolution, has opened its first United States-based franchise in Sacramento, California. Fairway Divorce Solutions in Sacramento will be owned and operated by California-natives Becky Shook, Debbie Hannan, and Wade Hanley, and be located at 8880 Cal Center Dr, Sacramento, CA 95826.
Debbie Hannan, a California native, was motivated to buy the Fairway Divorce Solutions franchise after experiencing her own painful divorce and realized that the divorce process was broken. Hannan, along with her business partners, Shook and Hanley, who have Master’s degrees in Psychology and more than 15 years of experience helping people through tough transitions, will head the Sacramento location’s divorce negotiation process.
“Traditional divorce sees things in dollars and cents, and neglects the emotional needs of all parties involved,” said Becky Shook, lead negotiator for the Sacramento franchise. “Fairway Divorce Solution’s process looks beyond the money and creates a healthy environment for both sides so they can work towards a resolution that is less stressful and more empowering.”
Becky Shook is a Psychology Practitioner with 15 years of experience in the psychology field. Shook has a B.A. in Psychology and a M.A. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology with doctoral-level coursework in Business Management. Shook specializes in moving people through transitions of all kinds. Her work within organizations has resulted in the development of many Strategic Change programs that have laid solid foundations for transition of employees, systems, processes, and culture for major initiatives. In addition, she has supported individuals, couples, families and groups through a broad spectrum of transitions, including divorce.
Wade Hanley is a small business owner and financial consultant who helps his clients successfully manage their businesses, provide personal coaching, as well as assist them in increasing their net worth. Hanley also co-facilitates classes that are focused on assisting people connect and grow into their next level of potential. As a child of divorce, Hanley is very committed to helping families make choices to provide for the well-being of both of the people involved in the divorce as well as the children. Wade has a daughter whom he successfully co-parents. Wade holds a BA in Communications, an MA in Spiritual Psychology and is a published author.
Fairway Divorce Solutions replaces the traditional way of divorce by offering couples an independent negotiated resolution process that reduces costs, time, stress, and protects children with financial and parenting experts. The process is different than mediation—it helps determine what is fair, not just facilitating discussion. It also reduces stress among couples and allows them to negotiate without face-to-face meetings.
For more information about Fairway Divorce Solutions in Sacramento, visit their Web site at www.fairwaydivorce.com/sacramento or call 877-770-FAIR (3247).
About Fairway Divorce Solutions®
Established in 2006, Fairway Divorce Solutions provides an alternative to the traditional system of divorce with a new divorce model that saves money, time, stress, and protects children. Charging a flat fee, Fairway Divorce Solutions uses a commonsense, step-by-step, proven approach called The Fairway Processtm. The Company is growing rapidly with franchises throughout Canada, and is expanding in the U.S. www.fairwaydivorcefranchise.com
DIVORCE EXPERT LAUNCHES NEXT FRANCHISE
Fairway Divorce Solutions Opens Franchise in Northern Saskatchewan
Saskatoon, SK, August 11, 2009 – Fairway Divorce Solutions, Ltd. (Fairway), a leading alternative divorce solutions firm, today announced the expansion to Northern Saskatchewan of the Fairway Divorce Solutions® franchise.
”We are excited to be offering Northern Saskatchewan a new alternative to divorce. In the traditional system, divorce can be costly, and Fairway offers a strategic step-by-step process with win-win resolutions that saves time, money, stress and protects the children,” said Karen Stewart, President and CEO of Fairway Divorce Solutions.
Leading Alternative Divorce Franchise Opens in Kelowna
Franchisee ready to start helping Kelowna residents through divorce
Calgary, AB, August 6, 2009- Fairway Divorce Solutions, Ltd. (‘Fairway’), a leading alternative divorce solutions firm, today announced the opening of its ninth franchise in Kelowna, British Columbia.
Fairway offers a first-of-its-kind alternative to the traditional system of divorce by using a new divorce paradigm. The Fairway Process™ uses a common sense, step-by-step proven approach that saves people money, time, and stress, while protecting the children.
“It’s exciting to see the doors open up in our second office in British Columbia,” said Karen Stewart, President and CEO, Fairway Divorce Solutions®. “The typical divorce process is extremely stressful, can last several months and up to several years. It is always tough on all parties involved. I know that the residents of Kelowna will be appreciative of a process that aims to offset these characteristics.”
Divorce Franchise Rapidly Expands Across Western Canada
Fairway Divorce Solutions sells its 9th Franchise
Calgary, AB, June 24, 2009- Fairway Divorce Solutions, Ltd. (‘Fairway’), a leading alternative divorce solutions firm, is fulfilling its plans of expanding with the announcement today of the opening of a franchise in Kelowna, British Columbia.
“We started franchising about a year ago and have since seen several offices open in this short time. This clearly demonstrates that people want an alternative to the traditional divorce system, and that they recognize and appreciate the value in The Fairway Process™,” said Karen Stewart, President and CEO, Fairway Divorce Solutions®. “I am so touched to be able to offer individuals an improved and proven system for divorce at a very difficult time in their lives.”
The newest franchise was purchased by Wes Stevenson, a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst. “I recognize that divorce negatively affects families on so many levels, so I am glad to be a part of the Fairway family and to be able to help change the way people see and approach this process,” said Stevenson. “I am excited for the doors to open in August, and to be able to offer this improved system to the residents of Kelowna.”
Karen Stewart, Founder of Fairway Divorce Solutions, to be May’s Woman of Vision
Calgary, AB, May 4, 2009 – Global Calgary in partnership with the YWCA of Calgary today selected Canadian divorce expert Karen Stewart, founder of Fairway Divorce Solutions, Ltd., a leading alternative divorce solutions firm, to be its May 2009 Woman of Vision.
“It’s wonderful to be acknowledged as a Woman of Vision for my work in the divorce field,” said Stewart. “After suffering through my own emotionally draining divorce complete with a half-a-million dollar price tag, I knew that I needed to find a better way to offer others what the traditional divorce system couldn’t offer me.”
Presented during the 6 p.m. news on the first Monday of each month, Global’s Woman of Vision celebrates the accomplishments of outstanding female Calgarians who have implemented their passion and whose dedication and actions are inspiring.
The popular feature has profiled dozens of women over the past several years, and their stories serve as an inspiration to other women who are also making tough career choices. “I am deeply honoured to be included in such a category,” added Stewart.
FAIRWAY DIVORCE SOLUTIONS BEGINS FRANCHISING DIVORCE SUPPORT IN U.S.
FAIRWAY DIVORCE SOLUTIONS BEGINS FRANCHISING DIVORCE SUPPORT IN U.S.
SALT LAKE CITY, Feb. 9, 2009—An alternative way to divorce, one that utilizes independent negotiated resolution as its premise, is now available in the U.S. as a franchise. Fairway Divorce Solutions, Ltd. provides divorce support with a fixed fee, step-by-step process that replaces the traditional way of divorce.http://fairwaydivorcefranchise.com; http://www.fairwaydivorce.com
Fairway Divorce Solutions partnered with Franchise Foundry, a strategic investment partner of franchise concepts, to deliver an expected 70 new Fairway Divorce Solutions franchises throughout the U.S. during the next three years. http://www.franchisefoundry.com
“Divorce is what it is,” said Karen Stewart, Fairway Divorce president and CEO who founded the company following her own grueling divorce. “We provide an alternative way for couples to divorce—one that positions divorce as an empowering experience rather than an emotional event fraught with high costs, intense emotion, conflict, and fear for children.”
Fairway Divorce franchisees in the U.S. and Canada will be able to offer couples an independent negotiated resolution process that reduces costs, time, stress, and protects children with financial and parenting experts. The process is different than mediation—it helps determine what is fair, not just facilitating discussion. It also reduces stress among couples and allows them to negotiate without face-to-face meetings.
“Fairway Divorce will allow couples to negotiate independently to preserve their assets and move on,” said Christian Faulconer, Franchise Foundry CEO. “We look forward to offering Fairway franchises as quickly as possible across the U.S. so couples can experience and benefit from this alternative way of divorce.”
Fairway Divorce franchises are available to financial experts, family law practitioners, and other qualified professionals looking for a profitable business and who want to help change the “broken” traditional way of getting a divorce.
Fairway Divorce Solutions is the #1 alternative way to divorce—a fixed fee, step-by-step independent negotiated resolution process. U.S. franchises are now available for qualified professionals. For more information go to http://fairwaydivorcefranchise.com
Contact:
Cory Maloy
Snapp Conner PR
801-376-0606
cory@snappconner.com
DIVORCE EXPERT LAUNCHES NEXT FRANCHISE
Fairway Divorce Solutions Opens Franchise in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Calgary, AB, January 15, 2009 – Fairway Divorce Solutions, Ltd. (Fairway), a leading alternative divorce solutions firm, today announced the opening of the next Fairway Divorce Solutions® franchise. The new franchise is located in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
”We are excited to be offering Saskatoon a new alternative to divorce. In the traditional system, divorce can be costly, and Fairway offers a strategic step-by-step process with win-win resolutions that saves time, money, stress and protects the children,” said Karen Stewart, President and CEO of Fairway Divorce Solutions.
Carolyn Genest and Don Rosten are the new franchise owners who see significant value in offering Fairway’s new divorce paradigm to families in and around the Saskatoon area. Genest, the Saskatoon franchise’s spokesperson, is currently the Chief Financial Officer for a tourism and hospitality company in Saskatoon, and also acts as the company’s sales and marketing director.
Calgary, AB, March 18, 2008 – Fairway Divorce Solutions, Ltd., a leading alternative divorce solutions firm, today announced a strategic plan to aggressively expand its operations throughout Canada and the United States.
“With the immediate success and heightened demand of Fairway Divorce Solutions® in Canada and the United States, the Company has reached the perfect time to expand, beginning right at our home base in Calgary,” said Karen Stewart, President and CEO, Fairway Divorce Solutions. “Many people are crying out for a better way apart from the traditional system, as well as a solution close to home. While our services are successful both remotely and long distance, franchising will provide divorce alternative seekers localization of my breakthrough paradigm and a service that saves time, money, stress and protects the children. Ultimately, we want to better serve those looking for a better way, offering them a clear road to a new life.”
Fairway Divorce Solutions will open two additional franchised offices in Calgary in the spring of 2008, providing Calgary and surrounding areas a total of three franchised offices. Then, a franchised office in Red Deer is scheduled for opening in the summer, while two franchises in Edmonton and four in Vancouver are scheduled to open in the fall of 2008. Movement into Eastern Canada will begin in 2009 and movement into the United States will commence in 2010.
Former COO of 1-800-GOT-JUNK? Joins Fairway Divorce Solutions as EVP of Corporate Development
Calgary, AB, December 3, 2007 – Fairway Divorce Solutions Ltd., a leading Calgary-based alternative divorce firm, today announced the appointment of Cameron Herold, former chief operating officer of 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, to the newly established position of Executive Vice President of Corporate Development.
As a veteran entrepreneur, Herold will lend his expertise to drive business growth and franchising opportunities for Fairway Divorce Solutions throughout Canada and the United States. Herold will focus on Fairway’s long-term business strategy and will ensure Fairway maintains its position as a leading-edge alternative divorce solutions provider.
“On behalf of the executive team, I am pleased to welcome Cameron to the role of executive vice-president of corporate development,” said Karen Stewart, Founder and CEO of Fairway Divorce Solutions. “Cameron brings more than 21 years of key experience in branding, business development, franchising, and strategic alliances and will be a great addition to the executive team. His proven track record will help execute Fairway’s expansion initiatives and growth opportunities moving into 2008 and beyond.”
Prior to Fairway, Mr. Herold was a leading force behind 1-800-GOT-JUNK?’s explosive success, growing from a start-up in Vancouver to a franchised company in virtually every major city in North America and Australia. 1-800-GOT-JUNK? has also been featured in USA Today, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, and on Oprah, Dr. Phil and Rachel Ray.
Mr. Herold was also the Vice President of Corporate Development at Ubarter.com, a 900-person firm with a 0 Million market cap based in Seattle. From June 1998 to May 1999, Herold served as President of Barter Business Exchange in Vancouver, and from October 1994 to March 1998, Herold was Vice President of Franchise Development for Coast-to-Coast Franchise Services (Boyd Autobody & Glass). In these positions, Herold was involved in the sale, branding and integration of over 120 franchise locations, development and deployment of e-commerce and Internet strategies, negotiation of corporate acquisitions and development of numerous strategic partnerships.
Calgary Company Offers the First Real Alternative to the Traditional System of Divorce
Calgary, AB, June 5, 2006 –
Fairway Divorce Solutions Ltd., a new paradigm in negotiating all
issues related to divorce in Canada, opened its first office in Calgary
on May 1, 2006. Fairway Divorce works for couples who don’t want the
escalating legal costs and bully negotiation tactics that come from the
traditional system of divorce. Rather, Fairway Divorce uses Divorce
Planning Specialists to independently negotiate resolutions on all
issues of divorce including finances, parental planning, child custody,
child support, and spousal support, to achieve a win-win situation and
to transition families to a new life. Fairway Divorce also utilizes
lawyers when required in the divorce process and to legalize the
divorce once a resolution is reached.
Prior to its launch, Fairway Divorce commissioned a survey to identify
current perceptions individuals have when going through a divorce. Of
the 98 respondents:
82% said they would be comfortable with a non-attorney guiding the entire resolution process;
72% said the present divorce process and system is more stressful than it needs to be;
90% said the divorce process seems to consume more money than expected;
80% said the value of assets in their divorce was a problem; and
78% said divorce attorneys do not have enough skills in finance to secure a fair financial division.
“Fairway Divorce is the clear road to a new life,” says Karen Miles,
Founder, President and CEO of Fairway Divorce Solutions. “By using our
extensive knowledge of finance and pairing it with our understanding of
divorce, we are proud to offer the first real alternative to the
traditional system of divorce. We promise to save our clients time and
money and to protect their children from unnecessary conflict.”
KIDGLUE - Much Like ‘The Marriage Ref,’ Company Aims to Make Divorce Fair - February 22, 2010
By Bridget Tyler - February 22nd, 2010
Karen Stewart, 47, set out to do just that after she suffered through a tumultuous divorce that permanently ended her friendship with her ex. “Our kids are thriving, but [the loss of the friendship] is sad,” says Stewart. “With the affidavits, the court fillings – he was never able to move through that, and that’s okay. But it’s unnecessary to have that outcome. Kids want their parents to be friendly even if they’re divorced.”
Stewart clearly isn’t the only one who wishes there was a way to get a divorce without making the person who used to be your best friend hate you forever. Her company, Fairway Divorce Solutions, opened its doors in 2008 and two years later there are ten branches open with seventeen more scheduled to open later this year. Fairway aims to help both sides of a divorce settle amicably by working for the couple as a whole, not just one part of the couple. They focus on the two most volatile issues of divorce, money and kids, not as negotiating lawyers, but as a fair and disinterested third party who’s there to find the best solution for everyone.
Stewart says “one of the flaws of the system is that you have two lawyers, so they’re always bargaining, then children become part of the bargaining chip. In my opinion, divorce isn’t appropriate for that model of giving up the assets to the lawyers. It’s appropriate for business, not family.”
As far as Stewart is concerned, ending a marriage shouldn’t be a competition and it shouldn’t be allowed to spiral into out of control drama. Of course, not everyone out there offering to negotiate your marital disputes feels that way. Jerry Seinfeld, producer of the upcoming reality show “The Marriage Ref,” thinks your drama makes for great TV. He, and a panel of celebrity judges including Kelly Ripa and Alec Baldwin, will listen to marital disputes and declare a winner. Of course, Seinfeld and company are hoping most of their contestants won’t end up needing Fairway’s services – the idea is to let couples in “classic marital disputes” work things out with a sense of humor. But Seinfeld warns, “this is not a therapy show, it’s a comedy show. After nine years of marriage, I have discover that the comedic potential of this subject is quite rich.”
If you think that asking Alec Baldwin to weigh in on whose responsibility it should be to clean your gutters is a good idea, you can sign up for the open casting call here. If you just want to watch the action from a safe distance, tune in on NBC, Thursdays at 10/9 central starting February 28th.
TORONTO SUN - How to Celebrate Valentine's Solo, Divorce Guru says Redefine the Day - February 12, 2010
By KHALID MAGRAM
12th February 2010
Just because you're along doesn't mean you can't embrace Valentine’s Day, says a top divorce guru.
For most people, Feb. 14 is one of those pleasurable and affectionate times of the year – but for someone who is going through divorce or separation, Valentine’s Day can be very difficult and awkward time.
Karen Stewart, a divorce expert and CEO of Fairway Divorce Solutions, wants people going through divorce or separation not to avoid or fear Valentine’s Day, rather give the day a new or different meaning.
“It’s time we redefine what Valentine’s Day means to us,” Stewart said. “We focus too much on Valentine’s Day being about significant other or a boyfriend and a girlfriend and when we go through separation we anticipate the day with dread.”
Stewart’s message for someone spending his/her first Valentine's Day, as a new divorcee is to sway and encourage that person not to run or hide from Cupid.
“Valentine’s Day is about celebrating love and that can be done by doing something special for your kids, something special for a friend or best of all, doing something special yourself,” she said. There is Valentine’s Day after or during divorce and people, don’t have to spend time alone or foresee the day with anxiety.
Recording how you want your future love to look like on a journal is another way that you can celebrate love.
“Celebrate love by the way of fantasizing how a new love will look like,” Stewart added. “If you don’t have somebody today, that doesn’t mean you won’t have in the future.”
Finally yet importantly, she advises people learn how to forgive. That can bring closure and empower someone who has ended the relationship because it was not working out and to look ahead to the future.
Single people can celebrate love with their single friends and there is no reason to feel like something is wrong because he/she is not with someone on Valentine’s Day. The day is all about having fun and to be the best as one can be.
One of the reasons some distaste Valentine’s Day is the commercialization of Valentine’s Day.
According to Retail Council of Canada, the average expected Valentine's Day spending on gifts is .30.
While, a Canuck who just tied the knot plan to spend a large amount on Cupid gifts 1.
For business and retail, they see the opportunity for cashing in the mighty dollar; it is all about getting consumers to buy those dozen roses, box of heart-shaped chocolates or that sensual bubble bath.
"Let’s face it businesses are there to generate sales on Valentines, same way they do for all the holidays,” said Stewart, taunted by her supporters and the media as ‘national divorce guru.’
The pressure is great if everything in the relationship is wonderful. However, for someone who is about to call it quits, the pressure can be overwhelming and very stressful, she said.
AOL BUSINESS - Breaking Up is Hard to Do, but This Franchise Makes it Easier - February 10, 2010
By GEOFF WILLIAMS, AOL SMALL BUSINESS
All's fair in love and war, which may be why divorce often seems unfair. One person usually leaves the union feeling especially burned, either because he or she was blindsided and didn't see the end coming, or because one person got the house and car, and the other got the pet rock and Slim Whitman albums.
Karen Stewart, 47, set out to change that. Four years ago, she created Fairway Divorce Solutions (get it? a "fair way" to solve a divorce) after several years of working on her business plan. She had plenty of inspiration. She divorced her husband around the turn of the century in a bruising, emotional legal battle. By the time it was over, she had spent half a million dollars in legal bills and realized she and her ex-husband, who both live in Calgary, Alberta, and share custody of three children, would never be friends.
"Our kids are thriving, but [the loss of friendship] is sad," says Stewart. "With the affidavits, the court filings -- he was never able to move through that, and that's okay. But it's unnecessary to have that outcome. Kids want their parents to be friendly even if they're divorced."
But this was as unfriendly a divorce as you get. Stewart ended up writing a book about her experiences, Clean Break: How to Divorce with Dignity and Move On with Your Life, and creating Fairway Divorce Solutions. In 2008, two years after opening for business, she began franchising.
It's a concept that appears to have caught on pretty rapidly, despite the recession. There are 10 Fairway Divorce Solutions currently open -- in Canada, as well as Texas, Ohio, Florida and California -- with 17 more scheduled to open later this year. Some of the franchises are making a million in annual revenue, says Stewart, while some are bringing in 0,000 and others, less. Obviously, all the franchises are still in startup mode, some of them just out of the gate.
The business aims to help both husband and wife divorce amicably -- as in, Fairway works for the couple, not half of the couple. "We're not mediators or lawyers," says Stewart, although some attorneys have bought franchises. "We have a very strategic, step-by-step model to help with resolution on two issues: money and kids."
Stewart says "one of the flaws of the system is that you have two lawyers, so they're always bargaining, then children become part of the bargaining chip. In my opinion, divorce isn't appropriate for that model of giving up the assets to the lawyers. It's appropriate in business, not family."
Customers pay anywhere from ,000 to ,000 for Fairway's services -- it's a flat fee and depends on what the couple wants and the complexity of their financial situation. "The way to visualize it," says Stewart, "is as a Starbucks divorce. At the end of the day, everybody gets coffee, but it's going to come out differently depending the way you want it served. We have a very strategic, methodical process, which includes anywhere from 14 to 20 steps to getting a divorce, depending how complicated the situation is."
Stewart is certain that her model is better than the current model: "One of the flaws of the system is, when you're getting a divorce, you pick up the phone and think, 'Who can I hire to show the world that he or she is a horrible person, so I can win?' People think by hiring a top attorney, they're engaging control -- but the opposite happens. You lose control to the system and the mechanism of the system. What people forget when they pick up the phone and call the ball-busting, if you will, female or male lawyer, they forget the economics -- the cost of the legal bills and the loss of opportunity cost. If you're going through a divorce, and you have to divert most of your attention to your divorce, your business is going to suffer. When you look at the economics of divorce, there's a massive cost to our society, and there doesn't need to be."
One of those costs, says Stewart, is that children may wind up with the idea that marriage has to end badly "implanted in their DNA" when a union ends so explosively.
It's a complicated, emotional, delicate business, obviously, and that's why Stewart says owning a franchise isn't for everyone. "This isn't an easy job," says Stewart, who says the ideal candidates to buy into the franchise have a strong background in either business, finance or law.
And just in case it isn't clear, Stewart stresses that she is a big fan of marriage -- just not divorce. "We do have people leave our process because they get back together, and to me, that's a gift. Marriage is a great thing, and if we got better at handling divorce, we might have fewer of them in the future."
More info:
Franchise fee: ,000 for the first unit; additional locations are ,000
Startup costs: There isn't a set formula, but the franchise fee doesn't include advertising, office space, and many of the costs associated with a startup
Contact: FairwayDivorceFranchise.com; 1-866-990-FAIR.
Geoff Williams is a frequent contributor to AOL Small Business and the co-author of the new book Living Well with Bad Credit.
CASTANET.NET - JANUARY IS THE MONTH TO BE DUMPED - January 2, 2010
January 9, 2010
by Elisha Dacey
If December is the month of family and February is the month of romance, then you can call January the month to be dumped.
West Kelowna resident Shauna Henderson says it was last January 12 when she broke up with her boyfriend of more than a year.
"It's so callous," says Henderson, 28. "It makes me sound like a jerk, but honestly, it was a New Year's resolution (to break up with him).
"I kind of knew it was over about a month before Christmas, but I didn't want to break up with him during the holidays."
According to a study released by Cupid.com, the largest online dating site in North America, four out of 10 people will re-assess their relationships in January after the holiday season is over.
Anna Zornosa, vice president and general manager of Yahoo! Personals (which owns Cupid.com), says that people tend to put up with their partner so they have someone for the holidays. "Once the festivities are over, it's time to decide whether to fish or cut bait."
"It’s like clockwork," says Karen Stewart, CEO of Fairway Divorce Solutions, which opened a franchise office in West Kelowna in September of 2009. "December is dead - we could almost close down our office. But by January 10, the phone is ringing off the hook."
FRANCHISE CANADA - Fairway Divorce Solutions - December 2009
Franchise Units in Canada: 9 Franchise Fee: $ 19.5k Investment Required: $ 100k Available Territories: Canada (excluding AB), U.S.
About half of all North American marriages end in divorce. Some couples make a quick, clean break, then move on. But for the majority saying goodbye is neither quick nor clean, if for no other reason than there are assets to divvy up.
While mediation and collaborative law have brought us this far, Fairway Divorce Solutions is changing the way divorce happens and is fast becoming a preferred alternative. The company offers a trademarked Independently Negotiated Resolution of assets and parenting and strives to have a negotiated resolution within 120 days of all financial documents being received, says Karen Stewart, President, CEO and Founder of Fairway Divorce Solutions.
"It's not traditional mediation and it's not litigation," Stewart explains, although clients sometimes hire Lawyers as well. Instead, they meet one-on-one with a Fairway counselor to negotiate a settlement. Fairway charges its clients a flat fee that varies case to case. The average cost is between $ 4,000 and $ 5,000. Fairway's target client is anyone getting divorced, Stewart continues, including same sex couples.
Stewart started the nine-franchise company in 2006 and now Fairway can be found in Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta and Victoria and Kelowna, British Columbia, as well as Sacramento and San Diego in California. The franchise fee is
$ 19,500, and potential investors should be well educated and possess negotiating skills. Stewart says one real benefit of owning a franchise is making a positive difference in people's lives.
Stewart admits she has "aggressive" expansion plans and in the next 36 months wants to establish a significant presence in both Canada and the United States and eventually have some 300 franchises in operation.
CALGARY'S CHILD.COM - Planning in Advance is a Must for Stress-Free Co-Parenting - November 20, 2009
Calgary'sChild.com - November 20, 2009
Juggling holidays, work and kids’ schedules for most families is challenging but for single parents, it can be daunting. Now more than ever, as divorce and extended families have become the norm, parents look for tips on how to co-parent stress-free.
First and foremost, set aside your ego and personal battles. The holiday season - whether Christmas, Thanksgiving or the summer - are often a sensitive reminder of wishful thinking of what otherwise could have been, but redefining a new kind of celebration is a recipe for success and cooperation. Holidays are wrapped in tradition and if positively framed, will help children establish confidence, foundation and trust in their new kind of family. Different is only ‘different,’ it is not worst. Creating exciting new kinds of traditions can be fun and the seeds for new wonderful beginnings.
Plan and agree on a holiday rotation schedule well in advance. What works best for most families is to rotate one year with one and the next with the other. Some holidays, like summer, you can obviously split and share. For older children, you may even decide to split the summer in half; but for younger children, a two-week block with one parent is likely enough for a holiday with one but not too long away from the other. For holidays like Christmas, try splitting this time in half - perhaps with the first half up to and including Christmas day and the second half starting on the 26th to include New Years and ending when the children return to school. Then of course the next year, rotate the other way. This works much better than splitting Christmas during the 24th or the 25th, which most often causes stress for the parents, the children and extended families.
GLOBE & MAIL - A More Civil Way to Divorce - October 20, 2009
Globe and Mail - October 20, 2009
By: Terry Inigo-Jones
Karen Stewart's own painful experience prompted her to come up with a more affordable way!
Few people would like to think of divorce as a growth industry, but Karen Stewart, founder of Calgary-based Fairway Divorce Solutions Ltd., believes it to be a vast, untapped market.
"I don't advocate divorce, but I advocate doing divorce in a humane way and [with] integrity," says Ms. Stewart, the company's president and chief executive officer. "It's here to stay. It's not going away. So let's get it right."
It was her own painful experience that got her thinking there must be a better, more affordable way for families to handle such a difficult situation. She has described her divorce as a four-year, emotionally draining ordeal with a price tag of about 0,000.
"Going through my personal journey of divorce, I was able to . . . critique it from the perspective of experience and my background in finance," says Ms. Stewart, who has worked in the financial management industry.
"Coming from a business background, I have been trained and built my business based on methodologies and processes . . . and what I found very interesting is, in moving through the area of divorce . . . it wasn't held to any of those standards. There was no accountability. There was no process, there was no methodology for resolution. There are only two things in divorce - money and kids - and yet there was no pragmatic approach to resolving the financial issues."
ENTREPRENEUR MAGAZINE - Divorce From a Different Angle - August 2, 2009
Women Entrepreneur.com - 08/02/2009
Financial expert starts a Franchise Business that makes the process of divorce both civilized and fair.
Karen Stewart started her Fairway Divorce franchise in 2006, and it's seen amazing growth in the short time since.
That's because Stewart did the research, tested her concept and made necessary adjustments before she put out the Fairway Divorce shingle.
Stewart, a financial counselor, says she started thinking about a different way to approach divorce in the late 1990s, as she watched clients suffer its often-devastating financial implications.
It became a personal crusade in 2000, when the financially savvy Stewart went through a divorce herself. "Over the course of five years, I spent 0,000 on legal bills," she says. In 2004, she commissioned a market research study to find out whether others felt the way she did about the adversarial divorce system.
The answer was yes. So Stewart decided to write a book, Clean Break: How to Divorce with Dignity and Move On with Your Life. In her book, Stewart laid the groundwork for an alternative to the win-lose system of divorce. That system ultimately became the Fairway Process, a fixed fee, step-by-step, independently negotiated resolution process.
"A couple can move through my entire process separately and bring resolution and get to a win-win," Stewart says, noting that the traditional system of divorce wrongly tries to deal with money and children at the same time. "That creates a tug of war from day one," she says. Stewart's process deals first with the financial realities. "Once you get money issues out of the way, 95 percent of couples--even adversarial couples who are fighting--can negotiate a really great co-parenting plan for the kids," she says.
Stewart made sure she had the training and experience she needed before she started Fairway Divorce. She became a certified divorce financial analyst and earned a designation as a financial mediator. "Over the course of a couple of years I got myself involved in every kind of scenario," she says. She worked on collaborative teams as a financial expert and also guided couples through traditional mediation.
THE CANADIAN PRESS - Some 'cowboys and girls' having too good a time at Calgary Stampede - July 15, 2009
By THE CANADIAN PRESS
CALGARY —Take a cowboy with smoldering brown eyes. Add a cowgirl in tight blue jeans. Then throw in plenty of booze and a party atmosphere and you risk rustling up a whole heap of trouble during the Calgary Stampede.
The 10-day annual event has been known to descend into debauchery for some, as inhibitions and even common sense vamoose out the window.
"You've been branded," says one young cowgirl as she plants a kiss on the cheek of one wanna-be cowboy. "Call me if you want to get together later," she murmurs, slipping him her phone number.
As Calgarians shed their business attire for hats, boots and jeans, some seem to find that the gold wedding ring gets as tight as the necktie from that three-piece suit.
"The number of people starting to file for divorce also spikes after the festivities of Stampede have come and gone," says Karen Stewart, founder and CEO of Fairway Divorce Solutions.
Within about six weeks of the festivities, calls from people talking about divorce go up about 30 per cent, she says.
"Perhaps somebody was out on their own and thinking, 'You know what, the grass might be greener on the other side.' Or maybe, 'I didn't like the behaviour of myself or my spouse and it's time to move on."' The Stampede can bring focus to the strengths or weaknesses of a relationship, Stewart says. Close couples get closer. But tensions surface between partners having problems.
Affairs and infidelity are big factors in many divorces, she says, and the Stampede offers opportunities for some couples to see what else is out there.
"Is Stampede gasoline on the fire? Absolutely." The impression that the cowboy festival and bad behaviour go hand-in-hand was lampooned several years ago in a spoof advertisement that many people took as truth. A downtown hotel advertised its Stampede party with a promise that patrons could check their wedding rings at the door - and then get a spray tan to erase any tattle-tale tan lines. The hotel later made clear the ad was in jest.
Concern about taking a roll in the hay prompted Alberta Health Services to launch a campaign last year that distributed posters and bar coasters showing a condom, shaped as a tiny cowboy hat, along with the slogan:
EDMONTON SUN - It's a Stampede to divorce court - July 3, 2009
The Edmonton Sun, Fri Jul 3 2009
By: JENNA MCMURRAY, SUN MEDIA
Some Calgary Stampede-goers know how to party their wedding rings off.
Karen Stewart, CEO and founder of Fairway Divorce Solutions headquartered in Calgary, said in the weeks following the Stampede each year, she sees a 30% to 40% increase in clients looking to split with their spouses.
"Even people who are in the best of the best marriages find themselves going out and experiencing fun times in ways they hadn't anticipated," said Stewart.
"It's the sexual undertones, the alcohol, the letting loose."
CALGARY SUN - Divorce rate rises after Calgary Stampede - July 3, 2009
CALGARY, Alberta, July 3 (UPI)
Canada's annual Calgary Stampede got under way Friday as divorce consultants prepared for their own surge in unhappy couples after the 10-day event.
Billed as the world's biggest outdoor rodeo event, the Alberta city goes into party mode, which Karen Stewart, founder of Fairway Divorce Solutions, told Sun Media leads to a lot of infidelity.
"It's the sexual undertones, the alcohol, the letting loose," she said. "Thousands of beautiful men and women come out of the woodwork at Stampede and people look incredibly sexy when you put them in a cowboy hat."
She said she sees as much as a 40 percent jump in the number of people filing for divorce in the weeks after the stampede.
Artist Shaun Doiron told the news service there's a saying in the city "it's not cheatin', it's Stampedin'."
"Stampede is like a Las Vegas for a lot of people," he said. "It's not the rodeo anymore, it's a big party.
CALGARY HERALD - Sex and the Stampede: behind closed shutters - July 2, 2009
By Paula Arab, Calgary Herald
July 9, 2009 9:15 AM
Cold weather? I'm loving it. Closed windows at night have led to the most peaceful sleep in Stampede memory. I'm usually awoken in the middle of the night by my wild neighbour downstairs, who works at Cowboys. For 10 long days in July, the notoriously unruly party at Cowboys moves to my backyard, on my neighbour's deck, just outside my bedroom window. It ends as the sun is rising and the alarm clock is about to go off.
Talk about being sleep-deprived for all the wrong reasons. This year, thanks to a few good nights of sleep, I set aside sour grapes and started to wonder if I've been snoozing and losing all of this time. For once, I have the energy to explore this notion of Sex and the Stampede. Does it really exist? How naughty does it get, and is it all in good fun, or, are there terrible consequences to be paid after?
I can't believe people seriously say you're lucky if you get through Stampede week without losing either your wife, your job or your driver's licence.
I phone my cousin Richard, who was once a big-wig oil executive and has many Stampedes under his shiny big cowboy buckle. Now he's retired. Still, his wife is out of the country, so I figure hey, you never know. I should check up on him and make sure he isn't getting into trouble.
"I don't do Stampede," he barks. Apparently, I'm interrupting a golf game. I beg and plead for secrets, telling him I need to talk to a corporate Calgary executive with Stampede experience. "That's not me," he says, and hangs up.
Thanks a lot, Dick.
I'm more curious than ever. What goes on at these corporate Stampede parties? I'll bet it's more than pancakes and sausages. I try a few more oilpatch friends, but to no avail. No one even answers. They're likely Stampeding, kicking up their heels, drinking cold beer and yeehawing (yawn) at the rodeo. Finally, I reach Doug Dafoe, president and CEO of Ember Resources. He agrees to speak Stampede on one condition: "Don't make me sound like a big party animal because I'm not."
Of course you're not. You ARE practically the only CEO in the city at your desk, answering your phone.
Dafoe says the trick to surviving Stampede week is to balance socializing with work, and to be sure to take in the cowboy spirit and enjoy a bit of the rodeo down on the grounds. Some people party the whole week without ever setting foot on the Stampede grounds.
He also says it's good to have clear policies in place to protect employees from themselves. "We distribute taxi chits. If people are going out to a function and they're going to be drinking, we don't want them to come back to the office. We accept that, and want them to stay at the party or go home."
Sounds like a good gig so far.
"What's unique during Stampede week is there's a lot more socializing than what normally goes on in the workplace, and when that happens, all kinds of crazy things can happen."
You'd have to be dead not to notice how the sexual energy in the city shoots up a few thousand gigajoules this time of year. Non-stop parties, alcohol, tight Wranglers and bare-all outfits lead many a Stampede reveller into the saddle, as it were.
Karen Stewart, the founder and CEO of Fairway Divorce Solutions, sees a spike in business after Stampede, but only in her Calgary office.
"I would say there's definitely a correlation. After Stampede, we see a reasonable increase in the number of calls, and they refer to a 'Stampede event' as the catalyst.
"There's a sexual undertone during Stampede and everyone knows it."
The good news, according to Stewart, is Stampede only threatens relationships that are usually already vulnerable. Just as many healthy couples enjoy the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth together, even bonding over corn dogs and mini-doughnuts.
Personally, I think Stampede is an excuse used by the middle-aged to act sophomoric. Then I meet Connor McKeown, a bright 20-year-old, and realize 20-year-olds no longer behave that way.
"There's a lot of people drunk everywhere," says McKeown, wise beyond his years. He sells Stampede-themed T-shirts at the Rocket on 17th Avenue. It disturbs him how many people come in and buy the shirt that says: It's Not Cheating, It's Stampeding. "It's scary how many we sell. You start to wonder is it all fun anymore or is it dangerous to go out and have this kind of fun?"
At least, it's raining for Calgarians, married, single or otherwise. I think I'll keep my windows closed, and just chill until Stampede's over.
CALGARY HERALD - Don't Meet Us In San Francisco - June 22, 2009
Negotiating with the ex for summer holidays with the kids a potential minefield
By Robin Summerfield, Calgary Herald
June 22, 2009
Medicine Hat saw an increase of almost 300 per cent in divorce rates in March 2009 compared to the same period last year.
In March 2008, 12 divorces were recorded, according to the Court of Queens Bench, compared with 35 in March 2009.
Financial worries add stress to a marriage, an increase in job losses during a recession exacerbates the situation and it seems divorce rates inevitably climb.
“The demand for lawyers handling family law cases has increased significantly,” said Rocky Hornung of Rocky Lane Hornung Law Office. “Even though there are some new practices handling family law in the community we’re as busy as ever.”
A typical divorce situation lawyers are dealing with includes a husband working up north on an oil rig, earning a six-figure income, with a large home and mortgage, and a wife and children living here, said Hornung. It’s a scenario where it would be easy for the wife or husband to stray. Sometimes the husband is laid off or chooses to came home permanently in an effort to try to save the marriage. It becomes very difficult for the family to adapt to all being together again often with a significantly decreased salary, he said.
“It’s a situation for conflict,” said Hornung. “They start blaming each other for the fact they wake up each morning feeling miserable.”
Janis Pritchard, a lawyer with Pritchard & Company in Medicine Hat, says divorce becomes more complex when it’s necessary to sell the family home in order to split assets. That can be hard to do in a stagnant real estate market. For some couples selling their house could mean getting much less than expected. It may not cover the mortgage and perhaps incur a financial penalty if they are paying off a mortgage earlier than the agreed term.
“Lawyers see people who would like to divorce but can’t because they don’t have money to set up two separate homes instead of the one they are currently in,” said Pritchard.
In some cases you have only the husband bringing in a reduced income, because the wife has been taking care of young children and not working outside of the home. His income is going to pay a ,500 mortgage and utilities on a 0,000 house that won’t sell and an apartment for himself. The wife can be reduced to seeking food from the food bank and is angry because he’s not paying her enough to live on, said Hornung.
“Roles are changing for lawyers too,” said Pritchard. “They are trying to mediate and find a workable solution for a couple that would like to divorce but can’t afford to.”
There is huge stress involved in families separating and they need to talk to someone who can identify the red flags that heighten the conflict. Legal counseling can include advice that can be used to look at the problems a couple is facing in a different way, said Pritchard. There is transitional counseling available, divorce coaching, family services and employee assistance programs through many employers.
“It’s good for a couple to acknowledge they are in conflict. We each have our best answer in a conflict and need to choose a solution that acknowledges the different expectations of the other partner,” said Pritchard.
Pritchard’s advice includes acknowledging the needs of their children and getting professional help for them too.
“Unfortunately its the children that take the brunt when the parents are stressed. The children are put in a situation where parents have no patience left and there’s no room for kids to be just kids,” said Pritchard. “Divorce is the death of a relationship and there is a grieving process to go through.”
Fairway Divorce Solutions is a franchise business with offices across Canada and thanks to teleconferencing can handle divorces even where they don’t have an office. For CEO Karen Stewart, it was a way to avoid messy divorces with wounded partners that leave the couple crippled financially. She understood from personal experience what the solution should be.
“We have a team of financial and parenting experts who bring resolution through independent negotiation with each person separately,” said Stewart. “Rather than having one person win and the other lose our focus is on a resolution.”
Based on the complexities of the situation clients are quoted a flat fee which can be 50 per cent less than the traditional system, said Stewart. Clients still retain the services of a lawyer to complete the legal documentation.
According to Statistics Canada 5.4 per cent of men and woman in Canada divorced in 1973 but this had climbed to 16.2 per cent for men and 15.7 per cent for women by 2003. Couples are most likely to divorce during the first three years of marriage.
CALGARY HERALD - Woman of Vision - May 5, 2009
Painful separation revolutionizes divorce
By Linda Olsen, Calgary Herald, May 5, 2009 6:58 AM
CALGARY - If you were to turn back the clock on Karen Stewart's life, you'd probably see something very similar to where she's at today.
While in university, Stewart wrote a vision of what she wanted to be in life and is still surprised at how accurate it was.
"It says (I'm) very interested in finance and I want to build a business that is out of a direct need that I discover in my lifetime, (and) I want to have offices all over the place," Stewart recalls.
Turn that clock ahead and Stewart is president and CEO of Fair-way Divorce Solutions, a Calgary-based company, which Stewart says is meeting that direct need she hinted at years before.
Stewart has created an alternative model of divorce, one she describes as more neutral than negative, and more amicable and affordable. Oh, and that other part of her vision, the one about having offices all over the place? She fulfilled that, too. Fairway, which Stewart founded in 2006, now has several franchises across Canada and is branching into the U. S.
Yes, it is a local business success story, but one that comes from a painful personal experience.
Stewart went through a divorce that lasted several years, costing her 0,000 in legal bills and damaged relationships.
"I kept saying to myself, all the way through it . . . you know, there's no way that the universe or God is putting me through this without there being a reason."
Already a successful business leader in the financial industry, Stewart had experience helping divorcing couples sort out their money matters. She used that background, and her own story, and went to work creating a new way to deal with divorce. And she started at the beginning, wondering how divorce became messy.
"How did this ever happen? How did society ever let divorce get to where it's destroying kids and parenting relationships? And so, in all my quests for information, I started to formulate (that) there's got to be a better way, and if there was a better way, what would it look like?"
Stewart says Fairway is unique in several aspects, but one key is working separately with spouses and setting a civil tone.
Stewart has three children who have gone through the difficult journey of divorce with her. and she hopes her efforts will make the process a lot easier for more families in the future.
"My personal mission is to affect generations from now, so that our children's children's children don't have the negative connotations and the negative experiences, in the ending of their parents' marriages. I think there is a stigma attached to divorce, and it's really unfortunate because it is an ending . . . it's not a failure."
At the risk of sounding sappy, I’m going unveil one of my most passionately held beliefs about small business start-ups, regardless of whether it’s a franchise opportunity or independent venture: I believe that the only valid reason for starting a new business is to change the world.
This belief is not based on pie-in-the-sky idealism, but a very practical observation: growing a business takes tremendous effort, stamina and commitment. It takes, perhaps above all else, the ability to keep all involved motivated to do their best day after day after day after mundane day. Financial motivation, for most of us, only goes so far. We long to know that we are making a difference in the world, that we are helping to further the causes that we care about, and that we make a difference.
Employment studies have shown that adequate (or even high) financial compensation does not make employees happy in their jobs. Why? Because personal fulfillment comes from being part of something worthwhile, for being recognized, for making a difference. It’s easier for a business owner to maintain focus and enthusiasm if he or she has (and his or her employees have) both financial and non-financial motives for maximizing the success of the business.
IMHO, the best businesses are those that enable all involved to feel that they are truly making a difference in some way… that they are both making a living AND changing the world.
I think that Fairway Divorce Solutions franchisees will have to possess a great deal of skill, empathy and commitment to create mutually negotiated divorce agreements between parting couples. They’ll also need to be flexible enough to pioneer both a new concept AND a new franchise system. However, it’s hard to imagine of a more personally fulfilling business to be in than to be helping families lay the groundwork for peaceful cooperation and mutual respect when, without you, they may have resorted to anger and resentment.
It seems to me that this concept, if grown correctly, could really have a significant and far-reaching impact on many, many lives. If Karen Stewart and her Fairway Divorce Solutions franchisees can pull it off, they’ll reap the rewards of those who can look back and say, with certainty, that they changed the world.
TOP NEW FRANCHISES - Fairway Divorce - April 13, 2009
Fairway Divorce Solutions provides an alternative approach to divorce—a fixed fee, step-by-step independent negotiated resolution process. The Fairway Process™ reduces costs, time, stress, and protects children. U.S. franchises are now available for qualified professionals who want to build a strong business while helping people change the way they approach divorce.
Top New Franchises spoke to Karen Stewart, CEO/Founder of Fairway Divorce Solutions and author of “Clean Break: How to Divorce with Dignity and Move on with Your Life.”
Top New Franchises: So, Karen, what inspired you to create Fairway Divorce Solutions?
Karen: The Fairway Divorce Solutions concept began after I went through my own grueling divorce. I was determined to create an alternative that enabled couples to separate with a fair division of assets, and with feelings of empowerment and dignity so they could move on with their lives. We developed the Fairway process as an alternative way to the traditional method of divorce – one that’s expensive, stressful and destructive to the children.
Top New Franchises: How widespread is divorce?
Karen: Accurate divorce statistics are hard to come by, but it’s safe to say that somewhere between 35% and 55% of marriages currently end in divorce. In the U.S., it’s estimated that there are more than 2 million divorces per year. Despite the fact that divorce is so commonplace, the process for obtaining a divorce is badly broken.
Top New Franchises: What IS the process most divorcing couples currently go through? How’s it broken?
Karen: There are really two groups. The first are those who each hire their own divorce attorneys and go through the traditional adversarial and costly divorce process. Each attorney is trained that their responsibility is to win for their client. So, from the start the scenario is set for a win-lose, rather than a win-win, outcome. Since these negotiations often involve children, win-lose situations can have very unfortunate consequences. Another problem with this system is that there is no financial incentive for the attorneys to bring a speedy, economical resolution. Divorce attorneys generally require retainers of thousands of dollars from each party and bill at rates of 0 - 0 per hour. While reputable attorneys wouldn’t intentionally prolong the conflict, the fact is that the longer it takes, the more they get paid… and the fewer assets are left to allocate.
Top New Franchises: And the other group?
Karen: The other group consists of couples who do it themselves; who try to forego lawyers fees and create an agreement without professional help. This may be fine in situations where there are few assets and no children involved. For most, though, do-it-yourself divorce is very unwise. First, these individuals are making critical financial and legal decisions not only without proper training, but usually in a highly emotional state of mind. Emotional decision making can result in agreements that won’t be satisfactory long-term. In fact, the validity of do-it-yourself contracts may be legally challenged down the road.
Top New Franchises: How does the Fairway Divorce Solutions process differ?
Karen: Fairway Divorce Solutions offers a fixed-fee, step-by-step negotiated resolution process that is founded on cooperation, not confrontation. Our professional, trained negotiators lead divorcing couples through a well-defined process to achieve a fair and mutually acceptable division of financial assets as well as child custody and visitation. Fairway clients work with their trained negotiator as a team to achieve a mutually agreeable resolution in the least amount of time possible.
Top New Franchises: What professional qualifications are required to be a Fairway franchise owner?
Karen: Operating a Fairway Divorce Solutions business requires significant negotiation, mediation and/or conflict resolution skills. While one does not need to be an attorney or Certified Financial Planner, knowledge of the law, financial planning background or psychology is certainly helpful. Among our current franchisees we have an attorney, a CPA and several MBAs. While our first franchise owners manage their own centers, we would also consider franchisees wanting to hire those with required skills to operate their Fairway centers for them.
Top New Franchises: What personal traits do you value in a franchise owner?
Karen: We are looking for qualified professionals who not only want to build an economically viable businesses, but who also want to create positive change in society and in the lives of their clients. We would like franchisees who truly want to join us in changing the way people see and approach divorce. We want franchisees who have a passion for making a difference, and who will promote our message in their local markets. It also takes a special person to help introduce a completely new concept. They will need to be more of a team player and a bit more flexible, I expect, than with more traditional franchises. Their input and feedback will be highly valued as we grow.
Top New Franchises: What do you see as being the greatest potential reward for Fairway Divorce Solution franchise owners?
Karen: The greatest potential reward for our franchise owners is the same as it is for me: a chance to build a strong business future while positively impacting lives of those around us, especially children’s. It’s a chance to make a difference. A chance to change the world.
Top New Franchises: Thanks for sharing your story.
Karen: Thanks for the opportunity.
OPENING A FRANCHISE - Open a Till-Divorce-Do-Us-Part Business - April 30, 2009
April 30, 2009 - Can divorce be franchised? Karen Stewart, founder of Fairway Divorce Solutions is doing just that. In an exclusive interview on TopNewFranchises.com, she tells how her new franchise concept is revolutionizing an industry.
Each year in the U.S., more than 2 million marriages end in divorce. Most couples have little choice other than the current a costly and antagonistic legal system or trying to do it on their own. But soon there may be a better alternative. Karen Stewart explains how her Fairway Divorce Solutions franchisees are providing a divorce facilitation alternative that's based on cooperation, not confrontation.
With nine locations in Canada, Fairway Divorce Solutions is already providing an alternative approach to divorce — a fixed fee, step-by-step independent negotiated resolution process. The Fairway Process™ reduces costs, time, stress, and protects children.
Fairway Divorce Solutions CEO Karen Stewart explains how the overwhelmingly positive response to the Fairway system in Canada prompted her to begin offering franchises in the United States. Fairway Divorce Solutions is actively seeking qualified professionals who want to build a strong business while helping people change the way they approach divorce.
CALGARY SUN - Divorce no bargain in tough economy - March 12, 2009
The Calgary Sun, Thursday, March 12, 2009
By: JENNA MCMURRAY, SUN MEDIA
The economy's crunch is causing more Calgary couples to honour the "for better or for worse" part of their wedding vows more than ever.
Karen Stewart, founder and CEO of Fairway Divorce Solutions in Calgary, said some couples who have reached their breaking points are staying together in order to avoid racking up hefty divorce bills.
"Sometimes people second guess their decision to leave because they're not sure if they can afford to divorce," said Stewart.
"But money is just a Band-Aid -- it's not going to solve the problems."
Stewart said divorce is usually a two-year process that can cost anywhere from ,000 to 0,000 a couple.
Parting ways in a recession can be particularly rough on a couple's finances, she said.
"Splitting assets hurts more in a recession and we're faced with a market where house prices have gone down and it's hard to sell," said Stewart.
Splitting stocks and RRSPs is also risky business, said Stewart because in an unstable economy, dividing financial assets 50-50 doesn't always work out to be even as the stock market changes.
"You can make a catastrophic decision if you don't pay attention to the content of that stock portfolio," she said.
Lynda-Joy Snyder is a registered marriage and family therapist at the Calgary Counselling Centre and said over the last year, requests for couples counselling has jumped about 20% from a previous record high.
"More couples have been calling with regards to counselling," said Snyder. "We know some couples will separate and not proceed with divorce because of finances. Finances are one of the top considerations in relationships."
Stewart said although money is a roadblock for some couples, matters of the heart will still prevail.
For those who decide to divorce, Stewart recommends establishing backup plans.
"Ensure you have a structure and a plan that will stand the test of time," she said.
"Because we don't know where the market is going, you need to hammer out some different scenarios."
METRO VANCOUVER - Postponing a divorce over economic woes will raise stress - March 6, 2009
METRO VANCOUVER, March 6, 2009
by: Taryn McElheran
Some couples are waiting longer to divorce because of the poor economy, according to a specialist who says that may not be a good idea.
Karen Stewart is a certified divorce financial analyst and founder of Fairway Divorce Solutions. She offers the following tips:
What are the pros and cons of waiting to divorce?
Money is always an issue. The pro for delaying it is not having to split assets in a downmarket. The con is that as people stay in relationships that in their own minds have ended. I find that stress and anger escalate. It’s better to nip it in the bud and be prudent.
How can you have a small and successful divorce in hard economic times?
Step one is to be really prudent and careful of who you employ to help you move through your divorce. Step two is to avoid making decisions around the divorce that are going to destroy the long-term well-being of your assets.
What should couples ask themselves before hiring a lawyer?
Decide whether or not it’s worth hiring one to begin with. It is prudent to have independent legal advice but I don’t advocate getting that immediately. Whomever you hire, ask how much it’s going to cost, what are the guarantees around the outcome, etc.
What is the best way to divorce?
Avoid liquidating if at all possible. Look for creative ways to divide all assets, so for example if a couple is looking to split their RRSPs in half, then do it in away that maintains the portfolio intact. And also do it in a way that separates and divides the risk associated with the portfolio.
Fairway Television
Global TV - Woman of Vision
Karen Stewart, founder of Fairway Divorce Solutions, appears on Global Television as the Woman of Vision for May 2009. This was a great honor for Karen.
CTV News - Recession Causing Extra Stress on Divorcing Couples
Karen Stewart, founder of Fairway Divorce Solutions, appears on CTV News to discuss the increase in stress levels of divorcing couples in this recession and gives tips on how to decrease this stress.
Karen Stewart, founder of Fairway Divorce Solutions, appears on Global TV to discuss what impact the recession has had on the divorce statistics and whether people are touching it out to save assets in this current economy.
Karen Stewart, founder of Fairway Divorce Solutions, discusses Two Strangers and a Wedding from Energy 101.5 and the likely hood of this type of matchmaking ending in divorce.
Karen Stewart, founder of Fairway Divorce Solutions, appears on City TV Edmonton to discuss "The Clean Break" and Dating after Divorce for Valentine's Day.
At the risk of sounding sappy, I’m going unveil one of my most passionately held beliefs about