How Budget Blinds Became One of the Top Low Investment Franchise Opportunities in the Home Service Segment

Many homeowners are choosing to invest their yearly vacation budget into home improvement amid the pandemic, and for Budget Blinds, the Orange County, California-based custom window covering franchisor that brings the shopping experience to the customer, this surge in demand has created an opportunity to excel in new markets. After 28 years of business servicing 1,150 territories in North America installing 50,000 window treatments per week, the brand has been able to establish itself as an industry leader in the residential and commercial space and as one of the top low investment franchise opportunities for entrepreneurs looking to enter an already established business.

Budget Blinds was founded in 1992 by a group of friends in Orange County, California who wanted to bring window covering options directly to the customer instead of traditional retail offerings. In just two years, the group went from papering neighborhoods with branded door hangers to growing to an 80 unit franchise, proving that the convenience of in-home shopping and installation was the appeal customers loved most.

Fast-forward to 2020, when a pandemic has left many unemployed and seeking career ventures away from the corporate sector and into their own hands. One of the ways that Budget Blinds has been able to provide a solution is by offering an affordable option to entrepreneurs with the added bonus of an already successful business model — without the need for expertise in window covering or home services. Budget Blinds’ operations are home-based, with low inventory, very little overhead and high profit margins.

And for those who are looking for a career change at a low cost, the initial investment of less than $100,000 is crucial.

“So many people want to go into business for themselves but often abandon the idea because — let’s face it — it’s tough to do and it’s expensive,” said Jonathan Thiessen, CEO of Home Franchise Concepts (HFC), Budget Blinds’ parent company. “Franchising with Budget Blinds provides those interested, business-minded entrepreneurs with a low-cost opportunity and an easy entry into something that’s already operating successfully.”

While many industries have struggled to survive the pandemic, the home services segment has been fortunate to experience a boom in business during an otherwise devastating time. According to Thiessen many of Budget Blinds’ franchisees are having a record year in sales.

“When COVID-19 began to shut down a lot of businesses, Budget Blinds started to see exponential growth,” said Thiessen. “Being able to operate without a brick-and-mortar store has been hugely important to our success. And by nature, it's easy for our franchisees to do their jobs while remaining socially distant. Other than updating our health and safety protocols to ensure the safety of our clients, we have been fortunate enough to not really have been affected by the pandemic.”

But even as Budget Blinds continues to see success through this difficult time, the franchise remains humble in the face of its core — it’s network of franchisees. According to Thiessen, HFC’s tight-knit community of franchisees is one of the brand’s most important assets.

“Budget Blinds has grown into this incredible community of franchisees that help each other out and offer one another support,” said Thiessen. “It can sometimes feel like a cult in a good way. It’s definitely akin to becoming a part of a family. Even my nephew franchises with the brand.”

Budget Blinds is planning to continue to take advantage of its high-demand positioning, seeking to grow its strong community of franchise owners. Thiessen says the brand is looking for “self-starters with a passion for customer service — people who want to be in business for themselves and seek their own success,” and has no doubt they’ll find the right entrepreneurs to fit the build.

“The beauty of Budget Blinds is that it’s a home-based business, that you can grow to whatever size you’re comfortable with,” said Kim Lang, a franchisee with the brand in Saskatoon, Canada and Huntington Beach, California. “Working for myself has been ideal. The flexibility I’ve had with my three young kids has been so important to me.”