Kitchen Solvers franchisee goes from unemployed to ready for retirement

“I lost my job in early 2009 when the economy dumped,” he said. “I had been a vice president of sales and marketing for a company, and then I was out of a job. I went three years without work. At the age of 56, I had one interview in three years, and it was for a job I didn’t really want.”

In short, things weren’t exactly looking up for Andreas on the career front. And then he got contacted by a franchise recruiter.

“I told him I never really wanted to own my own business,” he said. “I also told him I was a 30-year wood worker, self-taught. He asked if I’d be interested in that type of gig and I said yes.”

The recruiter turned him onto a company and Andreas realized it probably wasn’t the only option available. He began researching on the Internet and came up with Kitchen Solvers.

“We spoke and there was an instant rapport,” Andreas said. “I decided to go with them.”

Andreas was impressed with the brand’s transparency, its willingness to answer tough questions without hesitation. He was also pleased with the company’s support of its franchisees.

“You hear horror stories about franchises,” he said. “Once you sign up, you never hear from corporate again. They assured me that wasn’t the case with them and they were right. Gerry [Henley, Kitchen Solvers president] and the entire team have been really dynamic in their support for me. They are driving the company forward in a fashion I really like and am comfortable with.”

Henley was also driving Andreas to pay more attention to the financial side of his business.

“Gerry has been awesome in that respect,” Andreas said. “I hate accounting, but he helped me realize the importance of learning the numbers, and it’s been a huge help.”

That understanding has helped Andreas grow his business very quickly.

“I did all the selling and installing myself the first year,” he said. “I wanted to do that to know what it was like inside and out, know what kind of problems you might come up against.”

His second year in business, however, he hired an independent contractor part-time while he concentrated on selling. The following year he hired him full-time. During 2014, the duo handled 22 kitchens, nearly two jobs a month. This year they’re well ahead of that pace and Andreas is gearing up to hire another employee.

Unlike some Kitchen Solvers franchisees, whose plans for the future are centered on growing as big as they can be, Andreas is taking a different tact.

“Kitchen Solvers helps you develop your plan – it’s part of the process from the beginning,” he said. “They want you to envision where you want to be in five, 10, 15 years. I’m at the end of my career and want to maintain a comfortable lifestyle and have a comfortable income coming in. But no matter your goal, Gerry and the team will help you reach it. If you want to make a certain amount each year, they’ll give you the roadmap and show you how to do it.”

When asked why he thinks the Kitchen Solvers business model is so effective, Andreas didn’t hesitate to answer.

“We have a process that works,” he said. “You can think you know how to do it better, but you’ll find that this process works for a reason, and if you work it the way you’re supposed to, you’ll be successful.”