How Budget Blinds Helps Franchisees Give Back

For Budget Blinds franchisee Rob Emmerson, the custom window covering brand offered not only the opportunity to be his own boss, but also to prioritize something near and dear to his heart: giving back.

“I was in the fire sprinkler and fire alarm business for years, but I found myself in a position where I was traveling more than I wanted,” said Emmerson, the franchise owner of the Budget Blinds of Central Tampa, Tarpon Springs and Dunedin, Florida. “For a year or so, I was kicking around the idea of starting a business, specifically a franchise because I knew I wanted the infrastructure and backing of an established company. After finding Budget Blinds, I started doing my due diligence and loved what I saw.

I had actually used the service at my own home twice, and knew that the product was strong. In addition, the franchise offered low overhead costs, a proven business model and a reasonable initial investment. I called established franchise owners all over the country for validation, and realized that if you follow the blueprint, you will be successful.”

Emmerson signed on with Budget Blinds in October of 2015 and opened his location in December. “I started with the Central Tampa location, but I became friends with the surrounding franchisee who owned two territories around me,” he said. “She had a visa that was going to expire, so she wanted to sell her business. After a few years of success with Budget Blinds, I was ready to expand, and we were able to strike a good deal. I took over the Tarpon Springs and Dunedin territories in January 2019.”

When COVID-19 hit, Emmerson was surprised and elated to see that the home services segment wasn’t struggling — it was actually booming. “The phone wouldn't stop ringing — from April on we had the phone ringing off the hook with appointments,” he said.

In fact, Emmerson was doing so well that he decided that it was his duty to give back to those who weren’t as fortunate. “Budget Blinds deferred our fees and really bent over backwards to help us give back to our community and survive during COVID-19,” he said. “They are still reducing fees for those who are struggling. I’ve always loved giving back to my community. When COVID-19 hit, I decided our locations would organize a charitable tie into sales, and Budget Blinds couldn’t have been more supportive.”

In the second quarter of 2020, Emmerson decided to donate $100 per project to a foster community charity in the area called Camelot Community Care. Emmerson ended up raising $25,000 and received a great deal of positive feedback from his community and the Budget Blinds team.

“After the success of that original campaign, we decided to keep it going,” he said. “Now, we choose a different charity each quarter and donate $50 for every sale. In Q3, we donated $12,600 to the Humane Society of Tampa Bay, and this quarter we are supporting Reach Out, Speak Out, an organization that aims to combat domestic violence. Both the customers and the Budget Blinds team have been so supportive of all of our efforts. It has been amazing to give back, and since fall to Christmas is usually a busy time of year, we hope to donate $50,000 overall by the end of 2020.”

Looking ahead, Emmerson is excited to continue working with Budget Blinds in order to support his community while also driving business. “We’ve had some recognition for our charitable efforts in the community as well, with the local cable company airing a commercial for free to advertise the opportunity,” he said. “We probably received half a dozen appointments just because of that free publicity.

I also have a business coach that provides local marketing support, so we are ready to keep spreading the word. The Budget Blinds team is really all about doing the right thing, and that is a big part of the reason that franchisees are so successful.”