Fibrenew Welcomes Australian Master Franchisee

Fibrenew International is pleased to announce our new Master Franchisee in Australia, Mr. Dean Carroll. Dean comes from a background in accounting and will now head Fibrenew’s operations in Australia from his office in the Melbourne area.

Fibrenew has exceptional franchise opportunities available throughout Australia. For more information, please visit: www.fibrenew.com.au

Source: Fibrenew Franchising

Re-post: Caring for Leather Furniture

Leather furniture is an investment, so good maintenance is important. Here are some do's and don'ts for getting your leather to age well:

1. Avoid seemingly harmless cleaners such as oil soap; it will stain and darken the leather. And mild soap, though gentle on dish-washing hands, not only will remove the dirt but just might remove the color on the leather as well. Saddle soap may be good for that catcher's mitt, but keep it away from leather furniture.

2. Don't use soap or detergent, no matter how mild. We can use mild soap on our skin because our skin is still alive and will replace the oils that soap washes off, but a leather sofa doesn't have that ability. It will eventually become brittle, dry and damaged. Why not wash with soap and then apply oil? Because the oil will stain the leather

3. Avoid placing leather furniture in direct sunlight. Virtually nothing is safe for long in the light and heat of the sun. Avoid extreme temperatures that would cause leather to dry and crack. If you're too cold or too hot in a room, so is the leather. Don't place leather next to air conditioners or radiators.

4. Blot spills quickly using clean terry cloth towels or paper towels. If you spill grease or oil, use talcum powder or baking powder to help absorb it. There are also leather-furniture cleaners that would work, available from upper-end furniture stores and from some manufacturers of leather furniture.

5. If leather furniture is brand new, protect it right off the bat with a professionally applied leather protector. There are also products available for do-it-yourselfers on the after-market. If the furniture is older, have it cleaned professionally and apply the leather protector. Keep the furniture free of dust and occasionally wipe it with a barely damp cloth.

Source: Caring for Leather Furniture

Reblog: 20 Years in Business and Still Growing

 At Fibrenew, we are big on supporting one another. In doing that, we would like to share spotlight interviews with our franchisees. Today we are looking at Dan Hoffman and his Fibrenew Portland franchise in Portland, Oregon.

Dan has been a part of the Fibrenew family since 1995. Born into a family of mechanics, the automotive industry seemed a likely fit for Dan. But after spending some time as a paramedic/firefighter, he opted to start his own Fibrenew Franchise. Today, Fibrenew Portland is a multi-unit business with a hired technician, Dan’s son, and Dan himself. In the next 5-7 years, once his son is done school, his plan is to add more technicians and expand his business. Even after 20 years of operation in the Portland market, Dan recognizes that there is still plenty of room to grow.

Dan says one of the reasons he selected Fibrenew was the quality of leather, plastic and vinyl restoration products and the proven franchise business model. That and the flexibility of being an owner / operator and what that meant for his family’s lifestyle. . . continue reading!

Another Satisfied Leather Repair Customer

Another satisfied Fibrenew leather sofa restoration customer! From Fibrenew Indianapolis Metro North, check out this 20 second testimonial video. If you want to be the star of your own leather repair business come and join us at http://www.fibrenew-franchising.com/.

A Successful Fibrenew Franchise Owner Balances Work and Home Life

At Fibrenew, we are big on supporting one another. In doing that, we would like to share spotlight interviews with our franchisees. Today we are looking at Ann Benes and her Fibrenew Franchise in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Ann and her family were looking for a small business franchise opportunity that would help supplement their farming income. Ann’s husband Pat was initially going to be the one running the business. The plan was to use the flexibility of owning and operating a Fibrenew franchise while he continued to operate the family farm. However, over 13 years later, Fibrenew Lincoln is now operated by Ann while Pat works the farm full time. The flexibility factor is still a huge perk for their family as Ann is able to work around the kids’ school and extra curricular schedules and still have plenty of extra family time.

A typical day has Ann seeing her children off to school in the morning before taking her Fibrenew vehicle out to complete various types of Fibrenew leather, plastic and vinyl repairs for her customers in and around Lincoln. Ann structures her schedule so she’s able to be home shortly after her children arrive home from school. This is when she tackles the day’s paperwork and answers emails and return phone calls. For now, it is a successful framework. When asked what the future holds for the Franchise, Ann says she just takes it year by year. As with any small business owner, their goal each year is to see growth. Down the road, one of their children may want to take part in operation or they will look at the possibility of selling the business.

Ann shared with us a story about her favorite Fibrenew project; It was the restoration of two aniline leather chairs in a psychologist’s office. The chairs were originally a brilliant royal purple color but after years of sitting in a north facing window, they had faded to a pale lavender color. The owner had attempted to re dye them himself but was left with more a blue color than the purple he was looking for. Ann says those chairs were among her favorite pieces to restore as they were so unique.

Ann’s advice to possible new and existing franchisees is to never stop learning. She regularly makes time to keep up on all the new techniques and information. She credits that as well as the Fibrenew training and support with helping make her business successful. Her advice to people looking at a Fibrenew Franchise business opportunity is that they persevere through the initial few months to build a successful business, she says it is not an overnight success, but that it is worth it.

Source: Fibrenew Blog