25 Ways To Destroy A Couch

Repairing furniture for as many years as we have exposes us to a lot of “creative” methods in which couches can be destroyed.  Our leather repair experts have seen it all and them some. To lighten up your week, we thought we’d share our top 25 ways a couch can be destroyed. Keep in mind, not all of these are repairable and don’t try any at home, but even for some of these complete couch destroyers, we can bring the furniture back from the brink!

25 Ways To Destroy A Couch

Take it to an open field, and proceed to destroy it “Office Space”-style.

Plan for a summer bonfire, and use the couch as kindling for your s’mores.

Haul the couch out a window or off of a building (given there are no pedestrians within range).

Shred it like cheese in a sofa shredder.

Buy a set of skis, attach them to the bottom, and find a snowy hill/mountain.

Find an empty parking lot, attach wheels to the bottom of the couch, and pull it behind a truck.  See how many times you can swerve to make the couch hit a light post.

Find a trucker willing to make your couch his road kill.

One word: sledgehammer.

Go bungee jumping, except attach the couch to the bungee instead of yourself.

Nail to the bottom of a pool for underwater fun. For additional ambiance, add a side table and lamp.

Drizzle bacon grease all over the couch, then let your dogs do what they will with it.

Tape ketchup packets over the entire couch and tell your kids to jump on it.

For girls: break the frame underneath the cushions and invite over your significant other. Sit on the couch and act like you broke it, then cry hysterically about how fat you are. Tell him to get rid of the couch immediately.

For a complete Freddie costume on Halloween, use a chainsaw to cut the couch into sections during trick-or-treating.

Tote the couch to a bridge, then dump it off the side.

Donate the couch to a fraternity house.

Give your kids markers and set them loose in the living room.

Go four-wheeling after a rainy day, then roll around on your couch before showering.

Invite your hairy or slobbering dog to take a nap on the couch.

Before declawing your cat, allow him to use the couch as a scratching post.

Play “tug of war” with your couch – attach each end to a vehicle and see who breaks off the biggest piece.

Potty train your puppy on your couch.

Make your couch “outdoor furniture,” and leave it outside during a thunderstorm.

Take your couch on a skydiving trip but don’t pack its parachute right.

Invite your kids to eat their chocolate Easter bunnies on your couch.

If your couch met any of these disastrous fates or is just looking shabby, give one of our leather experts a call to bring it back to showroom condition.
Source:  Fibrenew

From School Teacher and Engineer to Franchise Business Owner

 

At Fibrenew we are big on supporting one another. In doing that, we would like to share spotlight interviews with our existing Franchises. Today we are looking at Mark Canon and his Fibrenew Franchise in South Orlando, Florida.

Mark joined the Fibrenew family in May of 2012. Coming to Fibrenew from a varied background; he was a Math and Science school teacher in his early to mid 20’s before returning to school and pursuing an engineering degree. Mark worked as a power systems engineer for 12 years before finding the Fibrenew opportunity.

One of the reasons Mark was drawn to Fibrenew was the freedom to control his own destiny and the ability work his own hours. Setting his own hours was important for two reasons. One, the heat and humidity of Florida has Mark out the door so he can complete projects early in the mornings and spend the hot afternoons making follow up calls and knocking on doors to build new connections. The second reason was his children, Mark likes that he is able to be available for school activities, sports, doctors appointments and other things related to his two children. He also appreciates that he does not spend a lot of time behind a desk.

Right now it is just Mark running his Franchise and for now he enjoys it that way, he likes the physical hands-on work that Fibrenew requires. He is not ruling out the potential for a technician down the road, but right now he enjoys working the Franchise alone. “It is good exercise” Mark jokes. He hopes to continue to see his franchise grow, particularly within the small specialty car industry, doing warranty work for local Orlando furniture shops and he would love to add some aviation plastic work to his consistent business... continue reading!

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

Oconomowoc’s Fibrenew Handles Leather, Plastic and Vinyl Restoration and Repair

 

OCONOMOWOC — Entrepreneur Keith Stewart and his wife, Laurie, are fading and ripped upholsteries’ worst enemies.

The Stewarts recently became the new owners of Oconomowoc’s Fibrenew, an upholstery repair and restoration service. Fibrenew repairs, re-dyes, restores and cleans leather, plastic, vinyl and fabric. Basically, if there’s faded or ripped fabric, Keith Stewart will do everything he can to bring it back to life.

Stewart works with furniture, cars, boats and even planes. There was even a time he had to reupholster 61 chairs for a Cousins Subs that was reopening. He had a little bit of help from Laurie Stewart and his father-inlaw on that one.

Keith Stewart became an entrepreneur after spending his entire post-college life in the metal industry, where he commercially heat-treated metal.

 A leather chair that was ruined by a dog

 The same chair after restoration

He enjoyed his time doing it, but after several years of doing it he realized there isn’t a lot of change or innovation in the field.

“We used to joke that heat treating is the second oldest profession,” Stewart said. “It goes back to the Middle Ages if not earlier. There isn’t anything going on and frankly, it was just boring. It was more interesting to try and do something new.”

So he tried something new. With the help of a franchise coach, Stewart spent a year researching businesses he wanted to be a part of. The business coach found Fibrenew and presented it to Stewart.

Along with Laurie, Keith Stewart spent time talking to the local development person in Hartford about the company. He spent a day shadowing a franchisee in Chicago and when he decided the business was right for him, he approached the former owner, who was looking to retire... read more!

An Adventure Every Day: Fibrenew Tampa Franchisee is Living His Dream

Sam Torres had high hopes for his family’s financial future, despite being massively underemployed during an economic recession of 2008. He knew he was smart. He knew he was a hard worker. He knew his strength was connecting with people and solving their problems. So when he and his wife Penny came across the opportunity to own a Fibrenew franchise, they pounced.

Opening Fibrenew Tampa was the best decision the couple has made. Even through the struggling economy they worked diligently at forming a customer foundation that has grown steadily through every economic high and low. The franchise has not only provided Torres with a job for the past nine years, but has exceeded their financial goals, allowing the family a relaxed, comfortable lifestyle. “My wife said I am never allowed to give the business up!” Torres laughs.

Being a Fibrenew franchisee suits Torres well. “What I do for a living is not ordinary. It’s like an adventure every day,” he grins. His daily adventures include appointments with clients from a variety of industries: from moving companies and furniture stores to warranty companies and marinas. Fibrenew Tampa has been so accomplished with its performance Torres recently added Tesla to his client list. The secret to his success? “People skills,” he says. “If people like you, it makes them more comfortable.”

The majority of Torres’ projects are leather, plastic and vinyl repairs on furniture. But every once in a while he gets a special request. “Sometimes it’s about things that have memory, and I get to be part of that memory,” he says. A woman approached Fibrenew Tampa with the request for a restoration to her grandfather’s old, beaten up leather satchel. It involved a thorough cleaning, a leather re-dye and the construction of a new liner along the inside bottom. “She was thrilled,” Torres recalls. “It was a total transformation.” read more!

Freedom To Be His Own Boss

 When asked; Why Fibrenew? Franchisee Henry Garner responds; Because being a Fibrenew franchisee means you’re your own boss, you’re part of a supportive head office, and no two days are alike.

Since opening Fibrenew Alpharetta in 2012, Henry Garner has become the go-to guy for leather, plastic and vinyl restoration in the area. How does he know he provides solid service using top-of-the-line products? “The only time I ever really hear of my competition is when they’ve screwed up and someone calls Fibrenew to fix it!” he says.

There were a few components of Fibrenew that drew him to the franchise in the first place. First, the freedom to be his own boss was compelling. Garner admits this is something he appreciates every day. “If I had someone telling me what to do or looking over my shoulder it would drive me crazy!”

Leather Furniture Redye By Fibrenew Second, he immediately recognized the encouragement for success from head office. When recalling his early exploration into the company, Garner says, “I was really impressed with the support Fibrenew had. I remember before I purchased the business I was talking to the support team about the process and they genuinely cared about me being part of this.” And even after opening the doors to Fibrenew Alpharetta Garner received the same support from the franchise team. “One of the many things I appreciate is how quickly you can get somebody on the phone and how there is always someone there to answer questions.” read more!

Fibrenew: The Franchise that Drives A Family Business

Michael & Dianna Carter purchased their Fibrenew franchise in 2001 and have driven their success by restoring leather, plastic and vinyl materials in the Loudoun County, Virginia area ever since. By first cultivating strong relationships with car dealerships in their local market, the Carters quickly built a successful family business.

After shifting careers from telecommunications to a driver at UPS, Michael was seeking the perfect self-employment opportunity. He knew he found it with Fibrenew, a franchise that fit both his lifelong passion for automobiles and his desire to be able to enjoy his growing family.

Fibrenew Franchisee Michael Carter“When my wife and I first considered a Fibrenew mobile franchise, we realized we could have both the financial freedom we sought and the flexibility to be available to our kids’ little league schedules, horseback riding lessons and concerts at school,” says Michael . . . read more!

Reblog: Former Real Estate Agent and Golf Pro Turned Fibrenew Franchise Owner

Scott James was ready for new a experience and something hands-on in a new career. The ability to control his own destiny and set his own schedule were important to him when selecting a new career path. Scott found that and more in Fibrenew and decided to come on board with the opening of Fibrenew North Dallas in the summer of 2015.

Of the many things that supported his decision to invest in his Fibrenew Franchise, the fact that Fibrenew Head Office is dedicated and committed to supporting its franchisees was key – a fact he not only saw himself but was reinforced by the franchisees he spoke with during his research and discovery of the opportunity.

The uniqueness of each Fibrenew project, how each repair is like a new puzzle, was something else that appealed to him. With no more monotonous days in an office, Scott finds each day to be unique and challenging. Currently, he replies on a strong referral base from his satisfied customers to grow his business. Customers like the owner of a BMW who asked him to not just re-dye the leather seats of his car, but had him color over the previously black seats with red dye in some places for a color block look . . . read more!

The Family-Like Support At Fibrenew Was Most Appealing for Jim O’Brien

Today’s spotlight is on Jim O’Brien of Mertztown, Pennsylvania and his Fibrenew Reading Franchise.
When asked what drew him to Fibrenew, Jim mentions the family-like support as the biggest factor. As Jim was exploring the possibility of coming on board with Fibrenew, he talked with several existing franchisees to learn about their experience. After hearing about the great support they receive from Fibrenew head office and reviewing the business model that Fibrenew provided, Jim was convinced that a Fibrenew Franchise was right for him and he made the investment. That and how well the industry fit his personality and interests.

Jim owns several classic cars; three Auburn Cord Duesenbergs from the 30’s, a Plymouth Valiant and a Nash Metropolitan. He has his sights set on blending his love of classic cars with his Fibrenew business and breaking into the classic car restoration industry in his area. For now, he is building his business in the commercial, medical and residential markets...read more!

Fibrenew’s Commitment To The Environment

Long before the marketing departments of many large corporations touted their green nature, Fibrenew was playing its part to help save the environment. The mobile service company, which was founded in 1987, specializes in restoring damaged leather, plastic and vinyl. The company’s service helps save thousands of items from ending up in landfills each year.

“It’s win win.” says the company’s CEO, Michael Wilson. “We have built our business by offering a service that everyone needs. There is leather, plastic and vinyl everywhere that becomes damaged at some point in its lifecycle. Its in homes, offices, clinics, hospitals, boats, planes, trains and automobiles, you name it. Fibrenew helps customers save money, time and the environment by restoring damaged items and we make a living doing it. Everybody wins.” . . . continue reading!

From Tow Truck Driver to Fibrenew Franchise Owner

Evan Kelly of Fibrenew Boulder Golden, is self-described outdoor enthusiast. He was introduced to Fibrenew through a Franchise Broker while he was recovering from a life changing mountain bike accident. He had been in the automotive towing industry for 8 years and he needed something new and different, something more family friendly, but still something rewarding and hands-on in nature. The Fibrenew opportunity with its growth potential, freedom to schedule his own time and green renewal aspects really appealed to him.

He finds the repairs most gratifying, and like many, the color matching to be the most fascinating. When we spoke with him he was working on a 1980 Camaro Pace Car and was re-dying the driver’s seat. Evan spends most of his early mornings doing paperwork and administrative work, and spends his afternoons on restoration projects and making sales calls... continue reading!

Reblog: Interview With Michael Wilson, Fibrenew CEO

Michael Wilson was born and raised in New Zealand. After leaving his home country in 1969, he spent 11 years globe trotting which included 2 years in the outback of Australia, 3 years in the Canadian Arctic and several stints of international yachting in the years in-between. In 1980 he settled in Calgary, Alberta where he married and shortly thereafter, began a construction company. He ran the construction company until 1987 when he re-aimed his entrepreneurial sights on Fibrenew and purchased the very first franchise. In 1994, he and his now late wife, Fran purchased the entire company which at the time had 19 franchises. Today, under Michael’s leadership, our company has grown to over 230 franchises in 5 countries and we continue to expand our global reach each and every year.

Tell us about the Fibrenew franchise concept.

Michael Wilson: We are a mobile operation that specializes in the restoration of damaged leather, plastic and vinyl. What makes us unique is that we are not a reupholstery service. Our products and techniques have our technicians repair holes, cracks, fades, stains, burns, etc. on any type of leather, plastic or vinyl ‘in situ’. This means that we repair the damaged items without having to remove them. It could be on furniture in a home, office or hotel, it could be on a vehicle’s seats, armrests, dashboard or panels, it could be leather, plastic or vinyl in a boat or plane, it could be medical exam tables or gym equipment, etc. We repair it on location and at a fraction of the cost of replacement... Read More!

Reblog: Fibrenew Franchise Opportunity - Franchisee, Michael Owen

Michael and his wife, Heather, have been with Fibrenew since December of 1991. They first bought a franchise business in Vancouver and after starting a family they sold that territory and bought their current territory in South Okanagan. They operate Fibrenew South Okanagan as a husband and wife team with Michael as the technician and Heather as the bookkeeper.

When we spoke with Michael, he reflected on a large job he had completed some years ago for The Bay. They required the repair of 168 sofas in 3 days. In order to get the job done, Michael hired on temporary help and worked 15 hour days over a weekend. It’s this type of commitment that has directly contributed to the growth of his business over the past 24 years. He has put a lot of effort into being a reliable technician and has a built a strong foundation of customer service.

Michael came to Fibrenew because he believed in the business model, saw opportunity in the way the franchise fees were structured and knew that owning his own franchise was a way to control his own destiny. He recommends the Fibrenew franchise to others as it is a wonderful family to be a part of and it has allowed him to make a good living and grow personally.

In the future Michael and his wife will package the business for sale and retire. For now, when they’re not running their business, the Owen family enjoys skiing at Big White Ski Resort in the winter months and spending their weekends on Lake Okanagan with the friends on their pontoon boat.

Michael and Heather exemplify Fibrenew’s work hard / play hard philosophy by owning and operating a thriving business while maintaining a desired lifestyle with plenty of family time.

Source: Betheboss.ca

Fibrenew Conventions, Seminars & Workshops

Fibrenew offers live training and meetings on a regular basis and requires all franchise owners to attend. Besides their educational value, these conventions, seminars and workshops offer everyone an opportunity to meet, network and share valuable business experiences. More on http://www.fibrenew-franchising.com.

All Fibrenew franchisees are trained at our Calgary, AB training center. The 2 week training session is conducted by seasoned technicians who have all owned and operated their own Fibrenew Franchise. All told, our instructors have over over 50 years of combined knowledge.

Ultimate Guide To Leather Infographic

Leather is practically everywhere nowadays. Aside from its outstanding reputation in fashion and furniture, it's also well-known in a variety of industries from home decor and footwear to sports and aviation.

This infographic illustrates the many fascinating uses of leather that we encounter everyday. It likewise shows the best animal sources for leather and the best products that can be manufactured out of them. Fun and informative, this material will show you how leather is utilized not only in fashion, but in other trades like home furnishing and production of sports equipment, as well. Know more about leather and visit us at http://www.fibrenew-franchising.com - Best Franchise Business Opportunity.

Source: Ultimate Guide To Leather Infographic

Interview with the CEO: Fibrenew Franchise - CEO, Michael Wilson

Experts in Leather, Plastic and Vinyl Restoration

Michael Wilson was born and raised in New Zealand. After leaving his home country in 1969, he spent 11 years globe trotting which included 2 years in the outback of Australia, 3 years in the Canadian Arctic and several stints of international yachting in the years in-between. In 1980 he settled in Calgary, Alberta where he married and shortly thereafter, began a construction company. He ran the construction company until 1987 when he re-aimed his entrepreneurial sights on Fibrenew and purchased the very first franchise. In 1994, he and his now late wife, Fran purchased the entire company which at the time had 19 franchises. Today, under Michael’s leadership, the company has grow to nearly 240 franchises in 5 countries and continues to expand its global reach each and every year.

BeTheBoss.ca: Tell us about the Fibrenew franchise concept.

Michael Wilson: We are a mobile operation that specializes in the restoration of damaged leather, plastic and vinyl. What makes us unique is that we are not a reupholstery service. Our products and techniques have our technicians repair holes, cracks, fades, stains, burns, etc. on any type of leather, plastic or vinyl ‘in situ’. This means that we repair the damaged items without having to remove them. It could be on furniture in a home, office or hotel, it could be on a vehicle’s seats, armrests, dashboard or panels, it could be leather, plastic or vinyl in a boat or plane, it could be medical exam tables or gym equipment, etc. We repair it on location and at a fraction of the cost of replacement. . . click here for more of the interview!

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 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. . . read more!

Fibrenew | Best Franchise Business Opportunity

 

Be part of the fastest growing low cost franchise business the provides great financial opportunity. We are looking for partners in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and USA. Fibrenew is the market leader in the restoration of leather, plastic and vinyl. We are a mobile service that caters to the aviation, automobile, marine, commercial and residential markets. And one of the fastest growing franchising opportunity. Come and join us at http://www.fibrenew-franchising.com!

Do not use shoe polish on leather upholstery

It is a common mistake to use shoe polish on leather upholstery.  People try to use it on furniture and on their leather car seats, but it doesn’t work.

The leather used in upholstery is tanned differently from the leather in shoes.  It does not soak up shoe polish like shoes do, so the polish will just sit on the surface of your leather and make a sticky mess.

Depending on the type of damage, you may have a number of other alternatives.  Professional leather repair experts can usually fix scuffed, faded, torn or otherwise damaged leather for a fraction of the cost of replacing or reupholstering furniture and auto seats.

There are a number of other home remedies and wives’ tales about using home products on leather.  We do not advise using the following:

•     Olive oil
•     Beeswax
•     Hair spray
•     Markers
•     Window cleaner
•     Finger nail polish remover
•     Disposable cleaning supplies and wipes

Questions or experiences with shoe polish?  Post them in the comments or visit www.fibrenew-franchising.com!

Source: Fibrenew

How to keep auto interior looking new

Eating fast food in your car is unavoidable on some busy days, and we’ve all had those, “Oh crap!” moments when fries went flying all over the car seat.  Although this isn’t unusual or uncommon, it’s probably not something you should brush off too lightly if you have leather seats. Grease and oil, even just the natural oils in your skin, can really add up and cause damage to your leather seats. In fact, oil (from food or just the oil in your skin) is one of the main reasons leather car seats end up looking old and worn.

How does oil damage leather car seats?

There are two main ways that oil causes damage to leather auto seats:

1. Oil combines with little bits of dust and dirt, acting like a fine sand paper that wears down the protective coating on your seats as passengers get in and out of your car.  That protective layer makes your leather seats more resilient to scratches, water and heat damage as well as other types of wear and tear, so, once that layer is worn thin, your seats are more susceptible to all types of damage.

2. When oil gets on your leather seats, especially once it starts to break down that protective coating, it is soaked into the back side of the leather—the part you can’t see.  Over time, the leather will “fill up,” and the oil will rise to the surface. Once the oil saturates the leather, the result is typically ugly oil stains.

How to prevent oil damage to your auto seats

To prevent oil damage, you should clean and protect your car seats 6-8 times a year, cleaning the most used areas more frequently than those that aren’t used very often. Check out our leather cleaning post for tips on leather cleaning and protection.

Additionally, never treat your leather with olive oil, petroleum or any other type of oil. A lot of people do to try to prevent drying, but the oil you use will get soaked up just like any other oil, resulting in spots and discoloration.

How do I get rid of oil damage?

If you find oil spots on your car seats, you can try to remove them by rubbing the area with a soft leather cleaner. You may be able to temporarily remove the spot, but since more oil remains deep within the leather, you will probably see it resurface over time.

Depending on the extent of the damage, a professional may be able to do a more thorough cleaning of the leather seat than you will be able to do yourself, as they have special cleaning tools and processes that can cleanse deep into the leather.

Post any additional questions in the comments or visit us at Fibrenew Franchising.

Source: Fibrenew