Reblog: Clive’s Top 5: Why He Loves His Fibrenew Franchise Business

If you’re one of the millions of people around the world who plod through each day thinking, “Just get through this one,” then you might be surprised to hear there are people out there who actually like their job.

Meet Clive Coffey – a guy who happens to love and succeed at his job. In 2001 Clive and his wife Claire took over the Fibrenew Canterbury franchise after spotting a random ad in the local paper offering the leather, plastic, vinyl, fabric and upholstery repair and restoration company for sale. Clive investigated further and discovered an opportunity he could not pass up, so he didn’t.

Fibrenew Canterbury services about 30,000 people in its immediate location and an additional 50,000 scattered in outlining areas. Clive describes his major markets as automotive — “There are a lot of car shows here” — furniture restorations and a sizable chunk of the aircraft industry, given the Canterbury Air Club has about 40 aircraft needing his services.

In 2013 Clive was presented with the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take over the role as master Fibrenew Franchisee for New Zealand. He seized it, and it’s a decision he’s never regretted. Without hesitation he names the Fibrenew International team as influential players in his decision. “If they weren’t strong at what they do we wouldn’t have bought Fibrenew New Zealand,” Clive says. “Fibrenew International provides support from everyone. That’s the reason we came to stay.”

Here are Clive’s top 5 reasons why he loves his job as a Fibrenew franchisee manager and owner.

1) A variety of industries need Fibrenew’s professional attention — and always will.

“I’m not reliant on one industry,” says Clive. “We’ve got furniture, auto, aircraft and marine. Not only that, within those areas we’ve got private work,” he explains, referring to the car enthusiasts restoring autos or the regular furniture restoration jobs from individuals.

Even given the technological advancements and trends toward automation, Clive says, “Machines will take over transportation or even fast food, but this business, I can’t see it.” The leather, plastic an vinyl restoration industry requires a human touch.

2) Fibrenew’s technological advancements allow for an easy-to-operate franchise.

Is running a business at your fingertips really possible? Yes. “With the iPads [provided by Fibrenew] you can really operate your business from anywhere, including in the field where the majority of Fibrenew work is completed,” says Clive. Is the Internet really a friend? Yes. “Google Adwords and our websites have been a big help for us. It’s way more effective than the Yellow Pages. You can track better so you know how it’s going, how it’s doing.”

3) The head office takes an impressive lead on research and development.

Clive says this is a major factor to his success as a franchisee. “I don’t have to worry. I just focus on getting the job done, and I like that. I don’t have to mess around with areas where I’m not familiar.” Your work can only be as good as your supplies, and Clive adds, “The quality of Fibrenew’s products is always improving.”

4) It’s a challenge, but the good kind — the kind that makes you grow as a person.

Owning a business takes a lot — if you’ve never done it before you really have to get your head around the foundation of a successful enterprise. But with the right people behind you, like Fibrenew International, the worrying edges fade and you’re better focused on succeeding and growing your own client base. “It’s not impossible,” Clive says. “It’s just how you’re going to learn to do it, and the only way is with practice.” With Fibrenew’s processes for leather, plastic, vinyl, fabric and upholstery repair and restoration there are really no comparisons when looking at so-called competitors. And the invaluable training sessions provided to new franchisees help create the knowledge base when servicing clients face-to-face.

5) You set your own expectations, your own schedule, and Fibrenew celebrates your success.

One of the reasons Clive ventured into the world of Fibrenew was because he longed to see his kids grow up. Rather than working ridiculous hours and missing their childhood, owning Fibrenew Canterbury (and later, Fibrenew New Zealand) meant he could establish a stronger family foundation. “We still follow the kids around, even though they’re adults now!” he laughs. But it worked for him. Clive and Claire were able to have a healthy balance between work and family by coaching their kids sports teams while they were young, and these days even participate in the odd touch rugby match.

Success with a franchise is never penalized with additional charges by head office. With Fibrenew, every franchisee has the freedom to succeed beyond any expectation with the monetary results going straight into their own pockets.

Do you think, “That could be me!”? Contact Fibrenew New Zealand for an opportunity to own your own business and achieve success the way Clive has. Fibrenew Canterbury and Fibrenew New Zealand have allowed Clive and Claire to succeed in the most unsuspecting ways.

What Does a Parmesan Chicken Sandwich and a Leather Sofa Have in Common?

 What does a preparing a parmesan chicken sandwich and repairing a worn out leather sofa have in common? More than you think. Ask Michael Carrigan, franchisee of Fibrenew North Naples. As a former executive chef, Carrigan likens the two art forms as such: “I still work with my hands, making sure the product is nice and perfect and the best it can be so the customer is happy with it. There’s a parallel there, with one difference: I can qualify the customer. In the kitchen you’re removed, but now I can discuss and explain with my customers.”

Making the leap from the kitchen to owning his own mobile leather, plastic and vinyl restoration business with Fibrenew isn’t as far-fetched as it sounds. Carrigan says as a chef, he put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into his work, but what he really wanted was do invest that into something for himself. He had been looking into a several different franchise opportunities when a broker approached him offering assistance. Fibrenew was one of the options presented, and the more Carrigan thought about it the more he was attracted to the low buy-in, low overhead and mobile vs. brick-and-mortar concept.

Carrigan met and spoke to a few other franchisee owners in the south Florida area before attending the Fibrenew Training Program. “The support for franchisees is huge!” he comments. “I noticed that right away. Plus, as a chef I like things neat and organized and clean and tidy — and I could tell by the training facility everything was buttoned up.”

Fibrenew North Naples has a fairly diversified market. Carrigan has dabbled in the marine industry, built quite a following with the classic car crowd, and earned a large portion of the residential market. “It’s a older community, but well balanced. I’ve done golf carts to golf canopies to steering wheels to pontoons boats to couches,” he says. Carrigan suggests to other new franchisees that earning contracts with warranty companies — as he did — is a great way to spread awareness about the Fibrenew brand and fill time slots with revenue-earning appointments.

Carrigan is the first to acknowledge he’s a firm believer in karma, and perhaps this is why his Fibrenew business has taken off the way it has. “I’m not going to lie: I’ve turned down jobs where I could easily just take someone’s money, knowing they could fix it for less themselves. But I don’t want my name to have a blemish. Just be honest, have integrity, show up, return phone calls. Throw it out to the universe and it’ll come back to you.”

Today, as owner of his very own business, Carrigan enjoys the work/life balance he’s settled in to. He hangs out with his son, stays active with jogging and soccer, and tends to his home’s yard more now that he has flexibility in his schedule. Sounds like the delicious balance!

Source: What Does a Parmesan Chicken Sandwich and a Leather Sofa Have in Common?

Losing Her Job Led to Something Better

When Julie Kapugi’s corporate job was moved overseas, she didn’t panic. “You can always control your response to things. I always try to be positive and look forward. Losing a job is not the end of the world,” she says.

In fact, it’s something she wishes happened sooner. The self described extrovert spent 10 to 12 hours a day cooped up in her home office with little to no social interaction. Today she is out in the community making connections with people and growing her business. Kapugi is the owner of Fibrenew Asheville, a mobile leather repair and plastic and vinyl restoration service. She regularly networks with other business owners in her area, but what surprises her the most about her new position is how an everyday conversation with someone can lead to a job. “I just did a quote for my bank teller!” she laughs.

Fibrenew Asheville has a good hold of the automotive and residential markets. The area is considered a destination spot, so it consists of many upscale second homes. Kapugi has been creating relationships with local upholsterers and interior designers in order to grow her referral base with the renovation and design industries. The next phase of Fibrenew Asheville’s expansion will be in the commercial market — being a vacation destination, there are numerous restaurants in the area Kapugi already has her eye on approaching.

Some may think of Kapugi’s leap from corporate consultancy to hands-on leather, plastic and vinyl restoration technician to be a giant shift, but that’s not how she sees it. “Goal setting, scheduling, organization, knowing your priorities for the day … all of that tracks over to owning your own business,” Kapugi explains. With an education in engineering, Kapugi has always enjoyed puzzles and working with her hands, which were two characteristics that led her to the Fibrenew franchise. “It’s the business itself,” she says. “It just resonated. I always think when something resonates with you, listen to it.”

The positive changes in her life were facilitated by the encouragement of Fibrenew head office and other franchisees. “You’re not just thrown out there on your own. I’m so grateful for the support!” Kapugi admits she could not be happier with her decision to become her own boss. Owning a business like Fibrenew Asheville led to the discovery of a surprising perk: it’s better for your health than sitting at a desk all day. “It’s not healthy to be behind a computer for 10 hours a day. I’m moving more and walking more. I no longer have the aches and pains I was having before. I feel great!”

With a renewed sense of purpose, Kapugi schedules family time and is thankful for the flexibility of her business to do so. They regularly volunteer with local charities and community initiatives as a way to meet new people and give back. Kapugi looks forward to growing Fibrenew Asheville one client at a time.

Source: Fibrenew Franchising

New Ownership, New Outlook for Fibrenew Saskatoon

Everybody dreams about being their own boss and implementing the business values and missions that are important to the quality of work they perform. Why spend a lifetime making someone else’s company successful when you can invest that time and effort into your own future? Mike Taylor recently made his dream a reality when he took over Fibrenew Saskatoon, injecting new life into the city’s mobile restoration and repair service for leather, plastic and vinyl.

Taylor’s style of management and his evolving vision will no doubt create new partnerships for his business within the vast array of markets available. As a former journeyman automotive technician and service manager, he often felt stuck with his inability to implement business growth for his former employer. “Being my own boss is a big thing,” he explains. Prior to purchasing the Fibrenew Saskatoon franchise, he thought about how his hands-on skills and expansion ideas could be put to concrete use. “I had heard of Fibrenew, so [when the Saskatoon franchise became available] I knew I could make it my own and grow it the way I wanted. I see a ton of potential out there. This is my business, not my job.”

Taylor has been actively pursuing the previously untapped market in his city and expanding the existing client base. Currently, Fibrenew Saskatoon successfully completes a good mixture of furniture repairs and RV interior restoration. Taylor states he’s the “one-stop guy” to turn to, with plans of growing his vinyl siding services this spring.

His vision not limited to the here and now, Taylor is already hard at work fulfilling his five-year goal. He foresees two or three Fibrenew technicians assisting him, with his main role being mostly administrative where he can keep planning and implementing the revenue-generating visions he has for his business. Taylor currently has a home shop where he completes a portion of his contracts (“I still do on-the-spot jobs, as well.”) but plans on eventually establishing a Fibrenew Saskatoon store front.

Taylor’s entry into the Fibrenew brand was unique in that he has taken over an existing franchise and worked directly with the Fibrenew Development Team during the transition. He sees nothing but growth from his current standpoint. “I knew it’d be long days and many nerve wracking hours,” he admits. “But it’s different than working for someone else. If my wife, Violet, wasn’t helping me with the books,
I’d be losing my mind!” he laughs. “And I can see her getting more involved sometime soon — she’s very artistic.”

Between maintaining a new business and maintaining a personal life, Taylor says he and his wife are both committed to fitness through Cross-Fit and exercising with their dogs. He also dabbles in old-car restoration, such as his ongoing ’52 Bel Air hard-top restoration project. In the meantime, as he introduces his new business to the City of Saskatoon, Taylor emphasizes, “It’s a new Fibrenew. I stand behind my quality and my integrity.”

Source: New Ownership, New Outlook for Fibrenew Saskatoon

Frank Says: Save Your Hair, Change Your Career

“I wish I would have started this 10 years ago,” says Frank Costantino. The ‘this’ he’s referring to is his own business — Fibrenew Pittsburgh East. “I’d probably have a lot more hair, and less grey! I am so much happier now.”

Costantino purchased part of an existing Fibrenew territory from fellow franchisee Jeff Hecker. Owning his own leather, plastic and vinyl mobile restoration service has been a life saver for Costantino. Prior to joining the Fibrenew family he had worked for a data centre, on-call 24/7, 365 days a year. Recalling how stressful that was, Costantino says, “I have three young boys who are very athletic. So being out with them at a rink and getting a call saying I had to go in to work… it really took a toll. I was looking for a better quality of life and spending time with my family.”

But today? How are things going with the Costantino family? “It’s been a complete lifestyle change. My wife told me the boys say I’m a lot happier with my new job,” he grins. “Less stress, and more time to get home to them and relax or go skiing.”

The reason why he had to change his job is apparent. But why Fibrenew? Costantino admits he first considered investing in a manger-run franchise, but when he started adding up the costs for renting a brick and mortar building, hiring employees and paying franchise fees, he was turned off. He started researching the possibility of a Fibrenew franchise, and immediately appreciated it being a mobile business with low start-up costs and a minimal monthly fee. “I enjoy that the franchise fee is set and not based on how much I’m making,” he explains. “Plus, [Fibrenew head office] is there if I need. I can run my own business and still have support systems available in the background.”

To get Fibrenew Pittsburgh East off the ground, Costantino completed the Fibrenew Training Program in Calgary. “The training facility is top-of-the-line!” he says. “Everything was available and open 24/7 while we were there.” He’s also kept in close contact with Hecker, who he did his ride day with in the very beginning. “Jeff, Jennifer and Manni (fellow neighboring franchisees) have been very helpful,” he acknowledges, also adding that Hecker often sends referrals his way still today. “He helped me hit the ground running.”

A typical day for Fibrenew Pittsburgh Easy is pretty busy — Costantino estimates about 15 to 25 jobs a week at the moment, consisting of an existing contract with a large local furniture supplier and several other contracts he’s acquired from his regular cold calls. “Two weeks after training, since then it’s been pretty steady!” he says. “I still don’t know for sure how large of a customer base we have here — pretty much everyone I talk to in some way could be a customer of mine! There are endless possibilities. As much as you put into it, you get out of it.”

Source: Save Your Hair, Change Your Career

Fibrenew Named a 2017 Top Franchise by Franchise Business Review

Independent Survey Shows Franchise Owners Are Highly Satisfied with Fibrenew’s Performance

Franchise Business Review, a national franchise market research firm that performs independent surveys of franchisee satisfaction, provides the only rankings of franchises based solely on actual franchisee satisfaction and performance.

Fibrenew is a market leader in the restoration of leather, plastic and vinyl. The niche service franchise operates as home-based, mobile operation that caters to the aviation, automotive, commercial, marine, medical and residential markets.

What The Survey Results Showed:

More of the story here and watch the survey explained: http://bit.ly/2kLh1xZ

After Leaving Corporate America, The Sky’s The Limit

That’s exactly how Mike Ozmon sees the potential with the new business venture he started with his wife Kristin: Fibrenew South Knoxville. He’s a recent graduate of the leather, plastic and vinyl restoration company’s extensive training program in Calgary, and has been working diligently at establishing his franchise as market leader in the Knoxville area. Prior to becoming a Fibrenew franchisee, Ozmon invested years with a national communications company, working positions from technician to maintenance. But something was missing. “Corporate America has changed so much that it seemed everywhere I went I was just a number, completely expendable,” he explains. “I was determined to secure the future for my wife and I and have more leeway in which direction we’re going.”

Ozmon has already set up his day-to-day operations with the precision of a seasoned business owner. He regularly works on the Fibrenew Apprenticeship Program Training each morning before heading out for face-to-face calls with new and potential clients. When he’s back in the office he’s researching prospects in the area who will benefit from his specialized services in repairing and restoring leather, plastic and vinyl products.

With a large market share (Chattanooga and Memphis being two to three hours away in either direction) Ozmon sees nothing but potential for his new enterprise. “McGhee Tyson airport is fairly large, and we have four or five smaller airports in the area,” he says. “And boating galore — we have lots of lakes, the Tennessee River and Douglas Lake, so lots of potential with marinas in the spring.” To add to Ozmon’s growing list of potential air and marine clients are the numerous medical and commercial operations in the vicinity.

Right now, Ozmon is preparing Fibrenew South Knoxville for exponential growth, and has forecasted his wife, Kristin, to soon join the team full time as office manager, freeing up more face-to-face contact for Ozmon and their clients...more on the interview here!