[00:00:00] Welcome to the latest edition of The Heart of Franchising, where we take you beyond the brand to bring you the people, the stories, and the heart behind franchise success. This podcast is brought to you by Home Franchise Concepts, one of the largest home services franchise networks with 10 brands that empower franchise owners to achieve financial independence.

While transforming lives, homes, and the communities they serve. I'm Marc Klein Saucer, your podcast host, and I'm so excited to speak to our guest today. She's a former senior software engineer and has been a business owner since 2003. Today she is the franchise owner and CEO of Kitchen tuneup of Niceville, Florida.

Please join me in welcoming Jenny Props. Jenny, thanks so much for being here today. Oh, hi Mercy. How are you doing? I'm awesome. So first I have a question for you, Jenny. [00:01:00] Sure. Tell those of us. And I live in Florida. Where is Niceville, Florida? Um, well I'm, so, I'm glad you didn't ask me if everybody's nice.

'cause that's normally the first thing we're asked is, is everybody nice in Niceville? Um, but we are up in the panhandle of Florida, so we're right between, um, about an hour from Pensacola is, um, to the west of us in Panama City to the east of us. So, um, right smack in the middle on the beach. Uh, I don't know if you've ever heard of Dustin, Florida, but yes.

Beautiful, beautiful area. Love, nothing. Love Dustin. That's great. So, tell me a little bit about your journey, Jenny, to get to where you are today. You are a software engineer. You've been a business owner. Bring me a little bit along with you on that journey from software to being a business owner. Yeah. So, um, you know, I went to college of course, um, you know.

In Pensacola. So a couple hours from here. And, um, my husband and I are high school sweethearts and we [00:02:00] had, uh, landed here in this area because that's where our families are. And, uh, I had been hired with a great software company right after college, um, and really settled in and decided we really loved this area and it was a great place to raise our kids.

Um, then I found myself traveling a lot. Um, 'cause unfortunately there's just not a lot of. Um, you know, big business necessarily in our area. So everybody who we were doing software for was, you know, most of the time I was spending, uh, my time in the greater Chicago area. Um, so I was just, I was traveling a lot.

Um, my husband was raising our kids kind of without me. Um, you know, it just really wasn't feeling all that great. So we started looking into ways that we could, um, you know, solidify our roots here in our area, not have to necessarily move away, um, and find something that we could do together. Uh, and about the same time my dad was actually retiring from a career in, in the Air Force and [00:03:00] contracting, um, along with the Air Force.

So he was kinda looking for something to do too. So we decided a family business would be awesome. Uh, we started doing a lot of franchise research. We looked at blockbuster videos. Um, Quiznos, like crazy different, you know, one end of the spectrum to the other. Um, actually landed on a Sears hometown store.

Um, back then it was called a Sears Dealer Store was not a franchise, but it was kind of a similar concept. Okay. So we did that for a long time. Um, and then we met our kitchen tuneup folks at a conference. So we kind of fell in love with that business. And now here we are. That's amazing. So what, when you said you met the kitchen tuneup folks at a conference, what originally attracted you to kitchen Tuneup.

What about the business and the model? Um, intrigued you. So with our Sears store, we did obviously our, you know, main bread, bread and butter of that business was appliance sales. Um, so we found ourselves often working with [00:04:00] clients who, um, were buying new appliances because they were remodeling or wanted to remodel.

Um, and my husband actually had grown up, his stepfather was a, um, general contractor in our area. So he had grown up in contracting and in um, construction. And so, you know, there were a lot of afternoons, um, that, you know, people would say, Hey, I wanna buy this refrigerator but it just doesn't fit in my space.

And he would go home with them that afternoon and go move their cabinet off the wall so that, um, to make room for their new refrigerator. So. You know, the more he did that kind of stuff. And then we just happened to, um, to meet the kitchen tuneup folks, um, and learned about their business and it was really interesting to us how well it would fit in with what we already did.

Um, you know, we really weren't looking to, to expand or buy into another business at that time. Um, but we just felt like it was such a great fit. And to be honest, I just loved the people that we met. Um, they were just [00:05:00] genuine and, um, felt very honest and like they really were a family environment, which is so much, um, what was so important to us and our business.

And, uh, we just thought it was a perfect fit. Yeah. That's awesome. So when you opened your kitchen tuneup, were you running both businesses at the time or did you decide that you were gonna, did you sell your original business? Tell me a little bit. No, so we actually ran them both. Okay. Um, so we, it was 2014 when we actually came into the kitchen tuneup franchise family.

Um, so from 2014 to about 2020 we really ran them, um, simultaneously. Um, kitchen tuneup is designed. First and foremost to be a home-based business. So we didn't feel like we necessarily needed a large presence. We did have a a 6,000 square foot appliance showroom here in the middle of town, so we were able to.

Y you know, at least have our samples, our door samples and displays and things like that [00:06:00] here in our, in our Sears store to show people. And kitchen tuneup had developed a pretty neat kiosk kind of set up that we could display in our store that showed cabinet doors and things like that. Um, just to kind of peak some interest.

And then we just talked about it a lot within our Sears store. But to be honest, we didn't. We didn't really dive in like it was, it was definitely a side hustle, like Sears was our focus and kitchen tuneup was kind of on the side. We di did not give it the justice that it deserved or needed, um, for those first few years.

And then the pandemic hit. So once. COVID came around. Um, that's when we really saw, um, you know, Sears struggling obviously during that time. And merchandise availability was dreadful. And, you know, things that were supposed to take a couple weeks to come in, were taken several months and supply chain, all those, all those things we all remember.

Um, so at that time, my husband and I really did a lot of soul searching and [00:07:00] decided. That we felt that kitchen tuneup was really where our focus should be. And so we, uh, kind of took advantage of the opportunity, um, with a little bit of an empty Sears sale sales floor. We moved everything forward and we built a, a showroom in the back, um, and decided we were gonna go with a, you know, retail space with our kitchen tuneup and, um, really just go all in.

So we kept that going. Um, it was actually, uh, spring of 2022 when we decided close downstairs completely and just go full bore with kitchen tuna. Wow. That's amazing. Okay, so as you said, you don't have to start with any type of resell retail space. You can run a kitchen tuneup home base. But you decided, because you were kind of mirroring the two at the time that you were gonna kind of morph into that retail space.

But then you went all in with kitchen tuneup with the retail space, right? Bring us full circle. Now. How is that? Tell, tell me a little bit about running a kitchen tup with a retail space and, and how [00:08:00] that kind of works for you in delivering your brand experience in the, in the retail space versus home-based.

So I honestly, I am a firm believer that a retail space makes all the difference in this business. I do think you can be very successful without a space. Um, you know, I've got a lot of friends within the franchise that definitely are, um, but for us, the, the showroom has been a game changer. Um, we have several different.

Kitchen kiosk set up. Um, even an outdoor kitchen space where we can show, you know, outdoor grill and outdoor cabinetry that we can do. Um, we've got like a laundry room set up, a little mud room set up, just really fun places that are all different styles, different vendors, um, so that customers can come in and.

They can start to picture how things would look in their space and pick up on different design styles and features. And um, it's great to build tickets because they see the accessories and things that they wouldn't see. If we were just coming [00:09:00] to their house, they might see, we might be able to show 'em pictures, but you know, here they can grab a hold of the trash, pull out and pull it out and see, you know, what that would be like or you know, the utensil holders and things like that, that otherwise they wouldn't see.

So, and there probably are. Favorite part of our showroom is actually a conference room that we have. Um, so we have a large room, um, with a meeting table, um, big 70 inch TV on the wall. And, um, my salesperson and I will project, uh, designs. So we use design software, um, you know, before the client comes in for their second appointment, we, um, have a nice design built for them and then when they walk in, we put it up the rendering up on this big TV and they can see it.

And, uh, that's, that's a really cool thing to be able to show a customer so they can stand there and, you know, picture exactly what their kitchen will look like. Absolutely. That sounds amazing. All right, I'm gonna shift focus just a little bit. As you [00:10:00] were kind of coming into the kitchen tuneup system and you were making these decisions kind of to leave one business behind and kind of go full, full steam ahead with kitchen tuneup, talk to me a little bit about how you were leaning into the support of the kitchen tuneup system and how that kind of helped you to kind of build into this growth, growth phase of, of your franchise.

Oh, sure. Um, so definitely, uh, you know, the home office was, um, very supportive when, you know, we told them they had kind of been, um, you know, dropping little hints in my ear for a while that they felt like, um, you know, even Heidi, the, the president of Kitchen Tuneup, um, you know. She knew how passionate I was about our kitchen tuneup business.

And she would make a little, um, you know, just little plugs for, you know, if you were doing this full time and you didn't have Sears to distract you. Um, things like that. But they were very supportive in, um, you know, helping. Training because obviously we had, um, new people [00:11:00] to hire and to expand our team.

Um, you know, so they have a, an excellent training system in place. Um, they helped a lot with design ideas and layout for our showroom. 'cause suddenly we had all this huge, um, showroom space that, uh, you know, used to have Sears appliances and now I had empty space I had to fill. So, uh, they helped with that.

And, um, you know, really just, um, kind of, that was the, the period of time when the ROMs would, uh, the regional operational managers were coming in, um, to kitchen tuneup. We had recently joined HFC, um, and they had introduced the concept of, of regional operational managers. And so our rom um, actually lives here in Florida, but she's about six hours away.

But she was even able to make a trip up and, and meet with us, and we did an area meeting. With other franchise owners from our area all came here and we did a day long meeting. Um, so it was really nice to have them. It felt very supportive and very [00:12:00] much like, um, you know, they were here to do whatever they could to help us, so That's great.

And so you mentioned your regional operations manager, but what about working with other fellow franchisees? How do you kind of stay connected and how do they kind of help you make your business successful? Other franchisees within the kitchen tup system. Oh, it's, um, absolutely such a great collaboration between, um, all the owners.

Um, you know, I, I always tell people. If they aren't plugged in with other owners, that's the first place that they can really help, um, you know, start to grow and, and change things in their business because, um, you know, home office is really good about, you know, we do once a week, um, training meetings with different topics on Wednesday afternoons, um, power Hour sessions, they call them.

Um, but then, you know, we also have a, a Facebook group. Um, we have our. Um. You know, our annual meeting where everybody [00:13:00] gets together once a year. Um, and it's just, it's really neat to see the way everybody helps out. Uh, you know, recently we had a project that we were, um, short one sheet of material that we needed to finish the job.

Um, and I just put a, a help out on the. On the, um, Facebook page, and immediately I had two different owners call me and say, Hey, I've got an extra sheet of it. I'll overnight it to you. Um, so it was fantastic, you know, the way everybody pitches in and helps out. So it's not at all competitive or, um, you know, I've, I've talked to other business owners who feel like there's a lot of competition and, and just kind of angst within the owner group.

And, uh, I don't feel that way at all within kitchen tuneup. I think it's very supportive and friendly and we all cheer each other on. Yeah, I love that about the kitchen tuneup system. Talk a little bit, um, for those that don't know, um, a a lot about kitchen tuneup about the culture. Um, talk to me about what the kitchen tuneup franchisees are [00:14:00] called, what the home office team is called, and, and, and how that makes you feel, and maybe how that has impacted you and your business.

Sure. So, um, you know, we all kind of joke, it's a little bit cheesy, but then we all fall right into it. So, um, kitchen tup owners are called ies. Um, the home office folks are all called homies. And then the collective grouping of all of us is the tuna verse. So we've kind of played on words obviously, um, and really kind of dialed into the, the tuneup portion, um, of, you know, of our name.

But it's fun because it, again, it does, it just creates some camaraderie and you know, I mean, we've got, um, the guys, well, guys and gals that have been around, you know. 20 plus years or whatever. Um, we called tuna osass 'cause they're like the old dinosaurs, you know? Um, and then the baby toonies are all the new newbies that are, you know, just joining us.

So, uh, we have a lot of fun with it. Um, you know, the latest, um, [00:15:00] brand refresh we just did, they really kind of, um, honed in on the upward. So, um, we're not doing it so much as a internal group, but I really like. The advertising is really focusing now on like uplift and update and um, so that's been fun too.

Yeah, I love that. How, um, what's been the reaction for your customers? Any feedback that you've received from customers, um, with that brand refresh? Just curious. Yeah. Yeah. So they've, um, you know, it's all been received very well. Um, I think there's been a general shift in, um. Um, kind of just the presentation of, you know, being a little more of an upscale, full remodeling company.

Um, I think for a long time people looked at us as more of a, you know, quick fix or a, you know, of course we try to be budget friendly within reason, but, um, you know, we don't want to be. You know, just the running in to fix. 'cause you got a broken drawer box, you know, we want to be in there to, to really transform your [00:16:00] space.

So this latest brand refresh I think is really helping with that message. Yeah, I love that. Um, staying along, along that kind of theme, what are some of the trends in your industry, um, that make now like a great time to consider this franchise opportunity? Yeah, so I think, um, you know, customers are staying in their houses longer.

Uh, we're really noticing, you know, people in general are just staying put, um, you know, aging in place. Um, multi-generational, you know, a lot of. Parents have their kids, you know, adult kids living back at home with them, or they're moving their older parents into the home with them. And so there's, uh, there's a lot of need for remodeling around those things.

You know, making the space, um, more efficient. Um, really improving storage options. Um, and then really just making the kitchen. More than just a kitchen. Right. So it, we do so much more than just cook in our [00:17:00] kitchens these days. It's really where you gather and where fellowship happens and, you know, you're studying af, you know, kids are doing homework after school or, um, you know, you all, everybody stands around the kitchen island it seems like.

So, um, for sure it's, uh, it's a great time. Speak to, to serve those, those people who need that. You know, there's, there just seems to be a lot more call for, um, for that kind of work these days than ever before. Yeah, I love that. I know that's where everyone is in my home, so there's a lot of wasted space in my house, so it's definitely my favorite room.

In the home picture, can you share a memorable experience with a customer? Um, what, when you think of, when I say memorable experience with a customer, I'm sure like something comes to mind. What clicks for you, Jenny? Oh gosh. There have been so many. Um, me. Well right now, um, we're actually, uh, elbows deep in a project that is, um, my.

[00:18:00] Youngest daughters, um, in-laws. Oh. So yeah, so we're remodeling their kitchen, um, which is a lot of fun to, you know, to be doing this basically for family. Um, you know, it's a, a whole different dynamic, but, and it's, you know, super important to us that it turns out, you know, obviously exactly the way they want it.

Um, but that's been a really neat experience. Um, you know, and we've had, um, gosh, we really, to us, um, a project is successful when we leave the project completed and the customer's now our friend. So, um, you know, so many of our customers, um. You know, we go out to dinner with afterwards or, um, you know, we obviously run into them at church or the local football games or, you know, around town.

So that's really neat. But, um, you know, I, I would just say most, most of our projects are, are memorable in some way. We did do a remodel for, um, [00:19:00] some, a family that was, um, my childhood best friend's family, and that was really special. I bet, I bet that's super special. Um, I, I wanna stick on the theme of family.

So give some advice to anyone who's considering going into business with their family. 'cause you have a lot of your family in business with you. So what are a few tips you might have for someone who's considering buying a franchise and bringing their family into the business with them? Um, okay. Uh, well definitely have thick skin.

Um, you know, it's one of those, it's wonderful. I love every minute of it. Um, but I can't say it's easy for sure. Uh, you have to learn how to separate, um, you know, obviously work from home. Um, there's times that, you know, maybe things aren't. Aren't, um, going the best at home and then we have to come to work and, and play nice or vice versa.

Um, but, you know, it is definitely [00:20:00] rewarding to be able to, to work on something with your family, um, that you do feel like is successful and is benefiting all of you. Um, you know, and at the end of the day, it feels so much less like work. Because you're with the people you love, you know, all day, every day.

So, um, that's probably one of my favorite things about kitchen tuneup is I love the business. I love what I do. Um, and our, you know, obviously I'm here with my husband every day. And then, um, our team feels so much like a family that it just, it doesn't feel like work. I don't dread getting up every morning and going to work.

I mean, sure, of course there's days that I'm like, oh yeah, I'd rather not be doing this today. But, you know, in general, um, it's just. It's, it's very rewarding and feels, feels very much like just life, you know? Yeah. Um, how has being a business owner and being a business owner of a kitchen tuneup changed your life?

What, what's different and what can you tell us about [00:21:00] life before and then life after owning a kitchen? So, um, you know, it's definitely given me, uh, me and my husband both the autonomy to, um, really still do the things we wanna do. Um, you know, obviously we work really hard, but we kind of live by the work hard, play hard adage.

So, um, you know, as much as we do work hard, we also, uh, really enjoy our time off. And, um, you know, financially it's given us the ability to do some things that we may not have been able to do. Otherwise, um, you know, we love to travel. Um, we're empty nesters now, so, and our kids, you know, live, um, one's in Texas and one's down in, in central Florida, so we have to travel to see them.

So that's, you know, always important to us to be able to have that time. To, um, to still get the family time in that we want. So definitely, um, you know, kitchen tuneup has, has afforded us that ability to, to build a team. [00:22:00] Um, they're really big on teaching you how to build a team that can run the business when you're not here.

Uh, and I love that. Um, you know, I used to think it was kind of silly. I'm like, I don't want other people to be able to run my business. That's my job. But now I appreciate, um, you know, the fact that, that we do have a team that really they can survive without us for a little while, which is great. So we can get out and do the things we want to do.

Yeah, I love what you said in terms of like wanting to have the control within, learning to give that control up and absolutely feeling that you're still empowering others to, you know, take control of that business and, and feel good about that. So I, I think that's awesome. Um, what is your favorite part about running a kitchen tuneup business?

And you might have already said that, but maybe just sta state it another way. Your favorite part. Um, gosh, there's, there's actually so many, but, um, probably just the feeling you get when a project is completed and a customer walks in and sees their space [00:23:00] and, you know, the, the opportunities that they know they're gonna have for the family time and.

You know, family is so important to my husband and I, and, you know, our girls are, are our world. And so, um, to be able to know that we're helping someone else have, um, you know, just a better environment and better time with their family or place to do that and have that fellowship is, is probably the, the very best thing to me.

That's amazing. Um, talk to me a little bit about how you felt when you earned Franny of the year this year. Well, I was shocked. Um, hopefully those pictures haven't circled anywhere 'cause the look on my face was insane. Um, but we were so proud. It was something that, um, I honestly never. Even really had on my radar because it just didn't feel like us.

Like I, I look up to the people who have won this award in the past, um, so much. [00:24:00] I just think that they're so cool and like they have it all together and I just don't always feel that way. So, um, to be honored with that award was just, it was mind blowing. It really was. So, yeah. Well, I still just, when I think about it, I, I just.

Wonder what they were thinking given the, well, I'm sure they were thinking that you and your business deserved it and for our listeners for any of the year was Kitchen Tuneups franchise owner of the year and that's what they call it. So, um, yes, yes. Very, very well deserved. And, um, well, I appreciate that.

Appreciate everything that you do to put into your business on behalf of. Um, the brand. Um, what advice do you have for someone that's looking at kitchen tuneup but they're just not sure it's right for them? What questions should they be asking and that maybe they're not thinking about? Oh gosh, that's a hard one.

Um, I would say talk to owners. Um, talk to current franchise [00:25:00] owners for sure. Um, you know, ask them. I think them. The question that I asked, which is such a simple question, but that I kept asking over and over again was, would you do it again knowing what you know now? Would you do it again? And every owner that I talked to said yes, um, which I thought was just amazing.

Um, so that to me was, you know, kind of an, uh, you know, a sign that it was, it was definitely a good business. Um, you know, I would ask about. Whether or not, you know, the pe the owners feel like you need a retail space or if you know how it does work in a home-based. Um, we had some good friends that ran it for a long time, home-based, and there's some challenges, you know, with receiving and things like that, you're still gonna need, you know, storage facility or somewhere to, to have cabinets dropped off and things like that.

So, you know, there's a lot to understand there. Um, you know, and then just, um, gosh. I don't know how [00:26:00] to quickly build a team. I would really, um, concentrate on, you know, isolate quickly what your strengths and weaknesses are, and then, um, you know, look hard to fill those weaknesses that you know you have.

Where are you honing in on things, um, that have attributed to your success, your Franny of the year? What do you think is attributed to that? Um, I would say we've spent a lot of time in the last year, um, really digging into, um, our financial performance. Um, trying to look at ways to, um. To keep the money we, we make, right?

So, uh, you know, uh, we, we bring in a certain amount of revenue, um, for our project and we wanna make sure that we're not bleeding that out the, the backend. So we're working with a growth acceleration consultant that, um, kitchen tuneup connected us with, um, to really help us. [00:27:00] Learn how to maximize, um, you know, our team strengths and really hone in on profitability and how to make sure that we're, we're not losing money.

Um, you know, in, in various ways. You know, even things as simple as, you know. Trips to Home Depot, it seems like, you know, it never fails. You know, the guys will tell me, oh yeah, I had to run to hardware store twice today because I forgot X, Y, Z, or, you know, needed something. So things like that, um, we're really trying to watch.

That's great. I mean, you always hear like even Michael Jordan had a coach, like even the best players out there have a coach Oh, absolutely. Of the year has a coach. Yeah. We all want to be better, right. Every day. So I love hearing that. I think that's great. Well, I, um, I don't have any other specific questions.

Is there anything else that you would like. The, the future kitchen tuneups of the world to know, to help them be better. Anything else that you [00:28:00] can share with them? Jenny, all your words of wisdom are for any of the year, um, that has been so kind to be with us today. You know, I think just know that no matter what, you're not alone.

I think between, um, the home office support and the other, um, franchise owners, I think, um, you know, there's, there's nothing that comes up in this business that someone hasn't run into before. Which is a really comforting feeling. Um, you know, when you're in business by yourself, I can only imagine how scary that would be to not have the support of the people around you.

Um, and there, there were some times early on where I didn't necessarily feel like, um, you know, we had a lot of support and that was my fault. It wasn't anything that the franchise or anyone else was doing. Um, I just wasn't looking around me and, and asking for help. So, um, I would definitely say. Realize you're not [00:29:00] alone.

Ask for help when you need it and um, just have fun. I love that. Ask for help. You're not alone and have a good time. Yeah, absolutely. Enjoy it. If you don't enjoy it, it's the wrong business. That's great. Well, Jenny, thank you so much for being here, all of you out there, thank you for listening. I hope you learned a thing or two.

I know I learned a thing or two, uh, about the heart of franchising with kitchen tuneup. Please subscribe to our channel and follow us on social media. And learn more about kitchen tuneup or any of our home franchise concepts, brands@homefranchiseconcepts.com. I hope you'll listen next time when we talk to another guest and get to the heart of franchise success.

See you next time. On the heart of franchising.