Award-Winning Franchise Owners Share Their Advice to Potential Franchisees

Susan and Charlie Johnson have been running Kitchen Tune-Up Little Rock, Arkansas since 2008 and have numerous awards to their name, including 5 Regional Customer Service Awards, the 2017 National Customer Service Award, and the 2016 Franny of the Year Award. Susan and Charlie are dedicated to continuing their education and training so they can continue to provide the best solutions to their customers. As a 10-year franchise veteran, they recently shared with us some advice for someone who is thinking about taking a similar leap they did a decade ago. Susan says “be aware of individual strengths and weaknesses and be receptive to the expertise of the franchise system. Being a part of a franchise is very beneficial as there are resources to help in training and supporting the systems needed to be successful”. As our featured franchise this week, we caught up with Susan on all things franchising and kitchens!

What was your career before becoming a Tunie?
I have a Master’s Degree in Speech Pathology. I was in Health Career Management prior to Kitchen Tune-Up. I think a love of working with people has always been a theme for my employment. Helping someone achieve a goal or passion can take many forms. With Kitchen Tune-Up, it is a matter of helping them transform their kitchen space to better reflect their family likes and needs.

What is your favorite part of owning your franchise?
Again, it is the people with whom we work. We also love seeing the transformation our team creates.

What comes to mind as your most memorable kitchen update? 
We did an update for a young man that wanted his parents to have a nice kitchen in their later years. He paid for all the updates and let his parents choose whatever they wanted. He was so generous and kind to his parents and they were so grateful. I loved being a part of that story and the joy it brought to everyone.

Any advice for someone thinking about making the leap and buying their own franchise?
Be aware of individual strengths and weaknesses and be receptive to the expertise of the franchise system. Being a part of a franchise is very beneficial as there are resources to help in training and supporting the systems needed to be successful.

When you’re not working, what are you doing?
Working on home projects and participating in family activities. Our grandchildren keep us busy with their many activities.

What was the biggest motivator to why you bought your own franchise?
I wanted to have a business that provided quality service to homeowners with various budget levels.

What have you found to be the biggest benefit to franchise ownership? 
The system provides the knowledge and experience of hundreds of owners. Answers are there for almost any question.

What is your Mission Statement?
Our mission is to listen to customers and provide solutions in a timely and quality manner.

Tell us about your family!
Our English Labrador, Avie, comes to our showroom daily to greet customers. She is a center of conversation and joy. We are blessed with 5 granddaughters and 1 grandson, who are all successful in their own stage of life. They and their parents provide numerous family activities to include boating, dancing, soccer, and the list goes on!

Why do you love being a kitchen remodeler?
What other job allows you to transform a space that is the center of the home? A few simple changes can mean the world to someone who has felt overwhelmed with the process. We specialize in holding their hand to make that happen.

If you are interested in owning your own Kitchen Tune-Up Franchise, you can fill out an application here or contact us today.