Featured Franchise: Kitchen Tune-Up Aberdeen, SD

This week’s feature puts a spotlight on our city! Our team is grateful to have a Kitchen Tune-Up franchise in our hometown. It’s sometimes confusing to locals, but Kitchen Tune-Up Aberdeen is where the Home Office of our franchise system is (we’re on Circle Drive behind the Auto Plaza in Aberdeen), and Brad Fiechtner is a local franchisee with his own remodeling business. Brad and Pam have been part of our franchise family since 2010, and their team has done work in almost every Home Office team member's home over the years. Check out their project gallery by clicking here, and you can find them on Facebook at Kitchen Tune-Up Aberdeen, SD.  Thanks again, Brad for the interview!

Click here to see a video showing some before & after transformations.

What was your career before becoming a Tunie?
Product design and manufacturing engineering, engineering management, project management

What is your favorite part of owning your own business?
The personal rewards for making customers happy.  Being able to know that I have the ability to operate my own business successfully, a personal goal. I enjoy the challenge in taking the wants & needs of each client and putting together several different solutions to fit their budget and timeline. Since we do both kitchen and bath remodeling, every project is unique. We are detailed in the upfront consultation with our clients, and well as in the project planning and installations. Homeowners regularly comment on how we treat their homes with respect, clean up and finish on time and on budget. We work hard to do a great job, and attention to detail is very important to us. Our reputation as a local company is very important to us. Our customers tell us that our customer service is very good….and we love to hear that!!

What comes to mind as your most memorable kitchen update? 
My most memorable are a few clients that have been super nervous, and hesitant to make changes. They worried about making the ‘wrong’ choice and in the end, are so grateful to have had the project handled with care and respect by my team. Several have given me hugs and even a few tears of joy…it’s very rewarding work.

Any advice for someone thinking about making the leap and buying their own franchise?
Understand all aspects of the business. Understand your business financial numbers, job costing, etc. Be organized in not only project-level details but in your business details. Understand that you will get out of the business what you put into it. Hard work, attention to detail, respect for customers yields good results.

When you’re not working, what is your favorite hobby or pastime? 
We have twin boys in school in Aberdeen, so they keep us busy with their activities. As a family, we like to go camping with our 1972 Airstream camper and squeeze in a few fishing trips a year as well.  I enjoy classic car shows and working on cars.

What’s something unique about our area? 
Aberdeen, South Dakota is a fairly rural market, and half of my clients are homeowners in surrounding communities outside of Aberdeen. I grew up on a family farm, so I can relate to my rural clients very well.

We switch up our National Reunion location each year.  What has been your favorite city to visit or most memorable Reunion so far?
The cruise!  The Land & Sea event for the 25th anniversary of Kitchen Tune-Up was our favorite so far. 

Do you have a favorite cabinet door style?
Many! Every time I show my wife a recent project, she has a new favorite. Hickory fruitwood shaker is our current favorite.

What was the biggest motivator to WHY you bought your own franchise?
I wanted a choice in being able to establish myself, set down roots, and not have a larger corporation (employer) decide my future/fate for me.