Franchisee of the Month

JOEL AND JESSICA WINTERS

Kitchen Tune-Up Castle Rock, CO

by Jill Abrahamsen

Joel Winters knew he made the right choice in becoming a Kitchen Tune-Up® franchisee early on. He couldn’t believe the warm welcome from the Home Office team that he and his wife Jessica received when arriving for training. “It really spoke volumes about the company and the culture. This is a family-run business, not a cold, corporate machine,” he says.

Before deciding to invest in Kitchen Tune-Up in 2018, Joel and Jessica did their due diligence and explored options in different business sectors. “Nothing really excited us. But when we looked at Kitchen Tune-Up, Jessica loved it right away. I wasn’t so hot on the concept initially, but then I examined the details,” Joel says. “The more I looked, the more I liked. I love the fact that it’s a turnkey business, it provides a niche service, and the brand has a great reputation.”

A FAMILY AFFAIR

Dave Haglund launched Kitchen Tune- Up in 1986. His daughter Heidi Morrissey joined the company in 2003 and took the top spot as President when her father retired. Haglund developed the original concept, a “Tune-Up” that’s an inexpensive way for customers to get a new look in their kitchens (and bathrooms) without the hassle of a major overhaul. The company continues to offer the 1 Day Tune-Up in addition to refacing, redooring, new cabinets, Granite Tune-Up, organizers, and more.

RAMPING UP

The Winters were busy within weeks of opening in Castle Rock, Colorado. “The company has a formula for success that works. If you follow it, you will make money. It’s as simple as that,” Joel says. “As soon as we activated our website, the leads started to pour in. The company has a well-executed marking plan. We met our initial 12-month goals in the first six months.”

The couple divvies up responsibilities by pulling from their strengths. “I’m an ops guy, so I take care of running the dayto-day business, which includes managing two teams of subcontractors who do the hands-on work. I tried doing some of the work myself and almost cut my finger off,” he jokes. “Jessica is a natural people person and works on sales and service. She really enjoys consulting with our clients and working on the design process. The best part for both of us is the ‘reveal’ at the end of a job. More often than not, our customers are overjoyed, and that’s a great feeling.” .

A WELCOME CHANGE

As Joel and Jessica get ready to open a second location, they’re excited for continued growth. Kitchen Tune-Up has been a refreshing change for Joel, who logged more than 20 years in corporate America and had to wear a suit and tie every day. “I spent years building companies for other people, and now I’m investing in myself,” he says.

For more information, visit KTUfranchise.com.

Joel and Jessica Winters invested in a Kitchen Tune-Up franchise in 2018 and are now planning a second location. They have been thrilled with the company's training and support.