What was your career background prior to starting your Refresh Renovations™ business?

Being a registered architect with two decades of residential and commercial experience, I had spent eight years in New York working on large-scale high end projects before returning to set up my own practice in 2001.

What attracted you to Refresh™ as a business opportunity?

I was very impressed by the initial investigations of franchise opportunities with Refresh Renovations™. It’s the first company that I’m aware of that implemented a design-and-build process for the rapidly growing renovations market..Even though we’re a small business, it’s actually a very big company. That has massive appeal for me. I have a relationship with a company that’s giving me some very helpful business management tools that I didn’t previously have.

What is the market opportunity?
Refresh has created a process to address the fractured nature of the renovation market here. What convinced me was seeing the significant business development company behind Refresh Renovations™. I invested in a Refresh Renovations™ franchise in 2014 and it’s a decision that’s brought personal and professional growth.I now manage around 30 active projects at one time, ranging from bathroom upgrades to multi-million-dollar renovations.

What is your best advice to run a great Refresh™ Renovation business?

If you’re good with communication and organisation, and are people-oriented; it’s a great business. You definitely have to be motivated, and I believe you need a long-term vision for the company. Including the design to formulate a diverse team and to create a substantial network of suppliers. Naturally, you also need to have an interest in renovations, but you don’t have to have experience in the building industry. The designer is just another subcontractor – it just so happens that in this instance we provide that expertise.

Why is the Refresh™ model so compelling for customers?

I don’t believe anyone has put anything as effective in place that clearly communicates to our clients the process that we’ll undertake to implement their renovation build. We don’t deviate from that and if you follow that process, your business will be successful. That’s why you don’t need to have building industry experience. It’s really a recipe for how to do it. And that’s what also creates value for Refresh™ clients; we’re very strong in cost management.

What do you think of Refresh™’s marketing, and what are the most effective techniques you’ve used to find new customers?

They have extraordinary marketing and advertising skills – access to that type of skillset is generally incredibly expensive, so to have it as part of your franchise is invaluable. Refresh™ has helped us with targeted marketing to increase our leads. If I had to do it on my own, I wouldn’t even be close to having that resource. You can’t create that kind of brand awareness on your own. That’s why we get prequalified so strongly online. By the time people are asking to see me, the website had done a wonderful job in instilling trust in the customer about the reputation behind the Refresh™ brand.

What is it like working with clients?

Great, they really enjoy and  benefit enormously from the Refresh Renovations™’ six-step process.

Any advice for the start-up phase?

I’ve learnt so much more about business and acquired a raft of new skills. You can’t be afraid to learn. I’ve got the skills to be a competent architect; but when I first started with Refresh™ I seriously didn’t know the difference between sales and marketing.

Any areas for improvement?

The Refresh Renovations™ head office provides excellent support and open communication, and is always accessible. And what’s just as valuable is being part of a network of like minded people who are keen to share information with each other, so everyone can benefit. They’re innovative and fun – it’s a wonderful company culture that’s spilled over into my business. The conferences are fantastic and the diversity of people is fascinating. I get so much value out of meeting other franchisees and exchanging ideas.

Would you do it again?

Yes!