When Phil Chrysandrea moved from London to Cornwall for a tiling job in 2008, he thought he was taking the natural next step in his career. What he didn’t realise was that, by having identified the unmissable opportunity to settle in a new part of the country, he set in motion events that would lead him to become a multi-unit franchisee for Kitchen Makeovers with a turnover of over £300,000 last year alone.
His move from the capital to the coast quickly hit a major setback when the tiling job he moved to the area for was pulled because of the 2008 financial crisis. However, rather than let adversity hold him back, Phil did what he does best and realised there was no better time to take back control and forge his own path to success.
A highly successful career in telecoms followed, but the desire to get back into the home improvement sector always lingered. So, after exploring several franchise opportunities across a range of sectors, Phil decided to take the plunge as Kitchen Makeovers’ first-ever franchisee in January 2021.
Finding the recipe for success
“I saw others reaping huge success through franchising and thought, why not me?” explained Phil. “I was successful in my previous career in telecoms, but I was working long, unsociable hours, which ultimately became detrimental to my personal life. I knew I had the skills to run my own business, and once I started exploring the idea of franchising, it felt like fate that I ended up with Kitchen Makeovers.
For such a long time in my career, I found myself questioning why I was working hard for others’ success and realised Kitchen Makeovers was my ticket to achieving full control. After doing my due diligence and speaking to the founders, Will Frankling and Matt Oakley, I knew I’d found the business opportunity that I’d been craving. They were honest and clearly passionate about the business. Their values, ethos and attitude towards good business practices very much aligned with my own approach.”
Founded in 2018, Kitchen Makeovers introduced the UK to the future of kitchen renovations. As one of the home improvement sector’s most innovative franchise brands, Kitchen Makeovers has established itself as an exciting, highly profitable opportunity through identifying and leveraging a gap in the market. This trailblazing approach, evolving with the demands of the sector, is helping franchisees provide customers with a long-awaited, modern, cost-effective and sustainable service up and down the country, breathing new life into the heart of their homes.
“Being the first franchisee might have looked like a risk to some, but I knew straight away it was going to work for me. I’ve always had strong self-belief as a businessman and salesman – once I discovered Kitchen Makeovers, I was hooked. Their approach resonated with me from day one. It felt like an exciting alternative to what was already out there when it came to kitchen renovations.
Having prior industry knowledge, I knew what consumers had long been waiting for – put simply, us! It’s the innovation that the sector desperately needed, and you can see how well-received the brand has been on a national scale by how fast the franchise has grown. Being able to bring the showroom to the client is a real asset. As a salesperson, being able to interact with potential customers in the comfort of their own homes is huge. You can really help the client visualise the changes to their living space.”
Kitchen Makeovers attracts both first-time franchisees and seasoned entrepreneurs looking to move with the time’s thanks to an impressive infrastructure designed for scalability and a revitalised approach to the customer experience in the home improvement sector. Franchisees are encouraged to fully exploit the success they can achieve within their territories by building a local network of expert tradespeople.
Kitchen Makeovers’ approach of championing exceptional customer service is continuing to reap the rewards in a sector that has traditionally delivered below-par customer experience. Through recurring income streams, low overheads, an impressive scope for growth and ongoing development, the opportunity for franchisees is huge.
“When I moved from London to Cornwall, it was a big change for me. You won’t find two more contrasting places in the country when it comes to attitude and lifestyle. Now, I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else; this feels like home. Running my own franchise from here means I get to see the immediately positive impact the Kitchen Makeovers experience has on my local community. I’m creating jobs in the area, and the most rewarding part is that the service is environmentally friendly. As a franchisee of a brand that can’t do enough to trailblaze in an industry that’s been crying out for an alternative, I really like feeling that I’m improving my neighbours’ homes.”
On track to welcome 100 franchisees by the end of 2024, sophisticated branding, systems, operations and processes have established Kitchen Makeovers as a leading voice in a market which, before the brand’s inception, was crying out for a cost-effective, fuss-free service provider. This has seen the franchise receive over 500 glistening five-star reviews from happy customers across multiple reputable online sources.
Cooking up a storm: expanding to a second territory
“It was an incredibly proud moment in my own professional development to have taken on Kitchen Makeovers Plymouth as a second location. I want to get it to a similar level as my Cornwall territory – I’m targeting £500,000 turnover per year in each region, and as a franchisee of such an in-demand service, I know it’s very achievable. There’s a lot of untapped potential – I definitely haven’t hit a ceiling yet, and I’m excited about growing the business to new heights. What makes it all so much more rewarding is that my work-life balance is fantastic. Running my own business has allowed me to earn more and spend that all-important time with my young family. I like to make my own music, I love to go fishing when I can, and I find time to do it all while running a successful business. It doesn’t get better than that for me.”
With more ambitious goals than ever being targeted by Kitchen Makeovers’ first-ever franchisee, Phil intends to make the next three years and beyond even more rewarding than the last. Consistently finding reasons to believe in his own professional attributes, with Kitchen Makeovers, Phil is finally seeing the financial, professional and personal success he deserves. And with an already impressive turnover of over £300,000 achieved, he knows there is plenty more to come.
“Kitchen Makeovers has had a really positive impact on me and my family. I’ll happily tell others they’re in the wrong job. I’ve been on the other side, and now I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. For anyone considering a Kitchen Makeovers franchise, I 100% recommend it. As a franchisee, my success is finally in my own hands. This was the opportunity I was looking for, and I couldn’t be happier.”