Why did Phil make a career change?

After spending 9 years working with a franchise and learning everything that comes with franchise ownership, I decided that I wanted to own my own business. I have a deep passion for helping my customers as well as helping my employees achieve their goals. I want to be able to create opportunities for others to be successful. Also, everyone spends a lot of time in their kitchens. This is where life happens and families share their days with each other. I want to help my customers create their dream kitchens so that they have a warm, inviting environment to spend time with their friends and family members.

Why will Phil make a great franchise Owner?

Having a mentor that spent years teaching and leading me on what it takes to run a franchise was an invaluable experience for me. I was able to learn how a business should be run by one of the best leaders I have ever worked with. This gave me a lot of confidence that I could run a franchise on my own. Having a wonderful support system also gives me a lot of confidence. Understanding that people are the foundation of everything you do, whether that is your team or your customers, is important in owning a business. Without people, no business can be successful. I will do what it takes to keep my team and my customers happy because that is how you win.

What were Phil's search criteria for finding the right franchise company?

First and foremost, I wanted to find a franchisor that truly cares about its franchisees. I wanted a partner that can go along with me on this journey and be there to help with any areas that aren't a strength of mine. Finding a concept that made a difference in people's lives was also very important to me. I wanted to know that at the end of the day, my team and I have made someone else's life better. Like any business, making money is also important in providing my family the life that we want to live. I feel that Kitchen Tune-Up was a perfect fit because of their structure, their culture, and their long term strategy to grow the brand.f interest and an area we have experience in; plus, the business model just made too much sense, and the opportunity was too great to pass up.

Any tips on choosing the right time to take the leap into business ownership and leave the corporate world?

Don't wait. You only get so many trips around the sun and life is too short to wait until the perfect time. You can get very comfortable living a life in the corporate world, but owning your own business and building the life you truly want can help you achieve higher goals and dreams. Everyone always talks about how risky it is to open a new business, but if you trust yourself and are responsible, thorough, and diligent, the reward far outweighs any "risk" you are taking.

here's what Phil had to say about working with Liz: 

"Liz was incredible to work with. She put the thoughts that were in my head into a plan and helped me see exactly what I was looking for. She helped articulate for me what that next step would be. Prior to working with Liz, I was really struggling to see what that next step in my life would be. She opened a world of opportunity and helped guide me towards the right solutions. She was always available and had great advice every time we talked. I would highly recommend Liz to anyone who is looking at getting into franchising."