At Kitchen Makeovers, we’ve always believed that great franchisees don’t come from one specific background. It’s not about whether you’ve fitted kitchens before – it’s about your mindset, your work ethic and your ability to connect with customers.
That’s something our latest group of franchisees really brings to life.
We’ve recently welcomed four new business owners into the network, each coming from completely different industries – from hospitality and retail to manufacturing and even straight out of university. What they all share is the same goal: to take control of their future and build something of their own.
One of our new starters, Andy Billage, has launched Kitchen Makeovers Stourbridge after 17 years in hospitality, including seven years as a hotel general manager. Like many people we speak to, he reached a point where he wanted more balance – more time with his family and more control over how he spends his time.
What’s been great to see is how quickly he’s transferred those customer service skills into his new business. Even in his first few weeks, he’s already exceeded his targets, which shows just how valuable that experience can be.
But for Andy, success isn’t just about numbers. “I recently took the kids to the zoo during half term – something I’d never have been able to do before,” he told us. “We’ve got trips planned for the year and it just feels like a completely different way of living.”
Alongside Andy, we’ve also welcomed Pablo Alvarez in Wigan, who has launched the business with his partner Emily after working in a retail warehouse. In Coventry, Kenny Aladenola joins us as a recent business graduate, ready to apply his knowledge in a hands-on environment. And in Peterborough, Faizan Anwer brings 20 years of experience from the medical device manufacturing sector, with a strong focus on quality and attention to detail.
On paper, they couldn’t be more different – but in reality, they all bring highly transferable skills that set them up for success.
That’s exactly how our model is designed to work. We don’t expect people to come in with industry experience. Instead, we provide the training, systems and ongoing support to help them build confidence quickly. Every new franchisee goes through a structured training programme at our head office in Harpenden, where they gain experience in a real kitchen environment, alongside learning the day-to-day running of the business.
As Andy put it, “The training week was really helpful and gave me a lot of confidence going into the business. What stood out was being able to practise things properly – not just sit in a classroom.”
By focusing on kitchen transformations rather than full replacements, we’ve created a service that meets growing demand for cost-effective, lower-disruption home improvements. At the same time, our franchise model keeps overheads low and operations streamlined, which makes it accessible to a wider range of people.
Our perfect candidate doesn’t fit into one small box – it’s about finding people ready to back themselves. Our network is made up of people with a variety of backgrounds, with customer service, people skills and ambition proving key to early success.
