Home Franchise Concepts Franchisees Say ‘Be Your Own Boss!’

Owners Share How They Achieved Professional Security, Work-Life Balance and Control of Their Financial Futures

The reasons people invest in franchises are as numerous and varied as the franchisees are themselves. But the ability to “be your own boss” seems to be a common refrain among them. Whether it’s having greater work-life balance, job security or building generational wealth, these goals seem more easily attained by those who seek to be their own bosses through franchising.

Starting a business from the ground up is one way to be your own boss, but it might be the hard way. Franchising, on the other hand, offers benefits that aren’t available to anyone starting a business from scratch, such as a proven business model, established operating systems, instant brand recognition and many others.

In the following stories, franchisees with the Home Franchise Concepts family of brands share how franchising has enabled them to achieve their individual and family goals by being their own bosses – and how that has changed their lives.

Lori and Chad Morgan, Kitchen Tune-Up, Colorado Springs, Colo.

We were tired of our fate being in somebody else’s hands.

Lori and Chad Morgan (above) are the mother-and-son team at the helm of Kitchen Tune-Up, Colorado Springs, Colo., which Lori and husband Bruce opened in 1994.

Lori and Bruce had been laid off from corporate jobs and, “we were tired of our fate being in somebody else’s hands,” she says. “My side business was woodworking, so Kitchen Tune-Up felt like something we could do. We were tired of working in a big corporation. With a franchise, we benefited from the expertise of other people who would help us with things we didn’t know, like marketing. We would also have the opportunity to build a business for ourselves.”

When Lori and Bruce needed help with the kitchen remodeling business about eight years ago, Chad stepped in. He was ready for a transition from his work in hotel management and now serves as general manager of his parents’ Kitchen Tune-Up business. Lori and Chad have run the shop themselves for about five years since Bruce joined the Kitchen Tune-Up franchise corporate team.

To “be your own boss” initially resonated with the Morgans, and their goals have evolved since investing in Kitchen Tune-Up. “When we started this, we had no intention that our kids were going to work with us as adults. But now, we do want our legacy to be in creating a successful family business, having a name that’s known for good in our community, and as employers who take care of their employees and provide opportunities for their growth.”

Mark and Sherri Schalk, Aussie Pet Mobile, Charlotte, N.C.

Creating a valuable business and income stream for the post-retirement years was a major motivator behind our purchase decision in late 2006.

Mark Schalk was nearing retirement as a financial controller within a large aerospace and defense company. He and wife Sherri (above) were seeking an additional income stream after his retirement. Their plan was to buy a business that Sherri would run until Mark retired and joined her. They were excited about working together, combining his general business know-how and her interpersonal skills honed through substitute teaching, counseling and administrative work at a Christian school and their church.

“Given my continued corporate work and Sherri’s general lack of business experience, we realized the need for a proven franchise model and a network of fellow franchisees, and we appreciated the training and ongoing support offered by Home Franchise Concepts,” he says. “Interestingly, this coincided with the adoption of our first dog, Baxter, and our discovery of just how inconvenient it was to take him back and forth to a groom shop. This validated the Aussie Pet Mobile model as much as anything.”

The couple opened their Aussie Pet Mobile grooming franchise in 2007 with a large territory around Charlotte, N.C., and subsequently expanded to 13 contiguous ZIP codes as well as communities in South Carolina near the North Carolina border.

Their Aussie Pet Mobile franchise has helped the Schalks achieve major financial goals including paying off all three children’s college debts and helping one daughter explore professional dance opportunities. “By God’s grace, we have grown our sales each consecutive year, and since my retirement from corporate work in 2024, the income from Aussie Pet Mobile has enabled my wife and me to live comfortably,” he says. “And having a trusted general manager in place relieves us of many day-to-day worries.”

Dan Derbes, Lightspeed Restoration, Alexandria and Fairfax, Va.

My goal was to own a company and learn how to make it successful.

Dan Derbes had retired as a commander in the U.S. Navy after 21 years as a surface warfare officer. As a civilian, he worked for nine years in the defense industry, but wanted to be his own boss. “My goal was to own a company and learn how to make it successful. I sought out franchising because I wanted to start with a proven concept and a base level of support so that I could learn the business and grow,” he says.

Derbes has been a franchise owner with Lightspeed Restoration since 2023. Lightspeed Restoration provides rapid, round-the-clock response for residential and commercial property owners facing damage caused by disasters including floods and fires. Like other Home Franchise Concepts brands, Lightspeed Restoration offers incentives for veterans seeking franchise ownership.

“Part of the excitement in the restoration industry is responding to client emergencies and urgent needs. I will often respond to an emergency and get the project started until the rest of the team is able to help. It’s really satisfying to help a customer, gain their confidence, explain the process and then solve the issue,” he says.

“I think franchising is right for a broad spectrum of veterans who start with a great work ethic but little to no business experience. By following the franchise’s model, they can be successful and continue to grow their skills in leadership, management and commitment to excellence.”

Toni Parkhurst, Budget Blinds, Solano County, Calif.

There’s something to be said about creating your own future in today’s uncertain economic world.

Toni Parkhurst was a single mom who wanted security in a career that could provide for her two young children. She had worked for a window coverings company, moving up the ranks from sales associate to regional vice president of sales. But the job took her away from home too much of the time, so she transitioned to a window coverings manufacturer as a regional sales representative.

One of her clients, a Budget Blinds owner, had asked Parkhurst if she’d be interested in buying her franchise. By this time, Parkhurst’s employer was experiencing financial challenges. “When my paychecks stopped clearing, I knew that meant it was time to take the leap,” she says.

Parkhurst heeded the call to “be your own boss,” opening two Budget Blinds territories in 2007 in Solano County, Calif., and subsequently expanding with a third territory. “I began the business right out of my house. My son, Josh, would help put boxes away, and he and my daughter, Alix, went door-hanging with me every Sunday. Josh, the older of the two, helped me hammer yard signs on street corners in high-traffic areas. The three of us hustled together through the years! We still have laughs about it.”

Josh and Alix have joined their mother in the Budget Blinds franchise, and they’re on board to carry on the family legacy after she retires. “There’s something to be said about creating your own future in today’s uncertain economic world,” Toni says. “My kids will always have the work ethic of entrepreneurs, no matter what the future brings them. To see that they have that instilled in them is all I could ask for. That’s invaluable.”

To learn more about franchising opportunities, visit the Home Franchise Concepts website.