Starting a Bathroom Resurfacing Business
Interview with Sharon Dillard, President of Get A Grip, Inc
Going from luxury goods to remodeling might seem like a big leap to some, but not for Sharon Dillard. She's grown her franchised resurfacing business to 17 states.
Interview with Sharon Dillard, President of Get A Grip, Inc.
Tell me about your current business. What are you doing exactly?
Get A Grip, Inc. is a multi-surface restoration company that resurfaces bathtubs and countertops. We lead the resurfacing industry with proven products and techniques - whether the job calls for repairing and resurfacing a fiberglass bathtub or bringing new life to stained and scarred kitchen countertops.
We focus on innovative and safe products. Today, the company serves homeowners, property managers, apartments, hotels, motels, resorts, and government institutions. As our franchise program grows across the country, we will continue to offer products that are revolutionizing the resurfacing industry.
We're headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico and have a network of 35 franchises & dealers in 17 states. We gross approximately $2 million a year.
When did you start the business?
We bought a concept, patent, and a name that described the non-skid surface product in June 1999. Inspired by this patent, we named the company Get A Grip. In the fourth quarter of 2007, we began selling franchises. We are now at 35 franchise & dealers in 17 states.
What were you doing before this, and is this your first business?
I was the key account manager at CHANEL, Inc. for 17 years. After many years I wanted to own her own business.
Who did you hire to help you? Bookkeeper, Accountants, Lawyers ...? Would you suggest others do the same?
All of the above. Making sure that you hire the right people for your business means you can do it right the first time.
Did you operate your business from your home? What were the challenges and benefits to this strategy?
In the beginning, June 1999, we started this business in the garage. We didn't have a showroom for many years and we lost customers because we couldn't show them what the product looked like after application. After several years, we moved into an office with a showroom. I was worried that I would not be able to pay for the building, but after having a physical location, the additional customers we picked up paid off. It was good to start out slow and build the business to a place where we needed a showroom. Now, I like coming home and it's my home, not the office.
Do you own a business with family members? What do you think are the benefits and challenges to running a family owned business?
Yes - in fact four of our staff are family (I make five). We all have different personalities and different talents. The challenge is to separate the facts from the feelings, to stay within our responsibilities, stay devoted to business and keep family on the weekends. The biggest benefit is that we all have a vested interest in the success of the company.
Finding employees to work in a new and growing business can be a challenge. How did you find your employees?
Every day is important as a service business - it's all about quality and service. Word of mouth gets out very quickly, and we now get good quality people who want to work for us because of our reputation. They look for us instead of us looking for them.
How has your experience in running the business been different from what you expected?
Yes. I always focused on how we could be the best at what we do. I didn't focus on the money. The money followed and soon we became a national franchise business. This is far beyond my expectations. And to find us listed in Entrepreneur's Franchise 500 Magazine means that now we're playing with the big boys!
Congratulations on your achievements, Sharon. Thanks for taking the time to talk with us today.
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