Ziebart franchisee, Brian O'Shaughnessey of Spokane, WA, speaks about his experience as a store owner.
TROY, Mich., July 31, 2017 -- "Owning a store is easier than I thought it would be, and a lot more enjoyable," says Brian O'Shaughnessey, owner at Ziebart of Spokane, WA. Owning a Ziebart business is more than just opening and closing your doors every day, and the support from corporate along with his belief in the products are just a couple of reasons Brian says he has achieved success with the 58-year-old franchise.
With a little over three years under his belt, Brian is still shocked with how quickly his life changed. As a former parts director at a car dealership, his job was to supply undercoating and fabric sealant. He contacted Ziebart originally to buy the products, as he was familiar with the benefits Ziebart products provided consumers and car dealers, but was instead offered a franchise. He laughed off the offer, yet within a year, he was quitting his job and was full steam ahead opening a Ziebart of his own.
"It was a lot of work opening a store, I couldn't have done it by myself," says Brian. "Jason and Dave (Regional Sales Managers at Ziebart corporate headquarters) came out and spent weeks with me setting up equipment. I think support is an understatement. This is beyond advice, phone calls; it was physical, hands-on, working with me side-by-side. It's truly a partnership." He is very enthusiastic about his franchise and says he has not had a slow day since the first day he opened. Brian attributes his only stress to having to schedule customers up to two weeks out and worrying about losing customers as a result. However, his positive reviews on Google and Yelp offset that worry and have contributed to customers traveling up to four hours to visit his location.
Brian has a dream to be a multi-unit owner on the west coast and when asked about the opportunity there he replies, "No, don't come out to the west coast, please. I want the whole west coast to myself," laughingly. He has customers asking him daily when he plans to expand, as they continue to come from as far away as Utah and Montana.
Brian also credits his franchise ownership to a decrease in stress, saying, "I sleep better at night, my hair is not turning as grey as it was, and I've lost weight." He goes further to describe the gratification he gets from customers when he walks them out to their vehicle, saying he receives hugs because customers are so pleased. "I never got a hug when I fixed someone's alternator." He says the feeling of appreciation that he receives on a daily basis, "is better than money".
The Ziebart opportunity was a chance for Brian to join a growing legacy. "It was an accident. I can't say I was looking for a job, but it has turned out to be a life-changing event," says Brian.
Ziebart International Corporation is headquartered in Troy, MI, representing a global franchise network of vehicle protection and appearance services for over 58 years. The company was founded on rust protection in 1959 and operates approximately 400 licensed locations with 950 service centers in 33 countries. Ziebart is the world's leading name in automotive services that renew, protect, preserve, and enhance the appearance of cars and trucks. Ziebart offers a full line of appearance and protection services for both the interior and exterior of vehicles, including professional detailing, window tint, Z-Shield® paint protection film, vehicle wraps and graphics, Genuine Ziebart Rust Protection, and Undercoating, Rhino-Linings® sprayed-on bed liners, truck accessories and much more.
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