When Dan Frey and his wife, Joy, founded The Glass Guru in 2004, their goal was to rectify some of the issues traditional dual-paned windows present without a total window replacement. As the appetite for the brand’s services grew, the company expanded its offering, eventually arriving at the full-service glass offering present to all 82 of its franchises today. Backed by a simple, proven and low-cost business model, The Glass Guru organization is growing alongside its franchisees. Here are five reasons why prospective business owners should consider the brand’s competitive franchise offering.
The home services industry is booming
Consistent consumer demand makes the home services industry an ideal arena to explore franchise opportunities. While this area of the franchise industry is becoming more crowded by the day, The Glass Guru has carved out a niche all its own. The Glass Guru’s market potential is not limited to just the window and glass segment. Their unique restoration and repair services transcend the traditional markets. The Glass Guru also helps non-tradespeople break into home services with a unique system, and the company and franchisees are reaping the benefit. “For the last 15 years, we’ve been operating essentially by ourselves in an untapped segment that fills an incredible need in the market,” said Dan Frey, founder and CEO of The Glass Guru. “We’ve been able to gain an incredible jump on the competition and are well-positioned to continue dominating the window and glass repair service segment for years to come.”
Affordable investment
Aspiring entrepreneurs seeking low-cost entry and the potential for lucrative returns will be hard-pressed to find a better option than The Glass Guru. Recently named a top low-cost franchise by Franchise Business Review, the brand boasts earnings potential and ROI to match and even exceed much more expensive franchise concepts. Franchisees who sign on can expect their initial investment to range from $72,750 to $179,500, including a franchise fee that falls between $19,500 and $52,500.
Unique proprietary technology
Instead of relying solely on replacements as a solution to glass-related problems, the brand has tapped into unique technology that enables it to repair foggy windows and make them clear again at a fraction of the cost of a full window replacement. “The most enticing thing about our franchise opportunity, in my opinion, is that we specialize in a service that no one else provides,” Frey said. “While our signature foggy window repair service isn’t the only service that we offer anymore, it remains our biggest distinction. Given that this is such a common problem, it creates a great business ownership opportunity for our franchisees.” Eric Helus, a franchisee with The Glass Guru in Colorado Springs, Colorado, said, “I’ve always been interested in companies that push the envelope. The Glass Guru has these amazing proprietary products, and they are doing incredible things with them. The foggy window repair process, in particular, was so effective, so unique and so easy to apply. You don’t have to replace the glass, it has a 10-year warranty and it can all be done from outside, so you don’t have to go into people’s homes.”
Residential and commercial client base
While The Glass Guru started with its signature foggy window repair service, its services have expanded immensely over the years. With the addition of new services comes the addition of customers, leading The Glass Guru to enjoy a large customer pool of residential and commercial clients alike. “On top of our traditional offering, we have mastered a variety of window and glass services,” Director of Operations Sean Young said. “Our locations function as full-service glass shops that provide restoration, repair and replacement services along with custom work for showers, mirrors, doors, commercial storefronts, sound-reducing glass and more. This gives our franchisees the opportunity to be a one-stop solution for clients large and small.”
Easily scalable
The Glass Guru’s business model allows owners to start small with a limited staff and a controllable fixed-cost structure, then incrementally grow their business to maximize results. Perhaps the most alluring aspect of the brand’s simple model is that owners don’t usually have any glass or home services experience prior to signing on with the brand. “We’ve created a unique entry point that didn’t previously exist,” Young said. “Our owners aren’t expected to repair or install anything. We help them surround themselves with a strong team so that they can focus on growing the business from the helm through management and development while their specialized office and field teams do the work of daily operations and installation in the field.” * From 4/29/19 Franchise Spotlight – 1851Franchise.com
