Franchise News

The concept of making something new — or new again — is very familiar to John Rozsypal, “Rozy” to his friends.

John Rozsypal, CCI of Southeastern Michigan

The old-school architect, based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is accustomed to using the fine point of liner pens and drafting pencils to hand-sketch custom homes, additions and renovations. But after 45 years in the design business, Rozy and his wife Mary — a former marketing executive for multi-billion-dollar companies in corporate America — are building something new for themselves. They are building what they hope will be a monopoly in southeast Michigan in the leather, vinyl, plastic and fabric goods repair industry, through their Creative Colors International franchise business.

The nation’s leading on-site repair and restoration franchise is giving the Rozsypals a late-in-life career (she’s 59 and he’s 67) that hits all the right marks. No more cross-country and overseas travel. No more sitting in an office all day. No more working on someone else’s schedule. No more working for Wall Street. As a bonus, Creative Colors appealed to the couple’s creative side; and gave them an opportunity to work side by side, with their hands, in a business model with great potential.

“We hit the jackpot with this,” said Rozy. “It’s an art form that really drew me in. There is instant satisfaction, unlike in the house building business.”

Rozy recalls the moment he was sold on Creative Colors. He was at “Discovery Day” at the home office in Chicago to learn more about what makes CCI so special and discovered what he called “the magic.”

“It was that ‘aha!’ moment when I saw them take something that looked beyond repair, bring it back to life and look like new again,” Rozy explained. “Now I do that, and people are amazed every day at what we can do. They say, ‘Are you some kind of magician?’ It’s the magic of the repair process. And everybody loves magic!”

Executive-Style Owners

The Rozsypals started with one van, as Rozy hit the road to build a loyal customer base with his repair work. Now he gets booked for service a month in advance and gets calls from 3–4 hours away. That’s how good he is.

“He is very good at making repairs and making them look superb,” Mary boasts of her husband. “He is an artist and a perfectionist and has really developed a reputation as being the best.”

Although Rozy enjoys getting out and building relationships and gaining the respect of his clients, he also has bigger plans — more growth as an enterprising executive-style owner.

In the first year, the Rozsypals added a second service van and technician and have plans to add a third soon. They aspire to be executive-style owners who gradually build up their fleet of vans and technicians and even add new territories.

“It’s exciting. We are moving toward the place we want to be in building the business. Within a few years, we hope to be at the level where we can step back and just manage the business,” said Mary.

In the meantime, Rozy strategically schedules his days and is working on developing programs with customers for routine service calls so that he has the flexibility to schedule some long golf weekends.

Just another perk of being your own boss in the Creative Colors International franchise family.

If you would like to learn more about franchise opportunities available in new and expanding markets, visit us today to learn how you can build a thriving business at CCI.

At Creative Colors International, our employees come from varied backgrounds and industries. There is no one “right” type of experience or education that makes our workers a great fit with our company. However, there is one “right” attitude — self-motivated, service-oriented, and superior results-driven.

When Mark Miller made a career change 13 years ago, from running a full-time DJ/entertainment business to becoming a technician at Creative Colors International, he brought all those qualities and more.

This month, we shine our employee spotlight on Miller, who has been faithfully serving the eastern counties of Indiana for more than a decade, and helping build CCI’s reputation as the go-to for RV repair and restoration in the RV Capital of the World!

Why did you leave the rock-n-roll world DJ biz to become a technician at CCI?

I really enjoyed my work as a DJ. I did it for 21 years, but I was gone a lot of nights and weekends. Weddings, school dances, nightclubs, you name it, I played it. I was pulled away from my three daughters a lot, and my wife and I were like ships passing in the night.

My brother-in-law was a technician at CCI, and he invited me to ride along with him. As I watched him work with customers and do repair work, I thought, “I could do this.” I’ve always been a guy to watch and learn and figure things out. I made the switch, and within one year it replaced my DJ business salary. Within a few years, I was doing better at CCI than I had done after 21 years in the entertainment biz. Plus, my quality of life improved. I went from not spending time with my daughters on the weekends to buying a boat and spending our weekends together on Lake Michigan. It was the best career change I could have made!

How has CCI supported your work and your growth, specifically in the RV industry?

What I like about CCI and my boss, Dick Neff, is that they are there when I need them and leave me alone when I don’t. I like that independence. I also appreciate that they are open to new ideas and pursuing new markets. We live in the RV Capital of the World (80 percent of RV’s are manufactured in this region) and that is a huge opportunity. Sixty percent of the work I do is linoleum repair in RV’s (learn more about why RV dealers love CCI). I have focused on growing my knowledge on linoleum repair and coming up with new techniques. So, now CCI has had me teach a few classes on linoleum repair and they send new techs to ride with me, so they can see how it’s done. I enjoy that, too.

What do you enjoy most about working at CCI?

It’s taken care of me and my family for 13 years. I get the opportunity to meet new people and learn new things every day. There’s no resting on your laurels, which is a good fit for me. The ability to control my days and my life is huge, too. I leave early in the morning, so I can be home by 2:30 p.m. and not be out during the hottest part of the day. And of course, having the means and the time to hit the water in our boat or hitch a trailer with camping gear to the back of our Yamaha Tour Deluxe and hit the road with my wife is a great way to live. We enjoy our life. I have no plans of going anywhere. Actually, I have plans to go lots of places, and CCI helps make it possible.

Are you interested in learning more about a rewarding and fulfilling career working as a Creative Colors International technician, just like Mark? If so, please visit https://www.wecanfixthat.com/about-us/employment-opportunities/ to get started!

There is no question the franchise industry is enjoying unprecedented growth. It has grown consistently for the last eight years, and 2018 is no different. Thanks to a combination of deregulation, tax reform and a generally robust economy (which our President, Mark J. Bollman, recently described in a Daily Signal OpEd on Tax Reform), the franchise sector is projected to increase by more than six percent this year, to hit $451 billion in gross domestic product.

Here at Creative Colors International, we appreciate the current economic climate but know nothing lasts forever. Bollman has been with the company through four recessions in the last 26 years, and the company has continued to grow and thrive. Even during the Big Three Bailout of 2008, when automotive customers — our bread and butter — were lost and others consolidated, CCI weathered the storm. We prefer the term recession-resistant to recession-proof because there will always be economic factors beyond your control.

Here are three key elements to consider when searching for a recession-resistant franchise opportunity.

Diversify

Farmers do it with their crops, and we do it with the industries we serve. Diversify. Although the automotive industry, both new and used car dealers, is a key business segment, they are by no means our only customer base. Boats, planes, trains, really any form of transportation, as well as furniture, office spaces, restaurants, and hospitals can all use our restoration and repair services. Incidentally, service businesses are generally considered recession-resistant when they can offer customers the option of repairing over buying new. That puts us in a pretty sweet spot, as CCI can offer most clients an 80–90 percent savings in repairing over replacing. We have seen first-hand that when orders with some industries sag, others will spike. Because CCI serves a diverse number of industries, our overall portfolio remains balanced, even in cyclical valleys. After all, there are very few places you can go where you are not sitting on or touching leather, vinyl, fabric or plastic. In every community, there will always be a need for our services.

Multiply

We’re talking about revenue streams here. It takes diversification one step further. At CCI, we have made a concerted effort to create additional revenue streams by going after two different markets, B2B and B2C. In our B2B segment, we have created several programs to work as a subcontractor for companies who interface directly with the consumer. We make a product look new for their customer and they get the credit and a good profit, thanks to our special business pricing. Long-standing relationships with warranty companies have proven to be another great partnership. We even offer customized logo floor mats to auto dealerships as an add-on product.

Our B2C market is growing, too, because, well, who doesn’t want to save money? In the past, we have been behind-the-scenes, but now, with an aggressive social media presence, we have found ways to create and capitalize on awareness with end-users. If we can save them hundreds of dollars on a repair of their couch or favorite recliner, they will be repeat customers. We offer leather care kits and have started upselling our own certified reconditioning programs — all additional sources of revenue. Our reduce-reuse-recycle business philosophy and use of “green” water-based products also resonates with today’s consumers.

Go Mobile!

It’s not just for cell phones. We are an on-the-move society, so having an on-the-move business is a great choice. At CCI, the van is our mobile office. It comes delivered to our franchise owners fully stocked and outfitted. Right off the bat, you save a big chunk of change by forgoing rent, utilities and all the expenses associated with a brick and mortar storefront. That’s more money in and less money out. Another reason service businesses are thriving today is that more and more of them are going with a low-cost mobile business model and reaping the rewards of being able to go directly to the customer instead of waiting for busy consumers to walk through their door. The businesses that offer convenience and comfort in addition to quality and value will be the ones that get repeat business and word-of-mouth referrals that will weather any economy.

The keys to making it through a recession begin in an up-economy, like now. Keep your eye to the future and begin building that diverse customer base. When you lose one customer, challenge yourself to replace it with three new ones, and try to make them from different sectors. It is not uncommon for our CCI franchisees to serve upwards of 70 different vertical markets. Even in a recession, people will still have needs and if you can be there for them and save them money, your business is sure to experience more peaks than valleys.

Are you interested in learning more about joining the CCI family and taking advantage of this recession resistant business model?   If so, get started by visiting https://www.creativecolorsintl.com/franchise-opportunities/request-franchise-information/.

Nation’s Leading On-Site Repair & Restoration Franchise Earns #341 Ranking in Prestigious List

Mokena, IL, (January 26, 2018) – Creative Colors International, the nation’s leading on-site repair and restoration franchise (specializing in the mobile repair and restoration of leather, vinyl, fabric, plastic and carpeting in the automotive, furniture, commercial and residential markets), is celebrating the honor of being ranked in the exclusive Franchise 500® list by Entrepreneur magazine. The unique franchise business is ranked at #341, meaning Creative Colors International has achieved outstanding performance in areas such as franchise unit growth, financial strength, stability, and brand power.

“We have always made innovation, constant research, developing better techniques and training, and of course, the quality care of our customers, our primary priority,” says Mark Bollman, President of Creative Colors International. “Now, to be recognized by inclusion in Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500®, for our business success as well, is a tribute to our staff, employees, and dedicated franchisees. This high honor will only serve to spur us on to grow and prosper even more in 2018 and beyond.”

Placement in the Franchise 500^® is a highly sought-after honor in the franchise industry, as evidenced by the fact that Entrepreneur received more than 1,000 applications this year, making it one of the company’s most competitive rankings ever.

“This year’s Franchise 500® ranking features both up-and-comers who bring fresh ideas to an ever- changing industry, as well as savvy stalwarts that have thrived for decades. We are proud to highlight and celebrate them all,” says Jason Feifer, editor in chief of Entrepreneur. “Our results show that the industry is strong—and that the most enduring franchisors are those who learn to balance innovation with reliability. That’s how to attract new customers while keeping the old ones happy.”

The key factors that go into Entrepreneur’s evaluation include costs and fees, size and growth, support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability. All franchises are given a cumulative score based on more than 150 data points, and the 500 franchises with the highest cumulative scores become the Franchise 500® in ranking order.

Over its 39 years in existence, the Franchise 500® has become both a dominant competitive measure for franchisors and a primary research tool for potential franchisees. Creative Colors’ position on the ranking is a testament to its strength as a franchise opportunity.

To view Creative Colors, International’s full ranking, visit www.entrepreneur.com/franchise500. Results can also be seen in the January/February issue of Entrepreneur, now available on newsstands.

For more information on Creative Colors International repair and restoration services, please visit https://www.wecanfixthat.com/.

For more information on the Creative Colors International franchise opportunity, please visit http://www.creativecolorsintl.com/.

About Creative Colors International

Launched in 1991, the Creative Colors International (CCI) franchise system was created through its affiliate, J&J’s Creative Colors, the original industry leader in refurbishment techniques and systems. Today, both companies continue to be family-owned and operated by the second generation. Catering to the abundance of upholstered items in every home, business, and vehicle, CCI is the ultimate in on-site repair, restoration, cleaning, protection, and dyeing of leather, vinyl, plastic and fabric. Through proprietary technology, CCI restores damaged material at a fraction of replacement costs, saving customers up to 90 percent. CCI repairs are stronger than the original area and are nearly invisible to the naked eye. In the Automotive, Furniture and Commercial Markets, CCI offers on-site repair and restoration to all types of leather, vinyl, fabric, plastic and carpeting by repairing and re-dyeing holes, cuts, tears, burns, scrapes, fading and discoloration. For more information on CCI’s services and franchise opportunities, visit https://www.wecanfixthat.com.