{"id":27544,"date":"2026-02-25T16:22:17","date_gmt":"2026-02-25T16:22:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/?p=27544"},"modified":"2026-02-26T10:54:05","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T10:54:05","slug":"from-shop-floor-to-business-success-building-a-thriving-business-in-just-18-months","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/from-shop-floor-to-business-success-building-a-thriving-business-in-just-18-months\/","title":{"rendered":"From Shop Floor to Business Success: Building a Thriving Business in Just 18 Months"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading Time: <\/span> 3<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

After 30 years working in retail and home security, Northampton-based dad-of-two Bill McHugh decided to step into business ownership, with the support of his wife Teresa. Just 18 months on and the couple have grown a kitchen renovation business that has been profitable from the outset, combining Bill\u2019s hands-on leadership with Teresa\u2019s marketing and business support.<\/p>\n

The journey to franchisee <\/strong><\/h4>\n

Over a 30-year career in furniture retail, Bill progressed from the shop floor to the role of regional manager, gaining sales and managerial skills along the way. In 2019, Bill decided to become self-employed, acting as an agent between retailers and manufacturers. When the pandemic forced businesses to move online, he re-evaluated his career path.<\/p>\n

After spending two years in the home security industry, Bill decided that he wanted to launch a franchise with a tried-and-tested methodology to support his retirement goals.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile exploring potential opportunities, we were particularly interested in the home renovations sector because of its stability during economic downturns,\u201d said Bill. \u201cAfter considering a number of options, Kitchen Makeovers stood out as the right fit. The proven franchise model, together with relatively low start-up costs and overheads gave us the confidence to move forward.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kitchen Makeovers has\u202festablished\u202fitself as a leader in a market previously lacking a cost-effective and hassle-free solution. With over 30 franchisees and sophisticated branding, systems and operations, the company has filled a critical gap for homeowners. This commitment to customer satisfaction is reflected in\u202fnearly 1,000\u202fglowing five-star reviews across reputable online platforms and an impressive average score of 4.9 out of 5 on\u202fTrustist. This focus on exceeding expectations is what truly sets Kitchen Makeovers apart from the competition.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWe set up a meeting with Kitchen Makeovers co-founder Will Frankling and spoke to other franchisees to understand the opportunity. Mapping the entirety of Northampton as our potential territory was a huge bonus. By the end of the process, we knew we were ready to take the plunge and launch Kitchen Makeovers Northampton.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kitchen Makeovers attracts both first-time franchisees and seasoned entrepreneurs looking to move with the times, thanks to an impressive infrastructure designed for scalability and a revitalised approach to customer experience in the home improvement sector. Franchisees are encouraged to fully exploit the success they can achieve within their territories by building a local network of expert tradespeople. Kitchen Makeovers\u2019 approach of championing exceptional customer service is continuing to reap rewards in a sector that has traditionally delivered below-par customer experience. Through recurring income streams, low overheads, an impressive scope for growth and ongoing development, the opportunity for franchisees is huge.<\/p>\n

Soaking up the knowledge<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Before setting off to improve kitchens across Northamptonshire, Bill took part in a training and onboarding programme with Kitchen Makeovers to learn their products, systems and standards.<\/p>\n

\u201cAhead of launching the franchise, I\u2019d never fitted a kitchen before, so I had a lot to learn. On the flipside, my background in sales and customer-facing roles meant I was confident in building relationships, managing multiple projects and working under pressure. All of which proved invaluable from day one.\u201d<\/p>\n

To practice what he\u2019d learned, Bill spent a day with Harpenden franchisee Colin Breslin, gaining first-hand insight into the business in action. Alongside becoming familiar with the products and renovation process, he observed how Colin interacted with customers and the range of skills required to successfully deliver a kitchen makeover.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was an incredibly \u00a0insightful and valuable experience. Following that I began cultivating a list of trusted local contractors specialising in plumbing, electrics and fitting. I wanted a dependable team from the very beginning \u2013 quality work would speak for itself when it came to customer referrals.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Gathering 5-star reviews<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Since launching Kitchen Makeovers Northampton, Bill and Teresa have built a thriving and highly successful business, quickly establishing a strong reputation in the local area. \u201cI\u2019m incredibly proud of the work we\u2019ve achieved over the last 18 months. We\u2019ve transformed kitchens across the region and have the five-star reviews to show for it.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs our positive reputation grew, I made the decision to increase the daily rates we pay our fitters. I also ensure they have all the necessary equipment to complete our projects, including items that they would usually be expected to provide, such as saw blades.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy belief is that looking after your team properly will keep standards high and build long-term loyalty. My role is to liaise with our customers from initial enquiry through to sale and project completion. Maintaining strong relationships with my fitters makes it much easier to communicate progress, manage expectations and present options clearly to customers.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy wife, Teresa, who has a senior background in marketing, has played a key role in the business\u2019 growth. Her expertise across positioning, local visibility and community engagement has complemented the franchise support and helped accelerate awareness and lead generation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Enjoying the rewards<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Bill and Teresa have significant plans for the future. \u201cWe have a seven-year plan where we\u2019re going to retire either in Cornwall or Italy. By then, we\u2019ll either sell the business or appoint a manager to run it, allowing us to enjoy our retirement properly.<\/p>\n

\u201cBetween now and then, we\u2019d like to take on another local territory and essentially emulate what we\u2019ve done in Northampton.<\/p>\n

\u201cLaunching Kitchen Makeovers Northampton has been a brilliant journey and I highly recommend it to anyone looking to become their own boss with the support of a franchise brand.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

After 30 years working in retail and home security, Northampton-based dad-of-two Bill McHugh decided to step into business ownership, with the support of his wife Teresa. Just 18 months on and the couple have grown a kitchen renovation business that has been profitable from the outset, combining Bill\u2019s hands-on leadership with Teresa\u2019s marketing and business […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":27616,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[62,1548],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27544","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-home-improvement-franchises","category-kitchen-makeovers"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/BillMcHugh.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27544","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27544"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27544\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27619,"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27544\/revisions\/27619"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27616"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27544"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27544"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27544"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}