{"id":28043,"date":"2026-03-12T15:01:05","date_gmt":"2026-03-12T15:01:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/?p=28043"},"modified":"2026-03-09T15:01:24","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T15:01:24","slug":"from-employee-to-boss","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/from-employee-to-boss\/","title":{"rendered":"From Employee to Boss"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_88 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #101010;color:#101010\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #101010;color:#101010\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/from-employee-to-boss\/#the-ad-that-changed-everything\" >The ad that changed everything<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/from-employee-to-boss\/#launching-kitchen-makeovers-southampton\" >Launching Kitchen Makeovers Southampton<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/from-employee-to-boss\/#learning-a-new-approach\" >Learning a new approach<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/from-employee-to-boss\/#life-as-a-franchisee\" >Life as a franchisee<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/from-employee-to-boss\/#tips-for-potential-franchisees\" >Tips for potential franchisees<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 3<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><p>After 23 years of selling kitchens for the same company, Southampton-based Ben Coltman never imagined a social media advertisement would change the course of his career. Today, as the owner of Kitchen Makeovers (Southampton), he is building his own business and shaping his future on his own terms.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"the-ad-that-changed-everything\"><\/span><strong>The ad that changed everything<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>After spending more than two decades working for the same company selling kitchens, Ben was comfortable and happy with his job. Yet, while he enjoyed his role, the idea of running his own business had always been at the back of his mind.<\/p>\n<p>That dream started to become reality when he came across a Kitchen Makeovers franchise advertisement on Facebook one evening. In a moment of spontaneity, he clicked the ad to see what was on offer. Liking what he saw, he quickly arranged a meeting with Kitchen Makeovers co-founder Will Frankling to discuss the opportunity and downloaded some more information about the franchise, setting the wheels in motion.<\/p>\n<p>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. Their 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<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"launching-kitchen-makeovers-southampton\"><\/span><strong>Launching Kitchen Makeovers Southampton<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m not the biggest fan of change, evidenced by my working with the same company for 23 years, so deciding to start this journey was a huge step,\u201d said Ben. \u201cWhen I first spoke to Will, he was able to answer every question I had and gave me loads of further information on what it\u2019s like to be a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/mastering-makeovers-a-day-in-the-life-of-a-kitchen-renovations-franchisee\/\">Kitchen Makeovers franchisee<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt felt like I had immediately hit gold &#8211; the proven model and level of additional support really appealed to me. Still, I decided to speak to another franchisee based in Portsmouth to understand what it\u2019s actually like to own a Kitchen Makeovers franchise. She shared her experiences and the work required to be successful.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWith my background in kitchen renovation, I knew many of the tricks of the trade, and being my own boss was something I\u2019d always wanted. Although I loved what I saw, I decided to sit on it for a month to make sure I was doing the right thing for my career. As I said, I\u2019m not a very spontaneous person, and this was a life-changing decision.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd as you can see, I came to the conclusion that it would be a great next step for my career. I took the plunge and launched Kitchen Makeovers Southampton in April 2025.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"learning-a-new-approach\"><\/span><strong>Learning a new approach<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>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<p>\u201cAlthough I had spent 23 years renovating thousands of kitchens across Southampton, I discovered during my training that their method was a lot more technical and specialist compared to what I was used to,\u201d said Ben. \u201cPreviously, I\u2019d completely rip out the kitchen, cabinet carcasses and all. This would leave me with a blank canvas to create something completely new for the client.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWith Kitchen Makeovers, we\u2019re transforming what\u2019s already there, which requires a different skillset.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAlongside that, I had to completely learn the admin side of things. I\u2019ve never been my own boss before, so this was completely new territory for me. To help me manage, I brought on the expertise of an accountant who ensures everything is in line and that I\u2019m compliant \u2013 a worthwhile cost.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"life-as-a-franchisee\"><\/span><strong>Life as a franchisee<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Since launching his business, Ben has grown a positive reputation within the local community, built on hard work and quality results.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy calendar has been busy helping clients create their dream kitchens without breaking the bank. To help me get jobs done, I\u2019ve brought on two subcontractor fitters who have now been with me for six months. I trained them on the Kitchen Makeovers method so that each job is completed to a high standard.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTo help me stay booked and busy, I\u2019ve used several different advertising methods to get my name out there. This includes magazine ads and social media, which the Kitchen Makeovers team helped me set up. Yet the most effective methods I\u2019ve found are Google PPC ads and traditional leaflet drops. Before I started Kitchen Makeovers Southampton, I had no marketing experience \u2013 it\u2019s been a learning curve to test what works best in my area.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Whilst business is going well, Ben has firm goals for the future. \u201cI\u2019m currently working towards generating \u00a31million in sales. To achieve this, I need to expand my team and hire a manager so I can concentrate on income-generating and growth activities. I firmly believe that this goal is within sight.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"tips-for-potential-franchisees\"><\/span><strong>Tips for potential franchisees<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>If you\u2019re like Ben with some experience in home renovation but none in business ownership, Ben has one top tip for you: \u201cWhether it\u2019s finding local partners, marketing or accounting, you can learn as you go and draw on the experiences of your franchisor and fellow franchisees. Don\u2019t let a lack of general business admin or management experience hold you back. I\u2019m proof that you can fulfil your dream of business ownership.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>After 23 years of selling kitchens for the same company, Southampton-based Ben Coltman never imagined a social media advertisement would change the course of his career. Today, as the owner of Kitchen Makeovers (Southampton), he is building his own business and shaping his future on his own terms. The ad that changed everything After spending [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":28044,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[62,1548],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-28043","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\/03\/ben-coltman.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28043","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=28043"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28043\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28046,"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28043\/revisions\/28046"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/28044"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28043"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28043"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28043"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}