{"id":30567,"date":"2026-05-20T10:24:07","date_gmt":"2026-05-20T09:24:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/?p=30567"},"modified":"2026-05-07T18:26:45","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T17:26:45","slug":"building-a-flexible-profitable-future-with-kitchen-makeovers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/building-a-flexible-profitable-future-with-kitchen-makeovers\/","title":{"rendered":"Building a flexible, profitable future with Kitchen Makeovers"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_89 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\/building-a-flexible-profitable-future-with-kitchen-makeovers\/#a-career-built-on-organisation-and-leadership\" >A career built on organisation and leadership<\/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\/building-a-flexible-profitable-future-with-kitchen-makeovers\/#taking-a-considered-step-into-business-ownership\" >Taking a considered step into business ownership<\/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\/building-a-flexible-profitable-future-with-kitchen-makeovers\/#building-confidence-through-support-and-training\" >Building confidence through support and training<\/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\/building-a-flexible-profitable-future-with-kitchen-makeovers\/#succeeding-without-a-traditional-sales-background\" >Succeeding without a traditional sales background<\/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\/building-a-flexible-profitable-future-with-kitchen-makeovers\/#building-momentum-early\" >Building momentum early<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/building-a-flexible-profitable-future-with-kitchen-makeovers\/#a-business-that-works-around-family-life\" >A business that works around family life<\/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\"> 4<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><p>After years of working in operations and events, Nicola Hutchings reached a point where she knew something needed to change. While she had built a successful career managing complex projects and leading teams, she wanted more control over her time and a future that worked better for her family.<\/p>\n<p>Now running Kitchen Makeovers Bournemouth, Nicola has already surpassed her previous employed income within months of launching the business. More importantly, she has created the flexibility to support her younger son, who lives with chronic fatigue syndrome, while building a business around family life.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"a-career-built-on-organisation-and-leadership\"><\/span><strong>A career built on organisation and leadership<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Before joining Kitchen Makeovers, Nicola spent the majority of her career in event management, organising conferences and exhibitions for a range of organisations. During the pandemic, she transitioned into the commercial kitchen sector, joining a local business supplying and maintaining kitchens for schools, care homes, hotels and hospitality venues.<\/p>\n<p>Over five years, Nicola progressed into the role of operations director, managing engineers and supporting the delivery of commercial kitchen projects across a wide range of sectors.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019d always worked in very operational roles where you\u2019re constantly organising people, solving problems and making sure everything runs smoothly,\u201d Nicola explained. \u201cI enjoyed it, but I got to a point where I knew I needed a change and wanted something that gave me more control over my future.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Alongside her career ambitions, Nicola also wanted greater flexibility for her family. Her younger son requires regular hospital appointments and additional support, something that became increasingly difficult to balance within employed life.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy younger son has chronic fatigue syndrome and chronic pain, so we have a lot of appointments and things we need to work around,\u201d Nicola said. \u201cMy previous employers were supportive, but at the end of the day, when you\u2019re employed, you still have to be somewhere at a certain time.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNow, if I need to take him to an appointment or adjust my day around his needs, I can. I can work later in the evening or work on a Saturday if needed. That flexibility has made a huge difference to our family life.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"taking-a-considered-step-into-business-ownership\"><\/span><strong>Taking a considered step into business ownership<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Although Nicola had never run a business before, the idea of self-employment had been on her radar for some time. Her husband Martin, who has more than 20 years\u2019 experience as a kitchen fitter, first introduced her to Kitchen Makeovers around a year before they launched the business.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAt first, I think I held onto the security of employed life,\u201d Nicola explained. \u201cI\u2019d never been self-employed before and I\u2019d never run a business. But over time I realised that if I wanted something different, I had to make that decision myself.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Together, Nicola and Martin recognised that their combined experience created a strong foundation for the business, blending operational management, customer service and extensive kitchen fitting expertise.<\/p>\n<p>Kitchen Makeovers has established itself as a leader in a market previously lacking a cost-effective and hassle-free solution. With over 40 franchisees and sophisticated branding, systems and operations, the company has filled a critical gap for homeowners. Their commitment to customer satisfaction is reflected in nearly 1,000 glowing five-star reviews across reputable online platforms and an impressive average score of 4.9 out of 5 on Trustist. This focus on exceeding expectations is what truly sets Kitchen Makeovers apart from the competition.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"building-confidence-through-support-and-training\"><\/span><strong>Building confidence through support and training<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>For Nicola, one of the biggest attractions of franchising was having access to a proven structure and ongoing support network while learning the industry.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019d never run a business before, so having that support in place was really important,\u201d Nicola said. \u201cThe training was brilliant &#8211; really thorough and practical &#8211; and even now, if I need help, I can pick up the phone and someone is always there to answer questions.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The combination of head office support and collaboration across the wider franchise network helped Nicola settle into the business quickly.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s not competitive between franchisees at all,\u201d she explained. \u201cEveryone wants each other to do well. There are always people you can call for advice and it genuinely feels like you\u2019re part of a team while still running your own business.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"succeeding-without-a-traditional-sales-background\"><\/span><strong>Succeeding without a traditional sales background<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>One of Nicola\u2019s biggest concerns before launching was stepping into a more sales-focused role, having never worked in sales previously. However, she quickly discovered that her natural communication style resonated strongly with customers.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think customers warm to me because I\u2019m not overly salesy,\u201d Nicola explained. \u201cI take a softer approach and focus on building trust. People are inviting you into their homes, so they need to feel comfortable and confident in what you\u2019re recommending.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Her organisational background has also transferred naturally into running projects, coordinating tradespeople and delivering a high standard of customer service.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cRunning events and managing engineers prepared me really well because you\u2019re constantly juggling different moving parts \u2013 from client meetings and quotations to ordering materials and prompting customer feedback,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"building-momentum-early\"><\/span><strong>Building momentum early<\/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.<\/p>\n<p>Kitchen Makeovers&#8217; 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>Although Nicola initially expected it to take time to build momentum, the business grew far quicker than anticipated.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI went into it thinking it would take a while to get established, so I\u2019d prepared financially for that,\u201d Nicola said. \u201cBut within a couple of months, I was already earning more than I had in my employed role.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Since launching Kitchen Makeovers Bournemouth in September 2025, Nicola has continued expanding the business, bringing Martin into the company full time and, with his help, growing the team further with additional fitters.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s been really exciting to see how quickly things have developed,\u201d Nicola said. \u201cWe\u2019ve already completed a wide range of kitchen makeover projects and we\u2019re now taking on much larger renovations as well. You don\u2019t always know how things are going to go when you start a business, but once you get going, the opportunities with this franchise have become clear.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"a-business-that-works-around-family-life\"><\/span><strong>A business that works around family life<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>For Nicola, the biggest reward has not simply been the financial success, but the ability to create a career that fits around the people who matter most.<\/p>\n<p>Alongside supporting her younger son, the flexibility of the business has also allowed her to spend more time with her older son before he begins RAF training.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThese are moments I wouldn\u2019t necessarily have been able to enjoy before,\u201d Nicola explained. \u201cBeing able to work flexibly around family life while still building a successful business has been incredibly important to me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Looking ahead, Nicola is focused on continuing to grow the Bournemouth business, developing her own skills further and building a strong local reputation for customer service and bespoke projects.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s exciting to think about where the business could go from here,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m still learning all the time, but it already feels like the right decision for both my career and my family.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>After years of working in operations and events, Nicola Hutchings reached a point where she knew something needed to change. While she had built a successful career managing complex projects and leading teams, she wanted more control over her time and a future that worked better for her family. Now running Kitchen Makeovers Bournemouth, Nicola [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":30568,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[62,1548],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30567","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\/05\/Niki-Hutchings-2.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30567","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=30567"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30567\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30569,"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30567\/revisions\/30569"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30568"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30567"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30567"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30567"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}