Laying the Foundation for the Franchise 

The year was noted as 1972 when a young entrepreneur David Isley saw an opportunity to implement an innovative idea for vinyl repairs whilst starting the business. From the beginning, the company operated as a mobile business, mainly servicing restaurants, offices, and schools. While gradually beginning to branch out into the automotive industry, he witnessed, the array of services available to the customers in the early days were limited. “Vinyl repair itself was a questionable and unknown commodity at the time and thus had to be virtually given away ($3.00 – $4.00 per repair) to generate business,” says Richard. However, it soon received the attention that it deserved, and the potential of the business began to materialize. He continues, “And in 1979, due to the development of many high-quality procedures and products in the Kansas City area, the company decided to enter the franchising business.”  

Richard first learned about the company in 1998 while attending the International Franchise Expo in Washington, D.C. He decided to purchase the company and became CEO as well as Director of Dr. Vinyl & Associates in the year 2001. He recognized the franchise with great value, that could provide an opportunity for young entrepreneurs to make an excellent living for themselves, with only a small investment, hard work, and dedication. Thus, he looks for individuals who depict similar passion and values on which Dr. Vinyl & Associates is built. A prospective franchisee should have a passion for working with their hands and enjoy working in a mobile environment. They should have the financial means and business acumen to support starting up a small business. They must also possess excellent customer service skills and should be able to maintain the company standards for high-quality repairs. “All potential candidates must be able to pass a color blindness test, as color matching is a major part of our business,” he adds. One such vehement individual is Chris Hawkins from The Cumberland TN territory. He feels proud to be a part of the franchise stating, “Dr. Vinyl has been a great franchise to work with from the beginning.” Impressed with the company’s support and assistance, he asserts, “They have allowed me the freedom to grow at my own pace and have always been available when I have needed them. I’m excited to see what the future holds for Dr. Vinyl.”  

Dr. Vinyl & Associates is recognized for supporting franchisees from beginning to end. Post initial two-week training at headquarters training, Richard and his team provide a week of field training, where trainers are on-site with each new franchisee, securing new accounts and walking them through the process of business every step of the way. “We understand that there will be butterflies, nerves, challenges, etc. at first that could be very overwhelming for a new entrepreneur,” he states. They provide full support to these franchisees and assist them in eliminating any major complications, allowing them to build more confidence. Moreover, it supplies marketing flyers to its franchisees at no cost to them, which are catered to their business and territory. The franchise also launches an email campaign targeting the territories of their potential customers from time to time. “Websites are created and maintained by corporate for all our franchise owners,” mentions Richard. In addition, the corporate headquarters hosts an Annual Convention in Kansas City, MO, where all franchisees and their associates can visit and share business ideas. This is a huge training seminar with products on display from vendors and live repair demonstrations conducted by corporate trainers and other franchise partners. “Dr. Vinyl also has some smaller regional conventions in various locations throughout the year; bringing associates together to share information and learn from each other is the most powerful tool a franchise system can have,” he asserts. Being a renowned company in the franchise sector, Dr. Vinyl & Associates has to constantly strive to maintain its stature by providing the foremost services. It allows its franchisees to benefit from innovative products, proven business plans, and an unlimited customer base. Dr. Vinyl & Associates provides franchisees protected territories, which allow them to access a defined area with an exclusive customer base. It helps its franchisees in obtaining low overheads and presents them with the constant development of new products/services to extend the reach of their business. It also provides these business owners with monthly advertising assistance along with the benefits obtained from the National Accounts program. 

The company encourages the idea of ‘an independent spirit.’ As it is often said, owning a business is the best way to achieve financial independence. Dr. Vinyl & Associates guarantees this independence to aspiring business leaders. It provides many different options for franchise owners who want to expand and grow their franchises creating a lot of opportunities for upward mobility. “You can really be as successful as you want to be in this business,” he ensures. Richard states that there are technologies exclusive to Dr. Vinyl & Associates such as vinyl siding, vinyl window, and vinyl flooring repair procedures. “Also, the use of our water-based dyes is a milestone in our business,” Richard continues. “Our state-of-the-art technology in micro repair allows us to make those tears and holes disappear, bumps, scuffs, and scratches vanish and if you like we can even recolor your auto interior as well as the chairs, sofas, and ottomans in your home or office. No other company can achieve stunning results as fast or economically as Dr. Vinyl.”  Those who own a successful Dr. Vinyl & Associates franchise are able to achieve a higher income, enhanced time managing ability, and growth in personal development. These businesses are independently owned and operated and they can escalate the equity in their own business.