3 Day Kitchen & Bath

"I've always found that if I'm willing to share something good, it always comes back," says David Jensen, the founder and president of 3 Day Kitchen & Bath. Perhaps that explains the success of his Provo, Utah-based remodeling franchise.

Based on his own frustrating experiences with kitchen and bathroom remodeling, Jensen created 3 Day Kitchen & Bath in 1997 to provide mainly residential customers with top-to-bottom renovations in three days or less. Previously, Jensen worked in the heating and air conditioning industry, but once his employer was sold to a large corporation, he knew it was time to move on. "I had worked for large corporations before and didn't like that atmosphere," says Jensen, whose company currently has six locations.. "[I] wanted to stay small, so that's when I took the opportunity to start this company."

Prior remodeling experience is not necessary, but franchisees do need to obtain a general contractor's license. Rather than experience, Jensen stresses the importance of personal character in his homebased franchisees--"people who are self-driven, self-directed, have integrity," he says. "It even boils down to the value of having faith--not necessarily religious, but someone who can see something good and act on it."

From what Jensen says, those who are acting on the opportunity are enjoying it. "The people we've got out there are very happy doing what they do," he says. "They make a good living, but they have time to spend with their families or do whatever they like to do."

This story appears in the May 2002 issue of Startups. Subscribe »