Craig Burton on Building a Fibrenew Business in Metro Austin

In this Fibrenew franchisee video, Craig Burton, who runs Fibrenew of Metro Austin in Texas, explains why he made the move into franchise ownership and why he still enjoys the work every day. Burton went through training in September 2011 and has operated his business ever since.

His reasons for change were personal. He had been through three jobs in five years, which convinced him that stability and loyalty in corporate employment were a thing of the past. He also was not sure his work was making any real difference. He wanted an opportunity where the harder he worked, the luckier he could become.

Burton describes the business simply: he owns a franchise that fixes leather, vinyl and plastic. That covers furniture, boats, airplanes, cars and much more, with services including repairs, restoration and color changes. He believes the value of buying a franchise is that the system has already proven it works and that it can train owners in a successful method.

The work is satisfying because every item matters to someone, and it is better when he leaves. He also makes the case for the market. Leather, vinyl and plastic are everywhere, so in a good economy the service makes things perfect, and in a bad economy it helps things last longer. He describes the initial investment as substantial but reasonable.

Family comes first for Burton, and Fibrenew fits his requirements for time, availability and financial reward. For prospective franchisees, his story is a grounded view of the mobile repair model.