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You may love franchising, but if you want to own and run one, it's crucial you get the right fit.

This is what Ron Kuhn discovered before purchasing his Window Genie franchise this past June.

Ron Kuhn spent many years running a process improvement and efficiency consulting company along with a partner.

He and son Alex will now serve the Grand Rapids, Michigan community with residential and light commercial window cleaning, window tinting, pressure washing, gutter cleaning and more.

"While running my consultancy business I realized I liked being my own boss," said Kuhn, "so I also invested in a Quiznos Subs franchise during those years. Running the sub shop, and my consulting business, gave me the variety and challenges that kept things interesting," Kuhn shared.

However, when his consulting company partner moved on in 2008, Kuhn took on more responsibility to keep the operations consulting business going. He decided to focus on that and sold the Quiznos franchise in 2009.

"When I decided to re-enter the franchise community," continued Kuhn, "it was clear I needed to find the best fit. I wanted to shop around for another franchise that was better suited to my lifestyle and my plan to include my son Alex in the business.

Some of my fondest memories, even when times were tough, were of taking Alex to my Quiznos shop at ages five through eight!

He loved it. He would go with me to the store and help with anything he could. He would wipe tables, put away stock, make sandwiches and ring up customers.

I think learning structure at that young age was very good for him so now we are working together in our Window Genie franchise while Alex takes college courses.

After we went to Window Genie's corporate office in Cincinnati for training, we knew this was a much better "franchise fit" for us and figured out how we would do this as a team.

We both loved the corporate culture of the company. The feeling is very inclusive and that nobody is in this alone. That's perfect because it is hard for me to be everywhere; so, Alex is helping me train new technicians, quote cleaning jobs, answer phones, and overall be another set of hands whenever I need him.

Two heads are always better than one, and the two of us have mastered this. We think, work, and collaborate as a team and I believe that this will truly help us be a success."

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About Window Genie:

Founded in 1994 by Richard Nonelle, Cincinnati-based Window Genie is a national home service franchise specializing in residential and light commercial window cleaning, window tinting, pressure washing and gutter cleaning.

Additional services in select markets include gutter re-securing, roof washing, solar panel cleaning, holiday light instillation, dryer vent cleaning and more, visit www.windowgenie.com.

Window Genie currently operates with over 100 locations in 29 states. Window Genie is a subsidiary company of Dwyer Group®, a service based franchise organization. Target markets for growth include New York, California and Florida.

For more franchising information, visit www.windowgeniefranchise.com

When Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson scored the first goal for Team USA at the 2014 Sochi Olympics this February, he did so with a blazing slap shot. As proud father Richard Carlson looked on, he knew that scoring goals had truly become a family affair.  

Though the arena in which the elder Carlson works lacks the manicured ice, vocal beer vendors, and rowdy fans that populate John's workplace, his game is one that nevertheless requires the tenacity and drive of a hockey player. 

When the former corporate healthcare worker was laid off due to restructuring and budget reductions, Carlson took time to reflect and weigh his options. He had, after all, many of them. With almost ten years of experience in health care, Carlson could have rejoined the system in which he had for so long achieved success. Yet it became apparent to Carlson that it was time to do some restructuring of his own and play a different kind of game.  

Ultimately, Carlson decided that it was time to realize a dream he had long held. "I always wanted my own business, so I was determined to see the loss of my job not as a setback, but as an opportunity," says Carlson. After a thorough search for franchises which met his demands, Carlson came upon Window Genie. "I gravitated towards franchising so I didn't have to start with a blank page," Carlson explains. "I looked for a business that was service-related and straightforward. After years of dealing with the complicated rules and regulations in healthcare, I wanted simplicity. Window Genie was the answer." 

In July, 2013, Richard opened a Window Genie location serving Ocean County and Southern Monmouth County in New Jersey and he hasn't looked back since. 

Window Genie is a mobile cleaning services company focused primarily on its "big three" services: window cleaning, window tinting and pressure washing. The company also offers, among many other services, dryer vent cleaning, tile and grout cleaning, chandelier cleaning and gutter cleaning and re-securing. Window Genie services residential customers, small offices and commercial spaces. 

As is the case with any NHL team's arduous 82-game season, Carlson faced challenges as his business grew. Yet just as any good hockey team perseveres from those challenges thanks to veteran teammates providing assistance, Window Genie was able to help Carlson block all the shots he faced. "I needed to learn how to market and advertise," says Carlson. "Management, hiring, those were things I had experience with, but I had to learn not just how to perform the excellent services we offer, but how to make this business an extension of myself. Window Genie was able to help me with those issues and get the word out about all that we could do." 

Carlson's primary clients are residential, either dual-income home owners who have neither the time nor the desire to maintain the exterior of their homes, or retirees who are unable to maintain their homes by themselves any longer. Carlson's Window Genie business has been very well-received by his community. His phone, he says, is ringing constantly and his services are well known throughout the territory he serves. 

"In today's corporate environment people like me are forced out of their jobs quite frequently," says Carlson. "I decided to take control of my career, and it was the best decision I've ever made." For Carlson, repeat business is the driving force that inspires his work at Window Genie. "Every day we're committed to providing quality services at reasonable prices so we become customers' preferred home services provider." 

About Window Genie

Founded in 1994 by Richard Nonelle, Cincinnati-based Window Genie is a mobile cleaning services company focused primarily on its "big three" services: window cleaning, window tinting and pressure washing. The company also offers, among many other services, dryer vent cleaning, tile and grout cleaning, chandelier cleaning and gutter cleaning and re-securing. Window Genie services primarily residential customers, as well as small offices and commercial spaces. The company currently has 65 franchise owners operating 140 units in 28 states, and expects to grow to 100 franchisees by the end of 2014 and over 300 within five years. Target markets include California, New York and Florida. For more information, visit www.windowgenie.com.