RJ Hogan Achieved Work-Life Balance and Quality Family Time through Franchise Ownership
- RJ Hogan was burned out after 23 years with a home automation company, working with demanding clients and being on call 24/7.
- He missed family vacations and work-life balance until taking his wife’s suggestion: Be your own boss.
- Through research with a franchise consultant, Hogan determined that Fibrenew, a plastic, vinyl and leather repair and restoration franchise, met all his criteria.
- As a boater, Hogan initially marketed to the marine industry and subsequently expanded to restaurants, medical offices, auto dealerships and manufacturers, as well as residential clients.
“You work like you own the place, but you don’t. Maybe we should find something that you can own. Let’s start looking at options.”
RJ Hogan clearly remembers his wife’s words and how they changed the course of their lives. Lisa Hogan’s suggestion — be your own boss — resonated.
Now, as a Fibrenew franchise owner since January 2024, RJ and his family have achieved a lifestyle he wouldn’t have thought possible before making the transition. And he’s found personal satisfaction as an owner-operator with the leather, plastic and vinyl restoration brand. “One of the things that I love doing is helping people make their prized possessions — be it their car, their boat, their furniture — functional and look good again,” he says.
From Burnout to Being his Own Boss
RJ had spent 23 years working for a home automation company, starting as a technician’s helper and moving up to project manager. He oversaw three or four crews, primarily working in the posh residences of The Hamptons on Long Island, N.Y., where his jobs ranged from $20,000 to $3.5 million.
“The hours that I was putting in every week really took a toll on me emotionally, mentally and even physically at some points, and put a lot of strain on the family. I was essentially on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It was just really draining, especially in the summertime, which is the big season out here, when I couldn’t go on family vacations. There were a lot of times I was working late in the day. I wasn’t able to help out with taking kids to practices and things like that, or even wanting to do it because I was so burned out by the end of the day. And that’s no way to live.”
RJ sought guidance from a franchise consultant who was in a networking group with Lisa, a certified public accountant who ran her own firm. After their initial discussions, the consultant suggested a few franchise options.
Fibrenew Checked the Boxes
Burned out on just about every aspect of his previous job, RJ sought a franchise that wasn’t solely focused on technology and didn’t require long hours and weekend work. He also wanted a break from managing other people.
As a Fibrenew franchise owner, he could make those words, “be your own boss,” a reality. He could set his own hours, and be an owner-operator without employees. He could work from home and his vehicle, without the need for a warehouse or office. He could continue engaging with people, which he enjoyed. And, he already had an idea about his initial target market. “Growing up on boats here on Long Island, and being the boater that I am, I knew that boats take a beating — especially cushions. And I know that cushions cost a fortune to replace. I saw a huge potential market for restoring and repairing them.”
Indeed, the global marine vinyl market size, estimated at $340.8 million, is projected to reach $488.02 million by 2030, according to Grand View Research. Marine vinyl, which is engineered to be exceptionally durable, is also used in patio furniture, outdoor cushions, awnings and sporting goods.
Keeping his ‘Why’ in Mind
RJ had a lot of things in his favor in making the transition from employee to business owner: self-confidence, moral support from an entrepreneurial wife, as well as her income from the successful accounting practice that ensured their ability to pay the bills even if it took a while for the franchise to generate revenue. Yet, making the leap into franchising was “terrifying,” RJ says. “Jumping from something that was very consistent to something unknown can be intimidating. I was leaving a significant paycheck to having to generate my own paycheck.” But he also had his “why,” his overriding reason for taking the leap. He wanted a work-life balance that allowed quality time with his family.
Validation calls with other franchise owners provided reassurance that “you’re going to get out of it what you put into it,” RJ recalls. And he had no doubts about giving 100% to his Fibrenew business. Training at Fibrenew’s headquarters in Calgary, Alberta, was another confidence booster, covering everything from techniques involved in repairing and restoring leather, vinyl and plastic, to marketing and sales calls.
“And there is absolutely 100% continued support, both through the corporate support structure, as well as other franchisees. I don’t think I’ve ever had a time when I’ve made a phone call to either another franchisee or the corporate support and not gotten an answer immediately or within an hour. We also have our own intranet where any franchisee can ask a question and any franchisee can answer with their experiences,” he says.
“Our product lineup and techniques are constantly evolving and getting better, and the ongoing training is great. We have huddle calls on Zoom every month, which are run by corporate with every franchisee invited. They’ll go over a topic, and people will weigh in with questions and answers and experiences. It’s almost like it’s a big family, honestly.”
Launching the Business
RJ’s Fibrenew launch in the off-season meant that marina operators had more time to meet and learn about his services. His initial focus was on building relationships, rather than specifically asking for business. Before long, word got around in the tight-knit boating community, resulting in customers, repeat business and referrals.
RJ subsequently expanded into restaurants, medical practices, auto dealerships and manufacturers. More recently, he has done more marketing to residential clients for work on furniture.
He recalls a job for a retired architect who had a vintage Eames chair that was badly in need of restoration. The chair by the legendary Eames designers was sentimental to the client because it was the first nice piece of furniture he had purchased in his early career. “I restored it for him, and he was like, ‘I can’t believe it! I’ve had this chair for 40 years and we used to hide it in the back room and now I can put it in the living room again!’” RJ says. “Experiences like that make you feel really good.”
Expansion and Work-Life Balance
RJ has plans to hire a part-time helper this summer. “Ultimately, my goal is to hire more technicians and have several trucks on the road, so I can manage the business and do jobs that I want to do,” he says.
Meantime, he’s enjoying the lifestyle and quality family time he’s gained by pursuing a “be your own boss” philosophy. Getting the kids on the bus for school, coaching 13-year-old son Benjamin’s basketball team, and taking 11-year-old daughter Cassandra to dance lessons and attending her recitals are routine now.
“I was never able to go with my family on summer vacations because that was my peak season in my previous career. But now, as a Fibrenew franchise owner, I usually close the week of July 4th and we go somewhere, and that has been amazing,” RJ says. “My son and I are big Knicks fans, and this year the Knicks made the finals in the NBA Cup tournament in Las Vegas right before Christmas, and my son and I jumped on a plane and flew to Las Vegas and went to the game. That’s something I would never have been able to do in the past.”
To hear more experiences from Fibrenew franchisees, listen to their podcast interviews with Fibrenew President Jesse Johnstone.
For more information about franchise opportunities, visit the Fibrenew website.
