franchise.co.nz – PUTTING PEOPLE IN BUSINESS
13
Opportunity: Home & Building
Kitchen Studio franchisees recognised for
outstanding results and constantly evolving
their business
SATISFYING &
REWARDING
It was almost 20 years ago when Paul Collins came home and announced
to wife Karen that he’d been chatting to the CEO of Kitchen Studio, who had
convinced him that the franchise model was the way to go. She’d advised him
that with Karen’s interest in home interiors they would make perfect owners
of a Kitchen Studio franchise on Auckland’s fast-growing North Shore.
Paul admits that he initially thought the franchise would make the ideal little
business for Karen. However, it turns out that the two of them had the perfect
blend of skills for the franchise.
Paul and Karen celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary by signing up to
the franchise and have never looked back.
Today, Kitchen Studio North Shore is a great example of a highly successful
franchise business. Karen and Paul were the delighted winners of the 2025
Home & Lifestyle Franchisee of the Year title at this year’s Westpac New
Zealand Franchise Awards.
Moving with the times
With two decades of experience in the franchise, which now includes their
second Kitchen Studio showroom based in Christchurch, Karen and Paul
have seen the exciting evolution of kitchen CAD software technology which
Kitchen Studio franchisees were among the first to apply in New Zealand.
“CAD is such a valuable tool that lets people preview their kitchens in 3D,”
Karen explains, “and in more recent times Kitchen Studio has introduced
video technology to assist with kitchen design and delivery.”
The couple enjoy catching up with the other Kitchen Studio franchisees
around the country at meetings arranged at least three times a year. “It’s a
great chance to share ideas and lessons,” says Karen. “And I believe that’s one
of Kitchen Studio’s biggest strengths.
“Kitchens are a very competitive market segment. Building one to fit into
a designated space, taking into account things like plumbing, power and
flooring, is quite a complex thing to do when you think about it,” she adds,
“and it’s really great to have all our professional supplier networks and
franchisor team’s support to assist in achieving our common goal.”
Satisfying and rewarding
Karen and Paul were thrilled to take to the stage again at the recent
Franchise Awards to receive a special long tenure recognition award –
together with the owners of the Wellington, Hamilton and Hastings stores,
who had also been Kitchen Studio franchisees for 15 years or more.
“Satisfying and rewarding” is how Karen describes their relationship with
clients of Kitchen Studio, and that’s also how she sums up the total experience
of winning this year’s Home & Lifestyle Franchisee of the Year accolade.
“That whole process of investing in the health of your business and looking at
it from different angles to see what’s working well and what’s not – that is so
rewarding,” she says, “and the feedback from the judges has been invaluable.”
“Kitchen Studio North Shore demonstrated very impressive flexibility and
resilience throughout the year, with outstanding attention to detail in every
aspect of their business. Their approach is clearly delivering excellent results,”
said the judges.
“On the night it was very special to be up on stage with all those other
winning franchisors and franchisees,” adds Karen. “It really was so thrilling!”
Karen admits that she has now recognised that your business doesn’t have to
be perfect all the time. “There’ll always be aspects you’re having to work on,
and the business is constantly evolving,” she says.
Paul agrees and says he’s extremely proud of what they’ve achieved on the
Shore. “Our clients demand excellence and that’s what our team lives for.”
Kitchen Studio CEO Dawn Engelbrecht says the winning duo were most
deserving recipients. She invites anyone with a similar passion for excellence,
who would like to become part of the forward-thinking Kitchen Studio brand,
to call her today.
Kitchen Studio
www.kitchenstudio.co.nz
Contact
Dawn Engelbrecht
027 291 0094
dawn@kitchenstudio.co.nz
Advertiser Info
CONTACT DAWN TO LEARN MORE
027 291 9904
www.kitchenstudio.co.nz/
franchise-opportunities
INVESTMENT FROM $150,000 PLUS SET UP COST
We don’t just design stunning kitchens – we empower driven
individuals like you to turn their ambition into a profitable,
fulfilling business.
Territories available in Blenheim, Coromandel Peninsula,
Masterton, Napier, Rotorua, Taupō, Upper Hutt, Whanganui.
Are you ready to build your future with a brand in serious
growth mode? The timing couldn’t be better to join the
Kitchen Studio network. We’re making major upgrades
across the network that honor our 40-year legacy while
positioning our franchisees for the next era of growth.
WE’RE ABOUT
TO LEVEL UP
Would you like to join us?
Award sponsor Ian Robertson
with Karen and Paul Collins