When Problems are No Problem

By Bob Cox

Chris Barr didn’t realize he had been living life on auto pilot without any genuine sense of purpose until two major events jolted him back into the game of life. Shortly after celebrating his 65^th birthday, Chris’s store had been robbed, which initially left him feeling violated, disheartened and directionless. Instead of caving in to self pity, Chris, who is the franchise owner of Granite Transformations in Rancho Cordova, used these opportunities to dig deeper into his soul for some much needed self examination.

He also reached out to a few trusted friends and colleagues to get some constructive feedback, which affirmed what he suspected. He had become bored after completing his mission of resurrecting a failing franchise and transforming it into a shining success. Six years earlier, he had heard about the growing problems of a distant franchise over 3,000 miles from the comfortable corporate office where he worked in Florida for Granite Transformations.

When Chris heard that the franchise had been vacated and was in serious need of steady leadership in every facet of the business, the challenge and potential opportunities were simply too tempting for Chris to pass up. So, he and his family hopped on a plane and embraced a brand new adventure. “One of the things that I have learned about myself over the years is that I am most motivated by problem solving. My biggest adrenaline generator is when there’s something that needs to be fixed or some hurdle that has to be overcome. And as I look back, that’s been true my whole life,” explained Chris.

Under Chris’s sage stewardship, within a few months, the dying franchise experienced a resurrection of optimism and passion. Chris was able to restore trust and confidence in the loyal workforce that had hung in through the toughest of times and they all teamed up to give their customers the care and attention they deserved. Several years after all the substantial problems had been rectified, Chris found himself in the uncharted territory of malaise and apathy.

“Because we had solved all those specific problems and the business had been humming along for years, I found myself just sitting and watching it happen. Letting that evolve without direction wasn’t just status quo, it was a negative thing because you start to lose momentum. And when I lost momentum personally, the rest of the business reflected that. My salespeople were not quite as energetic and creative, my install crews were a little bit less put together and the whole business suffered from that lack of forward momentum,” Chris recalled.

After a brief period of self reflection and crucial feedback from his friends and colleagues, Chris was able to spring forward by gathering a renewed sense of purpose and passion. “There was a moment this January when that switch just got flipped. I personally transitioned to a place where I was motivated not by fixing the business but by focusing on rebuilding it from where we were, which was a healthy place,” said Chris.

From that brief low spot, the franchise has thrived while experiencing another positive transformation. “There are some specific things we did but this is fundamentally a reflection of the change in energy level here. I also got more involved with customers and received a lot of positive feedback about the quality of our work, which gave me even more energy. I feel grateful that we recognized what we needed to do and we got a lot of personal satisfaction and validation out of making it happen and then seeing the results.

Year over year, Granite Transformations is now up over 25% in sales and the future looks extremely bright. I spoke with Chris about some of the other great things that are happening with his business.

Q: What have been the greatest rewards of owning this franchise?

A: There are two things I find greatly rewarding. The first is the incredibly positive feedback we get from our customers. Everybody that we do work for fills out a review form and we get enthusiastic feedback 99.9% of the time. The second thing has to do with the team we have here. I've come to know and respect these people and their families. They are an astonishingly great group of people.

Q: Can you tell us more about the feedback?

A: There are at least four things that we hear consistently. First, most people love the idea we can do all of the messy part at our place and then install in a day instead of several weeks of downtime, mess, noise and confusion. Second, our product is the most durable product on the market and it is zero maintenance with a lifetime warranty. Third, our products are beautiful, so our customers love showing off their transformation. Finally, our customers love the overall professional, no-stress experience of working with us.

Q: What sets Granite Transformations apart from other countertop companies?

A: We're the only company that can install a brand new counter in one day. The other thing that sets us apart is the actual finished quality of the product. There are some other good quality products available but ours is really quite special, which is why we offer a lifetime warranty where other companies do not.

Q: How are you able to transform a kitchen in just one day?

A: We go over the existing counter surface, so there’s no demolition to live through. Once we’ve built a physical template of all the surfaces that we’re going to cover, we do all of the construction work in our shop here in Rancho Cordova.

Q: What are the core principals you follow to achieve success in business and in life?

A: I don’t want to sound sanctimonious about this but we believe as a company in being fair. We treat our employees and our customers well. If there’s a problem, we fix it. It’s that simple.

Q: Is there anything else new at Granite Transformations?

Yes, two things. We have a line is called Trascenda. It’s a product we manufacture that looks like natural stone with the movement of marble but has absolutely none of the downside that natural stone has. It’s completely non porous, durable, low maintenance and it has the lifetime warranty plus it’s just gorgeous. Second, we’re offering a greater focus on delivering the same speed and quality of our cabinet refacing projects. With cabinet refacing, instead of ripping out old cabinets, we start with the basic skeleton of your cabinets. Everything that’s visible is new, including the doors, the drawers and the hardware. We have expanded our staff and now have a fantastic new cabinet crew.

Editor’s notes: Granite Transformations is located at 11367 Trade Center Dr. # 130 in Rancho Cordova. Their phone number is (916) 851-9745 and their website is www.granitetransformations.com. 

Transforming Nightmares into Dreams

By Bob Cox

Does the thought of a “kitchen remodel” wake you up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat? Perhaps you’ve had the displeasure of enduring a lengthy and costly kitchen renovation. Remember the bad old days of inhaling clouds of dust while listening to the nails on a chalkboard sound of screeching table saws for weeks on end? Shouldn’t there be an easier, cleaner and faster method for you to enjoy the kitchen of your dreams? Well now there is and it’s a company called Granite Transformations. Over the last 13 years, Granite Transformations has helped thousands of your neighbors get what they want while avoiding the things they don’t want.

The easier way: Granite Transformations will simply use your existing surface as the sub-top for your new counter. This is a much less costly and wasteful alternative to the conventional approach of ripping out and tossing your old counters into our overcrowded landfills. Their engineered surfaces are only one-quarter inch thick, so the height of your counters will only be slightly taller. Their gorgeous counters, made from granite, quartz and recycled glass are incredibly durable and completely non-porous, so maintenance is virtually nonexistent. They never have to be sealed or treated with a multitude of expensive cleaners, just good old soap and water.

The faster way: Forget those nightmares from your previous kitchen remodel, when your house resembled a disaster area for weeks, weeks that probably felt like years. Granite Transformations will complete your entire project, including your new backsplash, replace the sink and finish the plumbing in as little as one day! They do all the fabrication in their shop in Rancho Cordova and their installation team will arrive early in the morning and transform your kitchen, usually before you’re ready to start cooking dinner that night.

The cleaner way: They do all the messy work in their shop, not in your kitchen or garage. Hundreds of delighted customers have given Granite Transformations glowing reviews about the cleanliness of the entire process. On top of all that, their customers are consistently blown away by how absolutely beautiful their kitchens are upon completion.

The most exciting news of all is you will never have to compromise on beauty to enjoy the ease and convenience of a Granite Transformations kitchen. Oh, and did I mention that all of their products are made in the USA? If you’re looking for an easier, faster and cleaner way to an updated and beautiful kitchen, call my friends at Granite Transformations today at (916) 851-9745 and schedule an in-home meeting with one of their design consultants. The consultation is not only free, it’s pressure free!  

2017: The Year of No More Compromises!

By Chris Barr

If you’re like most people, you spend more of your waking hours in and around the kitchen than in any other part of your home.  It’s a place where you can provide for your loved ones and enjoy each other’s company.  But let’s be honest:  there are things about your kitchen that you really hate.  The old white ceramic tiles are chipped and cracked, or the Formica is peeling, and for sure you don’t want to even think about all the germs that live in the graying grout lines.  Your porcelain or stainless sink is scratched and never looks completely clean.  Maybe you don’t like the look of your short backsplash with stained paint above it.  And above all, the whole room seems friendly but tired – and completely outdated.

It’s time to stop compromising!  You deserve a kitchen that excites you when you walk into it and that reflects your true personality – stylish or elegant or fun or country or super contemporary, whatever it is.  It’s your time!  And the best part is, you can have that very kitchen, the one in your occasional fantasies, faster, more affordably and with much less hassle than you’ve dared imagine.

Meet the folks at GRANITE TRANSFORMATIONS.   Our beautiful engineered surfaces of granite, quartz or recycled glass are the most durable and lowest maintenance countertops anywhere, bar none.  Even better, we’ve specifically engineered them to fit directly over your existing surface, saving you the mess and aggravation of the demolition process (meaning you add no junk to the landfill.) In most kitchens, we’ll be in and out of your hair in just one day!   Nothing needs sealing or treating ever and your new countertops have an exclusive lifetime warranty.

While we’re there, we can install a stunning new full-height backsplash made from hand-cut artisan glass and replace your sad sink with a new Blanco Silgranit sink in your choice of styles and colors, also with a lifetime warranty.

You’ve earned this, haven’t you?  There’s absolutely no cost or obligation to meet with one of our experienced Design Consultants.  They’ll ask enough questions to really understand what you want to accomplish, give you some great ideas to consider, and provide an accurate price while they’re there.  It’s that simple.  Drop by the showroom or call today to schedule your free in-home consultation – (916) 851-9745.

P.S.   We also do bathrooms, fireplaces, cabinet refacing and more…but that’s another story.

A New Year's Resolution

By Chris Barr

With the recent passing of Florence Henderson, the actress who played television mom Carol Brady of the infamous Brady Bunch, I have this question for you: Are you hearing the theme song of that woebegone sitcom every time you enter your kitchen? Or, is that cracked tile or dingy Formica countertop serenading you with another mocking song from the same boogie night’s era, like the Bee Gee’s “Stayin’ Alive” or Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive”? If your kitchen is older and tougher than disco, perhaps it’s time to embrace the 21^st century by adding a kitchen remodel to your New Year’s resolution checklist.

Now that the joyous and chaotic holidays are in the rear view mirror, it’s the perfect time to look forward to making a few positive and healthy changes in your life. If you’re thinking that a conventional kitchen remodel is too long, too messy and too noisy to deal with, especially after the entire holiday hubbub, it’s time to think outside the conventional kitchen box and consider a far less intrusive option: Granite Transformations!

What if you could actually have your kitchen transformed in a single day, minimizing all the noise, mess and downtime from several weeks to just one day? We can make that dream come true by giving you your dream kitchen in a single day!

By going over your existing hard surface, we completely avoid the dust, noise and flying debris caused during demolition. All the noise and dirty work of building your beautiful new countertop and backsplash, which are made of engineered granite, quartz or recycled glass will be done right here at our facility in Rancho Cordova. Finally, our friendly and qualified installers will come out and install your brand new countertops and backsplash in as little as one day.

Whichever combination of countertops and backsplash you choose, one thing is for sure: The beautifully engineered surfaces from Granite Transformations are truly state-of-the-art. That means they are functional, zero maintenance and will be a gorgeous piece of art that you will surely enjoy for years to come. And they come with a Lifetime Warranty, backed by the manufacturer.

For a complimentary session with one of our trained Design Consultants, just call us today at (916) 851-9745 and be sure to tell him/her that Carol Brady sent you!

Transforming points of pain to pleasure

By Chris Barr

In its simplest terms, the decision to proceed with a kitchen or bath remodel is always made when the things you just can’t live with anymore outweigh the things you like about your existing home. Granite Transformations specializes in turning those points of pain (or fear) into points of pleasure! Things like this:

I hate the grout. Of course you do. It’s hard to keep clean and you worry about it being unsanitary. If you look at grout through a jeweler’s loupe, you can actually see the little creatures squirming around in there! The engineered surfaces of Granite Transformations are completely non-porous, so you can erase this one from your list of things to worry about. There simply aren’t any pores to collect bacteria or mold.

I hate looking like I still live in the Eighties. Yes, it’s probably time to change centuries – for your own happiness, and for the statement you’re making to your family and friends. The beautiful engineered surfaces from Granite Transformations are state-of-the-art: functional and gorgeous. Add in a backsplash or accent stripe from one of our exclusive artisan glass collections and suddenly you’ve got a highly functional work of art!

I’m tired of all the maintenance and mess. Your new Granite Transformations surfaces are basically zero-maintenance. You’ll never need to seal them or treat them with anything special, and they clean easily with just soap and water. And while we’re talking about mess, because we’re going to use your existing surface as the sub-top, you won’t have to live through several days of dusty demolition and strangers wandering in and out of your house. We do all the messy work and fabrication at our shop here in Rancho Cordova, rather than inside your home. As we say, done in a day and beautiful for life!

I don’t want to buy a product that’s made overseas. While it’s true that many of the advanced surfaces are manufactured in other parts of the world (including the most well-known quartz brands), the Granite Transformations surfaces are produced at our own factory in Sebring, Florida. In fact, all the Granite Transformations franchises around the world are supplied from right here in the USA.

And that’s just a quick taste of the many reasons you should consider having Granite Transformations help you update your home. To learn more, get your questions answered and see color samples right in the rooms you’re thinking about working on, call (916) 851-9745 for a completely free Design Consultation.

Transform Your Kitchen or Bathroom in One Day!

By Bob Cox

Chances are good that you or someone you know has been trapped in a nightmare. Not the bad dream you wake up from the next day and then sigh in relief knowing that it’s over. The nightmare I’m referring to is when you wake up the next day and your house is still torn apart during a lengthy and expensive remodeling project. To make matters worse, every time the project manager gives you an update on the newest thing to fix, your timeline gets pushed out a little further while the costs go through the roof. Does this sound familiar?

Fortunately, you don’t have to endure a nightmare like this to get the kitchen or bathroom of your dreams. There is a company called Granite Transformations that specializes in one day installations without the noise, dust and chaos that comes with conventional remodeling. I spoke with Chris Barr, the franchise owner of Granite Transformations, recently to learn more about how his dynamic company is changing the way remodeling gets done, on time and on budget!

Q: What are some of the things you do to ensure that your customers get their dream kitchen or bathroom without the nightmare of a lengthy and costly remodel?

A: You’d be surprised how many people come to us specifically because they had a bad remodeling experience and never want to go through that again. They’re initially attracted to us because we use their existing surface as the subtop, rather than ripping their old surface out, taking it to the dump and starting over with a piece of plywood. We simply go over their existing surface. Once we’ve built a plastic template of all the surfaces that we’re going to cover, we do all of the construction work in our shop here (in Rancho Cordova).

Q: So, you don’t outsource your work to other countries or contractors. You actually build your products here in Rancho Cordova, is that right?

A: Yes. We have people who have worked here for 10 years. We’re very oriented towards the continuity of a well trained staff that provides excellent service. Another benefit to our customers by not outsourcing is that we’re 100% accountable for the project. If you buy a new counter at one of the big box stores, their employees are not installing, someone else is. And so if there’s an issue, which there often is, you get the installer blaming the manufacturer and vice versa. Our employees do the entire project. Furthermore, every job is backed up by is a lifetime warranty on the product and the installation, which is transferrable for 10 years if you sell your home.

Q: It’s common for many remodeling jobs to take twice as long and cost twice as much as the original estimate. Does this rule apply to your business?

A: It’s definitely common that the investment of time and money is much more than is originally anticipated. Our system is built around one day kitchen installations. The installers that are in your house today are in someone else’s house tomorrow. And you have a contract that says exactly how much you’re going to pay, so unless you change what you want to have done, you’re going to get what you paid for. No surprises.

Q: How are you able to transform the look of an entire kitchen or bathroom in just one day?

A: You know, it’s a surprising thing how much the appearance of the materials on the countertop and specifically on the backsplash, changes what you see when you walk into a room. You see that vertical surface before you see the horizontal surface that’s flat on the countertop. It’s really like art.

Q: What are some of the biggest concerns people have about Granite Transformations?

A: Because the material is thinner than regular slabs, I think the biggest concern is product durability and the second concern is counter height and thickness. But once people see the examples of what we’ve done, they feel completely reassured. This is the most durable product currently being manufactured and when you bond it permanently to the surface that you already have, it becomes even more durable than traditional surfaces.

Q: Are people trending away from higher maintenance countertops like granite and marble?

A: For sure, which is why the materials we use for countertops, backsplashes and cabinet refacing are super low maintenance. Our countertops never have to be sealed, treated or cleaned with anything special.

Q: Are you offering any new products that are becoming popular?

A: Yes, we now have a product that looks just like marble, without any of the downsides of the natural stone. Natural stones like marble are fragile and high maintenance. They are going to stain and scratch. We use a photographic process that embeds that pattern into the stone, which prevents it from coming off.

Q: What other services do you offer besides countertops for kitchens and bathrooms?

A: We also do cabinet refacing, bathroom showers, tub surrounds, vanities, fireplaces and floor tiles. We can add a design element in any place in your home, not just the kitchen or bathroom. Best of all, these additions will be low maintenance, highly durable and beautiful. We’ve even done entire accent walls in a room, which can make an incredibly dramatic and beautiful statement.

Q: Your business made it through one of the worst economies in US history. What helped you survive?

A: It's the same reason we're surviving today, by building a base of satisfied customers. The single biggest source of new business that we have is referrals from our customers.

Q: What are the core principals you follow to achieve success in business and in life?

A: You know, I don’t want to sound sanctimonious about this but we believe as a company across the chain in being fair. We treat our employees well, and we treat our customers well. If there’s a problem, we fix it.

Q: What advice do you have for young people that are transitioning into adulthood?

A: I think there are two key things: 1. Identify what interests you. Don’t try to force yourself to do something that you’re not going to enjoy and then do it every day of your life. 2. Whatever that thing is, you’re going to have to work hard. Go into it knowing that you’re going to be tired and you’re going to use up a lot of creative energy if you’re going to be successful at it.

Editor’s notes: Granite Transformations is located at 11367 Trade Center Dr. # 130 in Rancho Cordova. Their phone number is (916) 851-9745 and their website is www.granitetransformations.com.

Transforming Lives…One Counter at a Time

By Bob Cox

When Chris Barr was assigned to investigate a struggling Granite Transformation franchise nearly five years ago, he had no idea that just eight days later, his life would never be the same. Barr was working for the corporate office in Miami, Florida when he was asked to pack his bags and fly to the Sacramento area to find out why several of their customers and employees were concerned.

By the end of eight whirlwind days of nonstop action, Barr felt both exhausted and exhilarated. He had invested everything he had into troubleshooting a plethora of issues during his week in Rancho Cordova. “The adrenaline of fixing this problem and seeing customers respond to what we were doing was a big high,” explained Barr.

On his plane flight back to Florida, Barr had an epiphany. “It was clear to me that this franchise needed an onsite manager who had a deep commitment to customer satisfaction and employee development. I'm a native Californian and knew that the Sacramento market was viable. I was also incredibly impressed with the caliber of people that had been working there for many years and had made their way through this rather bumpy period. As I was flying home, I realized that this was something that I would enjoy doing myself, and that I would be good at,” recalled Barr.

Barr presented his idea to corporate and they loved it. His soon-to-be spouse was completely supportive, so just two weeks later, they booked a one way flight to Sacramento to assume the reins as the new franchise owners of Granite Transformations in Rancho Cordova! I spoke with Barr to learn more about the amazing transformations he’s experienced these past four and a half years.

Q: What was your background prior to Granite Transformations?

A: I got involved with specialty retail franchising right out of graduate school. I spent 10 years as an outside consultant for a few companies with accelerating roles over time while raising three kids as a single father. One of my clients was a new company in the U.S. back in 2001 called Granite Transformations. In the early phases, the company took off very rapidly in the U.S. and needed my help. In 2004, they offered me a permanent position in their corporate office and I accepted.

Q: What was it like transitioning from an independent consultant?

A: In the 10 years that I had been independent, I had some interesting clients and had a lot of fun but I had never been tempted to go back to working for a single company. But I felt so strongly that the concept of Granite Transformations had a ton of potential and I liked the people. I just thought the dynamic of the group was really strong, so I did it.

Q: What’s been the greatest challenge of owning a business?

A: The biggest challenge is you can never turn it off; you’re on duty 24/7. Even though I had run companies before, the challenge of it being not only your own group of employees but your own money is a really different thing. I think the other big challenge is that it’s super easy to get engrossed in the day-to-day stuff. If you're really trying to build a future, not only for yourself but for the business, you have to force yourself to do some long-term planning.

Q: What’s been the best strategy for you to overcome that challenge?

A: I force myself to schedule time for long-term planning on the calendar. I also do that because otherwise, you just burn out and don't have the energy to plan. When I have a home show like we did this weekend, I schedule a day off for myself that following week so that I can think about things a little farther down the road – and catch up on sleep!

Q: What have been the greatest rewards of owning a franchise?

A: This is going to sound like fluff, but it isn't. There are two things I find greatly rewarding. I feel myself being rewarded by the incredibly positive feedback we get from our own customers. Everybody that we do work for fills out a review form and we get enthusiastic feedback 99.9% of the time. The second thing has to do with the team we have here. In the key roles we’ve had no turnover. I've come to know and respect these people and their families. When something unexpected happens, they simply roll with it because they are as committed to this as I am. They are an astonishingly great group of people.

Q: What do your customers love most about Granite Transformations?

A: There are at least four things that we hear consistently. First, most people love the idea we can do all of the messy part at our place and simply show up to install, finishing in a day instead of several weeks of downtime, mess, noise and confusion. Second, our product is super easy to live with. There is no more durable product on the market and it is zero maintenance. You never have to seal it, treat it or clean it with anything special. Its heat, stain and scratch resistant with a lifetime warranty. Third, our products also happen to be beautiful, so our customers love showing off their transformation. Finally, our customers love the overall experience of working with us from first day to last.

Q: What makes Granite Transformations unique from other companies that install countertops?

A: We're the only company that can install a brand new counter in one day. There are other companies that are trying to develop the technology that we have, but so far no one else has been able to successfully do it. The other thing that sets us apart is the actual finished quality of the product. There are some other good quality products in the world but ours is really quite special, which is why we are able to offer a lifetime warranty where other companies do not. It's just really that good.

Q: Can you tell us about some of the newest and hottest products?

A: The worldwide company has people working for us that focus on product development to stay ahead of where the industry is going. Many of our customers wanted to see the swirling and wavy designs in the surface like you would get from some kinds of regular granite or marble. We were never really able to do that until now. We've been getting about two new products a month that fall into that category. You can now enjoy the beauty of these products without all the drawbacks, including high maintenance and low durability.

Q: Do you do anything else besides manufacturing and installing kitchen counters?

A: Yes, our slab products are perfect for multiple situations. We redo a lot of bathrooms, including shower walls, tub surrounds and vanities. We redo fireplaces and have even done some homes were they wanted an entire wall of a bedroom covered with our hand cut glass patterns just for the art of it, as people are recognizing that vertical surfaces are really what you see first when you walk into a room. We also offer cabinet refacing. You can entirely change the look of any room without tearing it apart and starting from scratch.

Editor’s notes: Granite Transformations is located at 11367 Trade Center Dr. # 130 in Rancho Cordova. Their phone number is (916) 851-9745 and their website is www.granitetransformations.com.