Home Organization Expert Joanne Whittaker Brings Kitchen Wise to Orlando

For Joanne Whittaker, other people’s homes are her business. The Orlando-based entrepreneur spent 20 years establishing herself as a residential real estate expert, a home inspection provider and a professional home organizer. Now, Whittaker is leveraging that experience to invest in herself as a business owner with Kitchen Wise, the fast-growing kitchen, pantry, closet and bathroom organization home service franchise backed by multi-brand franchisor Premium Service Brands. 

“I first worked as a real estate agent in new home sales and residential resales, but had to shift my focus when 2008 came along,” said Whittaker. “My partner at the time had a home inspection franchise, and I started helping him run that from home for a few years. When we split up, he took the business and I headed back to school to come up with a new plan. Eventually, I started professional organizing and became a design consultant with Shelf Genie for about four years.” 

Right away, Whittaker says the home organization industry resonated with her skill set and passion. “I had a lot of experience spending time in people’s homes, and I found that I was already seeing things and wanting to improve them,” she said. “When I started organizing, it was like breathing for me. It was an easy fit.”

Last year, Whittaker says she began looking into franchising as a way to take control of her own destiny and her work/life balance. “I turned 60 this year, and I’ve worked my whole life and raised five children,” she said. “When I worked for real estate companies, it was exhausting to put in so much effort and see nothing for my own future. I wanted to build my own company, but with the help of a proven business model. I knew franchising would allow me to establish a long-term, sustainable business for myself and my family.”

Although Whittaker originally looked into purchasing a Shelf Genie, the team never got back to her. “Over the years working for Shelf Genie, I had run across Kitchen Wise, because a client of mine raved about it, and we actually lost a lot of business to Kitchen Wise,” she said. “When I looked into the Kitchen Wise franchise, I immediately saw a great opportunity.”

For one, Whittaker says she loved Kitchen Wise’s high-quality and diverse product. The brand’s selection of products and options is unmatched in the industry, which means franchisees can appeal to more customers and help them make the right choices that are intelligent, functional and transformational. Not only does the brand focus on premium products and all-around solutions for the kitchen, as the name would suggest, but it also specializes in bathroom, pantry and closet renovations. 

“I love that Kitchen Wise affords me the ability to give people options and complete projects in a quicker time frame,” said Whittaker. “In the past, there were so many times where I couldn’t do something in the home, but now I can help organize a closet, craft room or garage. I can help show people the big picture.”

And unlike the typical, costly home renovation, Kitchen Wise offers an efficient and affordable solution for homeowners. By connecting franchisees to a roster of reliable vendors, the Kitchen Wise team ensures franchisees have access to the products needed to provide these kinds of dramatic and quick upgrades. Once the products are selected, all that’s left to do is install them, which is a much faster and less invasive process than traditional renovations.

Whittaker says the brand’s wide range of support systems and resources was also a primary selling point. Those resources include marketing, technology, recruiting, vendor partnerships, product sourcing, routing and scheduling software, a contact center and a range of other essential operational systems that allow franchisees to focus on what matters most — servicing the customer. 

“The Kitchen Wise training was very thorough and methodical, with energetic and supportive people ready to assist us,” said Whittaker. “From connecting with the vendor to using high-tech client management software, I love that Kitchen Wise has the system set up to help you succeed. They are focused on being supportive and making the brand as good as it can be by establishing great learning programs for business owners. They walk you through every step of the way, providing ongoing support.”

Whittaker also notes that Kitchen Wise puts a strong emphasis on representing women within the brand’s corporate structure. “I love that it is a women-friendly company, that was very important to me,” she said. “I was always working for men, and I wanted to invest in a company that valued women leaders and could give me a platform to work for myself.”

Since opening the Kitchen Wise of Greater Orlando at the start of the year, Whittaker says it has felt great to help homeowners organize their spaces and live better lives.

“I really want to change people’s lives — Kitchen Wise provides you with the structure to help service homeowners in a way other companies don’t,” said Whittaker. ”We are connecting with clients on a personal level. They call us because they have an issue in their home, and that is a very intimate space. It is a very rewarding experience, and I’m excited to continue growing with the Kitchen Wise team.”

The initial investment to open a Kitchen Wise ranges from $108,100 to $147,000. This includes a $65,000 franchise fee. The brand is actively seeking franchise owners in Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Phoenix, San Antonio, Boston and Raleigh, to name a few locations. For more information on franchising with Kitchen Wise, please visit https://www.premiumservicebrands.com/kitchen-wise/.