The Great Franchisee: Matt Robinson, ProLift Garage Doors, Kansas City, MO

Aiming to bring a reliable home service into the community, local veteran Matt Robinson opened the first ProLift Garage Doors in the Blue Springs community in March. Robinson served as an Aviation Ordnanceman in the Navy from 1999 to 2003 and worked in the telephone cable and hospice industries until he decided it was time to work for himself. 

ProLift Garage Doors is a brand under the Premium Service Brands umbrella. PSB’s charitable organization, Kids Lift, works with schools in the local community to provide backpacks and food for kids. Robinson has announced he will be participating this year and he enjoys being a part of a company that gives back to the local community. He hopes to open his second location in Kansas City this year as well. 

1851 Franchise: What did you do before franchising?

Matt Robinson: I was in the Navy as an aviation ordinanceman from 1999 to 2003. After I retired from active duty, I was an electrician for five years and worked for a telephone cable company and ATT. I spent nine years in my last position as corporate director of operations in the hospice industry.

1851: How long from the first time you learned about franchising until you inquired on the franchisor’s website?

Robinson: It was close to two years. 

1851: How did you perform your research?

Robinson: I went through many validation calls with other owners and prospective owners talking about their first couple years and what those looked like, what worked and what didn’t work for them, how they felt now and what their outlook was like moving forward. I looked at their financial statements and looked at the market to see any competition in the area. I looked at where I thought the best opportunities for growth would be for this business and bought both territories on the Missouri side in our area and plan to scale.

1851: How many brands did you look at? 

Robinson: I looked at five different brands and went through validation calls with all five to narrow it down based on the information being provided and my interest level in each industry.

1851: What made you say yes to ProLift Garage Doors? 

Robinson: I wanted to be in the service industry, such as automotive or home service, something that people needed and would be less impacted by an economic recession. The franchise support was also one of the biggest things that drew me to ProLift Garage Doors and Premium Service Brands in general. ProLift Garage Doors is on the leading edge of those other franchises with the most robust CRM software for this industry and its growth. In speaking with other owners, I found that this franchise set franchisees up for success.

1851: What could have scared you away? 

Robinson: It could have scared me away if COVID was still hurting businesses. I put the brakes on looking at franchises once before because I thought it was too risky amid the pandemic. 

1851: What makes you stand out as a unique business owner in the local community?

Robinson: I’ve been in the corporate world and I don’t believe in a lot of the micromanagement I’ve experienced and seen. I expect people to do what they are hired to do and paid to do, and I want them to enjoy where they work. Part of that is having a good culture where people are held accountable and held to the same standards. 

1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? 

Robinson: I am hoping to have four technicians within the first year of opening. I bought two territories so my goal is to be able to open the second territory within the first three months in Liberty, which is the northern Kansas City metro area. Within the next five years, my long-term goal is to open another franchise brand in a different industry to diversify my portfolio and build something for my family. 

1851: What do you do in your personal time?

Robinson: My wife and I have two kids and three dogs. My daughter is 16 and my son is 15. We enjoy traveling in our camper all over the country. My mom has brain cancer and she has been fighting that for a year so in August, before she wasn’t able to do anything, we all took a vacation to Hawaii. My daughter is in competitive dance at a dance studio in Oak Grove and she has been doing that since she was four. Both of my kids also do MMA. 

1851: What is the one thing about your story that you want us to know?

Robinson: ProLift Garage Doors has a nonprofit called Kids Lift. We work with schools in the community and provide backpacks and after-school and weekend food for kids. It’s important to give back, especially to kids because they are our future. The franchises have a choice on whether they want to participate, but I will definitely be participating.  With the school year starting again soon, we want to really be a part of the program and help the local schools.

ABOUT PROLIFT GARAGE DOORS: 

ProLift Garage Doors has been installing and servicing garage doors for more than four decades. In that time, the brand has become all but synonymous with commercial and residential garage door services, staking out an enviable position in the niche segment. In 2015, the brand was acquired by Premium Service Brands, offering ProLift Garage Doors the backing and resources of a multi-brand franchise system focused exclusively on service segments. Since then, ProLift Garage Doors has doubled down on its commitment to customer service and unparalleled industry expertise. Today, ProLift Garage Doors performs installations, repairs, replacements and servicing for overhead garage doors and loading dock components for clients across 20 states and counting. For more information on franchising with ProLift Garage Doors, visit: https://www.premiumservicebrands.com/prolift-garage-doors/