Today we’d like to introduce you to Matt Houston. Them and their team share their story with us below:
Matt and Kelli met in the restaurant business. Once they had kids, Kelli left the restaurant for better hours to match a daycare schedule. Matt continued for several years. In the Spring of 2012, we watched Undercover Boss, and the featured company was Budget Blinds. We watched, and Matt said, “I can do a way better job than that guy.” That night he submitted a request for more info. Suddenly we started getting lots of info and calls on all sorts of franchise opportunities. They all wanted way more than we could afford. Robert Morse with Made in the Shade called, and he was accommodating and wasn’t pressuring us at all. We were looking for a way to get Matt out of the restaurant business so he could be home in the evenings and weekends. We talked to our families, and we prayed about what to do. We decided to come on board with Made in the Shade a few months later. We moved to the Lake Travis area to start our business in July 2012. Kelli was planning to work as Matt grew the business, but after attending training, we decided that it would be best to work in the business together. The year after we started, Matt became a Made in the Shade trainer and went to San Antonio for all-new franchise training. In 2015 we jumped to 2nd in sales within the franchise. We’ve been in the top three since then. We now have a team of 7, plus our kids, that work on jobs with us during the summers.
You wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been smooth?
It hasn’t been smooth, but we have been very blessed along the way! The two things that have been the hardest are work/life balance. Kelli’s parents helped initially, as we were starting with no client base or existing advertising. When you own the business, and it is as busy as it has been, it’s hard to know when to shut it down and get that family time. That is the reason we started down this path.
Another thing is knowing when you hire people or make large purchases. You want to see it coming and hire that person right before you need to, so they can be trained when you need them. Or you want to purchase that vehicle to be ready when you need it. It takes a lot of work to make those decisions on the front end of the growth.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. What can you tell our readers who might need to be more familiar with what you do?
Made in the Shade Austin is a professional, turn-key solution for window coverings. We sell and install window coverings. Matt and Kelli started this business as a husband and wife team. Matt’s brother, Jon, joined us early on and is a professional installer. Matt and Jon have the expertise that the standard window covers firm needs. They are very comfortable and familiar with electrical, allowing us to be there from the framing stage through home completion, making sure that all of the window coverings will be as they should be! What sets us apart from others is our professionalism and attention to detail.
Do you have any advice for those just starting?
Tell everyone that you know what about your business and what you do! Be an ambassador for your business at all times. How you interact with people at the gas pumps, checkout line, and intersections shows how your business interacts with them. Put yourself out there, activity produces results.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mitsaustin.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/made_in_the_shade_austin/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MitsAustin/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/BlindsAustin
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3MXHWU3IZmMDESxhvCxfOg
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/made-in-the-shade-austin-lake-area-lago-vista
