COVID-19 Inspires Career Change for New Showhomes Franchisees

The COVID-19 pandemic is causing many Americans to reevaluate their careers. Though kickstarting a new career path is nothing to take lightly in any economy, many professionals are feeling that it’s now or never. Wife-and-husband duo Jamie and Jason Little had such an “aha moment.” Both accomplished attorneys, the couple always dreamed of owning their own business. Pandemic conditions pushed them to think seriously about their futures, and the couple moved forward with a franchise that fit with their aspirations: Showhomes.

Throughout their 13 years together, Jamie and Jason have had to move 10 times for work. Jason’s position as a corporate lawyer sometimes had their family moving for six months at a time. In those years of hyperactivity, the couple often had to sell their own home — and quickly. Jamie discovered a passion for staging homes throughout those processes and found she loved the creative aspect of the work. When it came time to move forward with owning a business, the couple’s research pointed to Showhomes as the best option.

“All those times we needed to show our homes, there really weren’t a lot of great staging company options where we lived,” said Jamie. “I had to just figure it out on my own, so I know how valuable this kind of service can be. You have to move, you have to sell. Showhomes is one of those businesses that gets it right.”

The Littles looked into other franchises to fully research their options. While day-care and early childhood education concepts were interesting to the couple, Showhomes spoke more directly to the couple’s passions. During a time in which so many people are reassessing their careers, the couple discovered that Showhomes not only added value to their own lives, but to their greater community. Living in a county with different levels of income, the couple is confident they can help sellers in their community at any budget.

“COVID-19 definately opened my eyes to the fact that we’re in our early-to-mid 40s, and sometimes we need to think outside the box, take risks and challenge ourselves,” said Jamie. “Life’s too short not to take chances, and that’s exactly why we did it. Our business can help homeowners in Williamston County with all different budgets; in these times, we want to live our passion while helping our community.”

The Showhomes business model also attracted the entrepreneurial couple. Having decided to begin a new business venture during the pandemic, the low entry cost made Showhomes enticing. As Jamie and Jason continued to research the staging franchise, they were even more impressed. The financing options and significant corporate support offered to new franchisees during the pandemic really solidified their final decision to buy into the brand.

“Jamie always loved design and staging homes,” said Jason. “When we first started searching for staging concepts, I put in random search criteria, and Showhomes is what we found. The more we investigated, the more we loved it.”

Showhomes Chief Operating Officer Matt Kelton said the brand was excited to welcome the power couple to the brand. Along with the Littles, Showhomes has welcomed two additional franchisees in the month of July. Right now, the staging brand is targeting three key regions for further development: Northern California, Seattle and the Washington D.C. area. As the year progresses, Kelton is hopeful Showhomes will continue to grow successfully.

“We’re always excited to welcome new franchisees to the brand, but now is such a special time to be bringing people into the Showhomes family,” sayd Kelton. “We’re eager to expand our reach as the year continues, and I know we’ll continue to find really great talent to grow the brand.”

As for Jamie and Jason, the entrepreneurs are excited to continue to establish their business in the Nashville area. The couple has been impressed by corporate’s support throughout the opening process, as well as by the community of franchise owners who have been willing to help them as they open for business. As the opening date draws near, Jamie and Jason feel confident about the success of their business and look forward to what the future holds.

“When we began this process, we obviously didn’t know what the future would hold,” said Jamie. “Corporate and the other franchisees have been so helpful on an almost daily basis. They call it the Showhomes family, and it’s true. We did not expect that we’d get this kind of support. Everyone wants to make sure we succeed, and that community atmosphere goes a long way.”

The startup costs for a Showhomes franchise ranges from $85,600 to $164,500. This includes $49,900 that must be paid to the franchisor or an affiliate. To learn more about franchising with Showhomes, visit https://showhomesfranchise.com/