Cincinnati home services company launches nationwide franchising
Bret Schneider is the president and CEO of Wow Windowboxes.
CORRIE SCHAFFELD | CBC8
By Lara Schwartz – Staff reporter, Cincinnati Business Courier
Jan 21, 2025
Bret Schneider is the president and CEO of WOW Windowboxes.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Wow Windowboxes plans to franchise nationwide through Wow Franchise Co.
Franchisees need about $150,000 to start, including territory costs.
Wow aims for 30 franchises in a year, 300 in five.
A Cincinnati-based home services company has announced plans to franchise across the country. Wow Windowboxes, a custom window box company, is launching Wow Franchise Co. to expand its services beyond the Ohio-Kentucky region.
Wow has been working with franchise development company Rep’M, which has been helping it develop its brand, ensure compliance in different territories and find candidates in the right markets for expansion.
Wow President Bret Schneider told me the company had considered growing organically by opening a branch in Louisville or Columbus, but ultimately decided to take the franchising route.
“I wanted somebody that would have vested interest in it,” Schneider said. “If they have some skin in the game, like an owner would, it feels like they might take it a little bit more seriously.”
Schneider said interested franchisees could get started with an investment of about $150,000, which includes the cost of the territory, a truck and technology fees.
Rep’M is screening qualified candidates and presenting them to Schneider and Wow, who will then make decisions based on whether the candidate is a fit for the company culture.
Schneider said he always thought Wow could be a national brand. Wow Windowboxes’ goal is to get 30 franchises up and running within the year, with each making about $1 million in sales. In five years, Wow hopes to have more than 300 territories.
Wow’s 2024 revenue in Cincinnati was about $4.5 million. Schneider said Wow’s revenue has consistently grown about 17% to 20% each year.
Schneider recently pitched Wow Franchise Co. to FranChoice, a Houston-based franchise consulting service for those considering franchise ownership, which could help connect Wow to potential franchisees. FranChoice solicits interest from potential franchisees. Schneider likened the franchising relationship to homebuying, where FranChoise would act akin to a buyer's agent and Rep'M a seller's agent.
So far, Wow has received interest from potential franchisees in Florida, Connecticut and Colorado, as well as 17 territory requests across the country.
With the creation of Wow Franchise Co., Wow is adding five new employees to its current team of 30 in Cincinnati. Wow will continue to add employees to support its franchising venture as franchises launch.