After over a decade owning her Dryer Vent Wizard franchise, it’s hard to imagine Rhonda Nole doing anything else. Yet, before becoming a franchisee, Rhonda spent her entire professional career as a computer network engineer.
She graduated college with a degree in computer science and worked for many years as computer support for a Kentucky-based company that owned several wineries. She was responsible for everything from software and database engineering to general support and troubleshooting. When she turned 52, she began looking for new opportunities but wasn’t interested in a corporate job.
“I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do, so I looked into franchising,” said Rhonda. “I had a broker, and I researched a few different franchise systems. Dryer Vent Wizard really stood out to me. I liked what they had to offer – it was a low investment opportunity, and they had a great company structure with built-in training, support and branding.”
From Tragedy to Opportunity
The transition from computer network engineer to dryer vent cleaning business owner may not seem like a natural one, but Rhonda had a personal connection with the industry from a young age. When she was a child, her garage burned down after a fire broke out in her home. An unkempt dryer vent was to blame for the tragedy.
“Thankfully, no one was hurt, but our entire garage and everything in it – including our cars – were completely beyond repair,” Rhonda said. “I never really realized that a dryer vent could cause that scope of damage, but it obviously always stuck with me.”
Making a Difference
Unfortunately, dryer vent-related house fires are fairly common – dryers are loaded with debris and are highly flammable, which is why regular cleaning and maintenance are so imperative. In fact, 92 percent of these fires are caused by unclean dryer vents.
“One of the main reasons I love what I do is because I’m able to make a positive impact on peoples’ lives every day,” Rhonda said. “I know that this is a very real issue and a hazard for all homes, so I really enjoy how I am able to make a difference and prevent these tragedies from happening to others.”
Rhonda has had a steady stream of business within her North Bay Area, California territory – she visits about nine houses per day and is one of the brand’s Top 10 franchisees. Aside from her ability to help others, she says she really enjoys the flexibility and satisfaction she is able to glean from running and growing her own business.
“It’s all about the work you put into it, and every year my business has increased since I first started in 2007,” Rhonda said. “The longer you’re in business, the easier it becomes to continue growing, since you’ve built up a positive reputation and get a great deal of repeat business.”
