Today we’d like to introduce you to F. Ken Fleckenstein.
F. Ken, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My father died when I was 14 years old. Mom never re-married, we were poor and I had to learn to be the man of the house. Whenever something went array, it was my duty to fix it. It didn’t matter if I knew how to do it or not. If we didn’t already have the tools, we went to buy them. I asked for the knowledge where ever I could find it; mostly at the hardware and lumber stores. As a teen, I worked for a remodeling contractor, went into framing custom homes in the foothills just outside of Denver, Colo. I also worked for commercial contractors and basically learned all my skills by doing them. AKA “The School of Hard Knocks”. I received my real estate Broker’s license and wanted to do “fix & flips”; just never had the money to get started on the first one. Moved to DFW Thanksgiving week of 2006 and bought my house in Frisco in May of 2007. Since then, it has doubled in value. I worked for a few of the “Handyman” franchises around town. I didn’t like the way they over-charged the people in need, so I started my own independent company. I can now charge about half of what national franchises charge for the same job. I’ve been blessed with great clients that refer me to their friends and family, as well as use my services over & over. It seems that I am doing all the right stuff. I’m on the first page of Google and in some circles I’m known as: “Mr. Awesome”.
Has it been a smooth road?
Running a small business is never a smooth road. Tools get stolen, forgotten and not returned, the hired helpers mess things up. If there are always the people that don’t understand when one has done the best that is possible, given a discount and still decide not to pay. Not to mention the jobs from hell that tend to snowball instead of progressing. And then there are the clients that want one or two things done during the phone consultation. After starting the work and displaying my awesome skills say they have other items on the “Honey-do-List” and the project gets extended pushing everyone else forward a day or more.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the F. Ken Fleckenstein – Handyman story. Tell us more about the business.
I am a “Handyman”. I have over 45 years’ experience in the trades. Most times my clients get all their needs met with just one visit. I always go the extra mile for my clients noting to them deficiencies, oiling the squeaky door hinges without being asked, and educating them on simple homeowner tips. I do what I say I’ll do and clean-up after my job is complete. Of course I show up on time with a clean well maintained and organized van.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
Looking forward to many more prosperous years of doing my “Handyman” business in the fastest growing part of the United States of America, with all my existing and future clients that I consider my extended family.
Contact Info:
- Website: ndfwHandyman.com
- Phone: 214-607-8448 c.
- Email: fkenfleckenstein@gmail.com
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