Dennis Oz: Welcome back to the Remodeler Success Podcast, where we sit down with the leaders shaping the future of home remodeling, residential remodeling, and design.

Today’s guest took a small family surplus store in Georgia and turned it into one of the fastest-growing design franchises in the country. He’s built a national brand, scaled operations across multiple locations, and brings a rare combination of design instinct, business acumen, and franchise-building experience.

That’s why I’m so excited for this episode.

Beyond the remodeling space, he also owns several other businesses, including a top-rated restaurant.
Our guest today is also very active in real estate and leadership circles.

Please welcome to the show, Casey Ridley.
Casey, welcome to the show.

Casey Ridley: Hey Dennis, thanks for having me. Excited to be here.

Dennis Oz: Oh yeah.
Casey, let’s talk a little about you, your background, and then I’d love to get into the franchise story too.
Let’s start with the soft stuff. Could you introduce yourself?

Casey Ridley: Yeah, absolutely Dennis. Like you said, my name is Casey Ridley.
I’m the founder and president of a company called The Designery—a kitchen, bath, and closet franchise concept operating across the country.

I’m excited to be here and to tell you a little bit about the journey and how I got to where I am today.

Dennis Oz: Great. Thanks so much.
So yes, just like we said in the introduction—you turned the family surplus business into The Designery, a franchise brand.

That transformation takes timing, vision, and bold decisions.
What made you go for it?

Casey Ridley: Yeah—first off, I’ve always had the entrepreneurial mindset.
I think that’s a key trait in any entrepreneur: you just want to take the leap of faith.

The only question is, what are you going to take it on?

So, when I graduated school and was trying to figure out what’s next, my family at the time was ready to retire.
I approached them about potentially buying the business.

And I recognized the business had the right foundation.
It had decent people, solid vendor relationships—it had some building blocks.
So I said, okay, this could be the start of something great.

From there, we started expanding and looking at how to scale this concept nationally.

I can dig into that more if you’d like, Dennis.

Dennis Oz: Yeah, of course. We’ll go deeper into that with the upcoming questions—I have a big list, Casey. I did my homework.

So, Casey, growth always comes with lessons. And on this show, we love to talk about those lessons—especially the hard ones.

What’s something you had to learn the hard way while building this business?

Casey Ridley: Yeah, that’s a great question.
I could give you a long list. We could be here for hours if I talked about all the hard lessons I’ve learned.

Dennis Oz: Feel free!

Casey Ridley: One thing that stands out—
When I decided I wanted to franchise the brand and take it to the next level, I had to ask myself a few key questions:

• Is this business big enough?
• Can someone feed their family with this?
• Can it create generational wealth?
• Can it be taught to others?
• Can it be replicated in any city?
  

I had to get the business to a place where I could answer yes to all of those questions.
That meant fine-tuning the business model, rebranding to what is now The Designery, and building strong systems.

Now, one of the hardest lessons I learned along the way was how important cash is.
You’ve probably heard the saying, “Cash is king.”

That’s absolutely true.
Accrual accounting has its place. CPAs love it. But in the real world, cash flow is what keeps the business alive.

When you start expanding and scaling, you realize the P&L may look great—but what’s in the bank account is what really matters.

So we had to learn—
What are our vendor terms?
What are our customer payment timelines?
How do we structure everything to create healthy cash flow?

Once we figured that out, all those questions I asked myself became solid yeses—and we could grow from there.

That was a big, tough lesson.

Dennis Oz: Wow, that’s amazing.
And I’m sure there were even more challenges along the way.
Cash flow is always a concern—not necessarily a problem, but a constant concern.

Let’s talk more about the business insights that come from tough situations—failures, friction, or pressure.
Was there a moment that really shaped how you lead today?

Casey Ridley: Yeah, absolutely.
When I started out in business, I was much more transactional.
My mindset was focused on: does this decision make money? Does it make business sense?

But over time, I’ve learned that relationships are one of the most important aspects of business.

You can’t always be transactional. You can’t always just think with a business lens.

Because eventually, confrontation comes—
And confrontation brings emotion.
Things won’t always go well for both parties.
It could be a vendor, a customer, a colleague—whatever the situation is.

Having a strong relationship from day one—
That’s what lets you build a business that’s resilient.

People stay with companies because of relationships.
People leave because of a lack of relationship.

Customers will stick with you—even if you’re more expensive or you made a mistake—if the relationship is strong.
They’ll still leave a five-star review.

So yes, the P&L matters. Cash is king. But relationships are the foundation.
That’s one of the most important things I’ve learned as a leader.

Dennis Oz: Can you say, “Your network is your net worth”?

Casey Ridley: Absolutely.
I love that quote, and it’s 100% true.

People often don’t spend enough time building that network and those relationships.
You never know what value they can provide to you—or what value you can provide to them.

It’s a synergistic relationship.
Your network is your net worth. And building those relationships should be a top priority.

Dennis Oz: Yeah, that’s absolutely right.
Thanks so much for dropping that knowledge and sharing it with our audience. This is amazing.

So now I want to talk about team building and team management.

Most of the companies The Designery speaks to—remodelers, design-build firms, kitchen and bath showrooms—they all hit a wall when trying to grow.

Especially when they go from one crew to something bigger.

When you’re building your team, what mistakes do you see most often?

Casey Ridley: You know, I would say one of the biggest mistakes I see is really discounting the people piece of the equation.
So, people, people, people—it’s so important.
And I’ve already touched on relationships, so I won’t go too deep into that again, but I will say—when you start expanding, your time becomes more and more limited.
And one of the first things that often gets deprioritized is talking with your people.

That means your staff—your frontline team—the folks who are running the business every day.
Are they happy? Are they well-compensated?
Do they believe in the company? Do they believe in the leadership?
Do they believe in me?
Do they believe in something bigger than just dollars?

A lot of business owners forget that people piece—and it leads to high turnover, inconsistency, and ultimately an inability to grow efficiently.

I would not be where I am today without some truly great people in my organizations—people who are smarter than I am, better than I am, and more capable in their roles.

And when you find people like that—you cannot let them go.
You’ve got to be talking to them, understanding what keeps them with you—and asking yourself, “What would make them leave?”
So you can grow and lead better in the future.

That’s a mistake I see all the time.

Dennis Oz: Yeah, I really love when you say that.
We have to hire people who are smarter than us—and it shouldn’t hurt your ego when someone in their own seat is delivering results even better than you could.

You’re not the expert in every area.
I always say this: You might be the CEO of a big airline, but that doesn’t mean you know how to fly the plane.
And I think your point touches on that.

Casey Ridley: Yeah, you’re 100% right, Dennis.

Look, customers do not want me coming out and installing cabinets in their homes—that’s not my place.

And I think leaders really need to have honest conversations with themselves:

• What are my weaknesses?
• What am I not good at?
• What should I stay away from in the business?
  

That helps you decide who to hire.

If you know you’re not strong financially—go hire a great CFO or controller.
If you’re not good at sales—hire the best salesperson you can find.
If product knowledge or installation isn’t your strength—find someone who can own that.

What often happens is leaders hire people like themselves—because they get along better with them.
They like the same things, they have great chemistry in the interview, maybe they stroke your ego a little, so you like them.

But those are red flags.
You don’t need people just like you—you need people who are different, who challenge you, who bring new perspectives.

When I interview someone and they give me answers I never would’ve thought of—
I’m making check marks on my notes.
Because that’s the kind of perspective that builds a great organization.

Dennis Oz: That’s so important. Thank you for sharing that.

Now let’s talk a bit about The Designery.

When someone becomes a franchisee—or even just makes the leap from job sites to a showroom—they’re taking a big step.
They go from running jobs in a truck to having a physical office, a showroom, a branded space.
That’s a huge shift.
It changes how you operate, how you sell, how you show up.

So what’s the smartest first step for someone thinking about making that transition?
Maybe they’re considering buying a franchise.
Maybe they just want to open their own showroom.
What’s the best first move?

Casey Ridley: Great question.
When you’re going from a single location to multiple locations—or from working out of a truck to building out a showroom—the hardest part at that level is mindset.

I’ve been there, so I get it.
It’s easy to work in the business.
It’s easy to stay in the day-to-day.
You’re taking on tasks yourself.
You don’t want to hire more people because you’re worried about payroll.
I totally understand that.

But the key is: you have to start working on the business, not just in it.

Are your marketing efforts working?
Do you have systems in place?
Is there a training process for new hires?
What happens if you’re not in the building?
If the answer is, “I don’t know,” or “everything falls apart,” then you have work to do.
You’ve got to create something that functions without you.

That’s how you grow.
That’s working on the business—not just being in it.

So my biggest advice is—it’s a mindset shift.
If you’re doing $500K and want to go to $1M…
Or $1M and want to go to $5M…
You’ve got to start leading the business.
Not just doing the job.

That shift—from employee mindset to owner mindset—is the first and smartest step.

Dennis Oz: Wow, that’s amazing.
I’m sure everyone tuning in today is getting so much value from this conversation.
Thank you so much, Casey.

We’re not done yet though—I’ve got more questions.
I’m not letting you go easy.

Casey Ridley: Can’t make it easy on me, Dennis!

Dennis Oz: No way.
So, let’s switch gears.
You also run multiple business lines—restaurant, real estate, and more.

Let’s go back to hiring.
Not team management—but the actual hiring process.

Especially for in-store teams.
Hiring A-players and keeping them isn’t easy.
You have a lot of experience in retail environments.

What’s worked best for you when building your in-store teams?

Casey Ridley: Great question.

So speaking just about the hiring phase—
I think a lot of people go into interviews with this corporate mindset:
They ask structured questions.
They want specific answers so they can check a box and move someone to the next stage.

That doesn’t work.

When I conduct interviews, I have a few topics—but not really structured questions.
It’s very conversational.
I want to really get to know the person.

Not just: “Where do you see yourself in five years?”
Because they’ll tell you what they think you want to hear.
That doesn’t help you figure out:

• Is this the right person for the company?
• Is this the right person for this seat?
  

So my interviews are very open-ended.
I want to understand who they are—what drives them.

Let’s say I’m hiring a salesperson:
If they’re really excited about design—that’s great—but they probably won’t be a great closer.

But if I learn they just had a baby, and they’re driven to earn more for their growing family—
That’s someone who’s hungry. That’s a driver.
They’re likely to excel in sales.

So I look for motivation.
I don’t want surface-level answers. I want to know who you are at your core.

And that applies to everything.
Whether I’m hiring a designer, a salesperson, a restaurant cook, or a property manager—
I look for the key traits that fit that role.

It’s not about “what’s your greatest strength.”
It’s about understanding people—and matching them to the right seat.

Dennis Oz: Wow. Well, I think all our listeners today are getting a really clear understanding of the importance of a systematic approach—not just in operations, but in hiring too.

Just like Casey explained, building a business isn’t about randomly choosing tools or hoping for the best. It’s about being strategic, intentional, and understanding your own needs first.

I’m sure our audience, whether they’re listening or watching, is finding this just as valuable as I am. Casey, thank you for sharing all of this wisdom.

Let’s go deeper into systems. I’m sure as you scaled, certain software tools became absolutely critical. Whether for communication, project management, or something else entirely—what tools have been game changers for you?

Casey Ridley: Yeah, absolutely, Dennis. Earlier I mentioned a question I ask myself often: “What would happen in this situation if I weren’t here to make the decision or solve the problem?”

Whether that’s about pricing, customer issues, or a negative review—it’s a real test of whether your systems are solid.

So because of that, I had to either build, buy, or develop software tools that could help run the business efficiently—without me needing to be involved in every detail.

Today, integration is key. Your tools have to talk to each other. If your software is operating in silos, you’re asking for problems—poor data, broken communication, and a clunky customer experience.

And let me say—customer experience is everything. It’s often overlooked, but it should be at the heart of your systems.

If your tools are outdated or clunky, you’ll have pricing errors, delays, unhappy customers, and frustrated employees or installers.

So for us, having a good POS system and a design platform that integrates smoothly is essential.

The other major thing we’ve adopted is data lakes—centralizing all our data so we can see real KPIs like customer acquisition costs, lifetime value, conversion rates—whatever metrics matter most.

Most small business owners, if you ask them, “What’s your customer’s lifetime value?”—they’ll have no idea. Not because they don’t care, but because they haven’t built the system to know it.

And that’s where the problem is—you’re making big decisions around marketing or client retention without the numbers to guide you.

By bringing our tools into one unified data system, we’re able to make smarter, faster decisions that drive growth and deliver better experiences for everyone involved.

Dennis Oz: That’s amazing.

And you’re right—most of our listeners are thinking about growth. And with so many tools out there, it’s easy to get overwhelmed.

But I think what you just explained—starting with understanding your needs, then fulfilling those needs with the right tools—makes all the difference.

Whether it’s for hiring, financials, or operations, the path to scale starts with a clear understanding of your business.

This advice alone will save people months—if not years—of trial and error.

Casey Ridley: Yeah—and Dennis, if you don’t mind, I want to add one more point to that because you touched on something really important.

There are so many tools out there. If you start Googling, you’ll get what I call “software fatigue” or “tech stack fatigue.”

You’ll add too many tools, and suddenly none of them work together. Now your team is frustrated, your data’s a mess, and it’s costing you time and money.

So my advice to listeners is this: when you’re building your tech stack, keep it lean and aligned with what matters most in your business.

Is it your customer experience? Is it your pricing? Is it your culture? Is it your unique product or your team’s creative process?

Whatever makes your business special—build your tech stack around that.

Don’t get sucked into shiny objects or flashy demos. Stay focused on what will actually drive results. Because if you don’t, you’ll just end up with a bunch of expensive software and no clarity.

Stay focused. Be selective. Keep it simple and scalable.

Dennis Oz: That’s such an eye-opener. Thank you, Casey.

You’re absolutely right—we need to be intentional about choosing tools that support the business, not just add complexity.

And just like you said earlier: the goal is to get on the business, not stuck in it.

These systems should give you that freedom. They should take things off your plate so you can focus on the big picture.

Whether it’s operations, hiring, finances—or even marketing—everything starts with the right foundation.

Speaking of marketing…

Before I even invited you to the show, I thought about how I’d approach this question.

Should I ask Casey about marketing from a franchisor perspective—or should I ask what it looks like from the franchisee’s point of view?

And I think that second angle is going to be really valuable for our audience—especially those who may be exploring franchise opportunities.

So here’s my question: When someone joins The Designery as a franchisee, what’s your approach to marketing for them? How do you support them in building local visibility and driving traffic?

Casey Ridley: Yeah, yeah. That’s a great question.

So, first off—marketing. It’s different for every franchisor.
Every franchisor handles marketing a little differently—some take more control, others outsource more.

That’s a really important thing to look into when you’re evaluating a franchise:

• What kind of marketing support is provided?
• How is it managed?
• Does it align with your values and expectations?
  

For us at The Designery, my philosophy around marketing starts with brand protection.

That’s first and foremost.
You need consistent branding across every city and every location—colors, voice, visuals.
We need to make sure Franchise Owner A doesn’t damage the brand for Franchise Owner B.

Once we have that brand integrity in place, we operate more like consultants at the franchisor level.

We work with franchisees to:

• Analyze their investments
• Evaluate ROI
• Measure return on ad spend (ROAS)
• And make data-informed recommendations
  

A lot of marketing agencies—and even some franchisors—try to act like marketing is a science and they have the secret sauce.
But the truth is, marketing is more of an art.

Every city is different.
What works in Georgia may not work in New York.
The demographics, buying behavior, culture—it all varies.

So we need to analyze, adjust, and re-implement constantly.

Another major piece we handle as a franchisor is partnerships.
At our level, we’re able to form strategic partnerships with vendors and platforms—negotiating special pricing, better access, and dedicated support.

As a single-unit operator, it’s hard to get people to give you the time of day.
You don’t have the purchasing power.
You’re not McDonald’s. You’re not Bucky’s doing 80 billboards across the highway.

So we bring together that collective strength of the brand to help franchisees market smarter and stretch their dollars.
We help them reach their ideal customers more effectively—whether that’s through paid media, organic strategy, or even offline tools.

A good franchisor provides that balance:

• We don’t try to control everything—we’re not experts in every local market.
• But we’re also not completely hands-off.
  We provide the tools, the data, and the strategic partnerships to help franchisees succeed.
  

So if you’re looking into franchises, that’s something you should absolutely evaluate.
Look at how the franchisor treats marketing—and make sure it aligns with how you want to operate.

Dennis Oz: Speaking of which—when Casey says every market is different, he’s not exaggerating.

If you go to thedesignery.com, click on locations, you’ll see how truly national the brand is—from Texas to Pennsylvania, Indiana to Arkansas, Alabama and beyond.

Each region is unique.
Even the real estate and home values vary dramatically.

I remember talking to a prospect in California years ago.
We were walking through our services and I mentioned basement remodeling—because in the Virginia–D.C. area, basement remodels are huge.

And they stopped me and said, “This is California. We don’t have basements.”
That was a lightbulb moment for me.

And Casey, you just explained it perfectly:
Every market requires localized strategy.
Different demographics, different property types, different customer expectations.
Even how people engage with advertising changes.

Casey Ridley: Yep, that’s exactly right.

Dennis Oz: So it makes sense that, as a franchisor, you want to keep the brand consistent—but also give the local franchisee flexibility to tailor their strategy.
That’s a huge advantage, by the way, for franchisees.

They don’t have to worry about branding—it’s already built.
They just need to execute on it.

Let’s talk about that for a minute.
Let’s say I’m thinking of joining The Designery family.
What does that process look like—from Day 1 to Month 1 to Year 1?

Casey Ridley: Absolutely.

So, first thing we do is focus on real estate—because that’s usually the most daunting part for new owners.
We work with national real estate partners who help our franchisees find locations that match the right demographics and aesthetic standards.

So they’re not going through that alone.
We help them find a showroom space that fits our model and the needs of their market.

After that, we dive into training and onboarding—
And this is where it gets intense (in a good way).

We cover everything:

• Who your target customer is
• What your product mix looks like
• What sets The Designery apart from competitors
• How to sell
• How to build a team
• How to market
• How to lead
  

It’s a deep training program, and it’s delivered in several formats:

• In-person sessions
• Online learning modules
• Vendor-led trainings
• Staff-led coaching
  

Dennis Oz: Is there a portal they access for training videos?

Casey Ridley: Yep, great question.

We have an online training portal—completely proprietary.
It’s not third-party content—it’s our content.

You’ll see and hear from me, my staff, and other leaders in The Designery network.
We’ve built around 60 hours of video content, assignments, and walkthroughs.
There’s reading material, application tasks, and step-by-step tutorials.

That gets franchisees about 50 yards down the field, to use a football analogy.

But they’re not in the end zone yet.
That’s where in-person training takes over.

We use that time to go deeper—to build confidence, refine their skills, and prepare them to lead their own business.

Once they open their doors, the focus shifts to scaling:

• How do they get customers?
• How do they convert them?
• How are their systems performing?
• Are they holding their team accountable?
• Is the culture right?
  

That’s where they start really working on their business—being leaders in their market, not just operators.

That journey—from Day 1 to Year 1 and beyond—is all about ramping up, growing sales, growing profit, and building a team that can sustain it.

Dennis Oz: Wow. Casey, this has been an amazing journey that you’ve designed and executed.

Well, folks, I believe you’ve learned so much today—especially if you’re someone who wants to avoid the common mistakes others have made in this industry.

Joining a major franchise family can be a great opportunity.

Just like Casey said, maybe he’s the one explaining the systems and guiding you through the journey.
You’re learning directly from someone who’s walked the path, someone who’s a pioneer in the industry.

That’s why joining a franchise can be such a powerful move.
If you’re still asking yourself, “Should I build my brand from scratch or join an established franchise?”—I think we’ve answered a lot of that today.

Casey, before we wrap, do you have any final notes for people on the fence?
And what’s the best way for someone to reach you if they want to learn more?
Website? Email? LinkedIn?

Casey Ridley: Yeah, thanks, Dennis. I appreciate that.

So, as I mentioned earlier, relationships are everything to me.
So don’t hesitate—reach out.

Even if you’re not specifically interested in The Designery, maybe you’re just exploring the idea of franchising…
Maybe you want to become a franchisor yourself…
Maybe you’re a small business owner trying to level up…
Maybe you’re in a corporate job and thinking, “I want to be my own boss.”

Wherever you are on the journey, I’m happy to have a conversation. I genuinely enjoy giving back, sharing what I’ve learned, and helping where I can.

You can find me on all the major platforms—LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook—just search for Casey Ridley (that’s C-A-S-E-Y R-I-D-L-E-Y).

If you’re specifically interested in The Designery, visit our website: thedesignery.com.
You can check out our locations—we’re all over the country now, coast to coast.

Stop into a showroom near you. Talk to one of our franchise owners.

Or shoot me an email: it’s casey.ridley@thedesignery.com.
I’m super accessible and I do my best to respond to anyone who reaches out.

Thanks again, Dennis. It’s been a pleasure being on the show.

Dennis Oz: Thanks so much, Casey.

Folks, I hope you found all the insights Casey shared today both valuable and actionable.

That wraps up another episode of the Remodeler Success Podcast.
We’ll see you next time.