GarageExperts Franchisee: Q&A with Mehmet Sungurtekin, Owner of GarageExperts in North Texas

As homeowners increasingly look to maximize every square foot of their homes, garages are evolving from overlooked storage zones into polished, functional living spaces. In North Texas, GarageExperts franchisee Mehmet Sungurtekin is helping lead that shift by bringing high-performance flooring and custom storage solutions to homeowners across the Prosper and Celina area.

Originally from Turkey, Mehmet’s journey into franchise ownership is also a story of reinvention: leaving behind a stable corporate career, navigating a cross-continental move with his family, and building a business from the ground up in a new country.

In this Franchise Chatter Q&A, Mehmet shares how he approached entrepreneurship as an immigrant, why GarageExperts stood out as the right platform for his American dream, and what it’s like growing a home-services franchise in one of Texas’s fastest-growing markets.

Franchise Chatter (FC): Mehmet, can you start by sharing a bit about your professional background in Turkey and what your career looked like before you decided to move to the United States?

Mehmet Sungurtekin (MS): Before moving to the United States, I built a career in sales and business development over the course of about 15 years. I started in the pharmaceutical industry, working for companies such as GlaxoSmithKline and Novo Nordisk. During those years, I worked across different product groups and departments, which gave me valuable experience managing relationships with both doctors and pharmacies. It also helped me develop strong analytical and communication skills related to sales performance.

Later, I joined Philip Morris International, which had been a career goal of mine for several years. I started in the sales team and eventually was promoted to a Territory Executive role. In that position, I managed distributor operations and led teams of around 20 people across multiple cities. My responsibilities included negotiating agreements with both local retailers and national chains, managing budgets, increasing brand visibility, and growing market share. Seeing the impact of our strategies on real sales results was extremely motivating for me.

At the same time, my wife and I also started a small entrepreneurial project together. After our daughter was born, we became more interested in natural and healthy living. We launched our own early-harvest cold-pressed olive oil brand called IZ Olives, which we sold online. Our olive oil received international tasting awards, including gold medals in Japan, the United Kingdom, and Italy. I am also a certified olive oil tasting specialist.

Those experiences—corporate leadership and entrepreneurship—shaped my professional mindset before moving to the United States.

FC: What ultimately led you and your wife to make the decision to leave Turkey and start over in a new country, and what were some of the biggest challenges you faced early on?

MS: The biggest motivation for us was our daughter. As parents, we wanted to give her the opportunity to grow up in an environment with strong educational opportunities and exposure to different cultures and perspectives. That vision played a major role in our decision to begin a new chapter of our lives abroad.

Starting over in a new country naturally comes with many challenges. You arrive from a completely different cultural background and suddenly find yourself surrounded by a new culture, a different language, new rules, and a different way of life. Learning how to navigate that environment, adapting to the lifestyle, and understanding how business and commerce operate in a new market were all part of the journey.

At the same time, it was also an incredibly rewarding experience. Living and working in such a diverse environment allows you to meet people from many different cultures and backgrounds, and that perspective teaches you a lot—both personally and professionally.

Of course, the early challenges were real, but step by step we learned, adapted, and built our life here. Looking back today, that journey helped shape the mindset and resilience that ultimately led me to entrepreneurship.

FC: You’ve mentioned taking a very analytical approach to choosing where to settle in the U.S. Can you walk us through how you evaluated different states and why North Texas stood out?

MS: We approached the move very analytically. Before making the decision, we spoke with trade specialists at the U.S. Consulate and researched business and investment opportunities between Turkey and the United States. Through conferences and meetings with consultants, we explored what kinds of industries and opportunities might allow us to build a long-term future in the U.S.

When choosing where to settle, we carefully evaluated several factors, including education quality, safety, cost of living, and long-term career opportunities. My wife previously worked with Chrysler, and we noticed that Toyota’s North American headquarters is located in Plano, Texas, which could create potential career opportunities for her. At the same time, given my background in the FMCG industry, North Texas also stood out to me because companies like Frito-Lay are headquartered here, making it a strong market for professional and business development.

After building a four- to five-year plan and carefully analyzing the numbers, North Texas clearly stood out as the right place for our family to start this new chapter of our lives. It offered the perfect combination of opportunity, community, and long-term growth—exactly what we were looking for as we pursued our vision of the American Dream.

In fact, the strategy we planned worked out very well. Today, my wife works at Toyota’s North American headquarters, and I also had the opportunity to work at Frito-Lay for about a year. Eventually, I decided to pursue entrepreneurship and became a GarageExperts franchise owner, which is the business I truly wanted to build. I’m very happy with where I am today and excited about the future we are building here.

FC: Once you arrived in the U.S., what types of business or career paths were you considering before discovering GarageExperts?

MS: Before entering the garage transformation industry, I explored several business opportunities in the U.S. market as I was learning how different industries operate here. One of my first ventures was starting a small textile business, where I formed an LLC and focused on both retail and online sales.

We opened a kiosk in Stonebriar Mall in Frisco, selling products such as beach towels, travel blankets, bedding covers, and duvet sets. At the same time, we launched our products on online marketplaces like Amazon and Etsy. This allowed us to test both retail and e-commerce channels at the same time.

After about six to seven months, we noticed that online sales were performing significantly better than the mall kiosk. However, as global costs and inflation began to increase, importing products became more challenging and maintaining strong profit margins became difficult.

That experience was still extremely valuable because it gave me my first real exposure to running a business in the U.S. and understanding the local market. After that, I decided to gain additional professional experience in the American business environment. I joined Frito-Lay and worked on the sales team in the South Dallas region for about a year. That role helped me better understand the U.S. retail and distribution system and strengthened my operational and customer management skills before eventually transitioning into entrepreneurship again.

Those experiences ultimately helped prepare me for launching and growing my GarageExperts franchise.

FC: What first introduced you to GarageExperts, and what about the franchise model gave you confidence it was the right opportunity for you?

MS: After working for about a year, I spoke with my wife and told her that although she was comfortable in her corporate role, I wanted to build my own business.

While researching opportunities, I discovered franchise expos and attended one in Atlanta. There I met a franchise broker named Semih Kılıç. He reviewed my background and suggested looking into epoxy flooring businesses because they aligned well with my sales experience and operational background.

Over the course of several days, he introduced me to multiple franchise brands. We carefully analyzed each company and began speaking with a few of them. Eventually, I discovered that the territory I wanted in North Texas was available with GarageExperts.

From the very beginning, the company’s professionalism stood out to me. Having come from a strong corporate background, it was very important for me to work with a structured and well-organized organization. The support system, the leadership team, and the culture of the company gave me confidence.

At that point, I realized GarageExperts was the right fit for me.

FC: What was the onboarding and training experience like as a new franchisee, particularly while adapting to a new business environment and culture?

MS: For me, the onboarding process was fantastic from start to finish. From the very beginning of my conversations with Michael, the Franchise Sales Developer, everything was explained step by step. He clearly walked me through the company’s expectations, the structure of the territories, and the overall vision of the brand during each conversation.

Later, after my final meeting with Mike, the Franchise President, I became even more confident in my decision. It was clear to me that GarageExperts is not simply looking for people who just have money to invest, but rather individuals who want to build something long-term and grow together with the company. That approach made a very strong impression on me.

Everything throughout the process was structured—from the discovery process and Discovery Day all the way through training. After signing the agreement, my franchise coach Chris provided incredible support. He helped guide me through everything from equipment selection to local business strategy.

The marketing team, the training program, and the operational guidance were extremely valuable. I felt very confident going into the launch of my business.

Another great experience was the opportunity to spend three days training with another franchise owner named Danny, who had been operating his business for about eight years. We worked together on real job sites, which gave me practical insight and different perspectives.

Even though I’m still early in my journey, that experience confirmed that I made the right decision choosing GarageExperts

FC: What were some of the biggest lessons you have learned throughout your first year operating GarageExperts in the Prosper and Celina area?

MS: I’m still early in the journey—about four and a half months in—but I’ve already learned some important lessons.

One of the biggest lessons is the importance of responding quickly to every customer inquiry. We call them, email them, leave messages, and follow up consistently. Sometimes customers don’t respond immediately, and early on that was frustrating. But over time, I’ve learned that persistence and understanding customer behavior are key.

Another important lesson is the value of meeting customers in person. Visiting their home, walking through the garage together, understanding their needs, and guiding them toward the right solution is extremely important for building trust.

Preparation is also critical. In this business, proper surface preparation and delivering projects exactly on time are essential. When customers see professionalism, strong branding, and flawless execution, it builds long-term trust.

As someone with a sales background, I’m naturally motivated to close every opportunity. But I’m also learning that building relationships and understanding customers are just as important as the sale itself.

FC: How would you describe demand for garage transformations in North Texas, and what types of projects or customer needs are you seeing most often?

MS: North Texas is an incredibly fast-growing region, especially in the northern Dallas suburbs.

Many neighborhoods are newly developed, and most homes are relatively new—often less than five or six years old. Many homeowners want to upgrade their garages before they even move into their new homes.

Approximately 90% of initial requests are for garage floor coatings, particularly epoxy or polyaspartic flooring. However, when I explain that we offer a complete garage transformation system—including custom cabinets and storage solutions—customers become very interested. Many homeowners are looking for better organization and functionality in their garages.

Additionally, when I explain that we can also coat patios and porches, it often opens the door for additional projects. Recently, I’ve started completing more patio projects as well.

Moving forward, I want to continue expanding the storage and cabinet side of the business, because homeowners are increasingly looking for well-organized and functional garage spaces.

FC: From your perspective, how does GarageExperts’ vertically integrated model impact your ability to serve customers efficiently and grow your business?

MS: The vertically integrated model is extremely important.

Everything—from the products to the manufacturing—is under the GarageExperts brand. Because we are not relying on outside suppliers, it creates a higher level of trust with customers. That’s also why we can confidently offer lifetime warranties.

Another huge advantage for me is that the company’s facility is located in Grapevine, Texas, which is very close to my territory. Because of that, I can often pick up materials the same day or the next day after placing an order.

That flexibility is incredibly valuable. If I receive an urgent project request, I can quickly access the materials I need and respond to the customer right away.

This system allows me to operate more efficiently and present a stronger, more reliable service to homeowners.

FC: Looking ahead, what are your goals for your GarageExperts business over the next few years, both professionally and personally?

MS: Over the next few years, my professional goal is to continue growing the GarageExperts brand across North Texas, especially in fast-growing communities like Prosper, Celina, and McKinney. This region is expanding rapidly, and I see a strong opportunity to establish GarageExperts as the trusted company for garage transformations, including high-performance flooring and custom storage solutions.

I also plan to expand our team, open a showroom where customers can see our systems and cabinets in person, and continue improving our operations as the business grows. As we scale, I want to share my experience with the team, train new installers, and build a strong group of professionals who take pride in the quality of their work.

On a personal level, I would like to build something long-term that goes beyond just running a business. My dream is to create a family business and a legacy—something that my children can be proud of and potentially continue in the future. As an immigrant entrepreneur, being able to build a sustainable business, contribute to the local community, and create opportunities for others is incredibly meaningful to me.

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