The Leather & Vinyl Doctor

From humble beginnings... to a national brand

The business began as a oneperson operation in Brisbane in 1989 as simply The Vinyl Doctor. Work in those early days was rather simple. A few basic tools, a small ad in the Yellow Pages and a Toyota Hilux saw it’s beginning. Repairs were mostly in the form of cracked dashboards, car door trims, consoles and the odd piece of furniture.

In the late 90’s and after a few more franchisees came on board in Brisbane, the decision was made to incorporate leather care into the business. Leather was becoming increasingly popular in homes as affordable furniture, and the technology was improving for repairing, cleaning and recolouring leather. So the Vinyl Doctor added another arrow to its quiver and was branded as The Leather and Vinyl Doctor.

As soon as leather became part of our business there was no turning back and the demand for our service has continued to outstrip what we have been able to supply. The Leather & Vinyl Doctor, as we are now known today, has grown steadily with franchisees now covering all capital cities in Australia. We are continually looking for motivated, positive people to add to our growing team and help us service the massive leather care market.

What do we do?

Franchisees operate from highly visible vans and put simply, we clean, repair and recolour anything made from leather and vinyl. Being mobile we can perform all types of work on-site. The time to complete a job on site can range from 15 minutes to two hours. Some of the main industries we service are furniture, automative, marine and the domestic market.

Even though our focus is on leather and vinyl, the diversity of industries provides great variety and a consistently strong income. Franchisees also generate great income from a range of care products that they sell direct to the public or to retail customers.

Learn from the Experts

When you purchase your own Leather & Vinyl Doctor franchise, you are not just buying a job, you are stepping into a great business. You will be part of a system that has been proven over decades. The unique skills of repairing and recolouring are simple to learn, but difficult to duplicate. Because of this the leather and vinyl repair industry has relatively few competitors.

Your exclusive territory

When you purchase a Leather & Vinyl Doctor franchise, you own exclusive rights to a geographical territory. We have found that a successful franchise requires a mix of residential and commercial customers. Franchisees have the option to either sell off portions of their area or employ/contract others as the work grows. You have the freedom to structure your business the way you like.

Some franchisees are employing others to assist with the work they get from their area. We feel that it is important to provide our franchisees with the opportunity to grow their business and not simply buy themselves a job.

Anyone can learn to be a doctor

No previous experience is necessary. Our franchisees come from a wide variety of backgrounds. From chemists to builders, from computer techs to students. We have a fantastic four week training program for every new franchisee that involves detailed instruction in a practice environment and side-by-side coaching out in the field.

Don’t worry if this is the first time you have run a business. All aspects of running a Leather & Vinyl Doctor franchise are covered; from the hands-on skills of repairing, to bookwork to advertising strategies.

That’s the great thing about franchises like ours. You just tap into the years of experience and the system that allows you the best opportunity for success.

Where competition is low, the service becomes more valuable

Compared to other franchise industries, the leather and vinyl care industry is a very under serviced. The skills of repairing, cleaning and recolouring are unique and whilst not difficult to learn, they can be hard to find on your own. This reduces the amount of competition and provide our franchisees with a skill that is in high demand and very valuable.

How much can I expect to earn?

This will ultimately depend on you and your efforts. A job can vary in price from a small repair for $88 to recolouring an entire leather lounge for $1500 or more.

What do you get for your investment?

When you purchase your new Leather & Vinyl Doctor business you are provided everything you need to begin operating. You won’t need to worry about spending money on materials, products or tools, its all part of your start up package and is delivered to your door and fitted out in your vehicle ready for your first day. The vehicle is not included in the initial purchase price. It can be any model of white van, but must be in good condition as it represents your business, and our brand, to the public. We fit out the vehicle for you including all signage.

What’s the next step?

If you like what you’ve read so far and would like to talk to us about an available franchise near you, just give us a call or fill out the enquiry form above. We look forward to hearing from you.