The professional team at Tint World® headquarters is dedicated to providing the support and services that help our franchise location owners thrive and succeed in their businesses. Joining our automotive franchise family means receiving industry-leading support and access to proven business processes.
In this headquarters Q&A, we sat down with Chief Financial Officer Jeanette Bonfiglio to find out her perspective on Tint World® operations. Here’s your chance to get to know Jeanette!
Question: Tell us about your background. What did you do before you and CEO Charles Bonfiglio took the reins at Tint World?
Answer: Growing up the daughter of a New York City policeman, I learned early on that integrity and honesty need to be part of everything you do. Tradition was important for our family, and so was education.
Charles and I were married in 1988. We were focused on building a life together on every level. We’ve been business partners for more than 30 years, first as Meineke Car Care Center franchisees and now as the owners of the Tint World® franchise brand.
I enjoy an entrepreneurial lifestyle, have a passion for the old classic films of Audrey Hepburn, the charm of the 1950s, and am drawn to all things vintage. Recently, I just finished writing two children’s books that are currently in the publishing process. My inspiration for my books came from my children, and my next book will be based on my four-legged child, my dog Teddy. Next on my bucket list is to complete my line of maternal clothing.
Q: What was it like building the culture at Tint World?
A: It’s been a huge responsibility, but I have enjoyed it. All the processes and systems that we’ve put in place are the result of our real-life business experiences. We know they work because we’ve lived it.
Tint World® is like a family. Not only do we have our corporate team that depends on us for their future, we have all our wonderful franchisees. We work hard to make sure that they succeed. Their success is really our success.
I enjoy communicating with our franchisees, especially when they share stories about their leisure activities. It makes me happy for them to be able to have a good work-life balance. Building a business and working hard to make it succeed it is one thing, but when you have the processes in place that let you step away and have people still run your business, then you know that the systems are truly working.
Q: What does a typical day include for you?
A: From sun up to sundown, I am constantly moving. I wake up early to get a quick workout in before heading to HQ. Once I’m at the office, I check in with each department. Communication and connecting with the team is very important. I can be strategizing with the senior account manager or spending time with our compliance department to follow up on franchisees compliance documents. It is important to me to make sure we are doing our best at both the franchisee and corporate level. Every day we are makes strides and making long-term goals for our franchise.
Q: How does your job and expertise build value for Tint World® franchisees?
A: When people ask, “What do you do?”, I tell them, “Whatever it takes.” My husband and I have been business partners for over 30 years. We started out as franchisees and then began building and owning the Tint World® franchise brand. We can truly say we know what it takes to run a successful business. Those experiences have helped me relate to our franchisees in a unique way.
Q: What is your favorite thing about your job?
A: Coming to work and collaborating with my team. The environment and culture of your company is one of the biggest factors in achieving your business goals and keeping your employees happy and motivated. We have learned the importance of company culture and how it contributes to the success of our company, vision, brand, employees, franchisees and our customers. Our company culture is centered around our core values and how we conduct our business, how our team interacts with each other, how we interact with our franchisees and ultimately how they interact with our customers. We pride ourselves on empowering our staff and seeing our company’s beliefs in action. We plan corporate event activities both inside and out of work to show our appreciation and strengthen our bond within the company. This is very important because taking regular time with your team to relax increases creativity and productivity.
Q: What is a Tint World® experience that really stands out for you? Do you have a favorite moment?
A: It was at our very first Tint World® franchise convention. We had spent months planning every detail, including the theme, décor, branding, venue, menu, awards, music, speakers, brochures, vendors and welcome bags for our franchisees; the list is endless. I remember the excitement, desire and responsibility to plan and coordinate our event. And as many have experienced, the big day comes and everything moves so fast that it becomes a blur.
As for the moment that stood out the most, during the Tint World® vendor meet-and-greet we coordinated, I remember standing in the corner of the room and looking up to see the room filled with our franchisees — wearing our branded convention theme shirts, carrying our Tint World® bags, and interacting with our vendors. That moment was life-changing. I was given the opportunity to savor the moments of joy, acknowledge our success, and see our franchisees’ connectedness to our vision for the company and for their success.
Q: What are your goals in your career with Tint World®?
A: My ultimate goal is to create sustainable growth and maintain the leading position as the largest and fastest growing automotive accessories and window tinting franchise in America. We take great pride in continuing to see our franchisees succeed and build their lives, both professionally and personally. Our franchise system allows our owners to build a successful business, one that can take them all the way to retirement, while still maintaining that work/life balance. These locations have the potential to be passed down to future generations, which would be amazing. We already have some stores with multi-generational owners. Tint World® isn’t just an automotive styling store. It’s a future. It’s a career. It’s a part of your community. Joining the Tint World® family provides a lifetime value proposition.
Q: Tell us about your dream car. If you could drive anything, what would it be and why?
A: As a car enthusiast and being involved in this industry for over 30 years, I understand that your car is a projection of your personality. My dream car is the Bentley Flying Spur. Bentley by its own narrative describes their vehicles as “Brilliant Down to the Smallest Detail” and particular to the Flying Spur, “Graceful as it is Commanding, as Dynamic as it is Poised.” These attributes embody what I want for myself when leading my company, team members and franchisees. Like the car we dream of and the company we run become the product of our achievements, having the financial means to buy the car isn’t so much a goal as a result of success.
I remember having a conversation with my son, who is a huge car enthusiast. It runs in the family! He asked me if it felt more rewarding purchasing my first car rather than someone giving it to me. I paused and knew he was at that stage where he understood personal success and achievement and that tangible rewards were more about our efforts. I was glad to hear that he understood tangible rewards were signs of hard work and success. I hope this too will resonate with our franchisees.
Thanks to Jeanette for taking the time to talk with us! If you are an entrepreneur with an interest in cars or love vehicle customization, Tint World® would love to hear from you! Just download our franchise kit for more information.
