Gotcha Covered showroom now open
in Apollo Beach
PUBLISHED JULY 7, 2016
By LOIS KINDLE
On July 1, Clifford Oberg celebrated the second anniversary of his Gotcha Covered franchise for the first time in an official storefront. Before then he had operated his entire business out of his home in Harbor Village.
Located at 6116 U.S. 41 N., in the Waterside Shops Plaza in Apollo Beach, the new showroom opened May 2. Customers can now walk in for free consultations, see Hunter Douglas and Graber window treatments on display or peruse scores of sample books featuring products by Shutters and Millwork, Norman, Mirasol, Somfy, Lafayette, Wesco Fabrics and more.
Oberg sells, installs and services shutters, shades, blinds, functional or decorative top treatments, custom bedding, motorized window treatments for homes and businesses, including hotels, retail locations, offices, industrial facilities and more.
“We do the latest and greatest in window treatments,” Oberg said. “I like to say we sell fashions from simple to sexy.”
Oberg, 42, got into the business after retiring from the Air Force in 2014. The former master sergeant never dreamed he’d end up selling window treatments for a living.
“On my way out the door (from the military), I knew I needed to make a change for my family,” he said. “I had started several months prior talking with headhunters about business franchises I could own and looked at a ton of them, including food, home improvement, property management, medical and others.
“I always enjoyed doing home improvement projects and sales, so Gotcha Covered appealed to me,” Oberg continued. “I knew nothing about it, but it sounded interesting so I talked with about a dozen franchisees and they all touted the company’s support network and said they would (buy their franchise) again if they had it do over.”
Gotcha Covered, which supports the Wounded Warrior Project, offered Oberg an attractive discount because he was a veteran.
He initially participated in Gotcha Covered’s two-week residential training program in Denver, where the company is based, and also did training modules with each manufacturer to become familiar with the products he would be selling.
Although he started out knowing nothing about window treatments, Oberg now has two years of solid experience in his industry and is happy with the choice he made.
“I enjoy the people I meet and the camaraderie between franchisees and others in the industry,” he said.
Oberg’s service area is South Shore and Brandon, but he will travel elsewhere on referrals. He is a member of the Sun City Center Area, SouthShore, Greater Riverview and Valrico chambers of commerce and the BNI Fortune Magnet Chapter in Sun City Center.
The showroom is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and weekends by appointment. Jobs include new and existing homes or businesses, remodels and commercial enterprises. All work is guaranteed.
“I try to deal with higher-end products because of their quality and durability, but I carry something for everyone,” Oberg said. “I focus on providing a quality product and excellent service. If there are any issues whatsoever, I come back and fix them.”
For additional information or testimonials on Oberg’s franchise, visit www.gotchacoveredsouthshore.com or call 813-489-1468. You can also check out Gotcha Covered of South Shore on Facebook.