Avesh & Susan: From Corporate Careers to Kitchen Studio Business Owners
From Corporate Careers to Kitchen Studio Business Owners
Avesh & Susan Vather – Kitchen Studio Nelson and West Auckland
At Kitchen Studio, we often meet people who are successful on paper, strong careers, impressive track records, and years of professional experience, yet they’re looking for something more sustainable and meaningful. For Avesh and Susan Vather, that moment came when they started thinking seriously about balance.
After building successful careers in banking and payments, they found corporate life often came with long hours, constant pressure, and extensive travel. When they were expecting their second child, they made a deliberate decision to reassess their priorities. Business ownership started to feel less like a risk, and more like an opportunity: financial security, personal fulfilment, and the ability to build something of their own within a structured, proven framework.
In 2016, Avesh and Susan took over the Kitchen Studio Nelson franchise. Their focus on quality outcomes, paired with disciplined business management, helped them build momentum quickly. Then, eight years later, they took the next step, expanding their footprint by acquiring Kitchen Studio West Auckland in November 2024. It was a move driven by their success in Nelson, and their confidence in applying what they’d learned to a new market.
Why Kitchen Studio?
For the Vathers, Kitchen Studio stood out because it combined credibility with support. We’ve built a strong reputation over decades, and our franchise model is designed to help owners grow with consistency, without having to reinvent the wheel.
But it wasn’t only about commercial strength. The work itself mattered. Renovating a kitchen isn’t just an aesthetic upgrade, it improves functionality, daily living, and often the value of the home. Avesh and Susan saw an opportunity to build a thriving business while making a tangible difference for customers, project by project.
Leveraging a strong professional foundation
One of the reasons Avesh and Susan have transitioned so well into franchise ownership is that they brought highly transferable skills with them.
Avesh’s career in the payments industry, moving from Product Manager to business leader, built deep capability in strategic planning, team leadership, and operational execution. Susan’s banking background strengthened their financial discipline and oversight, ensuring the business runs efficiently and remains stable as it grows.
Together, they’ve created a strong foundation, commercially smart, people-focused, and committed to doing the job properly.
What the role really looks like day to day
Running a Kitchen Studio franchise is hands-on, varied, and dynamic. For Avesh and Susan, it includes:
- mentoring and developing their team of designers to lift capability and performance
- overseeing operations to keep projects moving smoothly, from orders through to delivery and installation
- working closely with suppliers to secure quality products and stay across industry trends
- driving marketing activity to build awareness and keep enquiries coming
- managing financials, including invoicing and supplier payments
- identifying growth opportunities and testing new ways to improve customer engagement
A typical day involves checking in with the team, reviewing active projects, assisting with design plans, overseeing installations, and collaborating with suppliers. They also stay closely connected to Kitchen Studio’s national support office to keep ahead of market trends, systems updates, and network-wide initiatives.
The rewards: clients, team, and pride in the outcome
When we ask franchise owners what makes it worthwhile, the answer is almost always about people.
For Avesh and Susan, there’s real satisfaction in seeing a client genuinely delighted with their new kitchen, knowing it has improved how they live in their home every day. Just as importantly, they get a lot of fulfilment from helping their team grow, building confidence, capability, and a sense of pride in the work.
How they define success
For the Vathers, success isn’t only financial. Profitability matters, but so does sustainability, reputation, and culture.
They measure progress through client satisfaction, positive reviews, referrals, and a motivated team that takes ownership of outcomes. Their long-term vision is to build a business that performs strongly and is also a great place to work, where people feel valued, and customers actively seek them out for their expertise.
Milestones worth celebrating
One of their proudest moments was being recognised with ‘Franchise of the Year’ in Nelson, a meaningful milestone that validated the effort, discipline, and care they bring to the business.
Now, as they expand into West Auckland, their goal is simple: replicate that success and set new benchmarks for performance, service, and customer experience within the Kitchen Studio network.
What makes a great Kitchen Studio franchise owner?
Based on their experience, Avesh and Susan believe the strongest owners bring:
- leadership and team management – guiding a team of designers and operational staff
- adaptability and product knowledge – staying current with trends, innovation, and customer needs
- commitment to staff development – investing in people and lifting capability over time
- strategic thinking – spotting growth opportunities and using marketing effectively
- problem-solving and resilience – handling challenges in renovation projects with a calm, solutions-first mindset
Their advice for aspiring franchise owners
For anyone considering a Kitchen Studio franchise, their message is clear: bring commitment, curiosity, and a willingness to learn. This is a business that blends strong commercial opportunity with personal fulfilment, especially if you enjoy working with people and creating results you can see and be proud of.
We back our franchisees with experienced owners across the network, plus a dedicated national support office focused on sustainable growth. With the right mindset and effort, franchisees can build a thriving business while delivering high-quality kitchen solutions that genuinely enhance people’s lives.
As Avesh and Susan continue to grow across Nelson and West Auckland, they remain anchored in the values that matter most to us at Kitchen Studio: outstanding service, a motivated and capable team, and kitchens that clients truly love.