Written by: Andrea Carneiro • June 10, 2015• Business Spotlight Miami

5 Questions: Rodrigo Burgos, ShelfGenie

Meet the man who improves client’s lives…one cabinet at a time.

Rodrigo Burgos with Thomas Hudson (Shelfgenie customer from Texas).

In a town where space is at a premium, ShelfGenie owner Rodrigo Burgos is a lifesaver. The former Visa marketing VP and longtime Miami resident (he relocated from Chile in the late 90s) became involved with the company, which creates, builds and installs custom Glide-Out shelving solutions for existing cabinets, after being impressed with the brand’s reputation and more than 160 franchise locations across the U.S. and Canada. “I knew that I could provide the same level of service to Miami that so many across the country have experienced,” says Burgos. We caught up with the busy Burgos via email to learn more about his customers, the company and the art of organization.

How did you get involved in the ShelfGenie business?

After being schooled by the great corporation that Visa is, I was ready to find a new opportunity to build something of my own and provide a valuable service to our community. After extensive research of businesses and franchises available in the Miami area, I decided ShelfGenie was the right fit. I was highly impressed by the concept, the high-end products and the sharp and dedicated corporate team. And after 15 years living in Miami, I was also well aware these solutions were badly needed in our community. With the housing boom, there is a lot of new construction with basic cabinetry and storage space being installed which leaves room for us to come in and provide customized solutions in these homes.

TOP TIP: While Burgos says every situation is unique, he does have one favorite piece of advice. “Find a place near the stove (usually an existing drawer) to lay spices flat on their sides,” he says. “That way you can easily find what you need and avoid having three Tarragon jars at any given time.” For more ShelfGenie tips visit their Facebook page at Facebook.com/shelfgeniemiami as well as their Pinterest and Houzz pages (search ShelfGenieMiami).

What’s the concept behind ShelfGenie?

ShelfGenie’s concept is simple, we make lives easier by addressing access, organization and storage capacity challenges in their kitchens, pantries and other spaces. We do so with highly trained designers that understand the homeowner’s particular needs and devise solutions that can highly impact their spaces; innovative manufacturing technology that allows our plants in California and North Carolina to custom build solutions we guarantee for life; and skilled installers that will make sure every space is optimized and disruption is minimized around the house. In fact, 95% of our installations are ready in one day.

What does your average customer look for?

Our clients are quite diverse. From the chef in Coconut Grove who likes everything within reach, to the couple in Aventura who have downsized after the kids have left the house but don’t want to get rid of valued items, to the family in Doral with babies on the way and a husband who wants to make his wife’s life a bit easier. In short, our client is anyone who is experiencing a lesser quality of life because of the organization challenges in the home. Whether they are building a new home and want their cabinets to fit their specific needs or want to remodel an existing home to better fit their lifestyle, we want to help. Our customers cover a wide range of ages, lifestyles and budgets.

What’s your process for working with clients?

ShelfGenie creates a customized plan to improve access and increase usable storage space up to 50 percent. Our team of designers will visit the home for a free design consultation that will last for about two hours where he or she will cover the different solution options with the customers based on how the client uses the space, how often, and what they want to store. Then the designer will provide a detailed plan based on their feedback. If the homeowner wants to move forward with the design, our professional team of installers will visit the home to take very detailed measurements before making the order for customized shelving. Products get manufactured in the North Carolina or California plants and delivered back to our warehouse. The same installer that measured the space will coordinate with the client to schedule an install. About a week after installation is finished, the designer will stop by to double check everything is in accordance to the original project and the client is fully satisfied.

What’s next for ShelfGenie?

There are some big changes coming for the company, including a new responsive website that will improve the customer experience on desktop and mobile devices. There are also some exciting new products in the works that will further enhance our ability to provide their clients with easy access, organization and maximization of space.

At the local level, we are focusing on getting the word out. Many people still don’t know us and are under the impression that to get a functional kitchen they need to tear down their existing one and start over. We are on a mission to make homeowners aware that they don’t need to spend a small fortune replacing their cabinets in order to have their dream kitchen. The same is true with other areas in the home like the pantry, the bathrooms and even the laundry room.

Call 888.491.6191 or visit shelfgenie.com/miami for more information or to schedule an in-home consultation.

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Last modified: June 10, 2015