Meet the Family Behind Window World of Madison
One of our favorite parts of what we do is getting to know the people behind the businesses we work with. For our latest client spotlight, we sat down with Preston Sandblom of Window World of Madison to talk about his path to business ownership, what he’s learned along the way and why staying local, delivering value and building the right team remain at the heart of the business.
When did you first realize you wanted to run a business?
That would have probably been around 2017. I was wrapping up a long career at Costco, working in retail management. My days off were always changing, my schedule was always changing, and I wasn’t getting to see my daughter, Charlotte, as much as I wanted. My work-life balance was pretty out of whack, and I knew I didn’t want to continue down that path.
Lisa had already been working for Window World for a couple of years, so I knew a little bit about the business and what she liked about it. Her uncle, who was the previous owner, had also planted the seed in my head. He basically said, “If you ever get tired of what you’re doing, come work for Window World. Maybe someday when I retire, you can own it.”
I didn’t think much about it at first, but as I became more burned out at Costco, that idea kept coming back to me. In 2017, I decided to leave Costco and join Window World with the goal of potentially becoming an owner someday. That’s really where it all started … being ready for something new and excited about the possibility of ownership.
How did you pick the business you work in today?
Honestly, it kind of chose me. I didn’t have some lifelong ambition to be in the window business. It was really the opportunity to become a business owner that attracted me, and Window World happened to be that opportunity.
What does a typical day look like for you now?
I used to be our only design consultant, so I was running about four leads a day … meeting with homeowners, selling windows, ordering products, and confirming everything.
Now my role is more of a project manager and sales manager. I manage our design consultants, order their products, and double-check measurements and contracts. A lot of my day is checking in with the team and making sure they have the information and tools they need to be successful, while also making sure we’re accurate in the home and making a good first impression.
What is something homeowners are always surprised by during a project?
There are probably three things.
First is the value. A lot of our homeowners have done their due diligence and gotten three, four, or sometimes even five estimates, and they’re often surprised by how competitive our pricing is. We’re almost always one of the most economical options.
Second is how quickly the installation can go. A lot of people don’t realize that with a good crew, you can install 15 windows in a day.
And third, weirdly enough, is the noise. We hear from homeowners all the time that their house just feels quieter with new windows. When you go from an older single-pane wood window to a double-pane window with double-strength glass, the difference in outside noise can be pretty noticeable.
What is one thing you wish every homeowner knew before starting a project?
First, I wish more homeowners knew who we are and what makes Window World different. We have a great story. We support our veterans, employ local people, and really believe in giving back to the communities we serve.
When it comes to the actual project, one of the biggest things homeowners can do is prepare the space before installation day. Making sure furniture is moved away from the windows, so the installers have a clear area to work, makes the process easier and more efficient for everyone.
A little preparation ahead of time can make a huge difference on installation day.
We see your family pop up in your commercials. How did that start, and what kind of response do you get from people?
The response has been overwhelmingly positive.
One of the reasons we decided to include our family is because we really want people to understand that we’re local. We use a local 608 phone number, it’s on the side of our trucks, and when people see our commercials, we want them to see the actual family behind the business.
We’re a real family. We live here, shop here, our kids go to school here, and we’re part of this community. When someone chooses Window World, they’re supporting a locally owned family business and the people who live and work here.
Including the kids helps make the commercials a little more casual, relaxed and personal. Charlotte has a lot of fun with them, and people really seem to like seeing her personality come through. We also get a lot of comments about the fist bump she and Warren do at the end.
It’s been a lot of fun, and the feedback has been great.
If your brand were a design style, what would it be and why?
Clean, simple and easy.
We have all the bells and whistles if that’s what somebody wants. We can do black windows, grids, interior wood grains, and specialty shapes. But we also know a lot of our customers simply want something that’s attractive, efficient, and works well.
If I had to compare us to a brand, I’d probably say Kirkland Signature. Kirkland products are known for delivering really good quality without the sting of the name-brand price tag.
That’s how I think about Window World. We want to offer a great product and great value without making homeowners feel like they have to pay a premium just for a name.
If Hollywood made a movie about your business, who would play you?
I think it’s got to be Vince Vaughn. That’s just because he can be serious and he’s mostly lighthearted. He uses comedy to kind of weave his way through daily dialogue. So, I’ll go with Vince Vaughn.
What is one goal you are still working toward in your business or personally?
Lisa and I are working to slowly and steadily grow Window World within our means and capabilities.
Right now, we’re still very involved in the day-to-day operations. We’re at a point where we’re part owner and part employee, and our goal is to continue building the right team, with the right people and the right training, so we can spend more time actually managing and growing the business.
We want to have the time to really dig into the numbers, marketing, reviews, and all the other pieces of the business that help us improve.
Ultimately, the goal is to build the team around us so we can step away from some of the day-to-day responsibilities and focus more on leading and growing Window World.
What is something you hope your future self never forgets?
I don’t ever want us to forget what Window World is and what made the company successful in the first place.
Window World built its business around making quality replacement windows affordable. A big part of that comes from volume. The more windows we sell as a company, the more buying power we have with manufacturers and vendors, and that helps us provide better value to homeowners.
I don’t want us to lose sight of that by chasing every trend or trying to become something we’re not. The Window World model works, and I believe in trusting that process.
For us, it’s about staying true to our roots, remembering where we came from, and continuing to provide homeowners with a quality product at a price that makes sense. That’s something I never want us to forget.