Avengers Stunt Double Turned Franchisee of Renew Crew, ProLift Garage Doors | Franchise News

Keil Zepernick’s strategy rising up was to be in a boy band. He even permed his hair in preparation. But when he grew to 6-foot-10, he figured he would make the other band associates look too limited, so he scrapped the thought and went for professional basketball as an alternative.

He played in the Countrywide Basketball Advancement League, now the NBA G League, before a tragic incident still left him partially paralyzed, briefly, in 2002. On top rated of that, “my agent took all my dollars and my fiancé left me, and I had still left higher education to be a superstar,” he recalled. “I experienced a literal come-to-Jesus second exactly where I recognized what is genuinely essential, and that I was not the most essential detail in the planet, as I feel a ton of young people come to feel like they are.”

A previous mentor attained out and provided to instruct Zepernick how to mentor basketball, so he used five decades mentoring younger people today even though at the same time working vocationally at a church. Whilst attending an “Indiana Jones” stunt present at Disneyland one 12 months, he was approached and asked if he’d ever be intrigued in being a stunt human being.

“I stated no, I didn’t believe that’d be a factor,” Zepernick mentioned, “but they continued to achieve out, and for the past 12 yrs, I’ve been a skilled negative dude.” He performed the stunt double for Josh Brolin’s character Thanos, a villain in the 2018 “Avengers: Infinity War,” for instance, in addition to executing stunts for other motion videos these kinds of as “John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum” and “Venom.”

“The most significant geek instant for myself—and I’ve generally preferred action films and some comic reserve stuff developing up—my most iconic memory was working on ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ and viewing Josh Brolin on his knees, I’m standing there, Chris Pratt is suitable in entrance of me, Tom Holland and Robert Downey Jr. are all in this area, all keeping on to me as I’m undertaking the action for Thanos,” he said, “and I’m standing below like, gentleman, I’m getting paid out for this. This is pretty crazy.”

But then the pandemic strike, and his Hollywood gigs ceased. “My wife was looking at me with our four little ones like, what are you gonna do now?” Zepernick stated. “I experienced no thought, but I actually preferred to established an example for our little ones and household of not sitting down again and waiting around for points to transpire, but forging forward and getting ahead of the curve.”

He commencing searching for prospective investment alternatives, and pondered opening an Amazon territory as nicely as various maid provider organizations. One working day, he arrived throughout Premium Service Models, a Virginia-centered franchisor of dwelling products and services concepts including 360° Painting, Maid Suitable, ProLift Garage Doorways, Handyman Pro, Kitchen Intelligent, Garbage Will work and Renew Crew, and favored the risk of opening a 2nd franchise underneath the same umbrella.

“I was excited about their structure and the companies they have, and the spouse and children they experienced produced within just the franchises, and I just considered, what is heading to be pandemic-proof?” Zepernick stated. He launched his Renew Crew franchise—an eco-pleasant resolution that rejuvenates wood and concrete—in April, and providers the Clermont, Lakeland and Celebration locations of Central Florida.

When requested how all of his past experiences translate into the new career, Zepernick reported the most valuable factor has been discovering to preserve himself on his toes.

“Going from getting a qualified athlete and digging in, comprehending, hey, you just acquired to get some thing accomplished and thrust as a result of, to coaching and understanding the larger picture than just a single human being, finding all people collectively to operate as a staff, to performing vocationally in ministry, to a stunt double and mastering what we can force ourselves physically to do, to stunt coordinating I’ve finished as well and comprehending far more of the spreadsheets—there’s a danger assessment every little thing has to go through in each and every a single of all those fields,” Zepernick stated.

“That’s been a enormous section of comprehending this, but it is definitely different. Seeking at spreadsheets and figures, understanding payroll and franchise charges, marketing and advertising, there are so quite a few sides far more in-depth than I’ve performed before, but all those people areas absolutely assisted me come to this stage I’m at now,” he included.

Zepernick will also open up a ProLift Garage Doors franchise, a garage set up and servicing company, “hopefully in the up coming couple months,” which will provider the exact parts of Central Florida.

“The person with the major understanding curve is me, but it’s been great, and I genuinely have appreciated doing the job with very first and foremost my mentor going for walks me as a result of the franchise stuff and holding my hand as I’m heading through every little thing,” Zepernick reported. “…It genuinely is great to have someone stroll you via it each individual phase of the way.”

The price to open a Renew Crew franchise are in between $100,375 and $142,500, and the vary for ProLift Garage Doorways is $103,600 to $143,500.

Keil Zepernick’s story is component of a Franchise Periods digital collection this thirty day period showcasing franchisee achievement stories. Simply click by means of for a lot more stories in the series all thirty day period.