Then & Now: Janacek seeks growth in remodeling business

Editor’s Note: The following story appeared in the Dec. 19 issue of the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal. “Then & Now” is a profile of a past member of the Business Journal’s Forty Under 40 class.

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Jonathan Janacek, president of Janacek Remodeling in Rogers, has worked full-time in the family business for more than 20 years.

He looks to grow the business, develop as a leader and help the company’s employees in their professional development. He said the outcome will increase revenue.

“But that’s not my intended goal behind the growth,” he added. “It’s to help us all be more efficient with our time, better use of our planning and make sure that we’re providing the customers with the best service possible.”

In 2010, Janacek worked in sales and design for the family business when the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal named him to the Forty Under 40 class. He was promoted to project manager before he became vice president of operations. He explained that the previous roles allowed him to work on the business instead of on the jobs. That has allowed him to grow the company in other areas.

In May, Janacek, 40, was named company president after celebrating the retirement of his father, Tim Janacek, after 35 years in the industry. His father and mother remain CEO and chief financial officer, respectively.

He said he’d worked toward becoming the president throughout his career and that his father hoped he would step into the role.

“Over the last eight years or so, I saw that I could help take the company to the next level,” he said. “The first generation does all the hard work to create the business, get it off the ground and establish the name and reputation. And the second generation can continue to thrive and grow the company to the next level.”

About nine years ago, the company rebranded from Janacek Construction to better reflect the business. The full-service remodeling company specializes in renovations, remodeling and room additions.

“Nobody else in our market called themselves a remodeling company,” he said. Even if they did remodeling work, the companies would use construction in their name but not remodeling.

The company has occasionally completed new home construction, especially when a past client wants a new home. In April, he said the company completed a five-year project to build a 10,000-square-foot home in Fayetteville.

“It was a one-of-a-kind, not-to-be-duplicated-again project that allowed us all sorts of creativity,” he said. “It finished out to be a landmark of downtown Fayetteville.”

Asked whether the company is being impacted by the broader economic challenges, such as high inflation, rising interest rates and possibly a recession, he said clients have scaled back on project scopes but continue to move forward with the work.

He noted that sales have been great this year, and he expects revenue to rise by about 8.5% in 2022 from 2021. He added that 2023 looks good for the company based on signed contracts.

“We feel that NWA is kind of a bubble from the rest of the country,” he said. “But we still have noticed a little bit of an impact from the economy.”

He said economic slowdowns are never fun, but they provide an opportunity to focus on areas that need to be refined, such as improving the customer experience and the ability to manage projects more efficiently.

“The faster you can get a kitchen remodel done, the happier the client is going to be,” he said.

On average, the company completes about 40 jobs annually in Northwest Arkansas. The company has 11 employees.

In 2019, Remodeling Magazine named the company to its Big 50 class, comprising 50 remodelers nationwide that show excellence in business practices and work quality. Over the next five years, Janacek’s goal is to double the company’s revenue.

Between 2019 and 2021, he was an adjunct professor at NorthWest Arkansas Community College (NWACC) and taught construction methods. In 2019, he earned an associate degree in construction technology from NWACC. In 2020, he received the Dick Trammel Outstanding Alumni Award.

Janacek and his wife, Sarah, reside in Bella Vista and have two children, Jake, 7, and Sadie, 2. He enjoys hunting deer and elk and assistant coaching for his son’s soccer team. He supports NWACC, Restoration Village and Sheep Dog Impact Assistance.