By Tina Smithers Peckham
Challenging Convention with
FENBLIK, Inc. CEO Lee Webster
FENBLIK sources the finest windows and doors from around the world
If you ask enterprising FENBLIK, Inc. CEO Lee Webster how he might describe himself in a single word, he may well respond by saying he is a “challenger” — yet certainly not in an aggressive or obnoxious manner. Merely, he’s a curious man who’s always up for the challenge and doesn’t shy away from asking the hard questions.
“I am by nature an inquisitive person, and find a lot of gratification in pursuing excellence, both personally and professionally,” Lee shares. “So, whether I’m challenging myself or the conventional wisdom of those around me, it’s sort of an organic and natural thing that I do subconsciously. I believe it has resulted in deeper and more meaningful relationships as a husband, father, friend, boss, business owner and trade partner and has led me to finding valuable opportunities and solutions others may have overlooked.”
A Fortuitous Circumstance…
Such was the case in 2011, when Lee seized a unique opportunity to become the exclusive USA importer of luxury windows and doors manufactured by Gaulhofer, a fifth-generation family-owned company located in a small rural town in Austria — one whose otherwise claim to fame is Arnold Schwarzenegger’s beloved birthplace and childhood home.
In the midst of an increasingly fragile housing market, Lee and his wife, Amanda, already fully owned and operated Amanda Webster Design, Inc., a high-end interior design firm in Jacksonville Beach.
“At the time, friends and colleagues thought I was crazy to start a construction-related company while in the midst of a worldwide economic collapse and very little ongoing construction,” Lee recalls. “But to me, this made perfect sense: Times of crisis have a way of thinning the herd and restructuring markets which creates space for new companies to enter. So, in my mind, it was the perfect time, and in our first full calendar year of doing business, we managed to produce over $800,000 in gross sales. And this was with a completely unfamiliar brand and product unique to the American market.”
…Becomes a Booming Business
Despite these hurdles, by the summer of 2014 FENBLIK had generated additional sales and formed relationships with a growing number of key architects throughout Florida and the United States.
Lee celebrated the company’s rewarding three-year anniversary with an official grand opening bash. Attendees included acting CEO Dr. Manfred Gaulhofer and additional high-level executives from Austria, who enjoyed authentic Austrian beer and cuisine while right here in Jacksonville — they were also greeted with a personal recording from Arnold Schwarzenegger himself, who wished Gaulhofer, his fellow countrymen, and FENBLIK mutual success in America. Pretty amazing!
Over the course of the next seven years, Lee gradually expanded the company’s exceptional product offerings to nearly 20 domestic and European lines, ranging in quality and price point. From well-known domestic lines such as Sierra Pacific, Andersen, and JELD-WEN, to ultra-high-end boutique lines that are as beautiful to look at and operate as they are impressive in their engineering.
Closer to home sits this Ponte Vedra Beach custom-built estate designed by Amanda Webster Design and outfitted with superb windows and doors by FENBLIK. Photos by Jessie Preza Photography.
The FENBLIK Difference
Many window and door dealers make sales the ultimate priority and go to great lengths to distance themselves from doing anything that would potentially cause liability. FENBLIK is completely different in that they place the customer’s best interest above any self-serving agenda, owning the entire process from start to finish. Their internal estimating and design team provides custom unit details and drawings as needed, engineering support, shop drawings (including surrounding wall conditions), coordination of delivery and offload of goods, complete waterproofing and installation, and ongoing service and warranty assistance for every product sold.
“We are extremely confident in our internal systems plus installation and service teams in the field. We know things will be done correctly, so handling these functions internally is our best insurance policy that information will be communicated accurately, and that the quality of the materials used in the field, and competency of the labor doing the work, are all the very highest possible,” Lee explains, adding, “And should there ever be a failure somehow, there’s no finger pointing about who did what, when and how. Rather, the buck stops with us and our team.”
A man dedicated to his craft, FENBLIK, Inc. CEO Lee Webster inspects a recent home renovation project.
FENBLIK is frequently the supplier of choice for luxury windows and doors throughout Northeast Florida.
This unique perspective has earned Lee and his team the reputation as a trusted resource and valuable trade partner, which in turn has allowed the company to successfully win and complete projects in 21 states and counting, as well as the Caribbean. Thankfully, for those of us on the First Coast, there’s no need to fly in “Lee and company” to bring their unparalleled window and door expertise to bear in one’s home or office. They are but a stone’s throw away right here in Jacksonville Beach. Learn more at fenblik.com.
Thank you to Lee Webster and the FENBLIK team for sponsoring this post and providing some of the finest custom and innovative windows and doors in the United States.
