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Franchise owners Us lawns/grounds guys

84K views 95 replies 29 participants last post by  cpllawncare 
#1 ·
I have been in the lawn care industry for about 15 or so years.
Ive recentlky been offered the oppurtunity to fly out to Orlando and learn more about being a franchise owner for Us lawns. I was hoping to get sme feedback frm some franchise owners out there. Good and bad and things that i may not be expecting. I like the Us lawns brand, vs the Grounds Guys.(and we have grounds guys here already). I understand you get alot training to go out bid propertys to make money, on the other hand how did the process go for you in the begining? What would you have done diffrent?
 
#3 ·
franchise fees, minimum cash on hand, trucks are all taken care of as far as that goes. I was very skeptical at first. The franchise fee was the main thing for me, I did not see a benfit of dropping a bunch of cash on the table, and they hand me a book. But after speaking with the US Lwns rep for the last month, I really like what Im hearing. Ive been stuck at the same gross income give or take 20k a year for the last 5 years. I just cant seem to break into that ever elusive moment where you sit back and say to yourself, this is what its all about.
 
#7 ·
I cant speak for being an owner but I can give a little light on the work i've seen. Just bid a prop us lawns had. They were fired b/c of poor performance. I spent sometime with the maint mgnr he flat out said they were awful. I've seen the work and agree. Mulching leaves of turf till they are so thick you can't see grass. Bid calls for mulch @ 3" they were lucky if it was 1.5. Fert/weeds in bid haven't been done at all. Seperate lot to be brushhogged nothing. List goes on. Long story short they were canned but they rebid and got it due to price. I bid @ $2500 ea month they got it @ $1700. Thier price and work match. Just based on what I have seen with this and other props I don't to be near them not to mention having that name on my truck.
 
#8 ·
I cant speak for being an owner but I can give a little light on the work i've seen. Just bid a prop us lawns had. They were fired b/c of poor performance. I spent sometime with the maint mgnr he flat out said they were awful. I've seen the work and agree. Mulching leaves of turf till they are so thick you can't see grass. Bid calls for mulch @ 3" they were lucky if it was 1.5. Fert/weeds in bid haven't been done at all. Seperate lot to be brushhogged nothing. List goes on. Long story short they were canned but they rebid and got it due to price. I bid @ $2500 ea month they got it @ $1700. Thier price and work match. Just based on what I have seen with this and other props I don't to be near them not to mention having that name on my truck.
I think the fact that the work was not up to par would be the franchise owners lack of manager(s) paying attention or just having one. All companys are guilty or have been guilty at some point of not doing all that they should or could for the customer. On a positive note, from what the prop. manager was saying to you and how unhappy he was, its not easy to get another shot at submitting a bid and to win it, they were doing something right...
 
#9 ·
For a lot less money I can get a new 1/2 truck, good sized open trailer, 2-3 mowers, edger, line trimmer, hedge trimmer, chain saw. Buy a ton of advertising. Have a lot of money left over, not pay 3% off the top.
but you can also flip burgers, so why buy a mcdonalds.. theres soemthing to be said about the systems they can give you. im sure most large companies spends a lot more than 100k developing good systems within there company..
a properly developed franchise could be well worth it...
 
#11 ·
Why buy a franchise for $100,000 then pay 3% of your gross, then $275 evry month for advertising.

When for $100,000 I can buy 2 trucks, two trailers, 2 large and small mowers, 2 blowers, 2 line trimmers, 2 stick edgers.

But then I'll be complaining I can't find 2 good crew leaders and two good workers.

Then spend $275 on your own advertising and keep the 3% of your gross.

My business has been growing to slow. All I can afford is to put out flyers that I can run off for free at my evening job.

I wish I had the $275 a month to spend on advertising.
 
#13 ·
I got a call from US Lawns last week. This lady was trying to tell me all these great things about the company and that we should consider it. When i told her we have over 20 employees she hung up almost immediately.
Posted via Mobile Device
So did you consider it? Also if I had 100k in capital to spend I would invest it into the business anyway. So what are the benefits of the franchise other than the marketing aspect?
 
#14 ·
Why buy a franchise for $100,000 then pay 3% of your gross, then $275 evry month for advertising.

When for $100,000 I can buy 2 trucks, two trailers, 2 large and small mowers, 2 blowers, 2 line trimmers, 2 stick edgers.

But then I'll be complaining I can't find 2 good crew leaders and two good workers.

Then spend $275 on your own advertising and keep the 3% of your gross.

My business has been growing to slow. All I can afford is to put out flyers that I can run off for free at my evening job.

I wish I had the $275 a month to spend on advertising.
Your response is interesting. You say that it is a bad deal but then you say that you would have trouble finding good people and that you don't have any money for advertising.

Buying a franchise is much more than simply getting vinyl letters to stick on a shiny new truck. It is about buying into a proven system for doing business. It sounds to me from your post that your business is not doing well (not trying to knock you but that just seems to be the fact). If you had a proven system to follow for employees, equipment, advertising, maintenance, etc, etc, I bet you would be doing a lot better.

But I would still like to hear from the OP as to why US Lawns was better.
 
#15 ·
"Your response is interesting. You say that it is a bad deal but then you say that you would have trouble finding good people and that you don't have any money for advertising."

Humor. People complain all the time here how hard it is to find good people to work for them.

"Buying a franchise is much more than simply getting vinyl letters to stick on a shiny new truck. It is about buying into a proven system for doing business."

Yes franchises are a proven way of making money for the franchiser.

"It sounds to me from your post that your business is not doing well (not trying to knock you but that just seems to be the fact). If you had a proven system to follow for employees, equipment, advertising, maintenance, etc, etc, I bet you would be doing a lot better."

I don't need a franchiser to tell what equipment to buy. How to keep records. Find employees, I do all of my maintenance and most repairs and franchiser's don't do that let alone teach you how to be a mechanic or supply you with a set of tools.

I have a very good profit margin and able to keep my costs low. Where I live there is a lot of LCO's. People that are happy are not going to give me their work just because I put a flyer at their home.

I have good retention. What I don't have is the volume of business to afford to do every thing I want with the business. This is my 2nd year after break from long ago. As many that start out here we don't have $100,000 to buy everything all at once and to give $100,000 to a franchiser.

If I had $200,000 and others here had $200,000 I bet you many would consider other business options.

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#16 ·
Your response is interesting. You say that it is a bad deal but then you say that you would have trouble finding good people and that you don't have any money for advertising.

Buying a franchise is much more than simply getting vinyl letters to stick on a shiny new truck. It is about buying into a proven system for doing business. It sounds to me from your post that your business is not doing well (not trying to knock you but that just seems to be the fact). If you had a proven system to follow for employees, equipment, advertising, maintenance, etc, etc, I bet you would be doing a lot better.

But I would still like to hear from the OP as to why US Lawns was better.
So what else do I get for 100k down, 3300 in marketing, and my minimum yearly dues of 2k? I mean other than an employee handbook, marketing assistance, some flashy signage and a few seminars. What TANGIBLE assets are received from this investment? Like 32 said, for 100k I could do A LOT of things to improve my business.
 
#18 ·
So what else do I get for 100k down, 3300 in marketing, and my minimum yearly dues of 2k? I mean other than an employee handbook, marketing assistance, some flashy signage and a few seminars. What TANGIBLE assets are received from this investment? Like 32 said, for 100k I could do A LOT of things to improve my business.
I can't really speak to US Lawns. That was why I was asking the OP for input. However, I do have some experience with other franchise models.

First of all, it doesn't cost 100K to be come a franchisee - at least not usually. If you buy new truck, trailer, mowers, computer etc, then it might cost 100K but for most people, the cost would be significantly less. It is not as if you are spending 100K and then you have to buy all of your equipment.

You get a proven system. I don't know if that means much to you or not but it means a lot to me. Case in point: 2 years ago, I decided to do Christmas lights for my customers. I did a few jobs but didn't really make much profit. The next year, I followed the system that Holidynamics put together and I did about 10 times the volume. I followed a proven system and it worked.

You also get support. With a good franchise, you can bet that whatever problem you are facing has been faced by someone else already. You have access to their knowledge and that problem doesn't have to sink you. That is support from other franchisees and the parent company as well. Being out there on your own is totally different than having 100 people at your back to help you be successful.

You may get accounts. National franchises get national accounts. For example, your franchise may do business with insurance companies and when you joined the franchise you would take over that portion of the business for your own area.

Twice in the past I have followed some else's proven systems (they weren't franchises though). Both times I experience way better results than if I had simply done it on my own.

I don't know if that is what you consider tangible or not but that is what you get. You are right, you could do a lot with 100K in a business. However, you and I both know people who bought a truck and a mower and said that they were in business and fell flat on their face. A franchise will not give you the truck and mower, but if you provide your own truck and mower, they will give you the systems and support that you need to make money with that setup. That is worth a lot to me.
 
#19 ·
For those that don't understand systems, marketing, networking and basic business practices a franchise would be great. Its a good in between working for someone and running your own business.

But for a true entrepreneur I feel its a bad option. If you need help in certain areas there are plenty of classes, seminars and workshops you can attend to help your business skills. Or you could even hire a business coach to take you to the next level all at a fraction of the cost.
 
#20 ·
So did you consider it? Also if I had 100k in capital to spend I would invest it into the business anyway. So what are the benefits of the franchise other than the marketing aspect?
Not even for a second.
We are a good sized corporation and we do not need anyone telling us how to run our business.
We are M&S Landscaping, it took us 20 years to get to where we are and to build the reputation we have today.
Take pride in your work and you will be set apart from your competitors, let that be your marketing. Let people physically see that you are better then the rest and they will have no problem paying top dollar for your service.
We are never the cheapest bid, actually we are always the most expensive. You win some you lose some, but its nice havin nothing but top dollar paying accounts.
Posted via Mobile Device
 
#22 ·
I don't know the inner workings of these lawn franchise businesses, but don't you get benefits like preferential pricing? I would imagine that a place like US Lawns could get you equipment or chemicals at some pretty steep discounts. I'm thinking it would be easier to make a profit when you're paying 20% less for a truck than your competitors and you're paying 30-40% less for your chems than anyone else in town.

I think someone also said there might be some type of support network to plug in to. Equipment problems, labor problems, lawn problems, customer problems -- I bet these guys have seen just about everything and have a way to handle it. Think about all the people who come to Lawnsite asking questions about all sorts of things. You get all sorts of answers from people you only know by a screen name. In a franchise, I'm thinking you could just send an email or pick up the phone and talk to someone you know personally.

If I don't watch out, I might almost talk myself into it :)
 
#23 ·
Not even for a second.
We are a good sized corporation and we do not need anyone telling us how to run our business.
We are M&S Landscaping, it took us 20 years to get to where we are and to build the reputation we have today.
Take pride in your work and you will be set apart from your competitors, let that be your marketing. Let people physically see that you are better then the rest and they will have no problem paying top dollar for your service.
We are never the cheapest bid, actually we are always the most expensive. You win some you lose some, but its nice havin nothing but top dollar paying accounts.
Posted via Mobile Device
and that's the attitude you have to have to get to the next level!
 
#25 ·
I don't know the inner workings of these lawn franchise businesses, but don't you get benefits like preferential pricing? I would imagine that a place like US Lawns could get you equipment or chemicals at some pretty steep discounts. I'm thinking it would be easier to make a profit when you're paying 20% less for a truck than your competitors and you're paying 30-40% less for your chems than anyone else in town.

I think someone also said there might be some type of support network to plug in to. Equipment problems, labor problems, lawn problems, customer problems -- I bet these guys have seen just about everything and have a way to handle it. Think about all the people who come to Lawnsite asking questions about all sorts of things. You get all sorts of answers from people you only know by a screen name. In a franchise, I'm thinking you could just send an email or pick up the phone and talk to someone you know personally.

If I don't watch out, I might almost talk myself into it :)
That is a benefit that I forgot to mention. Material discounts can really add up if you use a lot.

You not only have a network to plug into to give advice but, to some extent, you would have a network that is able to solve your problems. For example, I am definitely not an office guy. I decided to hire an office manager. Well, it turns out that although he is exceptionally organized and handles the customers well, there were certain things in Quickbooks that were entered wrongly. We had to spend a lot of time fixing those things. That error could have been avoided if I had my accountant do all of the work but I don't have the money to pay an accountant to do book work. I assume that with a franchise, you would have access to professional bookkeeping services that would save time, money, and frustration on your part. That is worth something too.
 
#26 ·
I don't know the inner workings of these lawn franchise businesses, but don't you get benefits like preferential pricing? I would imagine that a place like US Lawns could get you equipment or chemicals at some pretty steep discounts.
You own a McDonalds you find a place where you can buy anything 1/2 of what Mc charges you still have to buy from Mc.

7 11, many of those franchises go out of business. The corp allows competiting 7 11's to be too close. You can't sell anything unless it comes from 7 11 corporate.

Gas stations when they were in the business to run repair shops instead of selling junk food you had to buy many of the parts you used for repairs through the Oil Co's.

I knew people that bought a print shop franchise. All print shop franchises were sold as turn key operations. Their training from corp did not give them the skills to do the actual printing, and they did not have enough business to afford to hire a skilled employee.

Still think franchise's are all that great.

Pretty much all of the franchise pizza places that opened up are gone on Long Island. Too many independently own pizzerias where even the average pizzeria has a much better product then what is offered from the franchise pizza places.
 
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