10 years running a Jim's Mowing franchise
Key Takeaways
- Kevin transitioned from 14 years in plumbing retail to running a successful Jim's Mowing franchise after seeing an advertisement on his Facebook feed.
- By focusing on local service, Kevin maintains 80 to 90 regular clients where every property is within a 15-minute drive from his home.
- Kevin successfully grew his client base to 140 before strategically selling splits to avoid working seven days a week.
- Building a strong reputation allowed Kevin to rely primarily on word-of-mouth referrals rather than purchasing ongoing leads.
- Kevin lost 10 kilos in his first three months on the job, achieving what he calls being 'mowing fit' while managing intense physical labor.
Kevin started his Jim's Mowing franchise on 1 August with 35 clients and doubled his client base by October.
He spent 14 years managing plumbing retail stores, on call 24/7, before a Jim's Mowing ad on his Facebook feed pulled him into mowing.
Ten years on, he runs 80 to 90 clients on his own, every one within 15 minutes of home, and most new work arrives through referrals rather than leads.
In this episode, Kevin explains how he grew to 140 clients, then sold splits to stop working seven days a week.
He shares how he prices edging, garden beds and footpaths, and why he messages every client the night before with an AM or PM window. You'll hear what "mowing fit" means after he lost 10 kilos in his first three months.
He also tells the story of a yard left untouched for three years, a $1,900 cleanup, and the property he still mows three owners later.
If you are weighing up a lawn mowing franchise in Australia, start with Kevin's answer to one question: why didn't he do this sooner?
0:00 Intro
1:15 From plumbing retail to Jim's Mowing
3:04 Growing on referrals, not leads
5:53 Equipment and battery tools
7:25 How to quote a mowing job
9:53 Advice before buying a franchise
12:08 Getting mowing fit
14:04 Life outside mowing: Masters hockey
16:29 A 3-year overgrown yard cleanup
19:36 Plans for the next 10 years
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Frequently Asked Questions
How did Kevin start his Jim's Mowing franchise?
Kevin started his franchise with 35 initial clients and doubled that base within his first two months by delivering reliable local service.
How many clients does a Kevin Jim's Mowing franchise typically manage?
Kevin personally manages between 80 and 90 clients on his own, keeping all of his jobs within a convenient 15-minute radius of his home.
What is Kevin's strategy for getting new clients in Jim's Mowing?
Instead of relying on paid leads, the vast majority of Kevin's new work and business growth arrives through organic client referrals.
How does Kevin manage his schedule with Jim's Mowing clients?
Kevin maintains great communication by messaging every single client the night before their scheduled service to provide a specific AM or PM window.