Nathan asked his boss for a pay rise after getting married.
The answer was no, so he quit and bought a Jim's Mowing franchise in Melbourne.
Twelve months later, he earns 10 times what he made as a plumbing labourer.
Nathan grew up helping his dad, a Jim's Mowing franchisee for 28 years, and never planned to follow him. At 27, with a new mortgage and bills to pay, he changed his mind.
In this episode of the Jim's Mowing podcast, Nathan walks through his first year as a lawn mowing franchisee in Australia: the wins, the setbacks, and the systems he built along the way.
He explains how he uses ChatGPT to send quotes before he leaves the driveway, how one text to more than 500 past leads fills his winter, and why he wears the cost when a supplier runs out of mulch.
He also covers a same-day request that turned into a multi-day commercial cleanup after eight independent gardeners said no, the myth that franchisees hand Jim 50% of their earnings, and his new deal as a Bushranger brand ambassador.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
Why Nathan chases every lead, even the ones he struggles to reach for weeks
How he fills winter by texting his entire lead history
How he prices jobs and why he refuses to haggle
How his franchisor and regional WhatsApp group help him cover jobs
His plan to put a second trailer on the road
0:00 Intro
0:46 Growing up on Dad's mowing round
1:50 The pay rise that never came
3:11 Committing to a big investment
4:30 Training and quoting with ChatGPT
6:49 First 12 months and chasing leads
8:26 Weather and supplier stock problems
11:36 Finding casual crew
12:18 Winter: texting 500 past leads
14:38 Pricing and refusing to haggle
16:57 Turf installs and brand trust
19:46 The same-day commercial job
22:04 The 50% fee myth
24:15 Becoming a Bushranger ambassador
26:16 Battery vs petrol
29:08 Biggest job so far
31:05 Dad's 30 years with Jim's
32:44 Earnings and franchise fees
34:09 Family, fitness and holidays
36:33 Plans for a second trailer
38:37 Franchisor and regional support
43:19 Parking a big trailer
44:05 Advice for younger guys
INCOME DISCLAIMER
The income, revenue and profit figures shared in this video reflect one franchisee's individual experience. They are not a promise, projection or guarantee of earnings. Results vary based on location, hours worked, effort, skill, market conditions and other factors. Some franchisees earn more and some earn less. Figures may refer to revenue rather than profit unless stated otherwise. Before making any decision, review the official franchise documentation and seek independent legal, financial and accounting advice.
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Jim’s Group is Australia and New Zealand’s largest home services brand with over 580 divisions. Our franchisees complete 5 million+ jobs every year.
Here’s what you’ll find here:
Straight advice from Jim Penman on business and franchising
Franchisee success stories and behind-the-scenes insight
Practical how-to guides for home and business services
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