From franchisee to franchisor: how Mitch built his Jim's Mowing region

Mitch Blake spends five and a half hours a day on the phone with his franchisees, plus around 100 text messages on top. Mitch is a Jim's Mowing franchisor in regional New South Wales who started as a franchisee before taking over a region. Mitch breaks down forecasting through winter, including the franchisee who found $30,000 of work booked for June once he mapped it out. He covers the self-qualification process, the time he turned someone away after they had finished training, and why customer service is the one thing that separates the people who succeed. He explains how one franchisee's viral day-in-the-life video drove a flood of enquiries, the referral scheme it sparked, and how upselling once-off work changed his own income as a franchisee. If you are weighing up a Jim's Mowing franchise, this is an honest look at the support, the work, and the lifestyle behind it. 0:00 Why winter is busier than you think 0:51 Meet Mitch Black, Jim's Mowing franchisor 1:20 Attracting like-minded franchisees 3:20 5 hours a day on the phone 4:21 More support than a business coach 4:45 Helping a franchisee plan cash flow 6:31 Forecasting through winter 8:34 Coaching franchisees for the cold months 10:32 Dashant's growth story 12:19 Running a demo day 13:39 The viral day-in-the-life video 14:02 The new referral scheme 17:17 Why customers trust the local franchisee 17:52 Personal branding for franchisees 20:21 How the modern buyer journey works 20:51 Calling a lead straight away 23:03 What makes his franchisees succeed 24:25 The self-qualification process 25:05 Turning someone away after training 26:26 The red flags he watches for 29:31 The hardest part of being a franchisor 31:00 Mental health training for franchisors 31:55 The best part of the job 34:32 Building culture in a region 36:23 The customer service difference 37:52 The 79 regulars story 39:16 Upselling and once-off work 41:04 The future of Jim's Mowing 43:04 New services on the way 44:00 Regmo and pricing up your run 46:12 Young people choosing small business 47:35 Corporate burnout to freedom 52:06 The health and lifestyle upside 53:37 Being present for family 55:00 Areas for sale and local marketing 57:00 Wrap up SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHANNEL https://www.youtube.com/user/JimsGrou... 👉 Subscribe for real business advice, franchisee stories, and how-to tips. 👉 Call 131 546 or visit jims.net to start your own franchise. 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 We’re also recruiting. In 2024 alone, 245,000+ leads went un-serviced. If you want guaranteed work, full training, and the backing of Jim’s, we’d love to hear from you. Start here 📌 Get a quote: https://jims.net/services 📌 Own a franchise: https://jims.net/own-a-franchise 📞 AUS: 131 546 | NZ: 0800 454 654 Follow Jim’s Group on socials @jimsgroupofficial. Listen to Jim’s Podcast on Spotify, iTunes, or YouTube. #jimsgroup #franchise