The New Way to Franchise (And It’s Not a Store) Franchise Fridays with Jeff Dudan #184

Hey everybody. Jeff Duden here. Welcome back to Franchise Fridays. Let me hit you with a number. According to our very good friends at the International Franchise association, service based franchises, including home and property services like the great brands we have at Homefront Brands accounted for nearly 60% of franchise growth in the US last year. Now that's a clear signal that entrepreneurs are shifting away from traditional storefronts and leaning into flexible mobile models that deliver real results and many other characteristics that entrepreneurs of today are looking for. These businesses are flexible, they're profitable, and they're built to last. And in this episode, we're breaking down exactly why mobile service and property brands are dominating the franchise landscape and how you can use this model to become your own boss without the burden of a brick and mortar build out and expensive lease. If you're serious about owning a business with less overhead, faster ROI and long term relevance and click the link in the description below, grab a free copy of my book Discernment and see what we're building at Homefront Brands. Let's get you unemployed in the best way possible by franchising your way to freedom. Number one reason, low startup costs and fast path to profitability. Speed to dollar matters. Traditional businesses, many that you see on Main street usa, they require a lease. They require expensive buildouts, equipment, kitchens, wet walls, hoods, vents, tables, furniture and loads of inventory just to open your doors. Mobile service franchises, yes, ultimately you might get into a flex space or a warehouse or something like that when the business grows. But when you get started, totally different game. You start with a vehicle, you start with equipment and your hustle, your grit is all you need to start generating revenue. That means lower financial risk at the outset and faster time to cash flow. And that's more money going into your pocket and money that you can invest in your business, not your landlords. It's why so many first time owners choose this route and why so many are scaling to multiple trucks within their first few years. Number two, there's built in demand. You've heard me talk about this. Services are things that people are always going to need. And what I love about the property services, they solve these non negotiable, non discretionary problems. Look, when you have a leaky roof, you've got mold, you've got H VAC issues, you need an expansion or a remodel. These aren't optional, these are essential services. Everybody's going to need them and less people are doing them. And if you're the one that can provide those services, you can name your own Price and you can get the job. There is recession resistant demand in all of these services because when they need to be done, they need to be done now. These are unlike these trendy food spots that may be here today and gone tomorrow, or boutique gyms that has a workout that falls in and out of fashion. And like I say, you will never find a home front brands nestled comfortably between a Blockbuster video store and a Curves fitness franchise because there's no obsolescence in property services. These businesses never go out of style and they're tied to the very infrastructure of our lives. Where we need to live, where we need to work, and all of the places that we need to go on a daily basis need maintenance and service and upkeep. That's what gives home and property services that long term durability that we always talk about here at Homefront Brands. And for those who still want elements of a showroom or design focus space, we've got brands like the designery. Designery has a super sharp showroom. But we are still providing services in people's homes and people's businesses, in new construction, in remodels. It's a hybrid model with that sleek studio space, but still lives in the service economy. So you're uncapped about the kind of revenue that you can do inside of a service marketplace. You are not constrained by or the four walls of your business in any way, shape or form. And you keep the margin profile and the lower staffing needs and the ability to operate lean while delivering high value outcomes for your customers. It's proof that you can still create a beautiful consumer facing experience without the baggage of a full retail footprint where you're serving customers and you can only serve customers that happen to venture into the four walls of your business. Number three, high margin businesses with real cash flow. Look, the margin profile of service businesses does differ. How much product is there, how many materials are there. But at the end of the day they are. Lower percentage of overhead versus these storefront type businesses, lower percentage of rent, lower percentages of utilities, lower percentages of fixed staff waiting for people to come into your locations. And by virtue of that, the gross margins are naturally going to be higher. And in most service property brands you're delivering labor and expertise in addition to products, but not just products, which means you're charging for value and outcomes and the results that people get. You're not just selling them a product and people are walking out the door with it in their bellies or in their pockets. That translates into stronger margins and a Healthier business. I love the home service and property service industry, especially in today's economy because cash flow is king. Cash is like oxygen. You don't know how bad you need it until you don't have any. And this model puts you ahead on cash early in the lifecycle. Your business versus spending 5, 6, 7, $800,000 on an upfit and signing a million dollar lease guarantee. Home services, property services, they put you in better control of your wallet and you can get ahead of the game much faster. Number four, scalability without physical limits. Look, I've touched on it. A retail shop can only serve the customers that it can fit. So if you're a fitness studio, there is a limit of the number of spots that you have in your classes or the number of equipment that you have. If it's a restaurant, you've got only got a certain number of day parts and a certain number of tables. In a mobile service franchise, you go to them, you expand your territory, you expand your customer base, you expand your referral partners, you add vehicles, you add team and boom, you're scaling without having to build an entirely another building to increase your business. It's beautiful and it is scalable. And this is how entrepreneurs turn a single truck into multimillion dollar operations. I've seen it happen over and over again. Why can't it happen for you? Number five, freedom and flexibility. One of the biggest reasons people leave the nine to five is the lifestyle. Mobile service businesses allow you to control your schedule. Look, when your crews are out working, where are you? You could be doing estimates, you could be managing part of the business or you could be anywhere that you want to be that matters to you. You could be at your kids play or at a ball game or anywhere else. You don't have to be chained to this physical location. Work in the front desk, work in the cash register, delivering a class, whatever that is. These businesses adapt to market shifts and you can pivot as needed, all without being tethered to that physical location that once you build it, that's where it is. And that's the kind of freedom is why the model fits perfectly into the unemployable mindset. If you want to go where you want to go, when you want to go there, with whom you want to go, doing exactly what you want to do. Mobile services might be for you. You're building a life that works around your values, around the things that are important to you and not somebody else's schedule. Look, I've met so many franchise owners who Decided to take a chance and take the leap and step across the line and start it with the minimum one van, them doing the sales, a technician and boom. Next thing you know, you succeed in that opportunity. You win the opportunity to add vehicles, to add equipment, to add crews, and next thing you know you've got a thriving multivan or multi million dollar operation. You own your time and you built your your name as the face of that business in that community. And what made it work, A proven franchise model, strong support and somebody's willingness to say yes, I'm going to bet on myself. So if you're still picturing a business as a storefront like a McDonald's, which many people think of with a sign, big rent, big commercial kitchen, huge staff, customers coming to you, maybe you should flip the script. The franchise model has definitely evolved. Property and mobile service franchises are the new power move. 60% of the growth in the franchise sector is in this area because of the lower startup cost, the speed to dollar, the higher returns and the faster scale and ultimately the bigger scale so it can create a future for you that is yours and yours alone to build. If you're ready to start something real, head over to Homefront brands, check out our franchise opportunities all the way from van based single operator opportunities to sleek hybrid concepts like the designery and grab a free copy of my book Discernment the Business Athletes Regimen. For a great life through better decisions. This might just be your moment. Thanks for joining me on Franchise Fridays. I enjoy doing it so much and I enjoy getting the opportunity to talk to people who are interested in changing their life for the better through franchising. And if you are seeing franchising in a new light today, hit that. Like subscribe and subscribe and share it with someone who's ready to become unemployable. Until next time, I'm Jeff Duden. Stay sharp, stay focused and stay on the home front. Let's get you unemployed in the best way possible. Thanks for listening.