An Insider’s Guide to Buying a Home Services Franchise

Category Archive: Tips

1. An Insider’s Guide to Buying a Home Services Franchise

   August 16, 2019 1:24 pm

   

   So you’re ready to take control of your future by investing in a franchise. It probably feels equal parts exciting and daunting, but you’ve done some research, and know that buying a franchise gives you the best of both worlds: the freedom to be your own boss, with the back-end systems and support of a trusted brand to set you up for success.

   Now what? Buying a franchise can seem like a complex process, but knowledge is power, and preparation is key.

   Why Choose a Home Services Franchise?

   The exterior cleaning industry is valued at $10 billion dollars annually, with 5% year-over-year growth for the past five years – so there’s that. There’s also the strong profit margins, high-demand and recurring revenue model that make home services such a valuable option.

   Shack Shine has taken this a step further, by uniting several fragmented industries with no clear market leader under a one-stop shop: ‘house detailing’. The services aren’t new, but the way we’re innovating a space that’s been around for forever – that is. 

   Being in the house detailing business means you’ll have multiple revenue streams ensuring jobs on your schedule all year round, from window washing in the spring and roof cleaning in the summer, to gutter cleaning in the fall and installing Christmas lights in the winter.

   The best part? All of these revenue streams repeat season after season and year after year, so that you can build a loyal, long-term customer base, and predictable, recurring revenue.

   You also have the unique opportunity to up-sell: a gutter cleaning appointment could be expanded to include power-washing a deck, for example. Or perhaps your team will convert someone into a future Christmas lights customer – the possibilities are endless.

   And for someone like you, who’s hungry to break free from the 9-5 and get started, choosing a franchise business means that a lot of the legwork has been done for you, so that you can be operational and booking jobs within a couple of months.

   

   So… what next?

   The first step is getting in contact with your chosen brand – Shack Shine or otherwise, for information on what types of opportunities are available in your market. Our Franchise Development Managers do this with a simple phone call.

   Next is a deeper conversation around your background and experience, to determine if you’re the right fit for the brand, and if the brand is the right fit for you.

   The third step is more of a stage – the due diligence stage. This will help you understand the market conditions in the territory you’re interested in and what success could look like for you. Shack Shine follows up with a financial forecast tool and arranges calls with existing franchise partners, so that you can ask about their experiences.

   The fourth and final step is when you’re awarded your franchise, can sign your legal documents, pay your initial franchise fees, and begin your new life as a business owner!

   Owning a franchise means that you are part of something bigger and that you’re set up for success, but it still takes hard work, grit, and good leadership skills to get your business off the ground. It won’t be easy and it won’t be luck – but it’ll be yours to build, yours to own, and yours to make a success.

   If you’re interested in learning more about Shack Shine, reach out and contact us today – we’re here to help.

   LEARN MORE

2. Should I franchise or start a business from scratch?

   December 4, 2018 3:09 pm

   

   Image Credit: William Iven

   If you’re ready to take control of your own future and make the dream of owning a painting business reality, you’re probably wondering which is easier — starting from scratch or franchising. Let’s discuss the pros and cons of both, looking at costs, resources and time commitments.

   FRANCHISING

    

   Research

   Choosing a franchise business means that a lot of the legwork has been done for you, so that you can hit the ground running and be operational fast. From the very first step you’ll be supported, with access to resources to investigate your market and understand the competitive landscape of the home services industry in your territory.

   Costs

   There are always costs associated with starting your own business. Franchise ownership requires an initial investment, then regular franchise fees. With this comes an entire team of people and processes to support you on your road to success. As a franchise partner you’re a member of a family – and you’ll never feel alone because you have a network to fall back on.

   Operations

   Franchising eliminates the guesswork that is an inevitable part of start-ups, with a proven operations and management system already established. Shack Shine Franchise Partners have everything they need to launch their business — ongoing support throughout their entrepreneurial adventure. This includes training on day-to-day operations, resources to recruit and train employees, and access to a centralised sales centre, which allows you to focus on growing your business, rather than getting bogged down in time-consuming admin and setting up appointments.

   Marketing

   Unlike starting a business from scratch, becoming a franchise owner means that you are a valued part of a trusted, recognized brand, backed by a centralised Marketing and PR team on both a local and a national level. Owning a franchise is essentially being handed the keys to a fully branded business, ready for your hard work and ambition to create your success story.

   Time Commitment

   One reason people decide to start their own business is that they want greater flexibility and the freedom to set their own schedule, so that they can spend more time with family. Franchising offers this, and offers it faster: thanks to the support and established systems that allow you to be operational and booking jobs in just a couple of months. Shack Shine’s centralised call centre also helps, because you can enjoy family time secure in the knowledge that your jobs are being booked, even as you play with your kids. Work hard, play hard has never been more true!

   STARTING YOUR OWN BUSINESS FROM SCRATCH

    

   Research

   The first step of building your business from the ground up is research, research, research. You’ll need to investigate the current market to determine demand, what kind of services your competition offer, how you will reach potential clients, and more. This will help you put together a strategic business roadmap, laying out what kind of business you want to start, sales territory, and the level of investment capital required. This roadmap should also take into account vendors, lead generation opportunities (i.e. marketing) and define critical business roles.

   Costs

   You’ll need more than just supplies when it comes to initial investment. Also on your list should be software (for CRM, payroll etc.), office supplies, and branded assets such as vehicle logos, uniforms, lawn signs and business cards. Additionally, you should account for potential legal costs associated with setting up your company – you’ll need a business license, liability insurance, an employer identification number and taxpayer identification number, for starters.

   Operations

   It takes time and effort to set up the operations and management side of any business, and there’s always going to be a period of ‘trial and error’, so it’s good to be prepared. From systems and technology, to recruitment and the customer journey, you need to have all bases covered. For example, finding reliable employees can be a challenge, and there are several things you need to think about when hiring. Ideally you should develop a recruitment handbook, create a company vision, and construct adequate training procedures that won’t disrupt daily workflow.

   Marketing

   When starting a business from scratch, you need to think hard about branding and marketing. What will make your business stand out? How will you generate leads, and establish a customer base? How will you book jobs and handle customer service? Branding is just one part of your overall marketing strategy – to generate awareness and business you need to think about ad buy, social media, seasonal campaigns and more. In fact, managing your marketing and reputation can be a full time job in itself.

   Time Commitment

   It’s important to go into business ownership with your eyes wide open, and with the knowledge that it can be a very slow process to get things moving or start seeing revenue turn into profit. You’re building something from the ground up – that takes time and effort. Recruiting takes time. Brand recognition and building a customer base takes time. Establishing a working system of processes takes time. Staying realistic and managing expectations is key.

   WHICH ONE IS RIGHT FOR YOU?

    

   Contact us – we’re more than happy to answer any questions you may have. Shack Shine offers franchises across Canada and the United States, with the scale, brand, and critical support to help you build your business fast, so that you can start making money as soon as possible.

3. A Guide to Gutter Maintenance

   March 30, 2017 9:14 pm

   Spring is officially here! Even if it’s not quite warm enough to shrug off the coats and sweaters just yet, it is a good time to start thinking about spring home maintenance.

   That probably has you thinking about cleaning your windows, and power washing your deck to get it ready for summer. While those are important things to take care of in spring, there’s also another bit of maintenance that often gets overlooked in spring: gutter cleaning.

   

   If you thought you only had to worry about gutter cleaning in the late fall, you’re not alone. It’s a common misconception. Exactly how often you need them cleaned varies a great deal based on where you live. If you happen to live in an area with lots of evergreen trees, you’ll probably need to get them done 2 or 3 times a year, since these trees continue to drop leaves and needles all year round. Weather can play a big factor too; a particularly fierce spring storm can easily fill your gutters with leaves and debris, leaving you with an overflow situation.

   

   Aside from trees, nature has a few other ways to clog up your gutters. Animals can cause gutter debris too. The most common culprits are birds, who often drop things mid-flight, which often land in gutters. It’s not all that strange to find things like bones, rocks, nesting materials, and even small toys in gutters, thanks to the work of local birds.

   If you leave your gutters cluttered with all that debris, you run the risk of rodents making a comfy home in there too. Mice, rats, and other rodents have been known to bunk down in gutters, which can cause a whole bunch of problems. That alone is a great reason to keep your gutters clear all year round!

   

   To help give you an idea of just how often you should be thinking about gutter maintenance, we’ve come up with a suggested yearly schedule:

   Late fall: A proper cleaning after most of the leaves have fallen helps to keep things clear for winter rain and snow storms.

   Winter: (optional): A touch up in late December in November might be necessary if your area has seen any harsh storms.

   Spring: Another cleaning in March or April helps keep things clear for all those April showers.

   If you keep up with regular maintenance, you’ll likely never run into problems with overflowing gutters, and they’ll last you a lot longer.

4. Why You Should Get Your Windows Professionally Cleaned

   January 10, 2017 8:23 pm

   It’s pretty obvious when your kitchen floor needs a good mopping or your bathroom needs a good scrub. But there are certain things we just don’t tend to clean all that often, like our windows. When you’ve got the blinds closed on chilly winter days, you likely don’t notice that your windows are getting dirty. Aside from aesthetics, there are several reasons why it’s important to make sure you clean the inside of your windows. And when we say clean, we mean having them professionally cleaned—they require more than just the occasional quick wipe with a cloth and some all-purpose cleaning spray.

   Let the sunshine in

   We all know that sunshine has a big effect on how we feel. That’s the whole reason behind the “winter blues.” When the inside of your windows is covered in smudges and dirt, you’re making it harder for the light to make its way inside. What you might not realize is that this can also have an impact on your heating bill. Dirt and smudges on the windows can also make them less efficient at conducting heat. Sunlight reflects off of the smudges and is unable to heat the inside of your house in winter.

   

   Lack of direct sunlight can also make it easier for all sorts of yucky substances to flourish around your windows. If the light can’t get in, you’ll soon find bugs, insects, condensation, and mildew accumulating in the window sills. This stuff can be quite difficult to clean, so it’s best to stop it before it even starts.

   Live long and prosper

   As you probably know, windows aren’t exactly cheap. So of course, you want to do everything possible to ensure they last as long as possible. Yep, you guessed it—that includes regular cleaning. Glass is porous, which means that over time, any dirt that accumulates will start to break down the surface. This problem gets worse in the winter but can happen any time of year. The most common substances that cause problems are hard minerals, oxidation, acid rain, sea spray, over spray from paint, etc. If you don’t clean these substances off the windows, it’s likely that you’ll need to replace your windows more often.

   

   So now that you know why it’s so important to have your windows professionally cleaned, you’re probably wondering how often you should have it done. We recommend doing it at least once a year, but twice a year is ideal.