Thinking about a Jim's Mowing franchise? Fred Gibbon tried running his own lawn and garden business three times and struggled to get two leads a month.
Nine weeks into Jim's Mowing in Bathurst, he landed an $18,000 landscaping job and a $10,000 cleanup inside his first four weeks.
Fred talks with regional franchisor Mitch Blake about the road to Jim's. He ran admin for a local business at 19, went independent and failed, started a carpentry apprenticeship, then spent a year working for BJ Wallace in Queensland.
Talks with local franchisees and a financial adviser pushed him to join.
In week three he booked 16 quotes in one day from Jim's leads, Facebook and word of mouth. He used ChatGPT to show a client what their new garden would look like, and itemised his quote to show value. He now charges close to double his old independent rates and converts most of his quotes.
Mitch shares how following up price objections wins back around 20% of lost quotes, and how to text your past client list to fill winter. You'll also hear Fred's gear setup, his plan for gutter cleaning, and how a Hungry Jack's contract came through the local network.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
Why Fred left independent mowing for a Jim's Mowing franchise
How following up turns silent leads into jobs
How ChatGPT helped him win a large landscaping quote
How to forecast cash flow through winter
Why local franchisees share work instead of competing
0:00 Highlights
0:52 Meet Fred, the youngest franchisee
1:14 Failing as an independent at 19
2:36 A trade, then a year with BJ Wallace
7:10 Struggling to get leads alone
10:21 How local franchisees helped him decide
15:14 Training in Melbourne
17:50 Starting when fuel prices peaked
19:36 The power of following up
22:29 Using ClickSend on your past clients
24:47 His first weeks and 16 quotes in a day
27:39 Winning an $18K landscaping job
33:06 Revising a quote on a big cleanup
35:39 Getting through a slow winter
37:57 Forecasting cash flow
40:35 His equipment setup
44:23 Wearing a Pilbara shirt uniform
46:11 Pricing and conversion rates
50:01 Support from local franchisees
51:50 Demo day and Walker mowers
57:05 Why franchisees fail less often
58:54 Plans for the next five years
1:00:48 A Hungry Jack's contract
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 Mowing is Australia’s #1 lawn and garden franchise with 2,000+ local owners. Founded in 1989 by Jim Penman, we’ve become one of the country’s most trusted names in home services.
Here’s why people choose Jim’s:
✅ Fully insured and police-checked franchisees
✅ Backed by the Jim’s Workmanship Guarantee
✅ Local family businesses supported by a national brand
And we do more than mowing. Our team can help with hedging, pruning, landscaping, rubbish removal, and complete garden care.
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