How do you go from corporate life to running two Jim’s Mowing territories in under 12 months?

In this episode of the Jim’s Mowing Podcast, Scott shares what really happens in your first year and how he built more than 120 regular customers across two territories on the Sunshine Coast.

Scott breaks down:

Starting the business during a cyclone week

Why “some work is better than no work” early on

How he built route density and improved margins

Raising prices the right way

Sending bulk emails to his database and getting 5–8% replies

The “free coffee” incentive that converts 3-weekly to fortnightly clients

Hiring staff, using subcontractors, and managing quality

The 1% rule that keeps customers happy

Buying a second territory within 12 months

He also shares his long-term goal to structure the business so he can live part of the year overseas.

If you’re thinking about starting a mowing or gardening business, or want to scale the one you already have, this episode is packed with practical advice.

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00:00 Intro and welcome
01:10 First year update, starting during a cyclone
02:00 Using downtime to build systems and a marketing plan
03:10 “Some work is better than no work” pricing mindset
04:00 Building the right client mix and raising prices
05:30 Know your numbers and manage your margins
06:40 Staff, subcontractors, and scaling early
08:30 Corporate life to mowing in Queensland heat
10:40 120+ regular customers and buying a second territory
12:00 Service mix, mowing, cleanups, gutters, and eaves
13:50 Creating winter work opportunities
14:10 Emailing your database and getting 5–8% replies
15:15 The “free coffee” incentive strategy
17:00 Managing staff and maintaining standards
19:45 Sending photos with every invoice
20:25 The 1% rule for customer retention
21:30 Scaling, consolidation, and transition planning
23:50 Long-term goal, semi-retirement overseas
25:00 Why he chose Jim’s and final advice
26:30 Outro and contact details

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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.

📌 Start here:
🌐 Book a service: https://jimsmowing.com.au/

📞 Call: 131 546
🚀 Own a franchise: https://jimsmowing.com.au/become-a-franchisee/

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