Wild at heart – franchise opportunities on offer in the great outdoors

Everyone likes to talk about leaving the rat race behind for pastures new, but many perhaps don’t realise just how easy that could be.

Forget tales of townies starting afresh in the country or living the good life on a vegetable patch. There’s a wide variety of franchises from gardening services via chimney sweeping to horse transport, offering proven business models that will take you out of the office, into the fresh air and deliver a reasonable income – and no home-brewed pea pod wine sales à la The Good Life required.

Hands-on work will always be balanced with admin, but when the core of your business involves getting out and about and meeting customers face to face rather than by endless emails, you know you’ve made a break with the office cubicle. Many outdoor-based franchises also have a built-in maintenance mode, giving you repeat customers on an annual or even monthly basis.

Seasons offer different challenges and the need for forward planning – any business involving nature needs to be flexible. A service you provide in the spring might have no demand in the autumn. But the regular pattern of seasonal work makes it easier to predict your requirements and to block off time for holidays without affecting business.

Oliver Hemsley, founder of Paint It or Plant It – who is using his 30 years’ experience to franchise his business under the name of Hemsley Gardening – says the ideal franchisees are: “people who are happy to have a healthy and rewarding business who are prepared to get down and dirty when needed”. Does this sound like you? Here are two franchise owners that made that life-changing decision and found the grass truly is greener!

Wilkins Chimney Sweep

John Baldacchino, 40, lives near Chester and bought Wilkins Chimney Sweep West Cheshire in December 2010. He is married with two children and previously worked as an operations manager in the food and drink industry.

Did you specifically set out to buy an outdoor franchise?

No, I was very open-minded about what franchise I was looking for. My main criteria was a growing market, a strong return on investment and a product that was ‘need’ rather than ‘want’.

Describe the difference between a typical day in your previous job and a typical day in sweeping season.

In my old job I drove 600-800 miles a week to meetings where I was seen as an irritation, until of course the operator wanted something from me! Now I visit multiple customers per day, all of whom have requested my services as a chimney sweep and appreciate the service that I offer. I never travel more than 25 miles from home and the day can vary from sweeping chimneys and flues to replacing or installing chimney pots, cages, caps and cowls. You’d be amazed at some of the things that birds can put down a chimney!

What is the best thing about having an outdoor-based business?

The outdoor work is only part of my job, but standing on top of a roof you certainly get to see the world from a different perspective. Some jobs can’t be completed in poor weather for safety reasons, but customers are always understanding and the need doesn’t go away so, crucially, neither does the sale.

Would you recommend buying a Wilkins Chimney Sweep Franchise?

I’m coming up to the first anniversary of buying my Wilkins Chimney Sweep franchise and the time has really flown by. I have a growing business doing something I enjoy for a customer base that truly appreciates my service. I’m a happy man! I was recently offered a temporary assignment by my previous employer – two months’ work, on a part-time basis with stunning pay but challenging meetings, long hours and at least 50 emails to respond to per day. Happily and gratefully, I declined. Why would I accept? I work for myself now, with sociable hours and limited paperwork, with a franchise system that works and that delivers the financial rewards I’m looking for. Wilkins Chimney Sweep has given me everything I was looking for in a franchise business and at home. Old job? No thanks, you can keep it!

Greensleeves

Jim Stewart traded an executive role in the electronics industry for the great outdoors when he took on a Greensleeves Lawn Care franchise in Aberdeen 18 months ago. Jim now enjoys running his business whilst working in the outdoors and is extremely proud of the success he has achieved so far.

Why did franchising appeal to you and why Greensleeves?

I was immediately attracted by Greensleeves’ proven track record and low failure rate. I felt that the market knowledge, supplier relations, marketing expertise and tried-and-tested procedures that come with a franchise were extremely beneficial and something that I would not have access to if I started a new, independent business. I was also aware that I would be able to learn from others’ mistakes and receive excellent training. All this, combined with the realistic buy-in costs and exclusive geographic area, made franchising the obvious route for me.

Why did you choose an outdoors-based franchise?

Like many people who have spent their professional careers going from car or aeroplane to stuffy office meetings and hotel rooms, working outdoors was very appealing. I was very much attracted by the vision of a much healthier working environment and a more active lifestyle. Describe your typical day My day’s work is planned and prepared the night before. I leave my house at around 7.30am to be on the first lawn of the day by 8.15am at the latest. On arrival we assess the condition of the lawn and decide on our application strategy. If the customer is at home we will discuss our plan with them. All lawns are different and in varying condition so it is important that we take a considered approach. We treat on average between 15 and 20 lawns in a working day and visit our customers a minimum of four times a year so you get to know a lot of very nice people.

Do the seasonal patterns affect your business?

The weather has a significant impact on our business. For example, last summer’s heavy rainfall meant that lawns were, by and large, looking lush. On the other hand the warm and damp conditions led to many lawns developing red thread, and moss continuing to grow through the summer months, so we had to take appropriate action to rectify this. So far this summer the warm, dry conditions have left many lawns in a poor state, so we have a new challenge. As a result of these different challenges, we have different opportunities to help our customers.

What are the perks and downfalls of working outdoors?

I think if you asked anyone if they would enjoy working outdoors in the summer months they would say yes, but they may not be so enthusiastic during the colder, wetter periods of the year. As long as you are dressed for the weather, working outdoors is invigorating in any climate.

What advice would you give a prospective franchisee? What does it take to be successful in this industry?

Take your time and select the right franchise for you. The support I’ve received from Greensleeves has been excellent and I cannot stress enough the importance of finding the right fit with the franchise that you choose. Talk to as many people as you can, including competitors in the same market. Be sure to budget and plan realistically and get support from your partner and family. Be prepared to work hard – paying a franchise fee is not a guarantee for success. Be resilient: there will be tough times in the early years but with the right work ethic and support you will succeed.

What do you see for the future of your business?

The first 18 months in business have been a success. We have exceeded our customer numbers and revenue targets, and that’s allowed us to bring a full-time employee on board and put a second van on the road. By the end of year five, our target is to have a robust and profitable company turning over in excess of £200,000, and to have a lot of fun getting there.

You may also be interested in...