GreenThumb's success has been a family affair

As is often the case with GreenThumb, the UK’s first and largest Lawncare provider, success over the last 12 months has been a family affair.

The latest winners of the Franchisor’s prestigious and much-coveted Franchisee of the Year award are father and daughter duo, Rob and Sian Wiseman of the Cardiff West branch. As a happy coincidence, the Newcomer of the Year Mark Durkin, who runs the Newport franchise, happens to be married to Rob’s other daughter. Both branches have exhibited exceptional growth, showing the achievable potential for success with a GreenThumb franchise.

“This award is very important to us, and a great boost”, said Rob. “It’s encouraging to be able to tell our team what we’ve achieved together and that we appreciate their hard work.” Sian continued, “I think that growth and success with a GreenThumb franchise are certain if the franchisee has the right attitude and mindset. And I believe that’s why we’ve become Franchisee of the Year.”

Having invested in the Cardiff West branch 8 years ago, Rob and Sian Wiseman have driven their business from start-up to one with 2,700 customers. Rob is no stranger to the world of franchising, having successfully run a franchise in a different sector before his GreenThumb days. Sian graduated from University with a degree in deaf studies; becoming a sign language interpreter, but saw a different path opening up. “My father said, ‘I’ve been franchising all my life so why not look into that?’ So, I went along to franchise exhibitions and did my homework, looking into many different brands, but nothing suited me. I looked into GreenThumb, as my father’s business partner at the time wanted to move on. Obviously, I could see it had been proven to work over many years and was continuing to thrive, so I bit his hand off at the opportunity! I couldn’t wait to get involved and haven’t looked back since.”

Rob saw franchising with the lawn treatment company as a great opportunity due to its popularity, reputation, and track record of growth. “I initially came across them after trying to help my son start up a horticultural business; one customer asked if we could help with moss and I had no idea how to deal with it. When I looked online, forums were saying ‘If you’ve got moss, you want GreenThumb’, so I went to their website. After some time looking, I arranged a meeting with their franchising team, was impressed with their set-up and the professionalism of the service…and decided it was for me”.

Since then the branch has averaged annual net growth of around 350 customers; engaging in a range of marketing activities, such as canvassing and events such as the RHS Show in Cardiff.

When asked what she considers the best part of being a GreenThumb franchisee, Sian stated, “It’s just wonderful to be surrounded by a strong, nationwide network of franchisees; we’re all working together. It’s also great to meet so many different customers from different places. It’s one of those jobs where, if you want to work in an office environment, you can; but if you want to get out there as well and work outside, you can. We’ve had our return on investment year after year with continuous growth and see that being sustained for many years to come. We owe our success to our loyal customers, our strong team of Lawn Operatives, the support of fellow franchisees and the strong backing of Head Office. If there has been anything we are unsure of, from lawn diseases to marketing initiatives – there has always been someone at the end of the phone. We are seeing more competition around, but the beauty of GreenThumb is, it’s always been the top company in its field and is always striving to improve.”

In 2018, even with the worst weather conditions a lawn care company could imagine, from virtual monsoon to drought, Rob and Sian’s franchise continued to see customer expansion due to their dedication to growth and the robust business model. “Everything went better than expected. Halfway through the drought, we worried that we were going to lose a lot of customers, but we actually saw a net gain through that part of the year, because action was taken – we showed the customers we care.”

As Newcomer of the Year, Mark saw a notable rate of customer growth, since starting in a virgin territory just 18 months ago. He said, “This award is very important to me. I came into the business wanting to do well and results so far certainly tell me it’s gone really well. There are many very experienced franchisees around. They’ve been pivotal to my achievements, giving you the advice and confidence to do the very best for the customer. It’s great to win an award but it won’t stop me from trying to advance. I want to provide the best possible service. Prior to GreenThumb, I had no experience in lawn care whatsoever. Putting the customer first and giving them a first-rate service, is how you start gaining new customers and being recommended. The GreenThumb way is to really take your time to carry out the treatments and build a genuine rapport with our customers.”

Sian concluded, “GreenThumb has continually proven to be a lucrative and innovative business. I would recommend anyone thinking about a franchise to seriously consider the potential that GreenThumb has, whether you are looking for a fledgeling or well-established business. I very much enjoy speaking to our customers every day and it is very satisfying to have so many people get in touch, appreciative that we have helped them achieve their dream lawn.”

GreenThumb have pioneered the lawn care industry since 1986 and are the first choice for over 1,000,000 customers right across the UK, with millions of treatments carried out every year from over 200 branches. The business possesses the technical and marketing expertise, range of bespoke services, premium products and top-class customer service required for sustainable growth and success.

The lawn treatment company has been franchising for 22 years and is one of the sector’s most recognised and trusted brands; owing their success to a proven, resilient business model.