After years of working as an aircraft engineer, David Dickson wanted to get away from night shift and spend more time with his family. He joined Jim’s Diggers in Kurunjang, and within his first month was already tackling site cleans, driveways, retaining walls and turf jobs. Here’s what he has learned so far about making the career change, getting a new business moving and building trust with customers.
Watch the video above, or keep reading for the full Q&A.
How Quickly Did David Get Work After Joining Jim’s Diggers?
David Dickson had been with Jim’s for just over a month when the interview was recorded, having started at the end of February.
Even in that first month, the work had already been varied. David had completed several site cleans and had just finished a driveway using crushed rock, along with part of a retaining wall. He described it as doing “little bits of everything” while he got the new business moving.
That early variety matters because David was not stepping into a narrow role. He was learning how different jobs run, how long they take, and what customers expect from the finished result. For people considering a similar move, Jim’s Group also provides information on what a day on the road as a franchisee can look like.
Why Did David Leave Aircraft Engineering?
Before joining Jim’s, David worked as an aircraft engineer.
It was a major career change, but the attraction was practical. He enjoyed machinery and had spent time using it at home and at mates’ places. That hands-on interest made the move into digging and site work feel like something he genuinely wanted to pursue rather than simply an escape from his previous role.
The bigger reason was shift work. David said night shifts meant he was not seeing his family for anywhere from two to four days a week. He wanted a career change that could move him away from that schedule and give him more normal time at home.
He is also clear that starting a small business has not been easy. He expected hard work, and the first month brought plenty to organise while he worked out how to run jobs and manage the business. Anyone comparing different Jim’s opportunities can also review the guide to choosing the right Jim’s franchise division.
Has the Career Change Given David More Family Time?
David feels good about the change because he is now home pretty much every night.
David’s biggest reason for changing careers was family time. Night shift as an aircraft engineer could keep him away from home for two to four days a week. With Jim’s Diggers, he says he is now home pretty much every night, even when some jobs run later than planned.
He has had one or two jobs stretch out until around 6.30 or 7 o’clock at night, but he still prefers that to getting home and going to bed between three and six in the morning. The hours have not disappeared. They have become more compatible with the life he wanted.
That distinction is important. David did not describe franchising as an easy way to work less. He expected to put in a full 40 or 50 hours a week, including smaller tasks at home while he develops his own procedures and gets on top of the business.
What Services Does a Jim’s Diggers Franchisee Provide?
David provides site cleans, rubbish and vegetation removal, retaining walls, driveway work, concrete preparation, post holes and other jobs that may or may not require machinery.
For site cleans, he does more than remove the obvious rubbish. He also likes to give the area a light scrape to pick up rocks and smaller debris because the cleaner finish makes the site look better and can leave the customer happier with the result.
His early jobs show how broad the work can be. On one Northcote job, he removed eight cubic meters of concrete for a customer who worked in construction but wanted the job completed in a timely way. David then spread topsoil so the customer could roll out turf.
On another job in Sunday Creek, he re-turfed 40 square meters after the customer had drainage problems. He cleared and levelled the area so the ground sloped towards the stormwater, added fresh topsoil and rolled out the turf. After a massive downpour, the customer, Jessie, told him the drainage worked and asked him to return to continue the turf around the corner.
How Has the Jim’s Brand Helped David Get Started?
David says the Jim’s brand has been a massive help because it helped him get work straight away and gave the new business an established name behind it.
That mattered in the first month. Instead of talking about a long period with nothing happening, David described quite a few jobs coming through while he was still building his own routines. He went into the business expecting “hard yakka” and knew the early stage would still demand effort.
The brand did not remove the work involved in running the business. David still expected 40 or 50 hours a week while he learned the systems, handled jobs and developed procedures that suited him. His experience is a useful reminder that a recognised brand can help open the door, but the franchisee still has to deliver the work.
Prospective franchisees who want to understand the broader structure can read more about how Jim’s Group helps franchisees and the Jim’s Group franchisee training program.
What Does David Enjoy Most About Running a Jim’s Diggers Business?
David enjoys the work and finds the visible end result especially satisfying.
He points to the driveway and re-turfing jobs as good examples. With the driveway, he cleared an existing rock retaining wall, levelled the area and put down crushed rock. On the turf job, the improvement was not only visual. The drainage also worked when heavy rain arrived.
That visible before-and-after change gives David a sense of satisfaction he clearly values. He also simply enjoys operating the machines. For someone coming from aircraft engineering, that connection with machinery has carried into a very different kind of work.
The first month has still included jobs that ran longer than expected. One driveway was planned as a two-day job but took about three days, with another visit needed to finish tidying up. David’s enjoyment comes alongside the realities of estimating, problem-solving, and learning how long different jobs actually take.
Why Do Customers Choose Jim’s Diggers?
David believes customers choose Jim’s because the brand and a professional approach can give them confidence in who is turning up to quote and complete the work.
He described a clean-up where the customer first asked whether he could cut and remove concrete. After he completed the clear-out, they asked about more concrete work before he had even finished the second section. That created additional quoting opportunities from the same customer.
The customer also told David they had dealt with other operators who gave them a “cowboy vibe”. By contrast, they were happy with how professionally he approached them, how he quoted and how he handled the job. For David, that professionalism became a selling point before every part of the work was even complete.
His Northcote job also shows the value customers can place on time. The customer worked in construction and could have taken on the concrete removal himself, but he hired David to remove eight cubic meters of concrete and keep the project moving. The equipment matters, but so do speed, presentation and confidence in the operator.
If you are considering your own move into franchising, explore Jim’s Group franchise opportunities and learn what is involved before making a decision.