In just six months, Nathan Giaccotto says he had 130-plus jobs paged, converted about 110, and built around 35 to 40 regular customers. His story shows how quickly a Jim’s Mowing franchise can gain momentum when brand trust, fast follow-up, social media, and repeat work all start working together.
In short: Nathan Giaccotto left full-time work, started a Jim’s Mowing franchise, and built strong traction within his first six months. He says he had 130-plus jobs paged, converted about 110, and now has around 35 to 40 regular customers, plus about 80 more who call when they need work.
BLUF: Nathan built a real customer base fast. Within six months, he had a booked-out diary, about 35 to 40 regular customers, casual help in the business, and commercial work coming through. That matters because it shows what a Jim’s Mowing franchise can look like when a new operator converts leads well, stays visible locally, and treats every job as a chance to win repeat work.
Nathan’s early results suggest a Jim’s Mowing franchise can create momentum quickly for the right operator. He says he had 130-plus jobs paged, converted about 110, built around 35 to 40 regular customers, and had about 80 more who call when they need work. This article covers why he chose Jim’s, what his first six months looked like, where the growth came from, what challenges showed up, and why he says the franchise is worth it.
Why Nathan Left Full-Time Work to Start His Own Lawn Care Business
Nathan’s main motivation was not just money. It was freedom, control, and the chance to stop working for someone else.
He says that after leaving his old job and starting the business, “a lot of happiness came back”. He also says he likes knowing he is working for himself, not “filling up someone else’s pockets”.
For people comparing employment with owning a franchise, that part matters. Nathan’s decision was clearly tied to lifestyle, independence, and long-term control, not only short-term income.
Why Nathan Chose a Jim’s Mowing Franchise Over Going Independent
Nathan is clear that he would choose the Jim’s model over trying to build the same business alone. His reasoning comes down to brand strength, lead flow, systems, and support.
He also pushes back on one of the biggest myths around franchising. Nathan describes a customer assuming that half of every job goes to Jim’s, and he rejects that immediately. He says that is not how the model works and frames his fees as part of running an active business, not proof that the system is taking too much.
That makes his story useful for anyone researching how franchising fees work. Nathan’s view is simple: if the fees are high in a given month, that usually means plenty of work has been flowing through.
What Nathan’s First 6 Months in Business Actually Looked Like
Nathan describes the business as “crazy”, “ridiculous”, and a “rollercoaster”. The workload accelerated hard once spring arrived.
On quieter days, he might get two leads. On busier days, he might get eight. The most he says he received in one day was 12 leads. He dealt with that by grouping work by suburb, quoting on the go, staying flexible with schedule changes, and keeping the diary moving.
He also explains that the first six months were not built on mowing alone. There were re-turf jobs, landscaping work, planting, mulching, pruning, gutters, and general garden clean-ups. That matters because it shows how a Jim’s Mowing franchise can move beyond basic grass cutting when customers trust the operator and need broader garden help.
Nathan’s First 6 Months: Jobs, Conversions, and Early Income Signals
Nathan says he had 130-plus jobs paged, converted about 110, and built about 35 to 40 regular customers within six months. He also says around 80 more call him when they need work. That combination matters because it points to both immediate turnover and a growing repeat-customer base.
He also shares that his fees in the last two months had reached around $1,500 to $1,600. His reaction to that is telling. Instead of seeing that as a problem, he sees it as evidence that the business has turned over enough work to justify it. For people researching how much you can earn with a Jim’s franchise, Nathan’s story gives a useful real-world signal even without a full income number.
How Nathan Turned One-Off Jobs Into Repeat Customers and Commercial Work
One of the clearest signs of growth is that Nathan is not relying on random one-off work alone. He has built a mix of regular customers, repeat-call customers, seasonal clean-ups, and bigger property jobs.
A major turning point came when he landed mowing work linked to BP petrol stations. He says he did four of them in one week and that the visibility created more work because people saw the Jim’s trailer, the uniform, and the brand while he was on site.
He also says word of mouth has been “massive” and that more consistent posting on social media has started bringing in direct work. That fits the pattern seen across many service businesses: the more visible the operator becomes, the easier it is for the run to compound. Nathan’s case suggests that a Jim’s Mowing service brand can help create that trust faster than an unknown operator starting cold.
The Simple Systems Nathan Used to Manage Leads and Stay Organised
Nathan’s system is practical, not fancy. He uses a diary, groups quotes and jobs by suburb, gives verbal quotes on site, and sends written confirmation once the customer accepts.
He also uses Jim’s Online and Jim’s Jobs to manage the flow of work. On the marketing side, he says time-lapse videos work well because people like seeing the transformation. He carries business cards, gives them out when people ask, and uses simple in-person opportunities to keep his name circulating.
Support has mattered too. Nathan specifically mentions his franchisor, John, as someone who checks in regularly and helps when needed. That is relevant for people looking into the franchisee training side of the model and wondering whether the support is real once they are out in the field.
The Biggest Challenges Nathan Faced in His First 6 Months
The biggest challenge Nathan names is the weather. He talks about days that shifted from workable to hail, then back again, then off again. That kind of unpredictability affects timing, energy, and scheduling.
He also talks openly about physical fatigue. Some days, he comes home sore and tired. But he accepts that trade-off because the work is building his business, not somebody else’s.
There is also the pressure of volume. When leads are coming in fast, the challenge is not only getting work done. It is organising it, quoting it, servicing it properly, and still keeping customers happy. Nathan’s story shows that early growth in a Jim’s Mowing franchise can be exciting, but it still demands discipline.
Is a Jim’s Mowing Franchise Worth It? Nathan’s Honest Answer
Yes. He is very direct on that point.
He says when people ask if starting a Jim’s Mowing franchise is worth it, his answer is yes, “no two ways about it”. His reasons are freedom, being your own boss, and the fact that leaving his old job brought back a lot of happiness.
That is important because it shows what he values most. He does talk positively about the work coming in, the repeat customers, and the financial side. Nathan’s business made him feel more in control of his life again.
Nathan’s First Six Months: Key Performance Metrics
| Performance Metric | Nathan’s Results | Why This Matters |
| Jobs Paged | 130+ | Shows strong demand early in the business |
| Jobs Converted | About 110 | Indicates solid lead handling and quoting |
| Repeat Work Base | About 80 call when needed | Suggests ongoing demand beyond one-off jobs |
| Regular Customers | About 35 to 40 | Builds stability and recurring revenue |
‘You have your freedom, number one, and two, you’re your own boss. And I found from me when I left my job to start this, a lot of happiness came back.’
– Nathan Giaccotto, Jim’s Mowing franchisee
Frequently Asked Questions
Nathan says he built about 35 to 40 regular customers within his first six months. He also says around 80 other customers call him when they need work, which gives him a broader repeat-work base.
He says more than 130 jobs were paged to him and that he converted about 110. That is a strong sign of early traction and suggests he was handling leads and follow-up well.
Nathan’s recent monthly fees had been around $1,500 to $1,600, which suggests he was doing strong volume during that period.
It was not just lawn mowing. He mentions landscaping, re-turfing, mulching, planting, gutters, pruning, clean-ups, and commercial mowing work, including four BP petrol station jobs in one week.
Yes. Nathan says that once he became more consistent with posting, more work started to come in directly from social media. He specifically says time-lapse videos perform well, and he also credits word of mouth as a major driver of growth.
The weather was the biggest challenge, he said. He also talks about physical fatigue and the pressure of managing a lot of leads and customer expectations during busy periods.
Yes. He rejects the idea that Jim’s takes half of each job and says that is a common misunderstanding. His view is that if he is paying more in fees during a busy month, that usually means the business has turned over strong work.
Key Takeaways
- Nathan says he built about 35 to 40 regular customers in six months.
- He says more than 130 jobs were paged to him, and about 110 were converted.
- Around 80 more customers call him when they need work.
- His busiest spring day brought 12 leads.
- He started hiring casual help within his first six months.
- A BP commercial job became a major turning point and created more visibility.
- Social media and word of mouth both played a major role in growth.
- He believes the franchise is worth it because it gave him freedom, control, and more happiness.
Start Your Own Jim’s Mowing Franchise Today
Nathan’s story is a strong example of what can happen when a new operator works hard, follows up fast, builds trust, and stays visible. In six months, he moved from starting out to building a real customer base with regulars, repeat callers, commercial work, and plans to expand.
If you are weighing up whether a Jim’s Mowing franchise could give you more control, stronger earning potential, and a path away from standard employment, Nathan’s story gives you a grounded example of what the early stage can look like.
Learn more about joining Jim’s Mowing at jims.net or call 131 546 today.