Less than two months into running his Jim’s Mowing franchise in Frankston South, Mark Donovan had already recorded about $5,500 in revenue in one week. He explains what helped him get there, what the first few weeks were really like, and how he is approaching leads, customer service, and future growth.
Watch the video above, or keep reading for the full Q&A.
What Did Mark Donovan Do Before Joining Jim’s Mowing?
Before joining Jim’s Mowing, Mark Donovan spent two years working as a pre-delivery technician.
He installed accessories on new equipment, first in access equipment and later with Kubota. He enjoyed the work, but it eventually ran out.
Because he has his kids on a 50-50 custody arrangement, flexibility mattered. He had looked at Jim’s Mowing before, remembered the opportunity one night, and decided to investigate it again.
What Research Should You Do Before Joining Jim’s Mowing?
Mark watched a large number of Jim’s Mowing videos before deciding to join.
The first time he investigated the business, he watched videos featuring Dan and was directed to more content on YouTube. By his estimate, he had watched nearly half of the training program through videos before signing up.
That research made him fairly confident about the system. He did not proceed the first time because of personal circumstances at home. When the timing lined up later, he moved forward.
Prospective franchisees can also get a closer look at the business through Jim’s Group’s day-on-the-road experience before deciding.
What Is Jim’s Mowing Franchise Training Like?
Mark said the training was very good.
Because he had already watched so much training content before joining, sitting in the room felt slightly unusual at first. Even so, he found the formal training useful and said it was delivered well.
Training forms part of the pathway into a Jim’s Mowing franchise before a new franchisee starts operating.
What Do You Learn During Jim’s Mowing Training?
The biggest takeaways for Mark included presentation, quoting and scheduling.
He already had business experience from running Bunyip Garden Gear, although he did not own that business, so some concepts were familiar.
The value came from applying those ideas specifically to Jim’s Mowing. Mark said the information was very good and useful, even if he found it difficult to pinpoint every lesson afterwards.
What Services Can a Jim’s Mowing Franchisee Offer?
Mark mainly provides mowing, property clearing and larger clean-up work.
One clean-up in Mount Martha involved clearing a house where the customer wanted everything gone. Mark said they filled 18 metres of Jim’s Skip Bins, and he also took two trailer loads home to sell himself.
He has also handled overgrown lawns and regular mowing. At the time of the interview, he estimated he had at least eight or nine regular customers.
Mark particularly enjoys larger jobs. He was also quoting a project to turn three acres of a former market garden back into lawn, which required extra work to source suitable agricultural equipment.
Customers can see the broader range of Jim’s Mowing lawn and garden services available in their area.
How Physically Demanding Is Running a Jim’s Mowing Franchise?
Mark said his body was holding up better than he expected.
He had been unsure how he would handle returning to more physical work after his pre-delivery role, which kept him busy but did not involve the same level of heavy labour.
Approaching 37 in April, he expected some adjustment. He said his partner had encouraged him to take multivitamins and magnesium tablets at night, which he felt helped his recovery.
Overall, he said the physical side was going well.
How Long Does It Take to Start Earning With Jim’s Mowing?
Mark said the income had met his expectations so far.
The first two to three weeks were slower while he completed quotes, built momentum, and got jobs flowing. He expected that early ramp-up.
From around the second week before Christmas, the workload became steady. His strongest result came soon after, when the week before Christmas produced about $5,500 in revenue.
What Is It Like Becoming Your Own Boss With Jim’s Mowing?
Mark said becoming his own boss felt strange at first, even though he had managed a business before.
He previously ran Bunyip Garden Gear, but he did not own it and still had a boss to report to.
Running his own Jim’s Mowing business changed that mindset. He had to get used to waking up and realising he was the person in charge. He described the adjustment as unusual, but positive.
What Support Do Jim’s Mowing Franchisees Receive?
Mark said the support from Jim’s and other franchisees had been great.
One example was another franchisee lending him a ride-on mower for a few weeks so he could try it. He also said other franchisees were available to help and that he could call his franchisor when needed.
Mark considers himself fairly self-sufficient because much of his career was spent in garden supply centres, but the support network was there when required. Jim’s Group also explains how it supports franchisees across the wider network.
How Can Jim’s Mowing Franchisees Deliver Better Customer Service?
Mark’s approach is to do a little extra when he can.
On one job, the customer had not asked him to work on the main garden, but he noticed weeds along the side of the house. Because he was already spraying another section, he trimmed and sprayed those weeds as well. The customer was rapt with the result.
He takes the same approach with a regular property in Mornington. The mowing takes about 35 minutes, and if he spots a few weeds, he spends another 30 seconds pulling them out.
For Mark, those small jobs matter because the property looks better when he sends the finished photos. Going the extra mile does not always require much time.
How Much Can You Make With Jim’s Mowing?
Mark said his numbers were looking good, including about $5,500 in revenue in the week just before Christmas.
Demand was strong before Christmas, and Mark tried to fit in as much work as possible. He even brought in a mate to help on the final day.
A large real estate job helped push the week above the $5,500 mark. Mark also had a couple of weeks with about $3,500 already booked, with the possibility of more work being added.
He said the available work and turnover had impressed him, particularly because he was still early in the business.
Can You Grow a Jim’s Mowing Franchise Into a Team?
Mark wants to grow the business, bring in help, and eventually spend less time on the tools.
His shorter-term goal is to bring his best mate into the business. His mate has done this type of work before, and Mark believes they work well together.
From there, Mark would like to build a couple of crews running routes. Longer term, he wants to step back from the physical work and move towards a four-day week focused mainly on quoting, while still helping with larger jobs when needed.
How Do Jim’s Mowing Franchise Fees and Lead Fees Work?
Mark said the fees were not too bad, while making clear that his figures were from memory and should be double-checked against his invoice.
He estimated the franchise fee at about $300 and lead fees at about $15 each. He had taken a large number of leads during the previous month.
Mark also noted that once a franchisee reaches a point where they can turn leads off, the amount being spent on leads can drop. Anyone considering the model should confirm current fees and terms directly with Jim’s Mowing before deciding.
Are Jim’s Mowing Leads Good Quality?
Mark said his lead conversion had been pretty good and that most of the leads he received were solid.
He found it easy to identify some enquiries that were unlikely to convert, particularly when a customer had a very low price expectation. His example was someone expecting the front and back of a house to be mowed for $40.
Even so, he said most leads had been good. He could only recall one enquiry he would describe as a genuine bad lead, involving an unusual situation where he chose to leave.
Overall, Mark felt the lead system was working well for him.
If you are considering a Jim’s Mowing business, review the Jim’s Group franchise opportunities, do your own due diligence, and speak directly with the local franchisor about territory, fees, training, support, and lead availability before deciding.