After six years running Jim’s Pool Care Baddo Bay on the Central Coast, Glen Huntly has seen how the franchise model works in day-to-day business. He explains the support, flat-fee structure, earning potential, work-life balance, and what makes the owner-operator model different.
Watch the video above, or keep reading for the full Q&A.
What Is It Like After 6 Years With Jim’s Pool Care?
Glen Huntly has been with Jim’s Pool Care for six years, and he describes joining the business as “a really good decision”.
He operates Jim’s Pool Care Baddo Bay on the Central Coast. After six years in the system, Glen says the business model works well for him and gives him the work-life balance he wants.
His experience matters because he is not talking about his first few weeks in business. He has had enough time to see how the model works through different stages of running a territory.
For anyone investigating a Jim’s Pool Care franchise, Glen’s experience provides a straightforward look at what long-term ownership can involve.
Is Joining a Jim’s Pool Care Franchise Worth It?
Glen says joining Jim’s Pool Care has been “a really good decision” and describes it as a good business model that works well for him.
One of the reasons is control. Glen does not describe the franchise as a job where someone else dictates how much he needs to work. He sees himself as the business owner and can organise his workload around the lifestyle he wants.
That has become more important as his business has matured. Glen says he has started to wind down rather than maximise the amount of work he takes on.
Prospective franchisees can learn more about the wider Jim’s model through the Jim’s Group overview.
Can You Get Good Work-Life Balance With a Jim’s Pool Care Franchise?
Glen says Jim’s Pool Care gives him control over his workload, which allows him to decide how hard he wants to work and how much he wants to earn.
“You’re in total control of what you do, really,” he says.
Glen is now deliberately winding down. That means he earns less than he potentially could, but he makes the point that this is his choice.
For him, work-life balance comes from being able to make that decision himself. Someone who wants to work more can pursue more work, while Glen has reached a point where he prefers to reduce his workload.
That flexibility is one of the main reasons he believes the business model has worked well for him.
What Makes Jim’s Pool Care Different From Other Pool Service Businesses?
Glen believes the owner-operator model is one of the biggest differences because customers deal directly with the person who owns and runs the business.
He contrasts this with pool businesses that employ service staff to carry out work for customers.
In Glen’s view, ownership creates a stronger “care factor”. The person arriving at the customer’s home has a direct interest in the quality of the service, the customer relationship and the reputation of the business.
He also points to training and know-how as important differences. Glen believes the combination of ownership, training and experience allows Jim’s Pool Care franchisees to provide a higher level of service.
That owner-operator model is central to how Glen sees his role. He is not simply carrying out pool servicing work for someone else. He owns and operates his own local business.
What Support Do Jim’s Pool Care Franchisees Get?
Glen says access to support is one of the biggest benefits when starting a Jim’s Pool Care franchise, particularly while a new franchisee is still learning.
He says someone is available at the end of the phone or by video to help when questions or problems come up.
That support made a significant difference for Glen compared with the alternative of starting an independent business from scratch.
“When you start out,” he explains, “you’re learning”. Having people available to help means a new franchisee does not need to solve every unfamiliar problem alone.
Jim’s Group also outlines its broader approach to franchisee support and training for people researching the system.
Prospective owners can also review the current Jim’s Group franchisee training information before deciding whether the model suits them.
How Much Can a Jim’s Pool Care Franchisee Earn?
Glen does not provide a specific income figure, but he says the amount a franchisee can earn depends heavily on how much they choose to work.
“The more you want to work, the more you earn,” he says.
Glen uses his own situation as the example. He has decided to wind down, so he earns less than he believes he could earn if he took on more work.
Glen’s point is about control. In his experience, increasing or reducing his workload affects his earning potential.
Anyone assessing the opportunity should look at the business model, likely demand in their territory, costs, and their own workload expectations rather than relying on a single income claim.
For more detail about the division and what operating a pool care business involves, see Jim’s guide to starting a Jim’s Pool Care franchise.
Does Jim’s Take a Percentage of Franchisee Earnings?
Glen says one of the main advantages of the Jim’s system is that franchisees pay a flat fee rather than Jim’s taking more as their earnings increase.
“It doesn’t matter how much we earn, Jim’s don’t take any more,” he says.
He also says Jim’s does not need to know how much he earns because the fee is not calculated as a percentage of his income.
This is one of the misconceptions Glen is particularly keen to address. He says some people assume joining Jim’s means working for Jim Penman or making more money for Jim as the franchisee earns more.
Glen rejects that description because he sees himself as an independent owner-operator within the Jim’s system.
Based on his six years as a franchisee, he describes the flat-fee structure as one of the fairest parts of the model.
Prospective franchisees should still review the current disclosure documents and individual franchise agreement before making a financial decision, as Glen’s comments describe his own experience rather than replacing formal franchise information.
What Is the Best Part of Running a Jim’s Pool Care Business?
For Glen, one of the most rewarding parts is taking a problem pool and turning it back into a clean, clear, and enjoyable pool for the customer.
That might mean dealing with a pool that has gone green or correcting other problems until it becomes what Glen describes as a “clear, beautiful, sparkling pool”.
The strongest feedback comes when Glen takes over a pool and the customer tells him, “Our pool has never looked so good.”
That comment matters because the result is visible. The customer can immediately see the difference the work has made.
Glen says those moments let him know he has made a difference and helped the customer enjoy their pool again.
For someone considering Jim’s Pool Care, his experience shows that the work is not only about running a business. A large part of the satisfaction can come from fixing a real problem and seeing the result for the customer.
If you are considering a Jim’s Pool Care franchise, review the current franchise information, speak with existing franchisees and decide whether the workload, support structure and owner-operator model suit the kind of business you want to build.