Mitchell Dennis grew his Jim’s Mowing business from about 22 or 23 regular clients to the low 70s in roughly 18 months. He reported spring weeks of about $5,000, but vehicle and equipment purchases pushed his latest financial-year costs above 50% of revenue.
BLUF: In a Jim’s Podcast episode, Mitchell Dennis explains how he moved from working as a technician to running Jim’s Mowing in Belgrave, where he uses ride-on mowing, careful trailer scheduling, Jim’s Jobs and Xero reminders to service steep blocks of more than 1,000 square metres.
A Jim’s Mowing franchise gave Mitchell Dennis the leads, systems and flexibility to grow from 22 or 23 regular clients to the low 70s in about 18 months. During his first spring, he reported weeks of about $5,000, or roughly $1,000 a day, while costs exceeded 50% of revenue after he bought a vehicle and upgraded equipment. This article covers his career change, local operating method, cash-flow controls, franchise fees and growth plans.
Watch the full episode below, or keep reading for the key takeaways.
How Did Mitchell Go From Technician to Jim’s Mowing Franchisee?
Mitchell worked in his trade as a technician and travelled to Carlton. He left home at 6:15 am, started at 7:30 am and often returned at 5:15 pm, making it an 11-hour day away from home.
He did not hate the job, but he did not love it. He found Jim’s Mowing through SEEK, enquired, and completed six days of training.
Two days after training finished, Mitchell and his wife learned they were expecting a baby. He had already committed to the business and believed it could provide more income and flexibility than his previous job.
His first autumn started slowly. He bought about 20 clients, later describing the base as 22 or 23 regulars, but dry conditions meant many customers asked him not to attend. Winter remained difficult, then spring changed the pace.
How Did Mitchell Grow From 22 Clients to $5,000 Weeks?
About one week into October, Mitchell realised he needed casual help for at least one day a week. He had operated for only six months, but heavy rain and sunshine drove rapid spring growth.
He described the period from October to Christmas Eve as a blur. Weekly revenue reached about $5,000, or roughly $1,000 a day, with occasional Saturday work.
His regular customer base grew from 22 or 23 to the low 70s. About 20 customers left for reasons including moving house, and Mitchell estimated he may have reached the 90s if they had stayed.
Capacity depends on terrain. Mitchell services many Belgrave blocks larger than 1,000 square metres on steep hills, so around 70 regulars can fill his schedule. One filmed Day on the Road included only three jobs, but produced $1,200.
Mitchell now has a casual worker committed for two or three days a week in spring. His goal involves employing and training one full-time worker within 12 months.
How Does Mitchell Mow Belgrave’s Steep Blocks Safely?
Mitchell matches ride-on equipment and transport planning to steep, restricted properties. Many local blocks cannot accommodate a trailer at every access point, so he groups work according to whether he can take the trailer, use the ute alone or return home to swap equipment.
Slope control also matters. Mitchell has considered a ride-on mower with steering-wheel control because directed front wheels can help an operator hold a line across a hill instead of relying on floating front wheels that may drift with the slope.
He reviews the next day’s schedule after dinner because rain, access and terrain can make automatic scheduling impractical. Belgrave conditions can include minus-one-degree mornings near Mooroolbark, wet spring growth, gum debris and summer temperatures of 35 degrees.
Pro Tips
- Inspect slopes, gates and trailer access before quoting ride-on work.
- Group ute-only and trailer jobs to reduce equipment changes.
- Wear long pants, thick socks and waterproof boots in cold or debris-heavy conditions.
What Jim’s Mowing Systems Helped Mitchell Grow?
Mitchell reported paying about $250 a week, generally including leads, with spring costs sometimes reaching about $300. His annual report put fees at about $12,000, or close to 6% of turnover, including marketing and the operating app.
He keeps leads active from 6 am to 10 pm, seven days a week. Five or six leads in one spring day occurred, while three a day did not feel unusual during October and November.
Call transfer connects customers directly with Mitchell. He estimated his conversion rate at more than 80% and could not readily remember a transferred call that failed to proceed.
Mitchell uses Jim’s Jobs, is moving data into Jimbo, and controls service suburbs through Jim’s Online. His franchisor, Aaron, supports 87 or 88 franchisees but still remembers personal details about Mitchell’s family.
Prospective owners can review Jim’s franchisee training, understand how franchising fees work and learn about owning a franchise.
How Does Mitchell Price Jobs and Protect His Cash Flow?
Revenue does not equal take-home income. Mitchell said his latest financial-year costs exceeded 50% of revenue because he bought a car and kept improving his equipment, including another three, four or five grand in smaller tax-deductible purchases.
Cash flow arrives unevenly. He may receive no payments for four days, followed by $3,000 in one day. Several direct debits also fall in the third week of the month within a five-day period.
Mitchell gives customers seven-day terms and uses Xero to send a reminder on the eighth day. For invoices above about $500 or $600, he asks for prompt payment. For jobs above $1,000, he takes a 50% deposit.
A recently approved $2,700 landscaping job only entered the calendar after the customer transferred the deposit. Mitchell also believes some first-year quotes sat too low, with an approval rate above 80% suggesting room to adjust prices.
Readers assessing income should compare revenue with tax, equipment, fuel, seasonality and labour. Jim’s Group explains these variables in its guide to how much a Jim’s franchise can earn.
Why Is Lawn Mowing Different on Belgrave’s Steep Blocks?
Belgrave work differs from a flat suburban mowing round. Hillside blocks, gum trees, limited trailer access and fast spring growth change the time, equipment and physical effort required.
Mitchell aims to concentrate his round within 15 minutes of home and eventually remove jobs requiring more than about 40 minutes of travel in the wrong direction. His service area also reaches or borders places such as Mooroolbark, Macclesfield, Gembrook, Boronia and Mount Waverley.
His work includes mowing, hedging, pruning, mulching, clean-ups and selected soft landscaping. He handles tasks such as paving, metal edging, replanting, retractable hose installation and simple screening, but refers excavation and specialist landscaping to another franchisee.
His neighbour later joined Jim’s Mowing. They share equipment, discuss work through the fence and team up for demanding jobs, including a mulching project reached by about 50 stairs.
What Is the Difference Between Jim’s Mowing and Going Independent?
| Feature | Standard Independent Contractor | Jim’s Professional Standard |
| Lead generation | Chooses and funds advertising or lead platforms alone | Central lead system, call transfer and selectable service suburbs |
| Customer response | Depends on the operator’s own process | Direct call transfer can connect the customer immediately |
| Scheduling | Builds and maintains an individual system | Jim’s Jobs or Jimbo stores job details while the owner controls the diary |
| Training and support | Varies by experience and personal network | Initial training, franchisor support and a franchisee network |
| Brand and accountability | Trust depends on the individual business record | Local ownership under Jim’s standards and Jim’s National Guarantee |
‘I remember every week was like five grand, so a thousand bucks a day… My costs were more than 50% of my revenue.’
Mitchell Dennis, Jim’s Mowing franchisee in Belgrave
Frequently Asked Questions
Mitchell said his first spring produced weeks of about $5,000, or roughly $1,000 a day. That figure described gross revenue during a strong season, not guaranteed income or take-home profit.
He started with about 22 or 23 regular clients and reached the low 70s. He estimated he may have reached the 90s if about 20 customers had not moved or left.
Mitchell reported about $250 a week, generally including leads, and around $300 during spring. His annual report put fees at about $12,000, equal to roughly 6% of turnover for that period.
His latest financial-year costs exceeded 50% because he bought a vehicle and upgraded equipment. He estimated take-home profit may have sat in the 40% range, but stressed that the figure applied only to him and that year.
Mitchell gives seven days and uses Xero to send a reminder on day eight. He requests faster payment above about $500 or $600 and takes a 50% deposit above $1,000.
Mitchell handles mowing, hedging, pruning, mulching, clean-ups and selected soft landscaping. He refers excavation and specialist work beyond his skills to another operator.
Mitchell accepts leads from 6 am to 10 pm, seven days a week, and uses call transfer. He estimated his quote conversion rate at more than 80%.
Many properties sit on steep blocks larger than 1,000 square metres. Slopes, gum debris, variable weather and limited trailer access require careful equipment and route planning.
Key Takeaways
- Mitchell grew from 22 or 23 regular clients to the low 70s in about 18 months.
- Spring produced weeks of about $5,000, but costs exceeded 50% after vehicle and equipment investment.
- Jim’s leads, training, apps and franchisor support helped him build the round, while pricing and service remained his responsibility.
- Xero reminders, seven-day terms and 50% deposits above $1,000 reduced payment risk.
- Belgrave’s steep 1,000-plus-square-metre blocks require equipment, scheduling and seasonal knowledge.
Ready to Book a Service or Build Your Own Business?
Need Reliable Lawn and Garden Care in Belgrave?
Jim’s Mowing customers in Belgrave can request local lawn mowing, hedging, pruning, garden clean-ups and selected soft landscaping services.
Local franchisees work to Jim’s professional service standards and are backed by Jim’s National Guarantee.
Request your free quote from Jim’s Mowing today.
Could a Jim’s Mowing Franchise Fit Your Goals?
Mitchell’s experience shows how a Jim’s Mowing franchise can provide training, customer leads, recognised branding, business systems and ongoing franchisor support.
It also shows that results depend on the franchisee. Owners still need to quote accurately, manage cash flow, maintain equipment, serve customers and adapt to seasonal demand.
Learn more about joining Jim’s Group at jims.net or call 131 546 today.