— In short: A Jim’s Mowing franchise gave Mitchell Dennis a practical way to build a local business in Belgrave Heights without starting from scratch. In his first year, he turned over about $150,000 from March to Christmas, grew from about 25 bought clients to about 55 regulars, and used the Jim’s system to win work, stay organised, and plan for growth.
— In a Jim’s Podcast episode, Mitchell Dennis, a Jim’s Mowing franchisee in Belgrave Heights, explained how he moved from earlier labouring work in plumbing and carpentry into running his own business using a petrol equipment setup for steep, large blocks and a daily Xero reconciliation method to stay on top of quotes, invoices, and cash flow.
A Jim’s Mowing franchise can give a first-year owner a realistic path into local business ownership when the operator combines leads, training, and disciplined work habits. Mitchell turned over about $150,000 from March to Christmas, paid roughly $250 a week in fees, including leads, and turned one $16 lead into a landscaping job that finished at about $13,000. This article covers how he made the switch, what tools and systems helped, why Belgrave Heights suits his service mix, and what future franchisees can learn from his first year.
Watch the full episode below, or keep reading for the key takeaways.
Why Mitchell Dennis Chose a Jim’s Mowing Franchise Over Other Work
Mitchell did not come from a polished corporate background. He had done labouring work in plumbing, carpentry, and other trades when he was 16, and later rebuilt a small house with help from his stepdad in 2023.
What he wanted was simple. He wanted a business of his own, but he did not know what that business would be.
The turning point came when he saw a Jim’s ad on Seek. Instead of making a snap decision, he watched day-in-the-life videos, listened to podcast content, and used that material to work out whether the job and the lifestyle were real.
That content mattered because it answered the practical questions. What does the work actually look like? What can a Jim’s Mowing franchise owner realistically earn? What does a normal day feel like on the road?
Mitchell said the content sold him because it looked genuine. He could see operators in real suburbs doing real work, not reading from a script.
His first year backs that up. He started on the first working day of March, took about three weeks off during the year, and still turned over about $150,000 by Christmas. He also expects the first full year to land around $180,000.
For anyone comparing pathways into business ownership, this is where the Jim’s model can make sense. You can review own a franchise and how much you can earn with a Jim’s franchise before making a decision.
The Equipment and Setup Behind Mitchell Dennis’s Jim’s Mowing Franchise
Mitchell’s technical edge is not flashy. It is a practical petrol-based equipment setup matched to steep terrain, large blocks, and long working days in Belgrave Heights, Upwey, and wider South East Melbourne.
That matters because tool choice changes productivity. Battery gear can be excellent in the right setting, but Mitchell regularly works on properties over 1,000 square metres and deals with hills, thick growth, and heavy brush cutting. In those conditions, petrol still gives him a strong advantage because it offers fast refuelling, long runtime, and steady power output over a full job.
He bought a second-hand Honda mower from an ex-franchisee for $500 and still keeps it as a backup. He also runs a petrol ride-on mower, petrol backpack blower, petrol whipper snippers, and a petrol pressure washer with a Honda engine. He uses a Milwaukee battery multi-tool as well, but his core mowing and clearing setup is still petrol for a reason.
The science behind that choice is straightforward. Petrol stores a high amount of usable energy in a small volume, which means the machine can keep working with a quick refill instead of long charging cycles or a large battery inventory. That is especially useful in Australian conditions where spring growth surges, blocks can be large, and travel time between jobs matters.
This setup also helped him take on work beyond straight mowing. One $16 lead turned into a landscaping project in Rowville that finished at about $13,000 after seven or eight days, including turf, paving support, and reshaping the yard.
Pro tips from Mitchell’s method:
- Match your gear to the average block size and terrain in your area.
- Keep one backup machine ready so a breakdown does not kill your day.
- Upgrade only when the numbers justify it, not because a tool is trendy.
How the Jim’s Mowing System Helped Mitchell Dennis Build a $150K First Year
The Jim’s system advantage is that Mitchell runs his own business, but he does not have to figure everything out alone.
That starts with structure. Mitchell said he pays roughly $250 a week in fees, or about $1,000 a month, including leads. He also made it clear that this is not a model where Jim takes a 20% cut of turnover. He operates his own business under the Jim’s Mowing Belgrave Heights name.
Training gave him a cleaner start. He completed six days of training, including three days focused on mowing, and described it as awesome. Even though some legal content was not the most exciting part, he said the course gave him practical value and confidence from day one. Anyone weighing up the system should look at franchisee training and how franchising fees work.
The systems show up in the daily work too. Mitchell said he gets on Xero every morning to reconcile transactions, sends invoices after each job from the car, and does not let admin stack up. That routine keeps the cash flow clean and cuts down on end-of-week mess.
The lead system also proved its value. One $16 lead became a landscaping job worth about $13,000. In November alone, he turned over about $20,000 from mowing only, with no landscaping on top.
The franchisor support stands out as well. His franchisor helped him with trailer advice, suppliers, equipment questions, and referrals. When Mitchell started, his franchisor called every week, then moved to four to six weekly check-ins.
The deeper strength is the wider Jim’s network. When Mitchell’s wife went into labour two weeks early, he was partway through a landscaping job and had turf already harvested and on the truck. He texted John Wildes at 4 a.m., John called straight back, brought one of his employees, and laid about 80 square metres of turf so the job could keep moving.
That is the difference between running solo and running with a system. A risky independent can be left to sort out every crisis alone. A Jim’s Mowing franchise owner has training, leads, brand trust, and a network that can step in when it counts.
Why Local Knowledge Helped Mitchell Dennis Win Work in Belgrave Heights
Local expertise matters because Belgrave Heights and Upwey are not flat, simple mowing markets. They are steep, weather-shifting, physically demanding suburbs where the right equipment, pricing, and service mix make a real difference.
Mitchell said the weather is one of the biggest challenges. On the interview day alone, conditions shifted from rain and wind to bright sun. He also works in terrain that can drive step counts to 12,500 by 2 p.m. and 30,000 on a hard day, much of it on slopes.
That terrain shapes customer demand. Some clients can mow the easier parts of the property themselves, but need someone else to handle the steep sections, heavy brush cutting, overgrown edges, or larger clear-ups. In Upwey, he even does one job every couple of months where the client only wants one steep hill brush cut because they do not have the equipment.
Local knowledge also helps him answer a common objection. Some residents assume an independent operator is more local than a franchise. Mitchell’s answer is simple: he lives in the community, works in the community, is police checked, and gives customers the backing of a bigger brand if something goes wrong.
He can also compete on price. In one example, he quoted $340 including GST for a cleanup, brush cutting, and mowing job that another operator quoted at $770 or $700 plus GST. That kind of comparison helps customers see that local service and a bigger brand do not have to mean a higher price.
If you want to see how the division works more broadly, visit the Jim’s Mowing page.
| Feature | Standard Independent Contractor | Jim’s Professional Standard |
| Brand backing | Depends on one operator | Backed by Jim’s Group support structure |
| Training | May be informal or non-existent | Structured training before launch |
| Lead generation | Often self-generated only | Leads supplied through the Jim’s |
| Fees model | It can be unclear to customers | Fixed weekly fee model, not turnover percentage |
| Customer confidence | Varies by operator | Local service plus Jim’s National Guarantee |
‘I’ve had a $16 lead that turned into a $12,000 landscaping job.’
Mitchell Dennis, Jim’s Mowing franchisee in Belgrave Heights
Jim’s Mowing Franchise FAQ: What Mitchell Dennis’s First Year Shows
Mitchell said he turned over about $150,000 from March to Christmas and expected about $180,000 for the first full year. The exact result depends on location, season, service mix, and how well you convert leads into regular work.
Mitchell said he pays roughly $250 a week in fees. He also said that it works out to about $1,000 a month, including leads.
No, that was one of the myths Mitchell pushed back on directly. He said he operates his own business and pays fixed fees rather than giving away a turnover percentage.
No. Mitchell’s first year included mowing, pruning, landscaping, brush cutting, gutter cleaning, pressure washing, stump grinding, and general outdoor jobs.
Mitchell completed six days of training, including three days on mowing. He said it gave him practical information and made the transition into business ownership easier.
Yes, especially in areas like Belgrave Heights and Upwey, where blocks are steep, weather changes fast, and many jobs need more than a simple lawn cut. Local knowledge helps with quoting, equipment choice, route density, and customer trust.
Key Takeaways
- Mitchell turned over about $150,000 from March to Christmas and expected about $180,000 in year one.
- He grew from about 25 bought clients to about 55 regulars in his first year.
- One $16 lead became a landscaping project that finished at about $13,000.
- Petrol equipment suited his steep, larger blocks better than an all-battery setup at this stage.
- The Jim’s system gave him training, leads, brand trust, and a support network that helped when things got hard.
Take The Next Step
Get Reliable Mowing and Garden Services in Belgrave Heights
If you want local service, professional standards, and the protection of Jim’s National Guarantee, a Jim’s Mowing franchisee offers more than a basic lawn cut. You get someone who knows the area, understands the terrain, and can handle mowing, brush cutting, cleanups, and broader outdoor work with a proper support system behind them.
Request your free quote from Jim’s Mowing today.
Start Your Own Jim’s Mowing Franchise With Proven Systems
Mitchell’s first year shows what a Jim’s Mowing franchise can look like when you combine a strong work ethic with training, leads, smart systems, and local demand. If you want to build something of your own without doing it blindly, this story is a practical example of how the opportunity can grow.
Learn more about joining Jim’s Group at jims.net or call 131 546 today.