Editorial

LAWN DOCTOR FRANCHISEES SPEAK OUT.

Lawn Doctor, the world’s largest lawn care franchise, headquartered in Holmdel, NJ, is one of the most successful and affordable, home-based Franchises in the country. The company boasts significant numbers, with 475 franchises in 40 states and growing. Lawn Doctor has longevity, having been in business for nearly four decades, so it’s no surprise that the company has also won numerous awards, including being consistently placed in the top 100 home-based Business franchises by Entrepreneur magazine. In fact, in 2005, the magazine named Lawn Doctor the number one lawn care Franchise in the category.

But one thing Lawn Doctor is particularly proud of is its relationship with its franchisees. So, to learn more about Lawn Doctor from a franchisee’s perspective, we interviewed seven dealers and asked why they chose to join Lawn Doctor.

Daniel Jourdan, a franchisee with three territories in Georgia, was a former business owner who thought he’d never join a franchise company. For Jourdan what differentiated Lawn Doctor was that he felt he’d have the support he’d need without feeling like someone was looking over his shoulder. “The corporate office lets me run my business without acting like Big Brother, telling me what to do.”

“Lawn Doctor offers valuable support on the business aspects of the franchise as well as the lawn care aspects,” Jourdan said. “They’re very accessible and actively help you with as much or as little as you’d like them to.”

Marketing support is an area that Jourdan said is particularly top notch at Lawn Doctor. “I follow their recommendations to a ‘T’ because they really work.”

Gerry McGackin, who has franchises in Delaware and Pennsylvania, echoed endorsement of the marketing program. McGackin, who has been a Lawn Doctor Franchisee since 1976, also credits Lawn Doctor’s proprietary equipment (such as the patented Turf Tamer ®, which broadcasts a custom blend of granular fertilizers through ground-metered distribution) for the success of his business. According to McGackin, “it’s very user-friendly and very productive.”

He also likes the ability to be outdoors. After working in the computer department for a pharmaceutical company, McGackin wanted a change from being inside all day. He first worked as an employee of a Lawn Doctor Franchise before deciding to acquire his own business. Although he now has nine full-time employees, McGackin still loves to be outdoors and, as he said, “get dirty.”

What Dave Mlotkiewicz, a franchisee for over 15 years, enjoys about being with Lawn Doctor is the freedom. “This is a seasonal business in New Jersey,” Mlotkiewicz said. “Winter is our slow time, and I now have the ability to travel, which I love.”

For Mlotkiewicz, the challenges of the business have also been rewarding. “I wear many different hats and have had to learn to adjust my management style,” he said. “But, I’m achieving my financial goals, and it has been very exciting to see how far our business has traveled from point A to point B.”

Mlotkiewicz worked for another lawn care company, but what made him decide on Lawn Doctor was its unique lawn care equipment. “I can do in one pass over a client’s yard what would take multiple trips to accomplish using another company’s equipment.”

“What I’ve noticed over the years is that, as franchisees are ready to retire, the territories are often sold to current franchisees,” Mlotkiewicz said. “I think that shows how highly we value the business.”

Harold Tamburro operates six franchise territories, also in New Jersey. As the father of a four- and a six-year-old, Tamburro loves the freedom to do what he wants, when he wants. “It’s great to be able to attend all the school functions,” he said. “I’m not tied down to an office.”

One of Tamburro’s favorite activities in winter is attending Lawn Doctor's National Conference and regional meetings Lawn Doctor holds for franchisees. “Getting together with the other franchisees and with the support staff is really a lot of fun and educational, too.”

One of the advantages of Franchising is the recognizable brand name. “We hear over and over from our clients that they chose us because they knew the Lawn Doctor name and felt confident that it represented a quality product and excellent service,” Tamburro said.

Mark Williams studied agronomy but earned a degree in accounting. He took a systematic approach to choosing a franchise business. What particularly drew him to Lawn Doctor was the sophistication of their product application process.

“Knowing something about agronomy, I was impressed with the granular product and individual approach Lawn Doctor takes, instead of using the same exact formula sprayed on everyone’s lawn, like other companies,” Williams said. “I also feel that the specialized, patented equipment gives us a niche in the industry. No one else has it.”

Williams, who has three franchises in Tennessee, likes the help he receives from Lawn Doctor in growing his business. “This is a company that is as hands-on as you want them to be,” he said. “The support is always there when you need it.”

For Norm Diehl, being able to take charge of his future was important. “I became part of Lawn Doctor because I wanted to own my own business and determine my own destiny with hard work, not office politics.”

A franchisee in Springfield, Ill., Diehl’s background included a degree in agronomy and a sales job with agricultural chemicals. “Lawn Doctor looked like a good fit with my background and skills and the ability to be outdoors was an added benefit,” Diehl said.

The desire to work together is what led Fay and Buddy Boston, operators of two territories in Tennessee, to Lawn Doctor. Buddy had a background in sales but Fay had a master’s degree in fine arts—not an area that gave her experience in lawn care.

Fortunately, Lawn Doctor provided the training needed and was there with support as the business grew. “I took over the office procedures because of my detailed, analytical nature, while Buddy does what he likes, the mechanical and employee aspects,” Fay Boston said. “What really helps is that we have field reps who come by regularly, to answer any questions or to solve problems.”

Franchisees since 2000, the Bostons find that the business gets easier each year as they become more comfortable with the knowledge and processes. They look forward to being able to take more vacations as they train employees to manage the business during their absence.

“Buddy has enjoyed seeing the business grow,” Fay Boston said. “He likes challenges and solving problems. I think the part of the business I like the best is hearing over and over again from customers that we do a great job.”