FRANCHISE NEWSLETTER MAY 2025
In This Issue:
P1. Opening GSC of Lake Country
P2. The GSC Spirit
P2. Small Group Initiative
P3-5. Featured Franchise: GSC of Charleston
P6. Lowes PGA Event
P6. Easier Access to Centre Technologies
Turning on the Power:
Generator Supercenter of Lake Country Celebrates a Bright Start
On April 24th, in the city of Delafield, Wisconsin, a celebration unfolded at the grand opening of Generator Supercenter of Lake Country!
Owner, Mark Allen and his outstanding team went all out to make the day unforgettable they set up fantastic raffles, filling the store with anticipation and joy. Their showroom was packed with guests, friends, family, and community members, all there to share in the moment. The upbeat atmosphere was fueled by laughter, celebration, and amazing food. Mark proudly took center stage with his family and friends, to officially cut the ribbon. It was a moment charged with excitement, pride, and the promise of success ahead.
Adding to the festive spirit, many familiar faces from our Wisconsin corporate business office and from GSC of Houston were in attendance, showing their support and joining in the celebration.
Congratulations to Mark Allen and the entire team at Generator Supercenter of Lake Country on achieving this incredible milestone!
We are thrilled to be part of your journey and can’t wait to see the amazinggrowth,success,andcommunityimpactthatliesahead
Capturing the GSC Family Spirit
As our GSC Family continues to grow, we’re making an extra effort to stay connected! Field Managers have been snapping photos during their visits with you and your teams from install moments to quick selfies. Don’t be surprised if they ask to grab a photo! We love celebrating your work, your milestones (and even your fresh haircuts!) and sharing the moments that bring us closer together.
In April, Generator Supercenter of Lake Country attended their first Home Show with support from Jeremy Blank, the Midwest Territory Manager and Jayson Eschrich, GSC Compliance Officer.
Shane McManamy, Territory Manager for the Southeast GSCs, shared a recent interview featuring Generator Supercenter of Tampa Bay on a local morning talk show. In line with our Mission Statement, GSC of Tampa proudly sponsors ABC’s Operation Honoring Heroes program.
During the interview, General Manager Gabe Dunlap and Sales Representative Tony Mannarino discuss the vital importance of supporting veterans through job opportunities and other initiatives. They also highlight the crucial role our First Responders play in the community.
Click the link below to watch their inspiring conversation!
GSC Small Group Initiative
Corporate encourages all members of the GSC family to build relationships with fellow Franchisees in your areas. Franchisees in the Southeastern Region have recently initiated Small Group Visits, and the outcomes have been excellent.
Jeff Denny’s wife, Marty, had to go to Charleston for work. So Jeff took advantage of the visit to go and sit with Charleston GM, Strick. They compared notes and discussed their individual businesses. They both felt the time spent was very valuable, so they called Dan Miller in Wilmington and the three set up a visit. They all compared notes on the P&L and were able to learn each others approach and areas they were excelling. The group currently has plans to visit Grant Smith in Ft. Myers.
We invite you to consider similar engagement opportunities If you would like to set up a small group meeting in your region and need help, your Territory Managers can assist. Some Franchisees have said feel they like they are on alone an island, let’s bring back the Family Sprirt!
Generator supercenter of Charleston & Myrtle Beach
This month, we travel back to the East Coast to chat with Steve Strickland (AKA Strick), GM of Sister Stores, Generator Supercenter of Charleston and Myrtle beach. GSC of Charleston and Myrtle Beach are owned by an investment group anchored by Aaron K., an energy business executive in Houston, and operated by Strick Strickland who lives in Charleston. Aaron and Strick joined the GSC Family in 2021 with Aaron and his partners as principal investors and Strick managing the businesses, GSC Charleston and GSC Myrtle Beach. Strick and his dedicated team handle all “boots on the ground” operations in SC while Aaron weighs in where needed on key strategic decisions and direction of the business.
Q. Tell us about your Generator Supercenter Journey.
When I first heard about GSC I knew I wanted to be a part of it before I had ever even met or inquired with Houston. I called GSC Savannah, and although she had no reason to talk to me, Tabitha graciously stayed on the phone with me for an hour giving me the details of GSC. From there I absolutely wouldn’t leave Doug Dixon alone until he made a connection that could get me in the GSC sandbox, which he did, and I am forever grateful to Doug for having done so.
In the Winter of 2020, Doug Dixon digitally introduced me to Aaron K. who had spent his entire careerintheenergybusinessinHouston.Aaronand his investment partners had been interested in an investment in a GSC Franchise for some time, specifically along the East Coast, if they could find the right market and the right team to invest in. With Aaron’s full-time career and young family in Houston he was focused on finding the right team to invest in, one that the investors could count on to run the business for years to come. After a few weeks of discussion and aligning on the thesis, we made the decision to move forward with my team
opening GSC Charleston with GSC Myrtle Beach to follow. While the challenge of business operations never ends, I am incredibly thankful for what we have been able to accomplish and what’s on the horizon.
Q. In your opinion, what's a good rule of thumb for how GMs shouldcheck inwith their Franchise Owner? What should be talked about, and how often should those check-ins happen? Frequent and timely communication among the management team members across the two territories is key as we all have a shared interest in the success of this business across both territories. We typically do a complete download with ownership on weekends covering the business and catching up personally and always make ourselves available as needed for ad hoc calls...I’m always prepared with daily sales and service stats, key ops issues, and any other materialtopicsfromourvariousdisciplinesfor ad hoc calls and strategy sessions. GMs and (Continued)
“When I first heard about GSC I knew I wanted to be a part of it before I had ever even met or inquired with Houston.” - Strick
operating partners should prepare for and make both weekly and monthly calls with ownership. I say “calls” but if in person meetings are feasible, they would be preferable.
Weekly calls should consist of Sales Figuresfor new gen sales, gross revenue (collections) for the current week, next week’s collections forecast, operational updates including personnel issues, incidents, damage, complaints, AR/AP issues, potential insurance claim or potential legal issues, notable expenses, advertising strategy, and strategic discussions on team promotions and attrition.
Monthly data supported calls should be completed along with other core team members to discuss operational needs like install numbers, margins, ordering needs, sales season forecasts, service revenue etc.. If these calls are prohibitive from a scheduling perspective, email can be used to compensate but calls build repour with the team and set the standard for open discussion of KPIs and deliverables.
Q. What’s one important thing you do each day to help make sure GSC of Charleston runs as smoothly and effectively as possible?
Be there and be accessible…everyday. This business never sleeps. Collaborate early and often with other stores in your territory. We are thankful for the relationships and guidance that we have received from adjacent owners that have been in this business for years longer than me and myteam. They tend to have a local perspective that is additive to our relationship with corporate.
Q. What are the most important leadership skills necessary to be a successful General Manager of a Generator Supercenter?
Own your mistakes….openly and structurally discussing mistakes helps me to craft a culture of fairnessandaccountability,whichwasdifficultearly on..For me, admitting mistakes openly helps those working with me to feel comfortable admitting a team failure, discussing, and striving not to repeat. All of us in the generator game make mistakes, the goal should be to not repeat the same mistakes.
Q. What advice would you give to an employee who aspires to become a General Manager someday, for any company, not only Generator Supercenter.
- Craftyour“softskill” set and work hard at it. Don't underestimate how critical your soft skills are for your success.
- Be on time, being prompt with responses, maturity, being polite and courteous to coworkers and customers, taking initiative etc. These are highly valuable traits that are hard to fake buteasy to live by.
Up and coming GM’s should Put in the after-hours to study and learn as many of the disciplines within the business as they can get theirhands on. Good GM’s tend to be either operationally sound, great on the sales front, or well versed in all things finance / admin - but the best GMs have fundamental skills to manage across all disciplines. We want GM’s to strive to be owners.
6. Do you have any “words of wisdom,” tips, or lessons learned you would like to share with other franchises?
Focus your crews on learning gas/plumbing with attention as you do the electrical side. Get the accounting and admin functions set up properly from day one, backfilling this skill set was painful! Focus on GenMon attachment rate, its takes time and endless effort to build the service book but that is the payoff in this business. (Continued)
Q. What are some tasks that Charleston and Myrtle Beach manage differently, and how might those approaches be helpful for other franchises to consider?
That's an interesting question, not sure what we do “differently”. I can say that having a designated sales coordinator that enters leads, tracks all the sales figures, acts a gatekeeper and offers ideas on strategy is a massive help to me and I am not sure all GSCs have that role filled or know that perhaps after year 2-3 they will need it.….Cheslea Davis here fills that role for both stores and the role is invaluable. We try to capture as many synergies as we can across the adjacent territories given that having two independent dealerships is not the most costeffective way to manage a regional business (there are a lot of duplicated cost as a result of maintaining two independent franchise locations). Sharon, who runs all our administrative functions works across the holistic platform which we are beyond thankful for so that books and records are consistent for both stores. Our key ops personnel and training team also work across the region which instills consistent work practices and processes in both locations.
Q. We truly believe that our people are what make us great! Can you tell us a bit about your teams and what makes them exceptional?
Our two “OG” installers Mike and Jayce, and our dedicated project manager, Alyssa, have been with us from almost the very beginning. Mike and Jayce shuffled in as nervous young guys back in 2022 looking for a way off the lawn mowers at the golf course where they were working. They dug in and
are now hands down the best generator installers in the state of SC with over 1000 installs under their belts. They have been able to change their lives financially and become true tradesmen. I am absolutely proud of both of themfor what theyhave helped us build.
Q. How does GSC of Charleston bring the Generator Supercenter MissionStatement to life in your community?
“ChangingthelivesofteammembersbyGiving direction, respect and opportunity” is the most important section of the Mission Statement…..most members ofthe team here are young, under the age of 30….having a place that they can come and learn that diligence and focus are the keys to good outcome is what’s most fulfilling (and frustrating sometimes).
Q. What is your favorite memory from your times spent with fellow GSC family members?
Matt Metcalfe and Mike Grosz tried to run me over with a Chevy Tahoe in Las Vegas at the Generac Convention in 2022. They took a shot but missed. That was fun.
Our recent visit from Mike G. and Shane was informative on many fronts. We are always looking to improve and they shed qualitative and quantitative light on where we can improve. This meeting was productive, humbling, and fulfilling as it validated just how far we have come since hanging the shingle, and what upside remains available on the horizon.
Generator Supercenter Sponsors 2025 Lowe’s Foundation event
Generator Supercenter was proud to serve as a sponsor for the 2025 Lowe’s Foundation Event, held this April during the Omni PGA Tournament in Frisco, TX. The three-day event was an incredible opportunity to strengthen our partnership with Lowe’s and continue building our relationships with their key leaders, including Bill Boltz, Lowe’s Executive Vice President of Merchandising, and other members of their outstanding team.
Representing Generator Supercenter at the event were Nate Fern and Derik Gatzke. One of the highlights of the event was Lowe’s partnership with Sleep in Heavenly Peace, a nonprofit organization dedicated to building and delivering beds to children in need.
Thanks to the collective efforts of all attendees—including our very own Derik and Nate, who rolled up their sleeves and showed off their carpentry skills 500 beds were built for underprivileged children across the country.
We are honored to support Lowe’s and their continued commitment to community service and are grateful for the chance to contribute to such a meaningful cause.
New Feature Alert: Quick Access to Centre Technologies via Franconnect
We’re happy to announce a new addition to the pop-out menu in the Franconnect platform! You’ll now find a direct link to Centre Technologies tools
Centre Technologies is your go-to Vendor for all things emailrelated. They manage our GSC email services and provide support when you're experiencing email issues. Since many users reach out to them frequently, we've made their information more accessible to ensure you can get the help you need, faster and easier.
