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FRANCHISE Journal LEARN Why Property Services Franchises Are AI-Proof p. 28

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contents 34 18

The Industry That Is Always Needed by Seth Lederman

40 46 AI Can't Fix a Pipe: How the "Do-It-For-Me" Generation Made "Boring" Franchises the Ultimate Career Pivot by Jack Tiwari

PAINTER BROS Building a Business With the Right Support System by Rudy Frederico

28 Why Property Services Franchises Are AIProof Economic Anchors by Ron Filian

34 Why Property Services May Be Franchising's Best-Kept Secret by Bob Hays

THE MOLD DETECTIVES How a mother's health scare turned into a franchise system built on referrals, air samples, and hard-won trust by Paulette Callender 6

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OCTOBER 2026

BUILDING MORE THAN FENCES How the 76 Fence Regional Developer Opportunity Lets Entrepreneurs Build a Business — and Help Build a Franchise by Steve Sparks

From Losing Sight to Leading Vision: How Five-Time Paralympic Medalist Lex Gillette is Redefining Accessibility, Leadership, and Franchise Opportunity by Rick Morgin

62 PAUL DAVIS RESTORATION Celebrating Their 60th Anniversary with New CEO Mike Hopkins Leading the Way by Rhonda Sanderson

KAMINSKIY CARE AND REPAIR From $70 in the Bank to a National Handyman Empire by Steve Phelps

70 Cultivating Entrepreneurial Resilience: Strategic Opportunities for Property Services in Bergen County, New Jersey by Vince Vicari

78 WINDOW HERO The Model That Makes a Business More Than One Business by Jeff Schmidt

PILLAR TO POST® HOME INSPECTORS From Franchisee to CEO: Charles Furlough Built His Career — and Helped Build a Category — at Pillar to Post Home Inspectors by Rhonda Sanderson

86 ZING SERVICES From a Recession Pivot to a Franchise Play: How Zing Is Building a Better PropertyServices Business by Monique Pelle

90 MEADOWS GARAGE DOORS

PARAMOUNT INDUSTRIAL SERVICES Beyond the Factory Floor: How Paramount Industrial Services Is Building a Scalable Property-Services Brand by Dustin Francis

FLOOR COVERINGS INTERNATIONAL® After 25 Years in the Corporate World These West Texas A&M Alums are Building a Family Business with Floor Coverings International® by Rhonda Sanderson

102 SUPERSTAY The Desert's Quiet Gold Rush: Inside the Business of Renting Out Coachella Valley

106 ASK THE RESULTS GUY™ Is Follow-Through a Competitive Advantage in Franchising by Tony Jeary

110 IMAGINE ARTS ACADEMY™ A Perennial Necessity by Emily Manuel

114 The Virtual Workforce Behind Property Service Growth by Kyle Heck

How Two Brothers Turned a Family Trade Into North Texas’s Most-Reviewed Garage Door Company WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2026

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welcome

NOTES

Why Property Services Keep Winning in Franchising

’ve spent a lot of years looking at franchise concepts, and one thing I’ve learned is that the businesses that get people excited aren’t always the businesses that make the most sense. Everybody wants to talk about what’s new. AI is new. Robotics are new. There’s always a new app, a new technology or some new consumer trend that is supposedly going to change everything. Then there’s the guy fixing your air conditioner. He may be onto something. Property services have quietly become one of the most interesting areas in franchising. It’s a huge category that includes painting,

OCTOBER 2026 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM

restoration, roofing, pest control, landscaping, cleaning, flooring, plumbing, HVAC, garage doors, handyman services, home inspections and dozens of other businesses. There’s nothing particularly revolutionary about most of them. That’s part of what I like. The customer already exists and, more importantly, so does the problem. You don’t have to convince somebody with three inches of water in their basement that water restoration is a good idea. If the air conditioning goes out in Florida in August, the homeowner isn’t going to wait for a sale. If you

"A LOT OF BUSINESSES SPEND ENORMOUS AMOUNTS OF MONEY TRYING TO CREATE DEMAND. PROPERTY SERVICES GENERALLY START WITH DEMAND AND COMPETE OVER WHO IS GOING TO GET THE CALL." have termites, a leaking roof or a garage door that won’t open and your car is inside, you’re going to call somebody. A lot of businesses spend enormous amounts of money trying to create demand. Property services generally start with demand and compete over who is going to get the call. There’s another factor working in the industry’s favor: America has a lot of old houses. Homes don’t improve with age on their own. Neither do office buildings, restaurants, warehouses or shopping centers. They need paint, roofs, floors, electrical work, cleaning, landscaping, plumbing and a long list of other things. Even when new construction slows down, the enormous number of buildings already standing still has to be maintained. The other change I see is more cultural. People increasingly want things done for them. Years ago, a homeowner might spend an entire Saturday painting a bedroom, cleaning gutters or pressure-washing the driveway. Some still do. But for a lot of families today, time is the scarce commodity. If someone can show up when promised, do a professional job and give them their Saturday back, there’s real value in that. This is also where franchising fits the industry particularly well. There are plenty of excellent tradespeople in America. The best painter in town, however, isn’t necessarily the best marketer. A great plumber may not have a sophisticated system for answering leads, following up on estimates, recruiting employees, generating online reviews and keeping technicians productive. The opportunity for a franchise system is to professionalize everything around the actual work. Give the owner a recognizable brand. Help generate leads. Answer the telephone properly. Put systems around scheduling and estimating. Develop relationships with vendors. Train

employees. Track customers. Ask for reviews. Follow up. None of those things sound terribly exciting individually, but put them together and a local service business can become a very different company. Technology is making that even more interesting. There’s been plenty written about businesses that artificial intelligence could disrupt. Property services sit on the other side of that discussion. AI may dramatically improve these businesses without eliminating the person doing the work. AI can help answer calls, schedule jobs, follow up with customers, create estimates and make marketing more efficient. What it can’t do is climb onto your roof Tuesday morning and find out where the water is coming from.

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"GOOD BUSINESSES USUALLY AREN’T BUILT BECAUSE SOMETHING IS EASY. THEY’RE BUILT BECAUSE SOMEBODY FIGURES OUT HOW TO DO A DIFFICULT THING CONSISTENTLY BETTER THAN EVERYONE ELSE."

That combination—better technology attached to a business that still requires somebody to physically perform the service—is worth paying attention to. I also like businesses where yesterday’s customer can become tomorrow’s customer. A roof may be a one-time job, but pest control, pool service, landscaping, cleaning and HVAC maintenance can produce recurring business. Other concepts can sell several services into the same household. That’s when a small service operation starts becoming something more valuable: a customer base. Of course, none of this makes property services easy. Finding good employees can be difficult. Trucks and equipment cost money. Some trades require licensing. Competition can be intense, and one bad job can turn into a one-star Google review before the crew gets back to the office. But good businesses usually aren’t built because something is easy. They’re built because 12

OCTOBER 2026 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM

somebody figures out how to do a difficult thing consistently better than everyone else. Franchising was made for that. We spend a lot of time in business looking for the next big thing. Sometimes we should spend a little more time looking at the things people will still need 20 years from now. The grass will grow. The paint will fade. Pipes will leak. Air conditioners will break. Houses will get older. Somebody is going to get paid to take care of all of it. That may not be the sexiest business story in America. But it really depends on how you define sexy!

Nick Neonakis

Editor, Franchise Journal

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FOUNDER

NICK NEONAKIS DESIGN DIRECTOR

Pete Neonakis DIGITAL DIRECTOR Chantae Arrington ART DIRECTOR Brenda Lesch

SENIOR EDITOR Joe Fox

VIDEO PRODUCER Matt Panepinto

SENIOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Rob Petka

CONTRIBUTORS Paulette Callender Seth Lederman Ron Filian Dustin Francis Rudy Frederico Bob Hays Kyle Heck Tony Jeary Emily Manuel Rick Morgin Monique Pelle Steve Phelps Rhonda Sanderson Jeff Schmidt Steve Sparks Jack Tiwari Vince Vicari

ONLINE EDITOR Seth Lederman STAFF WRITER Alex Neonakis SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Ted O'Shea ASSOCIATE EDITOR Mariel Miller ONLINE EDITOR Greg Gasparini

OCTOBER 2026 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM

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PROPERTY SERVICES

The Industry That Is Always Needed by Seth Lederman, Consultant, The Franchise Consulting Company

ome businesses have to convince people they need what they sell. Property services usually don’t. Grass grows. Buildings get dirty. Pipes leak. Pests get inside. Equipment breaks. Properties age. Storms happen. And whether the economy is booming or slowing, somebody still has to take care of the places where we live, work, shop and conduct business. That reality makes property services an interesting category in franchising. When evaluating a franchise, I believe you should start with the customer and the problem being solved. Is it a real problem? How often does it occur? How urgently does the customer want it fixed? And will that problem still exist five, ten or twenty years from now? Property services checks a lot of those boxes. WHAT DO WE MEAN BY PROPERTY SERVICES? Property services is an umbrella covering the services required to maintain, protect, repair and improve residential and commercial property: landscaping, cleaning, pest control, restoration, painting, roofing, plumbing, HVAC, electrical work, pressure washing, pool maintenance, flooring, garage doors, handyman services and more.

The common denominator is simple: the customer already owns or manages an asset that needs to be maintained. A homeowner can postpone buying a new television. A business can delay replacing lobby furniture. But when the

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air conditioning stops working in August, the basement floods, termites appear or a commercial property needs cleaning, the decision is different. The service moves from discretionary to necessary.

THE INSTALLED BASE IS ENORMOUS The opportunity isn't dependent solely on new construction. Every existing home and commercial building represents a potential customer, and properties generally become more maintenance-intensive as they age. Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies projects annual spending on improvements and maintenance to owneroccupied homes at roughly $518 billion by the end of 2026. Even as growth moderates, spending is projected to remain around historically high levels. That isn't a niche economy. It's a massive ecosystem built around maintaining one of the largest assets most Americans will ever own. MILLIONS ALREADY WORK IN THESE SERVICES The Bureau of Labor Statistics category “services to buildings and dwellings,” which includes janitorial, landscaping, pest control and other propertyrelated businesses, employed

more than 2.2 million people in late 2025. Janitorial services alone accounted for more than one million jobs, while landscaping employed hundreds of thousands more and exceeded 900,000 workers during portions of the year. Pest control added roughly 150,000-plus jobs. RECURRING REVENUE CAN CHANGE THE BUSINESS Within property services, customer frequency matters. Some services are eventdriven: a roof needs replacement, a pipe bursts or a property suffers water damage. Others can create recurring relationships, including lawn maintenance, pest control, cleaning, pool service and HVAC maintenance. That recurring component can be attractive. Instead of starting every morning needing an entirely new group of customers, the business begins with customers already scheduled for service. Repeat demand can make a service business more predictable than one built

primarily around one-time transactions. FRAGMENTATION CREATES OPPORTUNITY Property services also tends to be highly local. Consumers frequently buy from small independent operators who may be excellent technicians or tradespeople but lack sophisticated systems for marketing, scheduling, customer communication, recruiting, training, pricing or territory development. This is where franchising can potentially create value. The advantage isn't necessarily performing the service better than every independent operator. It is the system around the service: lead generation, call handling, scheduling, technology, customer follow-up, recruiting, training, purchasing, brand standards, sales processes and operating procedures. THERE ARE CHALLENGES No industry should be evaluated only through its strengths.

WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2026

Many property-service businesses are labor-intensive, and finding dependable employees can be difficult. Some trades require licenses or specialized training. Vehicles, insurance, equipment and workers' compensation can become significant expenses. Certain categories are seasonal or heavily affected by local weather. Others have low barriers to entry, creating substantial competition from independent operators. And because many services take place inside someone's home or business, reputation matters enormously. One bad experience can become a public review within minutes. The franchise system can provide the playbook, but the franchisee still has to run the plays.

WHAT SHOULD A PROSPECTIVE FRANCHISEE STUDY? If you're considering a property-services franchise, don't begin with the concept that has the coolest marketing. Start with the underlying business. How frequently does the customer need the service? How much revenue is recurring versus one-time? What is the average ticket? How expensive is customer acquisition? How difficult is recruiting? How much equipment is required? Can one customer purchase multiple services? And perhaps most importantly: What does the franchisee actually do every day? Some concepts require an

owner heavily involved in sales. Others demand strong employee management or oversight of technicians and trucks. Still others depend on relationships with commercial accounts, property managers, insurance professionals or homeowners. Understanding the business model means understanding the owner's job. SOMETIMES “BORING” IS BEAUTIFUL Entrepreneurs naturally gravitate toward what's new. But franchising often rewards something else: what's repeatable. Property services may not be glamorous. Nobody is standing in line overnight for the newest version of lawn maintenance or pest control. That's precisely the point. Properties exist. Properties age. Properties require maintenance. And millions of homeowners, businesses and property managers would rather pay somebody else to solve those problems. When evaluating franchise opportunities, don't confuse excitement with demand. Sometimes the most interesting businesses are built around problems that aren't going anywhere. Property services has plenty of them. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Seth Lederman, CFE, a Franchise Acquisition and Development Specialist, is a multi-faceted entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience in small business success, including ownership and sale of his business enterprises. He frequently contributes to The Franchise Journal and is on the exclusive Forbes Business Council. Contact him at 312-307-1297 or seth@ thefranchiseconsultingcompany.com.

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PROPERTY SERVICES

Painter Bros: Building a Business With the Right Support System by Rudy Frederico, Franchise Consultant

hen people talk about what makes a franchise successful, they often focus on the obvious factors: the brand, the business model, training, marketing and financial performance. But there is another factor that can be just as important—and it happens before the business even opens its doors. THE SUPPORT SYSTEM AT HOME. At Painter Bros, the philosophy is simple: family comes first. The company has observed a clear pattern among its franchise owners. Those

who have built successful businesses and remain actively engaged tend to have a positive support network at home. Conversely, franchisees who lack that support, or who encounter significant negativity or disengagement, are more likely to struggle, fail to launch or ultimately leave the business. That insight speaks to something important about franchise ownership: it is rarely an individual journey. The right franchise can provide an outstanding business system, but having the encouragement

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and commitment of the people closest to you can make a meaningful difference along the way. A FRANCHISE BUILT FOR LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS Painter Bros operates in two attractive segments of the painting industry: residential and commercial. That diversity allows franchisees to pursue business from homeowners, property managers, businesses and other commercial customers while building a strong presence in their local market.

While Painter Bros has developed national account relationships that provide an important competitive advantage, those accounts represent only approximately 15% of overall revenue. The overwhelming majority of the business is generated through franchisees succeeding in their own local markets. That distinction is important. Painter Bros isn't simply handing franchisees national accounts and expecting them to manage the work. The model is designed to help owners become successful local business operators. TECHNOLOGY DESIGNED TO HELP OWNERS GROW Painter Bros also differentiates itself through a technologyforward approach. The company has developed tools designed to help franchisees operate and grow their businesses more effectively. Its Command Center provides a centralized platform for managing important aspects of the business, while the Growth Engine and prospecting tools are designed to help franchisees identify opportunities and develop their local customer base. Technology can be particularly valuable in a service business where owners must manage leads, estimates, customers, projects, crews and business development simultaneously. Painter Bros' technology platform is designed to give franchisees greater visibility and

tools to help them stay focused on growth. The company also provides tools designed to help franchisees find and manage painters, addressing one of the industry's most important operational challenges: building and maintaining a reliable workforce. MORE THAN A PAINTING BUSINESS The opportunity extends beyond simply putting paint on walls. Painter Bros franchisees can pursue residential projects while also developing commercial relationships and additional service opportunities. This combination creates multiple avenues for generating revenue and developing longterm customers. And while national accounts provide credibility and an additional source of business, the company's emphasis remains firmly rooted in helping franchisees win in their own communities. THE RIGHT BUSINESS— AND THE RIGHT TEAM Ultimately, choosing a franchise is about more than selecting an industry. It is about selecting a business model, a support organization and a community that can help you pursue your goals. Painter Bros understands that franchise ownership is a journey that affects more than the person signing the franchise agreement. It can involve a spouse, children and an entire family support network. Having people at home who understand the

commitment, celebrate the wins and provide encouragement during the challenges can be a powerful ingredient in the journey. For the entrepreneur who has the right support system and wants to build a business with the backing of an established brand, technology-driven operating platform and diversified residential and commercial opportunities, Painter Bros offers a compelling proposition. The paint may go on the walls, but building the business starts with something much more fundamental: having the right people in your corner. For more about this amazing company and available opportunities around the country, please contact me at 214-725-4867 and let’s explore the opportunity together. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Rudy Frederico has over 35-years experience in franchising along with having owned 3 franchises making him uniquely qualified to help you or someone you know identify and secure their best-fit franchise.

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PROPERTY SERVICES

Why Property Services Franchises Are AI-Proof Economic Anchors by Ron Filian, Managing Partner, FranExecutive

n an era dominated by headlines about artificial intelligence, large language models, and the automation of the modern workforce, a quiet revolution is happening in the franchise world. Investors and aspiring entrepreneurs are increasingly asking themselves a critical question: What cannot be automated? While code can generate marketing copy, analyze spreadsheets, and manage schedules, it cannot fix a burst pipe, repair a sagging roof, remediate mold, or paint a community community center. This is the power of the property services sector. Comprising essential businesses like restoration, commercial cleaning, pest control, residential remodeling, and landscaping, property services represent an indispensable cornerstone of the local economy. For franchise investors seeking long-term stability, recurring revenue, and absolute protection against technological obsolescence, this sector is emerging as the ultimate frontier. THE PHYSICAL REALITY OF AN AI-PROOF BUSINESS The fundamental reason property services franchises are resilient to technological

disruption is simple: they require physical execution in a material world. AI can optimize the logistics of a home renovation or diagnose a structural flaw from a digital scan, but it lacks the physical manipulation required to swing a hammer, apply protective coatings, or eradicate termites. Property services operate on the front lines of the physical world. Buildings age, weather causes damage, and

OCTOBER 2026 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM

infrastructure continuously degrades. According to historical economic data, maintenance and repair are non-discretionary expenses. Whether the broader economy is in a historic bull market or navigating a recession, property owners must maintain their investments. A leaky roof cannot be ignored; a flooded basement must be extracted immediately. This necessity creates a highly stable, counter-cyclical

demand profile that software simply cannot displace. Furthermore, these businesses are deeply embedded in their local communities. They rely on trust, physical proximity, and human craftsmanship—qualities that consumers value more than ever in an increasingly digitized society. When an emergency strikes, property owners do not want an automated chatbot; they want a trained, insured, and certified professional at their doorstep. NAVIGATING THE NOISE: THE FRANCHISE ADVANTAGE While the demand for property services is undeniable, entering the market independently carries immense risk. Building a brand from scratch, establishing supply chains, mastering local regulatory compliance, and developing proprietary operational systems require years of trial and error. This is where the franchise model provides an unfair advantage. A property services franchise delivers a proven blueprint for execution. Franchisees step into a recognized brand with established vendor relationships, national corporate accounts, and sophisticated digital marketing structures that capture local search volume instantly. However, the sheer volume of available franchise options in the property services space can be overwhelming. From niche exterior restoration models to massive commercial cleaning networks, the market is crowded with competing

THE FUNDAMENTAL REASON PROPERTY SERVICES FRANCHISES ARE RESILIENT TO TECHNOLOGICAL DISRUPTION IS SIMPLE: THEY REQUIRE PHYSICAL EXECUTION IN A MATERIAL WORLD. concepts, territory structures, and investment tiers. For an executive or investor looking to transition into ownership, identifying the right vehicle requires filtering through an immense amount of marketing noise. THE CRITICAL ROLE OF THE FRANCHISE CONSULTANT This complexity underscores the absolute necessity of partnering with a professional franchise consultant. Trying to evaluate hundreds of property services concepts solo is akin to navigating a dense forest without a compass. A consultant acts as a strategic advisor, filtering the vast landscape of options through the lens of an investor's specific goals, capital requirements, and regional dynamics. Franchise consultants provide a vital layer of due diligence. They analyze territory availability to ensure a concept isn't already saturated in a specific market. More importantly, they help WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2026

investors look past the shiny brochures to understand the actual operational mechanics of a brand: • What is the true cost of customer acquisition? • How robust is the franchisor’s training program for recruiting technical labor? • What do the financial disclosures (Item 19) reveal about top-tier earner performance? A consultant ensures that an investor’s unique skills— whether in sales pipeline management, executive leadership, or operational scaling—align perfectly with the franchise system's demands. UNLOCKING LOCAL OPPORTUNITIES The best franchise opportunity is not a one-size-fits-all solution; it is highly hyper30

local. A property services brand that thrives in a densely populated urban center might struggle in a sprawling suburban or rural territory. Demographic trends, regional climate patterns, and local construction booms all dictate which brands will capture the highest market share. A skilled franchise consultant possesses the market intelligence necessary to identify these specific local vacuums. They look at territory data to spot underserved demands within a community—such as a rising need for commercial ecocleaning or a deficit in high-end residential restoration services. By matching an incoming franchisee with an optimized, exclusive territory that matches local economic tailwinds, consultants transform a blind investment into a calculated strategic expansion.

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THE BOTTOM LINE As the digital economy becomes more volatile and automated, the tangible economy becomes increasingly valuable. Property services franchises offer a rare combination of recessionresilience, predictable cash flow, and total immunity to AI replacement. By leveraging the expertise of a franchise consultant, aspiring business owners can cut through the industry noise, avoid costly missteps, and secure the premier opportunities tailored specifically to their communities. In a world of virtual assets, investing in the physical preservation of our communities remains one of the safest bets available. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Ron Filian is the managing partner of FranExecutive, a franchise consulting firm.

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grow a healthy business Saladworks is the original create-your-own, fast-casual salad franchise. Healthy – USDA reports that American adults are choosing healthier foods such as fruits and vegetables to support a healthier lifestyle. That’s why nearly half of all Millennial and Gen Z consumers buy 3+ entrée salads per week away from home. Saladworks is on-trend.

grow a healthyequipment-light business and easy Simple – Our concept is asset-light, Saladworks is the original create-your-own, to operate. No fryers and salad no hood means less expensive fast-casual franchise. buildout costs for Healthy you.– USDA Just chop, sliceadults and dice to serve the reports that American are choosing healthier foods such as fruits and vegetables to support a tastiest create-your-own salads is turn-key. healthier lifestyle. That’s whyaround. nearly half of all Saladworks Millennial and Gen Z consumers buy 3+ entrée salads per week away from home. Saladworks is on-trend.

Accessible – The fast-casual landscape is overbuilt and Simple – Our concept is asset-light, equipment-light and easy to operate. No fryers and no hood means less expensive cluttered with create-your-own burger, sandwich, pizza, buildout costs for you. Just chop, slice and dice to serve the tastiest create-your-own salads around. Saladworks is turn-key. Mexican and smoothie concepts. Landlords are looking for Accessible – The fast-casual landscape is overbuilt and healthy concepts like ours. We have market, venue, format cluttered with create-your-own burger,the sandwich, pizza, Mexican and smoothie concepts. Landlords are looking for Saladworks is the original create-your-own, concepts like ours. We have the venue, format and footprint you healthy want. Saladworks ismarket, available. fast-casual salad franchise.

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Healthy – USDA reports that American adults are choosing healthier foods such as fruits and vegetables to support a healthier lifestyle. That’s why nearly half of all Millennial and Gen Z consumers buy 3+ entrée salads per week away from home. Saladworks is on-trend.

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Simple – Our concept is asset-light, equipment-light and easy to operate. No fryers and no hood means less expensive fransales@saladworks.com buildout costs for you. Just chop, slice and dice to serve the tastiest create-your-own salads around. Saladworks is turn-key.

* Details located at Item 19 inside Saladworks Franchise Disclosure Document.

t sales for top quartile*

Accessible – The fast-casual landscape is overbuilt and cluttered with create-your-own burger, sandwich, pizza, Mexican and smoothie concepts. Landlords are looking for healthy concepts like ours. We have the market, venue, format and footprint you want. Saladworks is available.

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$1,227,858 median net sales for top quartile*

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Toodley Town was born from a simple but powerful memory: a pretend grocery store in a children’s museum. Becky, the founder, never forgot the joy of stepping into that miniature adult world—a place where her imagination could run wild. Years later, while visiting a museum with her own daughters, she watched them experience that same thrill—but also noticed something missing: a thoughtfully designed, enclosed space where kids could safely play and parents could relax and engage. That moment sparked the vision for Toodley Town: a beautifully detailed, immersive environment that celebrates imaginative play, supports healthy childhood development, and welcomes the whole family.

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PROPERTY SERVICES

Why Property Services May Be Franchising's Best-Kept Secret by Bob Hays, Consultant, The Franchise Consulting Company

ew franchise sectors offer the longterm stability and growth potential found in property services. While industries such as retail and food service often rise and fall with consumer spending trends, property services are built around an enduring reality: homes require ongoing maintenance, repairs, improvements, and care. Whether helping a homeowner complete needed repairs, supporting seniors with accessibility upgrades, or providing maintenance for property managers, demand remains consistent regardless of economic conditions. This reliability has made property services franchises increasingly attractive to entrepreneurs seeking a scalable, service-based business with recurring revenue opportunities and relatively low overhead compared to many traditional brick-and-mortar franchise concepts. WHY PROPERTY SERVICES FRANCHISES ARE GROWING The property services sector includes businesses that maintain, repair, improve, and manage residential and commercial properties. Unlike many discretionary purchases,

property maintenance is often unavoidable. Roofs leak, decks deteriorate, gutters clog, and homes require continual upkeep to preserve value and safety. At the same time, today's homeowners often lack the time, tools, or expertise to complete repairs themselves. Combined with an ongoing shortage of skilled trades professionals, this has created significant opportunities for organized franchise systems that can deliver dependable,

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professional service. Modern property service brands have further strengthened their appeal through standardized processes, professional branding, technology-driven scheduling, and quality control systems that enhance the customer experience. DEMOGRAPHICS DRIVING DEMAND Several powerful demographic trends continue to support industry growth. The aging of the Baby

Boomer generation is creating substantial demand for home maintenance and accessibility solutions. Most seniors prefer to remain in their homes as they age, fueling demand for safety modifications, mobility enhancements, and ongoing maintenance services that support independent living. Busy two-income households are another major driver. With many families balancing careers, childcare, and other responsibilities, homeowners increasingly outsource tasks such as repairs, seasonal maintenance, furniture assembly, and home improvement projects in exchange for convenience and peace of mind. America's aging housing stock also continues to create opportunities. Older homes require ongoing repairs, updates, and preventative maintenance, generating steady demand for service providers that help homeowners protect their investments. Property managers, landlords, homeowner associations, and real estate professionals represent additional customer segments. These relationships often produce repeat business, referral opportunities, and recurring service contracts that help franchise owners build consistent revenue streams. DIVERSE REVENUE OPPORTUNITIES One of the greatest strengths of the property services industry is its ability to generate revenue from multiple service lines. Handyman services often

ONE OF THE GREATEST STRENGTHS OF THE PROPERTY SERVICES INDUSTRY IS ITS ABILITY TO GENERATE REVENUE FROM MULTIPLE SERVICE LINES. form the foundation of the business, providing home repairs, installations, and routine maintenance that create consistent customer demand. Many companies also offer recurring home

maintenance programs, including inspections, gutter cleaning, pressure washing, and other preventative services that provide predictable revenue and longterm customer relationships. A rapidly growing niche is senior home modifications, where accessibility and safety upgrades help older adults remain independent in their homes. In addition, property service providers frequently perform exterior repairs and maintenance such as deck and fence repairs, carpentry work, seasonal cleanups, and power washing. Many franchisees also benefit from partnerships with real estate professionals, delivering property preparation,

WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2026

systems are designed for owner-operators without extensive construction experience. Franchisees typically focus on leadership, team development, customer relationships, marketing, and business management while trained technicians perform the skilled work.

inspection-related repairs, and move-in services that generate referral business and repeat customers. WHY PROPERTY SERVICES MAKE AN EXCELLENT FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITY Beyond strong market demand, property services franchises offer several compelling advantages for prospective franchise owners. First, many concepts do not require expensive retail locations. The absence of a storefront can significantly reduce startup and operating costs. Second, the business model is highly scalable. Owners can begin with a small team and 36

expand by adding technicians, vehicles, and service territories as demand grows. Third, recurring maintenance programs provide predictable revenue streams. Rather than relying solely on one-time projects, franchisees can build long-term customer relationships that generate ongoing income. Fourth, property services businesses often benefit from multiple customer segments, including homeowners, seniors, property managers, real estate professionals, landlords, and commercial clients. This diversification reduces dependence on any single market segment. Finally, many franchise

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A SECTOR POSITIONED FOR LONG-TERM SUCCESS Property services franchises sit at the intersection of several powerful trends: an aging population, growing demand for convenience, an aging housing stock, and increasing reliance on professional home maintenance providers. These factors create consistent demand that is less vulnerable to economic swings than many consumer-facing industries. For entrepreneurs seeking a franchise opportunity with multiple revenue streams, strong demographic support, recurring revenue potential, and meaningful community impact, the property services sector remains one of the most compelling opportunities in franchising today. Businesses that help maintain, repair, and improve homes are likely to remain essential for years to come. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Bob Hays is a Franchise Consultant and member of the Veterans Franchise Council. A former franchise owner himself, Bob brings firsthand experience and strategic insight to his work. He helps individuals and business owners navigate franchise opportunities with confidence, offering informed decision‑making support and expert guidance throughout the process. Contact Bob at bhays@ thefranchiseconsultingcompany.com.

Decora Studio is distinguished in the luxury paint and plaster industry, renowned for its exquisite craftsmanship and commitment to quality. Our brand caters to a discerning clientele, seeking superior decorative solutions for both residential and commercial spaces.

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PROPERTY SERVICES

THE MOLD DETECTIVES

How a mother's health scare turned into a franchise system built on referrals, air samples, and hard-won trust by Paulette Callender, Consultant, The Franchise Consulting Company

elly still remembers the moment the pediatrician asked whether there was any mold in the house. Her newborn son had developed breathing problems that nothing else seemed to explain, and the answer, once she pulled back the carpet, was yes. It had been there the whole time, hidden and unremarkable, doing quiet damage. That single discovery is the reason Kelly now spends her days talking to strangers about air quality testing, referral partnerships, and general contractor licenses. She works in franchise development for MoldMedics, a company built around a problem she once lived through — and one she says is far more common than most homeowners realize. "Nearly half of American homes have mold, visible or not," Kelly says. "You smell it before you see it, most of the time." A NARROWER BUSINESS, BY DESIGN Restoration is a multi-billiondollar industry, but MoldMedics has deliberately kept its lane narrow. The company

doesn't chase burst pipes or fire damage, and it doesn't run a 24-hour emergency line the way many general restoration outfits do. It does one thing: mold remediation, for homeowners who want a fast, direct answer rather than a drawn-out insurance claim. That focus shapes the business model as much

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as the marketing. Because MoldMedics works directly with homeowners instead of waiting on adjusters, franchisees get paid on a much shorter timeline than a typical restoration company does — a detail Kelly says matters more to prospective owners than almost anything else on the spec sheet.

The process itself starts quietly. A technician takes three air samples — one outdoors, as a control, and two indoors — and sends them to an independent lab for analysis. Results come back within a day or two. Visible mold gets a remediation plan right away; mold that's hiding behind drywall gets found first, often with camera equipment built for exactly that job. Nothing about it is invasive until it needs to be.

and nowhere is that clearer than in Florida. Years of hurricane damage and a long history of contractor fraud have left the state with licensing requirements that are, in Kelly's words, simply stricter than anywhere else in the country. In practice, that means a general contractor's license is close to a hard

requirement for doing mold remediation work there. It's strict enough that MoldMedics has stopped considering Florida candidates unless they, or an immediate family member, already hold one. Other states are considerably more forgiving, and the franchisor builds training around whatever local

THE BUSINESS CARD THAT MATTERS MOST Ask Kelly what actually fills a franchisee's schedule, and she doesn't point to advertising. She points to relationships. Home inspectors. Real estate agents. Roofers, flooring installers, kitchen and bath remodelers — anyone whose job puts them inside walls, crawl spaces, and attics on a regular basis. They're the ones who spot mold first, long before a homeowner ever thinks to call someone about it. A franchisee who builds those relationships well doesn't need to chase leads; the leads start finding them. Kelly likes to tell the story of one franchisee who received sixteen jobs in a single month — all from one real estate agent. It's the kind of number that sounds almost too tidy, until you understand how many mold issues surface during a home sale, right when an inspection turns something up and a deal is suddenly at risk. FLORIDA'S HIGHER BAR Not every state treats mold remediation the same way, WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2026

requirements a new owner needs to clear. But Florida remains the exception that gets mentioned first in almost every conversation about where the brand can and can't grow. WHAT COMES NEXT MoldMedics is also eyeing a future most franchise systems eventually consider: a conversion program for businesses that already exist. General contractors and small restoration companies that have built a client base but hit a ceiling could, in theory, fold their operation into the MoldMedics system rather than starting from zero. Kelly points to Brothers Gutters as the model worth watching — a franchise where one owner grew the business tenfold in two years after converting. It's early, and nothing is finalized, but it's the kind of story that tends to get repeated in franchise sales calls for a reason. 42

FIFTEEN YEARS LEARNING THE BUSINESS FROM EVERY ANGLE Kelly's path into franchising didn't start with MoldMedics, or even with mold. Nearly fifteen years ago, she was managing U.S. franchise expos, which put her in a room with dozens of franchisors long before she ever sold a territory herself. Five years ago she landed at Franchise Fastlane, drawn to an approach built on education rather than pressure — a fit, she says, for someone who'd rather explain a business model thoroughly than close a deal quickly. In between, she was briefly a franchisee herself, during the pandemic, for a home service brand. She was its first Canadian franchisee, and the company, it turned out, wasn't remotely ready for a Canadian rollout — no supplier network, no real playbook for the border. It was a hard way to learn the

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business. It's also, she says, the experience that shapes how she talks to candidates now. When someone is nervous about signing a franchise agreement, she isn't guessing at what that feels like. "I tell people I've been on the other side of the table," she says. "I'm not just trying to make a sale. I'm trying to find the right fit." She describes her job, more than once, as that of a gatekeeper — someone screening for candidates who will actually thrive inside a brand, not just anyone who can write a check. The part she says she enjoys most has nothing to do with a signature on a franchise agreement. It's watching, months and years later, as someone she placed builds something they couldn't have built in their old career — usually via Instagram, usually with more pride than the caption lets on. Kelly was born and raised in Toronto, where three of her four children still live. Her daughter is in Jacksonville, Florida, on a sports scholarship — a detail that puts her, fittingly, just a few hours from the one state where MoldMedics still won't sign a deal. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Paulette Callender is a seasoned franchise entrepreneur and business development leader based in Sarasota, Florida, with more than 20 years of experience dedicated to helping people and concepts grow. My passion is driving strategic expansion, operational excellence, and building strong franchisee partnerships. Contact Paulette at pcallender@thefranchiseconsultingcompany.com.

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Building the Future of Pediatric Development Services

Kidology, Inc. is a multidisciplinary leader in pediatric developmental care. Founded by Luba Patlakh, a dedicated Speech-Language Pathologist and visionary entrepreneur, Kidology was born from a simple mission: to help every child reach their developmental milestones through a holistic, family-centered approach. Founded by Luba Patlakh, M.S., CCC-SLP, Kidology was built on a simple belief: every child deserves access to exceptional developmental care. Today, Kidology has evolved into an integrated pediatric care ecosystem serving children and families through clinics, schools, community partnerships, parent education, sensory experiences, and innovative outreach programs.

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PROPERTY SERVICES

AI Can't Fix a Pipe: How the "Do-ItFor-Me" Generation Made "Boring" Franchises the Ultimate Career Pivot by Jack Tiwari, Consultant, The Franchise Consulting Company

I Can't Fix a Pipe: How the "Do-It-For-Me" Generation Made "Boring" Franchises the Ultimate Career Pivot Five years ago, if you asked a mid-career tech executive or investment banker what their dream career pivot looked like, the answers were highly predictable: launch a SaaS startup, become a venture capitalist, or join the C-suite of a flashy lifestyle brand. Today, in 2026, a quiet anxiety has rewritten that script. As generative AI rapidly absorbs complex white-collar tasks— from financial modeling to

marketing strategy—corporate leaders are looking at the writing on the wall and asking one terrifying question: How long until an algorithm can do my job? To find their escape route, these executives aren't fleeing to the next buzzy tech company. Instead, they are seeking refuge in industries completely immune to automation. They want to clean your gutters. They want to fix your garage door. They want to pump insulation into your attic. Welcome to the golden era of the "boring" business. Across the franchise industry, a massive demographic shift is occurring. The typical buyer of a home services franchise is no longer a former tradesman looking to hang his own shingle. Driven by the need for future-proof revenue and fueled by a younger, "Do-It-ForMe" generation of homeowners who lack traditional DIY skills, white-collar professionals are trading their corner offices for unglamorous, highly essential home service brands. They are building quiet empires in the process. But why the sudden rush from Wall Street and Silicon Valley to Main Street? It comes down to three powerful drivers: predictable unit economics,

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the executive ownership model, and a massive shift in consumer behavior. THE BEAUTY OF BORING In a business landscape obsessed with disruption and artificial intelligence, home services offer something incredibly rare: technological immunity and recession resistance. AI might be able to write code or generate marketing copy, but it cannot fix a burst pipe, replace a faulty HVAC unit, or repaint a living room. These are essential, eventdriven services. When a homeowner’s roof is leaking, they don't wait for consumer interest rates to drop; they pull out their credit card. For burnedout corporate executives tired of market volatility and the relentless pressure of quarterly earnings calls, the sheer predictability of a "boring" business is its greatest asset. The cash flow is immediate, the margins are healthy, and the demand is permanent. YOU ARE AN EXECUTIVE, NOT A TECHNICIAN The biggest mental hurdle for white-collar professionals

looking at the home services sector is the lack of technical expertise. How does a former VP of Sales successfully run an electrical services franchise without knowing how to wire a breaker box? The answer lies in the evolution of the modern franchise model. Today’s top home service franchisors don’t want their owners in the truck—they want them running the P&L. Franchises provide the entire operational playbook: the centralized dispatch technology, the digital marketing funnels, the AIassisted customer service routing, and the recruitment frameworks. The franchisee's job isn't to turn a wrench; it’s to build a culture, manage middle-management, and scale the territory. Corporate refugees are realizing that the leadership skills they honed in the boardroom—managing KPIs, optimizing operations, and retaining talent—translate perfectly to scaling a fleet of branded service vans.

Uber and Amazon. When they need their lawn manicured or their driveway power-washed, they don’t want to leave voicemails for an unvetted "guy in a truck" who might not show up. They want uniformed technicians, automated textmessage ETAs, transparent digital invoicing, and reliable customer service. Home service franchises are uniquely positioned to deliver this high-end, professionalized customer experience. Corporate executives recognize this market gap and are leveraging franchise systems to dominate fragmented local markets previously run by mom-and-pop operators. THE NEW STATUS SYMBOL In 2026, the definition of a business status symbol is changing. It is no longer just about the prestige of the product you sell or the view from your office. True wealth and autonomy are

increasingly being found in the unglamorous, everyday services that keep the world running. For today’s ambitious leaders, the smartest investment isn't the next tech unicorn. It’s the fleet of brightly wrapped vans parked out in the community, generating recession-proof revenue one house call at a time. Boring, it turns out, is very good for business. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jewan "Jack" Tiwari is a strategic Franchise Consultant with The Franchise Consulting Company, FranMerica.com, and an author of the Franomics trilogy. He specializes in empowering corporate executives to escape the traditional corporate grind through smart, AI-resistant franchise ownership. With deep expertise in acquisitions, business valuation, and exit strategies, Jack identifies semi-absentee and recession-proof concepts—from high-tech home services to senior care—that generate lasting wealth. If you are ready to acquire a high-performing business or franchise your own successful concept, contact Jack at jack@ thefranchiseconsultingcompany.com.

THE "DO-IT-FOR-ME" GENERATION Fueling this boom is a fundamental shift in homeownership. Millennials and older Gen Z cohorts now represent the largest block of homebuyers. However, unlike previous generations, they possess historically low "DoIt-Yourself" (DIY) skills. They are the "Do-It-For-Me" (DIFM) generation. These homeowners prioritize time over money. They are accustomed to the frictionless, app-based convenience of WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2026

Rescue Clean 911 is one of the largest and fastest growing restoration companies in South Florida. A large reason for our growth is our experience in the restoration, HVAC, and hazardous materials industry and keeping up with the latest technology and standards. Rescue Clean 911 provides residential and commercial water damage, mold remediation, fire restoration, biohazard cleanup and HVAC services.

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PROPERTY SERVICES

BUILDING MORE THAN FENCES

How the 76 Fence Regional Developer Opportunity Lets Entrepreneurs Build a Business — and Help Build a Franchise Network by Steve Sparks, Consultant, The Franchise Consulting Company

or many entrepreneurs considering franchising, the traditional model is straightforward: choose a brand, secure a territory, open a business, and grow that operation within a proven system. But what if your ambition is bigger than owning a single franchise location? For experienced entrepreneurs, executives, sales leaders, and business builders, there is another model worth considering: regional development. It is an opportunity that can look less like traditional franchise ownership and more like becoming a “mini franchisor” within a defined geographic market. That is part of what makes the Regional Developer opportunity with 76 Fence particularly interesting. Rather than focusing exclusively on building one local operation, Regional Developers have the opportunity to help grow the 76 Fence brand across a much larger market. That means thinking beyond individual jobs and customers and toward developing territories, supporting franchise owners, building teams, and creating an organization capable of operating at scale.

A DIFFERENT WAY TO THINK ABOUT FRANCHISING One of the fundamental advantages of franchising is leverage. Instead of building a company entirely from scratch, franchise owners enter a system with an established brand, operating processes, training, marketing resources, vendor relationships, and ongoing support. Regional development takes that concept a step further. The question changes from, “How successful can I make

OCTOBER 2026 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM

my franchise?” to, “How large can we build this brand throughout my region?” That distinction can be significant. Some entrepreneurs love operating businesses. Others discover that what really excites them is building businesses: identifying markets, recruiting talented people, developing leaders, implementing systems, and creating an organization that can grow beyond their own individual efforts. For that type of entrepreneur, regional development offers

however, the service itself is only one part of the equation. The bigger question is whether the business can be systemized and replicated.

an interesting middle ground between becoming a traditional franchisee and attempting to build an entirely new franchise system from scratch. WHY FENCING? Of course, a development model is only as compelling as the underlying business being developed. Take a drive through almost any residential community and the size of the fencing market becomes easy to understand. Fences provide privacy, security, pet containment, pool safety, curb appeal, and property boundaries. Commercial properties, multifamily developments, HOAs, and other organizations require fencing as well. Demand can also come from numerous sources. New construction creates the need for new fences, while storms, deterioration, changing property needs, new pets, pool installations, and security concerns can create opportunities within existing properties. 76 Fence has built its business around serving both residential and commercial customers through services that include fence installation, repair, staining, and maintenance. For an entrepreneur evaluating a franchise,

FROM BUSINESS OWNER TO BUSINESS BUILDER This is where the Regional Developer concept becomes particularly compelling. There is a major difference between owning a business and building an organization. In the early stages of entrepreneurship, owners frequently do everything themselves. They sell, manage employees, solve customer problems, oversee marketing, and make countless daily decisions. As businesses grow, the entrepreneur's role must change. The most valuable skill eventually becomes the ability to build systems and develop other people who can successfully operate within those systems. A Regional Developer can approach franchising with that mindset from the beginning. Instead of thinking solely about producing more revenue from a single territory, the objective becomes developing an entire market. That can include opening additional territories, helping develop franchise owners, increasing regional brand awareness, creating local relationships, and building the management infrastructure required to support continued expansion. In many ways, it allows an entrepreneur to begin thinking like a franchisor.

The difference is that they don't have to start by inventing the concept, building the brand, documenting every process, developing a franchise system, and figuring out how to support franchisees themselves. They are building within an existing platform. SYSTEMS CREATE SCALE The ability to replicate a business is one of the fundamental principles behind franchising. 76 Fence provides franchise owners with training covering its systems, methodology, marketing, sales, and fulfillment, along with ongoing operational support. Franchise owners also benefit from defined marketing territories and resources designed to help them establish their businesses locally. For a Regional Developer, those systems become even more important.

WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2026

Instead of corporate expansion occurring hundreds or thousands of miles away, regional growth can be driven by someone whose success is directly connected to the development of that market.

Opening one successful business is an accomplishment. Creating a structure capable of producing successful businesses repeatedly is something entirely different. That requires consistency. The customer experience needs to remain recognizable. Marketing needs to generate opportunities. Sales processes need to be repeatable. Jobs need to be fulfilled effectively. New owners and employees need to be trained. The more effectively those processes can be standardized, the easier it becomes to expand into additional territories.

THE POWER OF LOCAL LEADERSHIP Franchising has always combined two powerful concepts: the resources of a larger organization and the commitment of local ownership. Regional development adds another layer. A national organization can develop systems, technology, branding, marketing, and operating standards. A Regional Developer brings knowledge of the local market and an entrepreneurial commitment to growing the brand throughout that region. That combination can be powerful when entering new markets.

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THINK BIGGER THAN ONE TERRITORY Regional development certainly isn't for every prospective franchise owner. It requires an entrepreneur who can think strategically, build relationships, develop people, and remain focused on long-term growth. But for the right person, those requirements are precisely what make the opportunity attractive. Some people want to own a successful local business. Others want to build an organization. They want to develop markets, create teams, mentor other entrepreneurs, and build something capable of becoming considerably larger than any single location. For those entrepreneurs, the question may not simply be whether they should buy a franchise. The better question may be whether they're ready to help build an entire franchise region. With 76 Fence, the opportunity isn't necessarily just about building fences. It's about building the organization that builds them. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Steve Sparks is a franchise consultant with The Franchise Consulting Company, helping aspiring entrepreneurs identify franchise opportunities that align with their financial goals, lifestyle, and long-term vision. With a background in entrepreneurship, marketing, and business development, he brings a practical, growth-focused perspective to franchise ownership.

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Petite Pup is the premier dog daycare franchise specializing in dogs under 15 pounds. Every detail is meticulously crafted to the unique needs of the teeny tiny dog. We create a pawsitive and safe experience through play, mental stimulation, socialization and relaxation. Our motto, "Where Small Dogs are a BIG Deal" exemplifies our unwavering commitment to the petite pup.

WHY FRANCHISE WITH US? Turn passion for dogs into a rewarding & successful business Reach goals fast with ongoing support & training from day one Unique opportunity to own an adorable niche in the growing pet care industry Proven business model with a fun environment that is easy to operate Dream BIG with small dogs. You can do this & we are here for you every step of the way

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FROM LOSING SIGHT TO LEADING VISION How Five-Time Paralympic Medalist Lex Gillette is Redefining Accessibility, Leadership, and Franchise Opportunity by Rick Morgin, Consultant, The Franchise Consulting Company

t eight years old, Lex Gillette lost his sight to recurrent retinal detachments after ten unsuccessful surgeries. What followed was not the end of a story but the beginning of one: a journey that would take him to five Paralympic Games, onto the podium as a five-time

medalist and four-time world champion, and eventually into boardrooms across the country as a keynote speaker, leadership facilitator, and accessibility strategist. Today, as President of Trusted Voice Inc., Gillette works with Fortune 100 companies and organizations nationwide, translating the

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lessons of blind long jump — trust, communication, and preparation — into strategies for business leadership and inclusive design. He recently shared his story and his perspective on accessibility, leadership, and franchise ownership.

DESIGNING WITH ACCESSIBILITY IN MIND, GILLETTE ARGUES, OFTEN CREATES A BETTER EXPERIENCE ACROSS THE BOARD. A JOURNEY THAT BEGAN WITH LOSS “For the first eight years of my life, the world was vivid, sharp, and full of color,” Gillette recalls. “Then one evening, without warning, everything started to look blurry.” An eye examination revealed recurrent retinal detachments, setting off a difficult fight to save his sight that included ten operations — each one carrying the hope that it might finally work. None did. A few months after his final surgery, he woke up and realized he could no longer see. At eight years old, he couldn’t fully grasp what blindness would mean for his future. He only knew that the world he had learned to navigate through sight was suddenly gone. In time, he learned one of the most important lessons of his life: sight and vision are not the same. Sight reveals current reality, he explains, but vision allows a person to see beyond it into what is possible. Losing his sight forced him to navigate, gather information, trust, and ultimately compete differently — and athletics became the proving ground where those lessons came alive, eventually carrying him to represent Team USA on the world’s biggest stage. FIVE PARALYMPIC GAMES, A CAREER OF RECORDS Gillette has competed in five Paralympic Games — Athens

2004, Beijing 2008, London 2012, Rio 2016, and Tokyo 2020 — earning five Paralympic medals along the way. Across his career, he has won 18 medals at major international championships, including five golds, and holds two world records in the long jump for totally blind athletes, with a best mark of 6.73 meters (22 feet, 1 inch). Those accomplishments are a source of pride, but Gillette says sport taught him something greater: what people can achieve when talent is supported by trust, communication, preparation, and the right environment. BRINGING PARALYMPIC LESSONS INTO THE BOARDROOM Gillette’s mission has extended well beyond athletics, into work with Fortune 100 companies across technology, hospitality, travel, financial services, medical, fitness and wellness, medspa, and quick-service restaurant industries. As a keynote speaker, leadership facilitator, accessibility strategist, and brand ambassador, he is often brought in to inspire and energize audiences, while other engagements dig into leading through uncertainty, building high-performing teams, strengthening trust and communication, turning obstacles into competitive advantages, and treating

accessibility as a business strategy. He keynotes nationally and internationally for conferences, sales kickoff meetings, leadership gatherings, corporate offsites, and BRG/ERG events. His flagship leadership workshop, Connected Insight, draws on the relationship between a blind athlete and guide runner, giving participants a firsthand experience of how communication, listening, trust, and shared responsibility drive performance. He facilitates the program at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California, and brings it to organizations nationwide. In 2025, Gillette surpassed one million lifetime miles flown with United Airlines — a reflection of how central travel is to bringing his message directly to clients. A BUSINESS LENS ON ACCESSIBILITY Gillette’s more recent work has centered on accessibility, which he approaches through both lived experience and a business lens. He most recently served on FIFA’s Accessibility Advisory

WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2026

CONNECT WITH LEX GILLETTE Gillette says the best way to connect with him is through his website or LinkedIn, where he is very active, along with his other social media channels. He welcomes conversations with leaders and organizations interested in learning about his work and exploring where their goals may align — noting that some of the best partnerships begin with a simple conversation. Board, conducting on-site assessments during the 2026 World Cup. His evaluations covered the full fan journey — transportation, security, entrances, wayfinding, seating, concessions, restrooms, staff preparedness, and departure — identifying barriers and opportunities to improve the experience for fans with disabilities. He brings that same perspective to organizations, helping them examine the complete customer journey. As Gillette puts it, accessibility isn’t simply a question of whether someone can use a product, service, or environment — it’s whether they can navigate that experience independently and efficiently. ACCESSIBILITY AND THE FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITY Gillette believes franchisors should think about people with disabilities in three distinct ways: as customers, as employees, and as owners. More than one in four U.S. adults live with a disability, and globally an estimated 1.3 billion people experience significant disability — a population, he notes, that is far from niche. It represents 58

customers, talent, and potential entrepreneurs alike. Accessibility, in his view, tends to benefit everyone. Voicecontrolled technology can offer independence to someone who is blind while also offering convenience to someone whose hands are simply occupied. Tools designed for limited mobility can help someone recovering from an injury just as readily. Designing with accessibility in mind, Gillette argues, often creates a better experience across the board. For customers, accessibility can drive experience, loyalty, innovation, and growth. For employees, organizations should ensure their systems and culture allow people with disabilities to contribute at their highest level. And for prospective owners, Gillette raises a further question: are the training, technology, operational systems, and support needed to become a franchisee themselves accessible? People with disabilities, he emphasizes, shouldn’t be considered only as customers — the conversation should extend to who can work in the business, lead it, and ultimately own it.

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LEX GILLETTE 5x Paralympic Medalist & 4x World Champion • Best-Selling Author • President, Trusted Voice Inc. Author of the Amazon best seller “No Need for Sight When You Have a Vision: What Blindness Can Teach Us About Risk and Leadership” Phone/Text: (858) 261-8936 Email: lex@lexgillette.com Follow on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok, and YouTube.

MORE ABOUT LEX GILLETTE Lex Gillette is a powerhouse Paralympic athlete and internationally acclaimed speaker who shows the world that vision is not something you see — it’s something you live. As the most decorated totally blind long and triple jumper in U.S. history — and the most decorated totally blind long jumper in Paralympic history — he’s a five-time Paralympic medalist and four-time world champion. Off the track, Lex has inspired audiences around the world — from Google, Amazon, and Meta to Visa and beyond — helping teams lead with purpose and overcome limitations.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Rick Morgin is a Consultant with The Franchise Consulting Company and alumnus of Santa Clara University. We assist clients with the educational process of researching and selecting available franchise businesses that best suit desired lifestyles and financial goals. Contact Rick at rick@ thefranchiseconsultingcompany.com.

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Welcome to our STEM Guys Tire Supplies Franchise, where we specialize in delivering top-quality tire supplies directly to tire shops. Our extensive product range includes premium wheel weights, durable valve stems, reliable patches, and essential tools, all designed to meet the highest industry standards. We pride ourselves on offering unparalleled service, ensuring that our franchisees can provide the best support and products to their customers. Join us in revolutionizing the tire supplies industry with exceptional quality and unmatched service.

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PROPERTY SERVICES

Paul Davis Restoration is Celebrating Their 60th Anniversary with New CEO Mike Hopkins Leading the Way by Rhonda Sanderson, CEO, Sanderson & Associates

fter serving as Chief Operating Officer of Paul Davis Restoration for over seven years, Mike Hopkins was named CEO of the company in March. Hopkins steps into the role with a clear focus: build on Paul Davis Restoration’s legacy while helping the 60-yearold brand grow stronger, more connected, and more operationally capable across North America. Hopkins now leads the company’s continued growth and long-term success throughout its franchise network in the United States and Canada. His priorities are rooted in the field—supporting franchise owners, strengthening leadership, simplifying operations, and ensuring the company continues to deliver exceptional results for both residential and commercial customers. “I am grateful for our team at Paul Davis,” Hopkins said. “It is an honor to serve, and I am excited about what lies ahead. Built on a strong legacy, we are focused on our incredible team, our culture, and delivering exceptional results

together. We are just getting started.” That forward-looking perspective is shaped by Hopkins’s own career. He joined Paul Davis Restoration in 2015 as a Regional Business

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Consultant and later served as Executive Vice President of Operations before becoming Chief Operating Officer. Over the past decade, he has worked closely with franchise owners and leadership teams

to improve alignment, strengthen performance, and create a foundation for sustainable growth. Hopkins brings more than 35 years of experience within the FirstService Brands family, with a background that spans nearly every side of franchising. His career began in 1992 as a top-performing CollegePro Painters franchisee. He later held leadership roles within the corporate organization, founded and scaled multiple CertaPro Painters franchises, and served as Chairman of the Franchise Owners Association. That experience gives Hopkins a practical understanding of what franchise owners need from a brand: a clear strategy, strong operating systems, effective training, and leaders who understand the realities of running a business. “I am passionate about helping people and teams reach their full potential while delivering meaningful results to those we serve,” Hopkins said. “My leadership approach centers on developing others, aligning teams around a shared purpose, and building a culture that values both performance and people.” As CEO, Hopkins intends

to keep Paul Davis focused on the elements that have driven its success: a strong franchisee culture, careful franchisee selection, comprehensive training, home-office support, and field operations that help owners serve their customers efficiently and consistently. He also sees opportunity in the company’s fullservice contractor model. As disaster activity has been less frequent in some recent periods, Paul Davis has expanded its focus on helping both insurance and directpaying customers through the entire recovery process— from initial notification of loss to celebrating at the end of the reconstruction. Getting homeowners back in bed and business owners back to business. That approach is especially important as homeowners become more cautious about filing insurance claims. Hopkins believes Paul Davis can offer meaningful value by providing trusted guidance and complete service throughout what is often a stressful, complicated experience. In a recent podcast interview, Hopkins pointed

to additional growth opportunities, including expansion into new markets with skilled owners and investments in technology that make field operations easier to manage. He believes the company is well positioned to continue growing this year and to outpace the restoration industry’s projected annual growth rate over the next decade. “Paul Davis has a strong legacy, and we are not standing still,” Hopkins said. “The opportunity ahead is to keep improving how we support our franchise owners, our teams, and the customers who count on us.” ABOUT PAUL DAVIS RESTORATION Founded in 1966, Paul Davis Restoration is a leading propertyrestoration company in North America. With more than 370 franchise locations across the United States covering 46 states and Canada, the company provides emergency services and restoration solutions for residential and commercial properties, including water, fire, smoke, mold, and reconstruction services. Learn more at www.pauldavis. com or explore franchise opportunities at www.pauldavisbusiness.com.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Rhonda Sanderson is a franchise expert who has owned and operated Sanderson & Associates and Sanderson PR, both specializing in, traditional, social media and crisis PR in the franchise space since 1986. She has authored many articles, helped grow numerous franchise chains is considered one of the Top 30 Small Business Influencers (Fit Business) in the U.S. Find her at Rhonda@ sandersonpr.com or on LinkedIn where she is the author of Franchise Stars at https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhonda-sanderson-a6b658/

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From $70 in the Bank to a National Handyman Empire: How Sergei Kaminskiy Built Kaminskiy Care and Repair by Steve Phelps

very founder story needs an origin scrappy enough to make the eventual scale feel earned. Sergei Kaminskiy's checks that box before he's even old enough to drive. Kaminskiy arrived in the U.S. from Siberia with his family in 1993, at age seven, just a couple of years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and grew up watching his father try to rebuild a life from scratch in a country he didn't know. By his own account, he'd decided on entrepreneurship by seventh grade, while his classmates were still picking careers off a poster. That early fixation eventually became a small team of

skilled craftsmen in San Diego doing handyman work under a name meant to signal something different from the unpredictable, unlicensed guy-with-a-truck experience most homeowners were used to. Founded in 2005, Kaminskiy Care and Repair grew into a national brand built around licensed, background-checked technicians, written estimates, and workmanship warranties — the kind of operational polish that turns a one-man handyman gig into something a private-equity analyst would call "repeatable revenue." Today Scottsdale is one of

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dozens of markets carrying the flag. The local outpost, run out of the company's Phoenix office, sells itself less on any single service than on the promise of one crew, one written scope, and a single point of contact for a kitchen refresh, a bathroom regrout, or a fence warped by the Sonoran sun. It's a pitch tuned to the desert: the Scottsdale page spends real estate walking through how UV exposure fades paint, how dry heat makes doors stick and wood contract, and how hard water chews through plumbing — problems generic to Arizona

but specific enough to make a homeowner feel understood rather than marketed to. That combination of craft and packaging is the through-line of Kaminskiy's career. His first company, Kaminskiy Design and Remodeling, went after high-end renovation work. His second, Kaminskiy Commercial Construction, chased business clients. Care and Repair was built to do the opposite of both: handle the small, recurring, unglamorous jobs — the leaky faucet, the cracked drywall, the gutter nobody's cleaned — that keep a phone ringing year-round instead of projectto-project. The bigger swing came in 2022. A childhood friend who'd made his money in car sales, and saw that market softening, approached Kaminskiy about getting into home improvement. Rather than simply advising him, Kaminskiy proposed something more ambitious: open a second Care and Repair location together in the East Bay. He didn't know much about franchising at the time, but he had conviction the model would travel — he's said he realized he had valuable, scalable knowledge he could hand to other entrepreneurs. He brought in a managing partner with experience scaling a multi-location dental business to help build it out properly: disclosure documents, systems, the works.

The f ranchise math is aggressive by design. The company is aiming for 350 U.S. locations by 2028, betting on a home-improvement market projected to grow from roughly $545 billion to $710 billion. The underlying thesis, laid out in the company's own franchise materials, is structural: fewer than 2% of U.S. handyman businesses operate under a franchise banner, meaning the category is still dominated by owner-operators with no marketing scale to speak of — leaving plenty of room for a brand with a call center, SEO budget, and CRM to simply out-market the competition. It doesn't hurt that essential home repairs have historically proven recession-resistant; Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies has noted that repair spending dipped only 3 to 5% in the 2008 crash before rebounding within about 18 months. Kaminskiy has since folded

the franchise into a broader holding structure, Kaminskiy Group, which now sits over the original San Diego remodeling flagship, the commercial construction arm, Care and Repair, and a newer ultra-luxury renovation brand. He's framed Care and Repair specifically as a path for entrepreneurs who don't have an obvious on-ramp into business ownership — including E-2 and L-1 visa holders — pitching it as the playbook he wishes someone had handed him at nineteen. It's a tidy bit of narrative symmetry: a kid who arrived with nothing, in a family starting over f rom zero, now selling other people a shortcut through the hardest part of starting over themselves. Whether Scottsdale homeowners think about any of that when they call about a sticking door is beside the point — but it's very much the story Kaminskiy is telling.

WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2026

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PROPERTY SERVICES

Cultivating Entrepreneurial Resilience: Strategic Opportunities for Property Services in Bergen County, New Jersey by Vince Vicari, Senior Consultant, The Franchise Consulting Company

avigating the contemporary socioeconomic terrain of suburban commerce requires a sophisticated synthesis of macro-level demographic analysis, empirical business research, and granular operational execution. Bergen County, New Jersey— strategically positioned at the northeastern terminus of the state directly proximate to Manhattan—represents an extraordinarily fertile ecosystem for entrepreneurial venture creation. Exhibiting an aggregate Gross Domestic

Product (GDP) of $83.5 billion alongside an 8.5% real economic expansion trajectory since 2020, the county functions as a premier economic engine within the Northeast Corridor. With an annualized business application volume reaching 18,711 filings in 2025 (a 3.9% year-over-year increase and a 31.5% expansion over pre-pandemic baselines), ambitious founders increasingly gravitate toward service-oriented enterprises that mitigate capital expenditure risks while

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capitalizing on immense residential density and concentrated affluence. Among the myriad avenues for market entry, the property services sector—encompassing comprehensive property management, specialized facilities maintenance, ecological landscape engineering, and turnkey tenant turnaround solutions— offers compelling structural advantages. By intertwining rigorous economic datasets with foundational frameworks derived from contemporary business scholarship and franchise literature, this treatise delineates the structural catalysts, locational advantages, academic grounding, and strategic pathways requisite for establishing a highly resilient property services enterprise in Bergen County. I. MACROECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS: NATIONAL BENCHMARKS VS. LOCAL NEW JERSEY CATALYSTS A rigorous appraisal of

economic indicators contrasting national baselines against localized New Jersey and Bergen County metrics illuminates the exceptional wealth concentration that renders property services exceptionally lucrative within this specific geographic locus: Demographic Density and Market Concentration: • National Baseline: The average United States population density is approximately 94 residents per square mile. • Local Advantage: New Jersey ranks as the nation’s most densely populated state, supporting over 9.6 million residents (approx. 1,260 residents per square mile). Bergen County alone houses nearly 977,000 residents across just 233 square miles (~4,190 residents per sq. mi.). This hyper-concentration generates extraordinary customer acquisition efficiency within compact geographic territories. Macroeconomic Output and Income Disparities: • National Baseline: U.S. Per Capita GDP stands at approximately $65,000, while the national median household income is approximately $80,610. Nationally, roughly 15% of households earn above $200,000 annually. • Local Advantage: New Jersey’s per capita GDP is $72,100 (ranking 11th nationally). In Bergen County, median household

income reaches $124,884— surpassing the national benchmark by 54.7% and the New Jersey state median ($103,556) by 20.6%. The county's average household income reaches $171,262, with 29.0% of households earning $200,000 or more annually (nearly double the national proportion). This substantial surplus capital directly underwrites discretionary expenditures dedicated to high-end architectural upkeep, property enhancement, and specialized maintenance contracts. Educational Attainment and Intellectual Capital: • National Baseline: Nationally, 36.2% of adults hold a Bachelor’s degree or higher. • Local Advantage: New Jersey features 43.1% higher-education attainment, while Bergen County boasts a 53.4% rate. Furthermore, New Jersey maintains the highest concentration of scientists and engineers per square mile in the United States, supporting a highly skilled labor market and sophisticated managerial talent pool. Real Estate Valuations and Investor Ownership Fragmentation: • National Baseline: The U.S. median home sales price hovers near $412,000. • Local Advantage: Bergen County single-family

residential properties command median sales prices reaching $949,500 in mid-2026. Moreover, empirical real estate data reveals that over 85% of investor-owned singlefamily rental properties across Bergen County are held by decentralized "mom-and-pop" landlords. Lacking institutional in-house facilities management teams, these independent operators rely entirely upon agile, responsive third-party service providers for routine maintenance, tenancy turnover remediation, and municipal compliance. II. ACADEMIC LITERATURE AND EMPIRICAL FOUNDATIONS OF ENTREPRENEURIAL RISK To understand why property service models—particularly systematized franchise structures—succeed where traditional startups founder, one must examine peerreviewed academic research on new venture survival, cognitive biases in forecasting, and administrative overhead: 1. Cognitive Forecasting Biases and Cost Underestimation: Empirical research published in the Journal of Business Venturing demonstrates that first-time entrepreneurs exhibit systematic optimism bias, underestimating initial startup capitalization requirements by an average of 37% and overestimating the velocity to operational profitability by 41%. In property

WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2026

services, unaccounted structural expenses (leasehold improvements, specialized equipment, compliance) rapidly deplete initial reserves. 2. Mortality Curves of Autonomous Startups: According to longitudinal data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 20% of independent small businesses fail within their first 12 months, and 50% succumb to operational closure within 5 years. This failure rate is heavily concentrated in low-barrier service sectors where founders lack standardized operational procedures. 3. Indirect Regulatory and Compliance Burden: Studies conducted by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Research Center document that small business regulatory compliance imposes an average indirect cost burden of $11,000 per employee annually. These fixed operational frictions do not scale dynamically with early-stage revenue, disproportionately penalizing independent startups relative to established networks. 4. Mandatory Technological Overhead: Research from Deloitte Insights emphasizes that modern service enterprises must deploy integrated Customer Relationship Management (CRM), automated dispatch, and point-of-sale (POS) architectures ($8,000–$25,000 initial outlay) to maintain competitive market positioning. Independent founders must absorb these technology development costs 72

entirely out-of-pocket.

•

5. Capital Inadequacy as the Primary Catalyst for Failure: Federal Reserve Board survey data reveals that 42% of small business owners cite inadequate working capital reserves as their persistent primary operational obstacle. Independent founders typically exhaust capital prior to reaching sustained cash-flow positivity. 6. Psychological Toll and Labor Strain: Research from the American Psychological Association (APA) indicates that independent business owners experience significantly higher rates of psychological strain, anxiety, and burnout than salaried employees, driven by standard workweeks exceeding 60–70 hours during years one through three (U.S. Census Bureau Business Owner Survey). 7. Mitigation Through Systematized Franchising: Comparative empirical studies by the International Franchise Association (IFA) show that structured franchise systems compress 5-year failure rates down to 5%–8%, while accelerating the timeline to operational breakeven to 12–24 months (compared to 24–48 months for independent counterparts). III. GEOSTRATEGIC ADVANTAGES OF LOCATING A VENTURE IN BERGEN COUNTY Establishing a commercial footprint within Bergen County confers distinct competitive advantages rooted in geographic positioning and socio-cultural capital:

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•

Northeast Corridor Synergy: Situated immediately across the Hudson River from New York City via the George Washington Bridge, Bergen County intersects the 457-mile Northeast Corridor—a macroeconomic super-region generating $3.8 trillion in annualized output (approximately 20% of United States GDP). This provides localized businesses with frictionless access to premier supply chains, sophisticated financial institutions, and high-velocity commercial traffic. Commercial Density and Micro-Markets: Specialized commercial hubs—such as Paramus (generating upwards of $6 billion in annual retail commerce), Hackensack, Fort Lee, and the Route 4/17 commercial arteries—are seamlessly juxtaposed with affluent residential enclaves (including Ridgewood, Tenafly, and Upper Saddle River), generating concentrated demand for high-tier commercial and residential property preservation. Labor Market Resilience: Supported by a civilian labor force exceeding 515,000 active participants and a stable unemployment rate hovering near 3.9%, the regional marketplace ensures consistent consumer demand and reliable workforce recruitment across economic cycles.

IV. STRATEGIC ENTRY VECTORS: AUTONOMOUS INCUBATION VS. SYSTEMATIZED FRANCHISE ACQUISITION Comparative Analytical Metrics

Autonomous Organic Property Startup

Systematized Property Services Franchise

Academic & Empirical Source

Initial Capitalization Requirements

$50,000 – $250,000+

$50,000 – $500,000

Journal of Business Venturing

Timeline to Operational 24 – 48 months Breakeven

12 – 24 months

International Franchise Association (IFA)

Empirical 5-Year Failure ~50% Rate

5% – 8%

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics / IFA

Weekly Operative Commitment (Yrs 1–3)

50 – 70+ hours

40 – 50 hours

U.S. Census Bureau / APA Study

Regulatory & Tech Overhead Impact

High ($11K/emp/yr comShared/Pre-packaged NFIB Research Center / pliance + $8K–$25K tech) franchisor tech & compli- Deloitte Insights ance playbooks

V. High-Yield Entrepreneurial Opportunities in Bergen County Property Services Founders can effectively capture localized demand by deploying focused, highmargin service models tailored to suburban real estate realities: 1. Boutique Property Management for Decentralized Landlords: Offering institutional-grade, tech-enabled asset oversight— comprising rigorous tenant vetting, automated rent disbursement, preventative maintenance dispatch, and local municipal ordinance compliance—specifically customized for independent residential landlords across Bergen County. 2. Pre-Sale Staging and Turnkey Capital Improvement: Capitalizing on elevated residential sales thresholds by providing integrated property make-

ready services, structural remediation, power washing, and aesthetic landscaping enhancements designed to maximize valuation returns for real estate brokers and property vendors. 3. Eco-Conscious and Smart-Property Facilities Maintenance: Addressing the sophisticated demands of affluent suburban clientele by delivering sustainable organic turf care, high-efficiency HVAC optimization, and integrated smart-home automation maintenance. VI. SCHOLARLY FOUNDATION AND AUTHORIAL CREDIBILITY Evaluating the intricacies of regional market entry necessitates insights derived from seasoned leaders who seamlessly bridge advanced academic pedagogy with applied economic development methodology.

Vince Vicari—former Regional Director of the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Ramapo College of New Jersey, Senior Consultant with The Franchise Consulting Company, and distinguished scholar with 38 years of university-level teaching experience in business administration—brings nearly four decades of specialized expertise in entrepreneurial mentorship and regional economic strategy. Widely acknowledged across New Jersey's economic and civic spheres, Vicari's extensive contributions to small business acceleration, curriculum development, and community resilience have garnered high-profile media visibility and numerous prestigious accolades: • NJ Governor’s Jefferson Award: Conferred in recognition of exceptional civic leadership and

WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2026

dedicated service as part of the state's Economic Recovery Task Force during critical periods of economic restoration. • Bergen County "One for All, All for One" Award: Honored for fostering collaborative intermunicipal partnerships, small business advocacy, and cross-sector civic engagement throughout Bergen County. • NJBIZ Icon Award: Awarded in acknowledgment of enduring professional leadership, dedicated mentorship, and transformative contributions to the New Jersey entrepreneurial ecosystem. • America’s SBDC State Star Award (2017): Recognized for extraordinary operational performance, exemplary leadership, and profound positive impacts on small business enterprise development across the statewide network. Vicari’s extensive academic tenure and active governance across regional chambers of commerce, workforce development boards, and economic committees continue to inform and elevate the strategic trajectories of emerging entrepreneurs throughout the Tri-State region. VII. CONCLUSION AND INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT INFRASTRUCTURE Launching a property services enterprise within Bergen 74

County offers astute founders an optimal convergence of demographic wealth, architectural density, and sustained economic velocity. To maximize structural viability and accelerate market penetration, entrepreneurs should aggressively leverage available institutional support networks: • SCORE (Bergen County Chapter): Access complimentary, confidential, one-on-one executive mentoring, strategic advisory services, and financial modeling resources delivered by seasoned corporate veterans. • New Jersey Business Action Center (NJBAC): Utilize comprehensive state-level guidance regarding formal business formation, statutory licensing, permit acquisition, tax clearance certificates, and regulatory compliance. • Workforce Development and Regional Networking: Engage with countyadministered workforce training initiatives, local chamber of commerce programming, and premier industry convenings such as the Great American Franchise Expo hosted at the American Dream complex in East Rutherford. References & Academic Bibliography 1. American Psychological Association (APA). Occupational

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Stress and Mental Health in EarlyStage Entrepreneurs. Journal of Applied Psychology. 2. Deloitte Insights. Technology Infrastructure Requirements for Competitive Positioning in Local Service Markets. 3. Federal Reserve Board. Report on the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households & Small Business Financing Survey. 4. International Franchise Association (IFA). Franchise Business Economic Outlook & Longitudinal Failure Rate Comparative Analysis. 5. Journal of Business Venturing. Cognitive Forecasting Biases, Optimism, and Startup Capital Misallocation. 6. National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Research Center. The Indirect Overhead Costs of Small Business Regulatory Compliance. 7. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Business Employment Dynamics: Establishment Survival Rates and Employment Growth by State. 8. U.S. Census Bureau. Survey of Business Owners (SBO) & American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates for Bergen County, NJ.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Vince Vicari is the Founder and Principal Strategist of the New Jersey Campus Business Development Center (NJC BDC) and a Senior Franchise Consultant with The Franchise Consulting Company, bringing 38+ years of experience in higher education and small business development, including nearly a decade as Regional Director of the Bergen County Small Business Development Center. A recipient of the NJBIZ ICON Award and NJBIA Executive of the Year Award, he has guided thousands of entrepreneurs through business creation, franchising, and organic growth strategies.

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THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN AMERICA AGED 65 AND OLDER WILL HIT 70 MILLION BY 2020 Now is the best time to start a business in this $300 billion dollar industry.

From personal care to privateduty nursing, ComForCare’s mission is to help provide a safe environment for seniors who are aging in place, allowing them the grace, dignity, and pride they deserve. ComForCare is known throughout the industry for developing specialized senior care programs including Alzheimer’s care.

CarePatrol is the nation’s largest senior placement organization. We take the pressure off families to help them find safer care options including assisted living, independent living, memory care, in-home care and nursing homes. Our senior advisors personally meet with families and serve as their guide -free of charge.

Estate sales often manifest when people find themselves at a crossroads in their lives. They may be downsizing upon retirement, dealing with the death of a loved one, or moving to assisted living. We provide an organized and professional way to sell their personal estate.

Visit us at BestLifeBrands.com to learn about each of these unique franchise opportunities in the senior care space.

PROPERTY SERVICES

The Model That Makes a Business More Than One Business by Jeff Schmidt

or prospective franchisees, the most compelling opportunities are rarely the ones with the flashiest logos or the simplest pitches. A better question is this: how many ways can this business create value for customers and revenue for the owner? A well-designed franchise is rarely just one thing. It might start as a plumbing repair company or a boutique gym, but the strongest models

grow complementary revenue around that same customer base and team. A franchise with several logical revenue channels isn't just selling more; it's less exposed when one type of transaction slows down, and it gives an owner more than one lever to pull as the business matures. LOOKING BEYOND THE CORE SERVICE Most candidates size up

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a franchise by its most visible offering. A gym sells memberships, a plumber fixes pipes, a seniorcare business provides caregivers. That's the foundation, sure. But the better operators ask a follow-up question once they've earned a customer's trust: what else can we responsibly take on? A plumbing franchise might start with emergency repair calls, but that same customer relationship can turn into a water-heater replacement two years later, then an annual maintenance plan. None of that is chasing unrelated sales. It's the business becoming more useful to someone who already trusts it enough to hand over their house key. The catch is that these add-ons only work if they're

genuine extensions of the core. Bolt on five service lines that each need their own team, their own marketing, and their own scheduling system, and you've built five small headaches instead of one strong business. The leverage shows up when one crew, trained well, can handle the whole menu. WHY DIVERSIFICATION MATTERS A business tied to one service, one customer type, or one season has fewer places to turn when conditions shift. A landscaping company that only mows lawns has a rough time in a dry summer or a snowless winter; add plowing, mulching, and irrigation work and the calendar fills in on its own.

Recurring plans smooth out the revenue curve. Bigger one-off jobs, like a full system replacement, bring in the larger checks. Mixing residential and commercial clients means a slowdown in one doesn't sink the other, and it's the same marketing spend, the same crew, and the same brand doing more with what's already built. MAXIMIZING CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS Winning a customer in the first place is expensive — ads, sales calls, the whole slog of getting someone to say yes once. Once that's done, the relationship is worth protecting. In businesses where someone's coming into your home or looking after a parent, that trust took real effort to earn, and a customer who's had a good experience usually doesn't shop around next time. A well-run franchise system helps here. The franchisor might hand over the CRM, the scheduling software, and a training program that keeps service consistent across locations. The owner still has to hire the right people and keep expenses in check, but at least they're not building the back office from scratch.

A FIT FOR DIFFERENT OWNERS This kind of model draws different people for different reasons. A former corporate manager might like having a few clear growth levers instead of a blank page. Someone who already runs one business might see a shortcut into recurring revenue. Families sometimes split the work naturally: one runs sales, another handles the books, another manages the crews. A first-time owner might stick to the core service for a year or two and layer in the rest once the basics are running smoothly. There's no single right pace, and that's part of the appeal. THE RIGHT QUESTIONS Diversification sounds good on a sales deck. Before signing anything, it's worth digging into specifics. What's the actual core service, the one that pays the bills day to day? What share of customers use more than one offering, and is that number real or aspirational? Can one crew realistically deliver the whole menu without cutting corners? What licensing, equipment, or extra hires does each add-on actually require? Answering these honestly is usually what separates a business with real depth from one that just sounds good in a pitch meeting.

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OPEN A BUSINESS IN AN INDUSTRY WITH UNPRECEDENTED GROWTH! Cerna executives will personally train you how to be successful in the senior care industry. This easy to run business can generate over a million dollars annually. A Cerna Homecare franchise provides you with the foundation to build a successful business, be your own boss and help others.

High Demand Strength in Numbers Scalability Brand Recognition Intuitive Tools to Manage the Business (252) 248-3878 franchise22@franchisegenesis.com cernafranchising.com

PROPERTY SERVICES

From Franchisee to CEO: Charles Furlough Built His Career — and Helped Build a Category — at Pillar to Post Home Inspectors by Rhonda Sanderson, CEO, Sanderson & Associates

In an industry where corporate leaders do not always have firsthand experience performing the work their companies deliver, Charles Furlough stands apart. The president and CEO of Pillar To Post® Home Inspectors has inspected homes, built a local franchise business, coached franchise owners, managed operations and helped guide major technological changes. Today, nearly three decades after joining the company, Furlough leads what has become North America’s largest home inspection franchise. His story began well before the executive suite. Furlough gained early hands-on experience working in his family’s heating and electrical business. That 82

exposure gave him practical knowledge of residential systems and an appreciation for the responsibility that comes with advising people about their homes. He later attended Appalachian State University before turning toward entrepreneurship and the relatively young home inspection profession. In January 1998, Furlough became a Pillar To Post master franchisee serving North Carolina and South Carolina. Pillar To Post itself had been founded only four years earlier, at a time when professional standards, technical training and consistent inspection practices were still developing across the industry. Furlough recognized the opportunity. During approximately 10 years as a franchise business owner, his operation completed more than 10,000 home inspections. The experience taught him not only how to evaluate residential systems, but also how to build relationships with homebuyers, sellers and real estate professionals while managing marketing, staffing, scheduling, and customer service. That period remains central to the way he leads today. Furlough understands the pressure

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franchise owners face because he has faced it himself. He knows that brand strategies devised at headquarters ultimately must work in local markets, where owners must earn trust one client and one real estate relationship at a time. In 2007–2008, Furlough moved from franchise ownership into Pillar To Post’s corporate organization, first as a director and then as vice president of operations and field support. He helped reshape field support from a primarily administrative function into a more active business-coaching resource. The company increasingly used franchise-owner feedback, customer measurements, and performance programs to help owners develop stronger, more scalable businesses. Furlough served as vice president through 2017, when he was elevated to senior vice president of operations. In that role, he became a central figure in the company’s efforts to modernize both the inspection experience and franchise operations. During the pandemic period, Pillar To Post accelerated technology designed to make inspections more accessible and useful. Furlough helped lead enhancements involving

PTP360 visual tours and PTPHomeManual. In 2022, RISMedia recognized him as a Real Estate Newsmaker in its Crusaders category, citing his work advancing technology for homeowners, inspectors, and real estate professionals. His next step was announced on December 6, 2022. Furlough was selected to become Pillar To Post’s president and CEO beginning in January 2023. The appointment represented both continuity and progression: an experienced insider who understood the company’s culture, but who also had a clear mandate to strengthen its model for a changing marketplace. Furlough has described the CEO’s responsibility as growing and protecting the brand. His leadership style centers on hiring talented people, establishing clear goals, aligning the organization around a common plan, and holding teams accountable without micromanaging them. Just as importantly, his franchisee background keeps the company’s strategies grounded in practical execution. In 2024, Pillar To Post refreshed its brand and relaunched its Executive Franchise Model. The approach is designed to attract owners who want to lead teams and develop scalable inspection companies rather than remain permanent solo operators. That same year, Pillar To Post was inducted into Entrepreneur’s

Franchise 500 Hall of Fame after 28 consecutive appearances on the ranking. The recognition became more personal in May 2025, when Furlough received a Bronze Stevie Award as Maverick of the Year in the Business Services Industries category. His leadership during real estate-market uncertainty, commitment to franchise support and advocacy for technology-enabled growth were cited as reasons for the honor. Two months later, Pillar To Post officially launched PTPHomePage, a proprietary platform developed over six years. It brings digital reports, immersive 360-degree tours, interactive floor plans, repairrequest tools, appliance information, and maintenance records into one customer-facing environment. The platform illustrates Furlough’s broader view of a home inspection: not simply as a report delivered on inspection day, but as the beginning of a longer relationship with the homeowner and the Realtor. By the end of 2025, Pillar To Post had achieved 13 consecutive quarters of market share growth. In January 2026, the company earned its 29th consecutive placement on Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 list. At the company’s March 2026 Brand Conference, Furlough credited franchise owners’ focus on leadership, efficiency, and team

development for that sustained momentum. As Pillar To Post moves through the third quarter of 2026, Furlough continues to expand the company’s leadership infrastructure, technology, and franchise-owner support. His credibility comes from more than his title. It comes from having built a Pillar To Post business himself, completed thousands of inspections and spent nearly three decades learning what homeowners, real estate professionals and franchise owners need. Furlough’s rise from franchise owner to president and CEO is a compelling franchising success story. It has also made him one of the home inspection industry’s most experienced advocates for professionalism, innovation, and confident homeownership. ABOUT PILLAR TO POST® HOME INSPECTORS Founded in 1994, Pillar To Post Home Inspectors is the largest home inspection company in North America with home offices in Toronto and Tampa. There are over 350 franchises located across the United States and Canada and 85,000 5-Star Google Reviews on record to date. For further information, please visit www. pillartopost.com.

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1-8-555-SIDING | IDEALSIDING.COM Copyright © 2021 Ideal Siding Franchising Inc. All rights reserved. This is not an offer to sell a franchise. An offer can only be made in applicable states with authorized documentation

COMPLETE PEST SOLUTIONS PEST AND WILDLIFE CONTROL

THREE BUSINESSES IN ONE Complete Pest Solutions franchisees don’t have to choose between three lucrative branches of the pest control industry. While most businesses offer services for just one, Complete Pest Solutions positions its franchisees for success in any region and climate by providing comprehensive services for general pest control, mosquito control, and wildlife control.

FRANCHISE FEE: $50,000 ITEM 7: $62,200 - $98,100 POTENTIAL EARNINGS: INCOME - $310,000 PROFIT - $117,000

OUR SERVICE

REVENUE AND PROFIT BASED ON HISTORICAL DATA, *ACTUAL RESULTS MAY VERY *REFER TO ITEM 19 IN FDD FOR MORE DETAILS

A FAMILY LEGACY

HOME-BASED MODEL With the scalable business model of a Complete Pest Solutions franchise, owners can save money by running their business out of their home until reaching revenues of as much as $125,000 or more annually.

TRAINING PROVIDED

Although Complete Pest Solutions was founded in 2008, the roots of the family owned business reach back into the middle of the twentieth century. Anthony Farrell marked the third generation of his family to launch his own pest control company in after growing up working in his father’s business. Like a cherished family recipe with a fresh twist, Complete Pest Solutions combines decades of refinement with technological innovation and a modern perspective.

Our comprehensive training ensures franchisees are positioned for success in the industry, regardless of their background. Material covered includes pest and wildlife control servicing, sales, computer software and other administrative responsibilities.

WHY CHOOSE US? Buying a Complete Pest Solutions franchise is like buying three businesses in one. More services means more customers and higher potential revenue.

WHO WE WANT

With opportunities for contracts with residential, commercial, industrial, and government clients, a diversified portfolio leads to increased customer retention and significant recurring revenue.

Complete Pest Solutions offers a great opportunity for both firsttime business owners and seasoned investors alike. Anybody with a customer-first mindset has the potential to be a good fit in a Complete Pest Solutions franchise.

43 Roche Way Youngstown, OH 44512

As a business that is essential to public health and safety, Complete Pest Solutions revenue grew by 55% during the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrating a clear resilience in any economic circumstance.

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PROPERTY SERVICES

From a Recession Pivot to a Franchise Play: How Zing Is Building a Better Property-Services Business by Monique Pelle

Jed and Dax Wyatt are turning years of field experience into a system designed to help local entrepreneurs build professional, multi-service property-care businesses. In 2010, Jed Wyatt wasn’t setting out to build a franchise brand. He was responding to a market that had changed underneath him. The Great Recession had hit land development hard, disrupting the work he had been doing in the civil engineering world. Rather than wait for the old market to return, Wyatt pivoted into something far more 86

fundamental: helping people take care of their properties. That pivot became Zing Services. What started in Idaho’s Treasure Valley grew into a broad property-care business serving homeowners with lawn, tree, pest, window, gutter and seasonal services. The company says it has operated in the region since 2010 and has built its model around professional service, customer satisfaction and repeat business. Jed also went deeper into one of the industry’s most valuable seasonal categories,

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founding Winter Profits, a training program focused on helping service businesses build holiday-lighting revenue. Then came Southern Utah. Zing’s St. George operation, established in 2022, created another expression of the brand. Led by Dax Wyatt, the Utah business focuses on exterior property services including window cleaning, post-construction window cleaning, pressure washing, gutter cleaning, solar-panel cleaning and Christmaslight installation. It also offers recurring maintenance

programs rather than relying solely on one-time jobs. That second market matters because it offers something every emerging franchise concept needs: evidence that the business can move beyond the place where it started. Now Jed and Dax are working on Zing’s next chapter—franchising. The franchise system is still under development and is not yet ready for sale. That may ultimately work in its favor. Instead of simply attaching a franchise fee to an existing business, the owners are working to translate what they have learned into operating standards, training, support and a repeatable playbook. The underlying model has several qualities that make the franchise opportunity worth watching. First, the services solve problems customers already understand. Dirty windows, clogged gutters, grimy concrete and dusty solar panels require little explanation. The need is visible, and in many cases it repeats. Second, multiple services create natural cross-selling opportunities. A homeowner who calls for window cleaning may also need pressure washing, gutter service, solarpanel cleaning or holiday lighting. That gives an operator the ability to grow revenue from an existing customer relationship instead of constantly depending on new customer acquisition. For homeowners, that bundling is convenience. For an operator, it can mean denser routes, more

touches per customer and a business less dependent on any single seasonal service. Third, recurring maintenance can turn a traditionally transactional service business into a relationship business. Zing already markets recurring cleaning and customized maintenance plans in Southern Utah, creating a framework for more predictable customer engagement. And then there is the part of the business that is harder to put on a truck: trust. Property services remain intensely local. Customers are inviting crews onto their property and expecting them to arrive on time, communicate clearly and do the job correctly. Zing positions the brand around customer satisfaction, integrity, reliability and continuous improvement, reinforced by a satisfaction guarantee. Those ideas sound simple. Scaling them is not. That is where a franchise system could create value. A future Zing franchisee would not simply be buying a recognizable name and a menu of services. The real opportunity is the knowledge behind

the work: how to price jobs, schedule crews, train technicians, build recurring accounts, crosssell complementary services, manage seasonality and create a customer experience that drives referrals. For Jed and Dax, the task now is to make that knowledge teachable. If they do, Zing could offer entrepreneurs something increasingly valuable in property services: a way to enter a fragmented, locally driven industry with systems already built around execution, customer retention and multiple revenue streams. Zing began as a practical response to a difficult economy. More than a decade later, the next pivot is bigger. The company has learned how to serve the customer. Now its owners are building the playbook that could teach others how to do the same.

WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2026

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BRIGHTER OUTDOOR LIGHTING PERSPECTIVES with

As North America’s largest full-service outdoor lighting company, Outdoor Lighting Perspectives helps our valued clients enhance the beauty, safety, and security of their homes with the power of low-voltage lighting. The Outdoor Lighting Perspectives business model boasts a quick rampup, strong gross profit margins, and a recurring revenue stream making it an attractive franchise opportunity for franchise operators, investors, and entrepreneurs. For those looking for a business endeavor designed to achieve your personal career, lifestyle, and income objectives, consider building a bright future as an Outdoor Lighting Perspectives franchise owner.

Why Choose Outdoor Lighting Perspectives? • Low Initial Investment • Lucrative Revenue Streams • Strong Profit Margins

804-500-9865 OutdoorLightingFranchise.com An important part of

CREATE YOUR OWN SUCCESS STORY WITH CERTAPRO PAINTERS® Build your own business with the largest residential and commercial painting franchise in North America. By becoming a CertaPro Painters® franchise owner and leading a professionally managed business you’ll: • Join a brand that has proven system-wide growth. In 2019, the average gross sales for a CertaPro Painters® business was $1,544,808.* • Get support every step of the way with field and online training, technology and resources that position you for a successful start.

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800-693-5859 OwnACertaPro.com *These are average Gross Sales for US CertaPro Painters® franchisees who were in operation for the full 12 months of 2019. All figures are based upon information provided to CertaPro® by US franchisees, who operated a CertaPro Painters® business for the full 12 months of the respective year, including those that are certified to perform commercial services. Some franchisees own more than one territory. The financial performance of a CertaPro Painters® business will vary depending upon a variety of factors. Please see item 19 of our FDD for complete details. Each CertaPro Painters® business is independently owned and operated.

PROPERTY SERVICES

How Two Brothers Turned a Family Trade Into North Texas’s Most-Reviewed Garage Door Company

n an industry built on emergencies — the spring that snaps at 6 a.m., the door that won't budge before a road trip — trust is the only real product a home services company sells. Aaron and Jason Meadows understood that instinctively, because they grew up inside it. Long before they put their own name on a fleet of trucks, the brothers were learning the garage door business the way most tradespeople do: hands-on, in someone else's family shop, absorbing lessons that don't show up in a franchise manual. That apprenticeship became the foundation for Meadows

Garage Doors, a Roanoke, Texas-based repair and installation company that now serves more than 30 cities across the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, from Southlake and Frisco to Denton and North Dallas. The company has quietly become one of the most decorated small businesses in the region, amassing more than 1,400 five-star Google reviews, a spot among the Top 3 in Denton County, and recognition as one of Tarrant County's top businesses for 2026 — all in a category where most companies are lucky to get reviewed at all.

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BUILT ON A TRADE, NOT A PITCH Co-owner Jason Meadows is an IDEA-certified residential installer with more than 15 years in the field, and his brother Aaron brings a lifetime of exposure to the industry, having grown up in a family garage door business before the two struck out to build their own. That distinction matters in a trade often associated with subcontracted labor and unpredictable quality: Meadows Garage Doors makes a point of employing technicians directly rather than outsourcing jobs, and

requires IDEA (International Door Association) certification across its residential installers. It's a small operational choice with outsized consequences. Home services companies live or die on the gap between what they promise on a website and what shows up in a truck. By keeping technicians on payroll, training them to a consistent certification standard, and outfitting every vehicle with company branding, Meadows has been able to standardize an experience that's notoriously hard to standardize — the inhome repair visit. THE REVIEW FLYWHEEL Ask any operator in local services and they'll tell you the hardest part isn't doing good work — it's getting anyone to notice. Meadows has leaned into a review-generation system that captures customer feedback in near real time, tying technician performance directly to the photos and ratings customers see before they even book. The result is a business where the marketing and the service are the same thing: every job well done becomes the pitch for the next one. That flywheel shows up in the numbers. Same-day service, upfront pricing, and a "no hard-sell" culture — repeatedly cited across reviews — have translated into a five-star average sustained across well over a thousand reviews, a feat that skeptical customers often mention discovering for themselves before becoming believers.

GROWING WITHOUT LOSING THE SHOP-FLOOR FEEL What's notable about Meadows's trajectory isn't hypergrowth — it's disciplined expansion paired with brandbuilding. The company has picked up regional press coverage and awards recognition typically reserved for larger consumer brands, while keeping its headcount and footprint tightly regional, operating out of a single Roanoke location and staffing a compact roster of named technicians customers get to know by name — Brett, Cutter, Rafael, Jovanni, John — rather than an anonymous dispatch pool. That's a deliberate hedge against the biggest risk in home services franchising and roll-ups: the erosion of trust that comes with scale. By keeping the team small, certified, and visible — down to individual bios and photos on the company website — Meadows has tried to preserve the feel of a family business while competing for market share against national franchise chains with far bigger marketing budgets.

THE TAKEAWAY Meadows Garage Doors isn't reinventing garage doors. What it's done instead is take an unglamorous, highfrustration home repair category and apply the basics that most competitors skip: consistent training, direct employment, transparent pricing, and an obsessive focus on the follow-through that turns a single repair into a decade of repeat business. For Aaron and Jason Meadows, the family trade they grew up in became the discipline they used to build something that now carries their own name across an entire metro area.

WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2026

Insurance companies are now hyper-focused on contents restoration. It’s more affordable for them to pay to restore vs. pay for replacing.

Contents coverage on a typical homeowner’s policy carries an amount of roughly 75% of their full structure coverage. Ex: A $350,000 structure policy would carry approx. $262,500 in contents coverage.

ARE facts THE IN THE stats

Skilled labor is hard to find nowadays. Damage restoration companies need their skilled labor to focus on the reconstruction of the property.

Personal property (aka contents) in a fire or water loss is the second largest expense in an insurance claim.

Restorable

THE

1,100% increase in mold-related insurance claims over the past decade. 5 million Americans experience a water damage emergency yearly. 365,000 households report a fire loss yearly.

Res

tora

Restorable

ble

Source: The Insurance Information Institute

why

Insurance Paid! No negotiating or bidding with homeowners

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Average job ticket is $20K-$40K

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PROPERTY SERVICES

Beyond the Factory Floor: How Paramount Industrial Services Is Building a Scalable Property-Services Brand by Dustin Francis, Founder and Owner, Paramount Industrial Services

Founders Dustin Francis and Jill Jacob saw opportunity in an overlooked corner of property services. Now they’re turning their industrial maintenance model into a national franchise. For most entrepreneurs, an aging factory floor, faded safety lines, or dust collecting high above a warehouse isn’t exactly the stuff of big opportunity. For Dustin Francis and Jill Jacob, it is. The industry veterans behind Paramount Industrial Services have built a business around a simple reality: commercial 94

and industrial facilities are expensive assets, and keeping them clean, safe, functional, and presentable is not optional. Yet for plant managers and property operators, maintenance projects often create another problem— downtime. Paramount’s answer is to become the partner that can tackle multiple facility needs while working around production schedules instead of disrupting them. Founded in Ohio, Paramount has grown into a full-service industrial and commercial

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solutions provider serving customers across the country. Its menu stretches well beyond a single trade. The company handles polished concrete and epoxy flooring, industrial painting and line striping, industrial cleaning, dry ice blasting, surface preparation, and broader facility renovation work. The proposition is straightforward: give busy facility managers one reliable resource for multiple projects. That one-stop approach solves a very practical problem. A cracked floor is not merely cosmetic. Deteriorating striping can become a safety concern. Peeling paint, overhead debris, and worn workspaces can affect everything from employee perception to customer tours. Paramount positions its work as part of keeping facilities productive, safe, and ready for business—not simply making them look better. Francis brings more than a decade of industrialservices experience, while Paramount itself launched in 2019. From the beginning,

the company was built around specialized facility services and an emphasis on trust and customer service. Francis and Jacob’s vision was ultimately broader than becoming another contractor: they wanted to create a company capable of providing multiple solutions under one roof. Now the founders are taking that model into its next phase: franchising. Paramount began expanding through franchising in 2025, turning an established service operation into an entrepreneurial platform. And the franchise model looks different from many traditional property-services businesses. Owners do not need a retail storefront, a large equipment fleet, or a substantial direct labor force. Instead, Paramount uses a subcontractor-driven model that allows franchisees to concentrate on sales, customer relationships, project coordination, and developing their local market. That distinction could be significant for prospective owners. Recruiting technicians, managing large crews, purchasing equipment, and carrying a substantial payroll can make entering the trades daunting. Paramount’s system is designed to reduce some of that complexity while giving owners access to multiple high-value service categories. Franchisees receive training and ongoing support across sales, marketing, operations, technology, scheduling, customer management, and business development. Paramount also provides

established processes and a subcontractor-based operating system intended to let franchise owners focus on building the business rather than performing every service themselves. For the right franchisee, the opportunity is less about becoming a flooring installer or industrial cleaner and more about becoming a B2B relationship builder. Manufacturing plants, warehouses, distribution centers, commercial properties, retail facilities, and multifamily properties all require ongoing maintenance and improvement. One successful flooring project can potentially lead to painting, cleaning, striping, renovation work, or another facility need down the road. That relationship potential may be Paramount’s most compelling advantage. The company is not building around one service or one transaction. It is building around the ongoing needs of the property. For Francis, franchising also represents something more personal. He has described the move as an opportunity to share the experience, knowledge, and systems he has developed while helping other entrepreneurs build businesses of their own. As Paramount expands into new

franchise territories, the company is entering the next chapter of its growth: taking a proven operating model, strong customer demand, and years of industrial-services expertise into markets across the country. For prospective franchisees, the appeal is clear. Paramount combines the resilience of essential property services with multiple revenue streams, recurring B2B relationships, and a lean operating model built for scale. In an industry ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dustin Francis is the founder and owner of Paramount Industrial Services, bringing more than a decade of experience in industrial services, project management, and facility improvement. Today, he is focused on expanding Paramount nationwide through franchising, giving entrepreneurs a scalable platform to serve the ongoing maintenance and improvement needs of commercial and industrial properties.

WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2026

1. BLUE CHIP BACKING/STRATEGY

#1 Rated Flooring Company in North America

This is a BLUE CHIP company, owned by FirstService Brands. Extremely stable, long term oriented, reputable, & ROCK solid corporate structure. Our parent company owns California Closets, CertaPro Painters, Paul Davis Restoration, and other Premier Home Services Brands.

SCALE, BUILD EQUITY, LEAD A TEAM, IMPACT YOUR COMMUNITY

2. MOBILE SHOWROOM NOT STOREFRONT RETAIL Be part of something different—Align with Amazon. The Flooring industry is the LARGEST interior remodeling industry. 70% of flooring sales are retail. We are a disruptor and provide female decision makers a preferred shop-at-home experience.

3. SCALABLE & LOW EMPLOYEE The top 50% of our franchisees average $1.8 million in sales with the Owner Operator, Office Admin, & 1-2 Salespeople. We scale by adding Mobile Showrooms. Installation is done by SKILLED LABOR.

4. CORONAVIRUS & RECESSION RESISTANT Our diversified marketing programs with online marketing automation, realtors, restoration, etc. makes us recession resistant. Also, our shop at home model is particularly appealing versus our competitors who are mostly retailers.

Why NOW is the Best Time to Own a Floor Coverings International Franchise… With over 30 years in business and over 200 franchisees RIGHT NOW we’ve got a maturity level that impacts our franchisees in so many great ways. We have over 300 OPEN territories, however that number does shrink every day. Our training, support, business systems, and technology are WORLD CLASS. Additionally, it’s been such an exciting time as we’ve been able to begin to form marketing co-operatives that allow us to become the most well known flooring company in North America. Lastly, the orientation of the real estate industry tremendously benefits our ability to grow in the near and long term. Click Here to Visit Our Consumer Facing Website: www.FloorCoveringsInternational.com Click Here to Visit Our Franchising Website: www.Flooring-Franchise.com Click Here to Visit Our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCv4pzE2hTI24rewnlOsQVOA

READY TO DOMINATE YOUR PART OF A

$220 BILLION INDUSTRY?

Advantages of Our Franchise

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Brand Recognition

REEAP

We have a proven success system. By providing ongoing training, coaching, and operational support in areas that are critical to each location’s success, we guarantee you will hit the ground running!

Our brand has been built on a trusted, strong foundation and we’re now seeking candidates for this one-of-a-kind business offering! With excellence and integrity, we want to make all homes healthier and happier for a lifetime.

Our “Real Estate Environmental Awareness Program” created for realtors, by realtors, is a CE program taught to realtors across the U.S. on the importance of properly addressing indoor environmental issues. Our exclusive ability through this awareness program gives us a strong partnership for helping buildings stay healthy.

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We coordinate development of advertising materials and strategies, along with consumer marketing plans and materials to provide complete marketing support to all our franchise locations. From initial launch to advertising and marketing, we are always there to guide and support you.

We provide comprehensive, unmatched coaching and training to ensure all our franchise locations hit a grand slam. From the initial training week at our NEST Protection Plan training center, to our onsite visits to your location, we don’t rest until each partner reaches success!

We lead from experience and our staff, technology, and marketing has continued to be a driving force behind our widely built-in customer base. When you join us you benefit from rapid growth and exclusive real estate relationships!

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PROPERTY SERVICES

After 25 Years in the Corporate World These West Texas A&M Alums are Building a Family Business with Floor Coverings International® by Rhonda Sanderson, CEO, Sanderson & Associates

fter spending decades building successful corporate careers, Brent and Nicole Houle decided it was time to use their education, leadership experience, and shared values to build something of their own. The husband-and-wife team opened Floor Coverings International of Amarillo last summer serving homeowners and businesses throughout the Amarillo and Lubbock areas. The locally owned business offers an extensive selection of carpet, hardwood, laminate, luxury vinyl, tile, and other flooring products through a convenient, customerfocused process designed to make selecting new floors easier and less overwhelming.

Rather than asking customers to drive from store to store carrying small samples and trying to remember how each option looked inside their homes, Floor Coverings International brings the flooring showroom directly to the customer. “This has turned out to be one of our strongest tools,” Brent said recently. “The mobile showroom is very novel for this area and people seem to love it. They comment frequently on how easy it has made their lives while redecorating.” Through the company’s Mobile Flooring Showroom®, Brent and Nicole can meet with customers in their homes or businesses, discuss their needs and present flooring samples in the rooms where the products will be installed. Customers can compare colors, textures and materials alongside their existing furniture, cabinetry, lighting, and décor. “Flooring can completely transform a room, but choosing the right product can sometimes feel complicated,” Nicole said. “Our goal is to make the experience comfortable, convenient, and enjoyable. We bring the options to the customer, listen carefully to what they want and help them select

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a floor that works for their home, lifestyle, and budget. After a few months of serving customers we are finding that luxury vinyl flooring is a big favorite, and that carpet is still extremely popular too.” The Houles are both graduates of West Texas A&M University, where each earned an undergraduate degree as well as a master’s degree. They later built accomplished careers in corporate environments that required leadership, organization, communication, and careful decision-making. Brent worked as a software developer in the riskmanagement industry for more than 25 years. Nicole spent 20 years in banking before working for a local attorney for the past five years. Both held middlemanagement positions and gained firsthand experience leading teams, solving problems, and balancing the needs of customers, employees, and organizations. Those experiences now influence every aspect of their new business. “We understand that leadership is about doing what is right for both customers and employees,” Brent said. “We want to create a company known for integrity, accountability, and exceptional

service. Customers are trusting us with an important part of their homes, and we take that responsibility seriously.” After years in the corporate world, Brent and Nicole felt a growing desire to create something meaningful for themselves and their three children. They wanted to build a family business that reflected their values while allowing them to become more directly involved in serving their community. The rapid growth of artificial intelligence and other changes affecting corporate industries also encouraged the couple to think more seriously about their future. They began searching for an opportunity that would combine proven business systems with personal relationships and handson customer service. They found that opportunity at Floor Coverings International. The brand’s emphasis on customer service, integrity and delivering an exceptional flooring experience immediately appealed to the couple. It also offered them the opportunity to build a locally owned company while benefiting from the products, technology, training, and support of an established North American flooring franchise. “We were ready to start something for ourselves and our family,” Nicole said. “We had both always felt a calling to do something more. Floor Coverings International gave us

the opportunity to combine our professional backgrounds with a business that is personal, creative, and centered on helping people improve the places where they live and work.” The Houles are especially enthusiastic about the advances taking place throughout the flooring industry. Today’s products provide consumers with more combinations of beauty, durability, and performance than ever before. Laminate flooring has evolved significantly in recent years, offering realistic wood-inspired appearances and improved wear characteristics. Luxury vinyl tile and luxury vinyl plank provide a broad range of colors and designs, along with practical options for busy households. Carpet is also experiencing renewed interest, with patterned designs that can appear both contemporary and timeless. “The looks and performance features available in today’s flooring products are spectacular,” Brent said. “Homeowners do not have to choose between a beautiful floor and one that can stand up to everyday life. There are outstanding options for families, pet owners, active households and virtually every style of home.” In addition to helping customers select products, Floor Coverings International coordinates the flooring project through installation. Brent and

Nicole serve as local points of contact, helping customers understand the process and working to ensure that each project receives personal attention from the initial consultation through the final review. For the Houles, the business represents more than a career change. It is an opportunity to invest in their family, support local customers and build a company with lasting roots in the Texas Panhandle. “We love living in Canyon and serving the Amarillo and Lubbock communities,” Brent said. “This is where we are raising our family, and we want to build a business that our customers can trust and that our children can be proud of.” ABOUT FLOOR COVERINGS INTERNATIONAL Floor Coverings International is the #1 flooring franchise in North America with over 300 locations between the U.S. and Canada. Known for its unique customer experience and Mobile Flooring Showroom®, the business model brings over 3000 flooring samples to the customer’s door. For more information, please go to www. floorcoveringsinternational.com.

Master Your Trade

Grow and Scale a Business with a Track Record of Securing Government Contracts Benefits of Franchising with Pestmaster

By joining Pestmaster, you’ll become part of a trusted and innovative network, ready to support your journey to financial independence and business success.

Proven Business Model

Diverse Services

Government Contracts

Recurring Revenue

Environmental Responsibility

Low Overhead

Protected Territories

Ongoing Training

Nearly 45 years of industry experience and a clear roadmap to success.

Pest control, vegetation management, and health-related vector control.

Access to valuable federal, state, and local contracts.

Stable income from core pest control services.

Integrated Pest Management for greener pest control solutions.

Home-based model with no need for brick-and-mortar locations.

Exclusive operating areas to ensure franchisee success.

Best-in-class training programs and workshops.

Total Estimated Initial Investment

$84,600 to $188,800 SBA Approved

Veteran and First Responder Discounts

Diversity Discounts

J O I N T H E P E ST M A ST E R N E T WO R K pestmasterfranchise.com franchisesales@pestmaster.com

PROPERTY SERVICES

The Desert's Quiet Gold Rush: Inside the Business of Renting Out Coachella Valley

very April, roughly 250,000 people descend on a polo field in Indio, California, for the Coachella and Stagecoach festivals. Every winter, tens of thousands of snowbirds do the same thing at a slower pace, trading Midwest ice storms for Palm Springs pool decks. In between, there's golf season, tennis season, and a steady hum of Los Angeles weekenders who don't want to drive all the way to Palm Desert just to stay in a beige hotel room. That two-peak demand curve — one manic, one mellow, both lucrative — is the entire reason a company like SuperStay Rentals exists.

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SuperStay is a vacation rental property management company based in the La Quinta and Palm Springs area, and it has built its business around a very specific bet: that homeowners across the Coachella Valley are sitting on an asset they don't know how to price, market, or operate at full capacity. The company now manages more than 60 properties and says it has hosted over 10,000 guests, earning it Airbnb Superhost and VRBO Premier Host status — badges that matter in a category where trust and search ranking are the same thing.

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THE PITCH IS SIMPLE. THE EXECUTION IS NOT. On paper, running a shortterm rental sounds like passive income: list the house, collect the checks. In practice, it's a logistics business wearing a hospitality costume. Someone has to answer a guest's 11 p.m. text about a broken pool heater. Someone has to coordinate a same-day cleaning turnover between an 11 a.m. checkout and a 4 p.m. check-in. Someone has to know that a three-bedroom house near PGA West should price differently during a golf tournament week than during a random Tuesday in August, when Coachella Valley temperatures regularly clear 110 degrees. That's the gap SuperStay is selling into. Its service stack covers the full lifecycle of a rental property: account setup and listing optimization across more than 30 booking platforms, a 24/7 bilingual guest concierge team, AI-assisted dynamic pricing, cleaning and vendor coordination, and — notably — a curated "Experiences Portal" that packages local activities for guests. That last piece is a small but telling detail: it signals a company trying to compete on guest experience, not just occupancy math, in a market that's gotten

crowded with copycat property managers since Airbnb went mainstream. WHY THE DESERT, AND WHY NOW Short-term rental management is not a new category, but the Coachella Valley is an unusually good place to run the playbook. Industry estimates put average annual revenue for a welllocated short-term rental in the area between $55,000 and $120,000, depending on proximity to golf courses, festival grounds, and pool amenities. SuperStay claims that homeowners who switch from self-managing to using its platform typically see net income climb 15 to 30 percent in the first year — a number driven less by magic and more by unglamorous blocking and tackling: fewer vacant nights, tighter pricing, and marketing that doesn't stop the day a listing goes live. The math only works, though, because the valley has something most vacation rental markets don't: two separate high seasons instead of one. A beach town lives and dies by summer. Coachella Valley gets a spring surge from festivals and a winter surge from seasonal residents fleeing colder climates, which smooths out the revenue curve that usually makes short-term rental income so lumpy and hard to plan around.

THE COMPETITIVE SQUEEZE None of this is a secret, which is the risk. Local rankings of Coachella Valley property managers now routinely list half a dozen or more competitors — from boutique operators to larger regional players — all pitching some version of "we'll handle everything, you just cash the check." That's a crowded shelf for any homeowner comparing options, and it means differentiation increasingly comes down to response times,

review scores, and how well a company's pricing algorithm actually performs against a human who's watched the market for a decade. For a company like SuperStay, the opportunity isn't just managing more houses — it's proving that local expertise plus better tooling beats either one alone. In a market where a bad review or a slow guest response can tank a listing's search ranking overnight, that combination is worth more than it looks.

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TOP BRANDS 2022

Clean homes. Support heroes. Home Clean Heroes is a fast-growing residential cleaning franchise that supports local first responders with every home that they clean.

74%

Mission Based: A portion of every cleaning fee goes to support local market first responders

YOY System Growth 2021-2022

Low Investment, Fast Start-up: Item 7 investment range is $76,902 - $100,851 and includes the majority of first year marketing expenses. Franchisees can be open as quickly as 60 days after signing Part of the Buzz Franchise Brands family: strong engagement and extensive ongoing support “I chose Home Clean Heroes because everything was buttoned up and put together. From the spectacular training, marketing, leadership team all the way to the cleaning processes. At the end, it came down to the people.” -David Houck, Owner of Home Clean Heroes of South Charlotte

844-WHY-HERO homecleanheroesfranchise.com

BRANDS POWERED BY

© Buzz Franchise Brands, LLC | 2829 Guardian Lane, Suite 100 | VA Beach, VA 23452. This information is not intended as an offer to sell a franchise or the solicitation of an offer to buy a franchise. It is for informational purposes only. The filing of an application for registration of an offering prospectus or the acceptance and filing thereof by the New York Department of Law as required by New York law does not constitute approval of the offering or the sale of such franchise by the New York Department of Law or the Attorney General of New York.

Let us open doors for you.

Financial Freedom

As part of the Pro-Lift Doors team, you'll be choosing

Quality of Life The opportunity to start building towards your retirement goals Our partners are backed by an established company founded on years of experience, with an executive model designed to facilitate success. Investment Range: $90,625 - $138,000 | Consultant Commission: $30,000

A business that stands out

Robust, end-to-end training and infield support

An in-house call center that supports your schedule

Large territory footprints with 6figure potential

434-995-5582 434-995-5582

FranDev@ProLiftDoors.com

PROPERTY SERVICES

Ask The RESULTS Guy™: Is Follow-Through a Competitive Advantage in Franchising by Tony Jeary, CEO, The Results Guy

here is a simple characteristic that can have an enormous impact inside a franchise system: doing what you say you will do, when you say you will do it. It sounds obvious. In practice, exceptional follow-through stands out. Think about the commitments made every day between franchisors and franchisees, field leaders and operators, support teams and vendors. Someone agrees to research an issue. A franchisee promises to complete an action. A field leader says information will be sent by Friday. A support team commits to resolving a question. Everyone usually means what they say. Then the call ends. The meeting is over. New priorities arrive. A week later, someone asks, “Whatever happened with that?” That gap between commitment and completion is where a great deal of frustration can enter a franchise relationship. Strong follow-through helps close that gap. Q: Why does follow-through

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break down so easily in franchise organizations? Most often, it is not a lack of caring. It is a lack of structure. Picture a franchise meeting or field visit. A franchisee raises an operational issue. Someone from the franchisor team says, “I’ll check on that and get back to you.” What happens next? If nobody captures the action, assigns responsibility, or establishes a date, the commitment remains abstract. The support person returns to a full inbox. The franchisee returns to running the business. Three days later, each person may remember the conversation slightly differently. That is how good intentions create disappointing experiences. One of the simplest ways to improve follow-through is to document commitments while they are being made. Good note-taking matters. It creates a record of the conversation and communicates that what was said has value. When action items are documented clearly, everyone has a better understanding of what will

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happen next. Even better, confirm those actions before the meeting or call ends. Who owns this? What exactly are they going to do? When will it be completed? Those questions remove a surprising amount of confusion. Q: What does exceptional follow-through look like in a franchise system? It is usually very simple. Write it down. Schedule it. Do it. When a commitment is made, capture it immediately. Do not rely on memory to carry the responsibility. Next, give it a real date. “I’ll get to it soon” is difficult to manage. “I’ll send it by Wednesday afternoon” creates a clear expectation for both sides. Then complete the action. This last step is where reputations are built. A franchisor support leader who repeatedly delivers when promised becomes someone franchisees trust. A franchisee who consistently completes agreed actions becomes someone the franchisor team can rely on. A field leader who closes the loop after each visit builds confidence with every interaction.

Over time, those individual experiences form a pattern. People begin to know whose word they can count on. That matters in franchising because franchise systems depend so heavily on relationships. The franchisor and franchisee may have different responsibilities, perspectives, and priorities. They still need confidence that commitments made across the table will become actions after everyone leaves the room. Follow-through turns words into evidence. Q: What difference can stronger follow-through make across a franchise network?

The first difference is trust. When people know that commitments will be honored, they can move forward with greater confidence. Franchisees do not need to repeatedly chase answers. Support teams do not need to reconstruct old conversations. Leaders can invest more of their time solving problems and creating opportunities instead of revisiting unfinished commitments. The second difference is execution. Franchise organizations have many moving parts. Marketing initiatives, operational improvements, training programs, technology changes, local action plans, and systemwide priorities all depend on people doing what they agreed to do. A strategy can be excellent. Its value still depends on execution. The third difference is reputation. Inside a franchise network, people quickly learn who follows through. A leader who consistently delivers builds credibility. A franchisee who reliably executes earns confidence. A support team that closes the loop creates a very different experience than one that leaves questions unresolved. Those repeated experiences

shape the culture of the system. Improving follow-through does not require a complicated initiative. Start with the next commitment. Write it down. Schedule it. Do it. Then repeat the process. When franchisors, franchisees, and support teams consistently operate this way, trust grows because people know what to expect from one another. That is valuable in any organization. In franchising, where long-term relationships and shared execution are fundamental to the model, it is especially powerful. Follow-through is more than getting tasks completed. It is how you show people that your word matters. And over time, your word becomes part of your reputation. Let’s make it happen.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Tony Jeary is a strategist, keynoter, coach to the world’s top CEOs and prolific author of over 100 titles. Tony lives in Flower Mound and works out of his think tank, The RESULTS Center, where he and his team encourage and inspire all those he touches, resulting in their enhanced sales and profitability and raising their companies’ values.

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434-995-5582

HandymanPro.com

What does it mean to be a Handyman Pro Franchisee? Low overhead

Local business

Scalable

Start building your business now with haNDYMAN PRO Boost your business with our intensive on-boarding and ongoing coaching

Standardize your customer relations management and business planning with our customized technology

Take advantage of our established systems and

business partnerships to find handymen and lead sources.

Handyman Pro, LLC 630 Peter Jefferson Parkway #200 Charlottesville, VA 22911

(844) 465-4004 MoldMedicsFranchising.com Info@moldmedicsfranchising.com

Don’t Overlook a Mold Removal Business Franchise Opportunity

Working in mold remediation and indoor air quality doesn’t always seem like a glamorous job, but the rewards are endless! We get to directly help people who suffer from breathing difficulties by improving their environment so they can breathe easy again and love being at home. What an amazing opportunity that is!

FRANCHISE WITH US!

We remediate & mitigate. We don’t repair, maintain or replace.

PANDEMIC AND RECESSION RESISTANCE

LOW STARTUP COST With total investment needed being as low as $83,000

We educate our customers about what plagues their homes and we train our franchise owners to do so with the same confidence and compassion.

From 2020 to 2021, revenue was up by 23%

REAL BENEFITS FOR OUR FRANCHISE OWNERS

BUILT-IN CRM

“

IN-HOUSE CALL CENTER

NO OFFICE REQUIRED

LOW EMPLOYEE HEADCOUNT & YEAR ROUND BUSINESS

WORK-LIFE BALANCE

When I saw no negative reviews, I thought they were faked. No company can be that good. They are the exception to the rule. 5 stars are not enough to rate the professionalism, honesty, helpfulness and knowledge. It’s an industry where the homeowner really doesn’t know much and it easy for the company to scare you into spend more than you need...NOT Mold Medics. I highly recommened them to the degree that you’d be foolish to use anyone else.

Nev Harris Review on Google

“

Mold & radon don’t take winter off, so nither do we

PROPERTY SERVICES

Imagine Arts Academy™ A Perennial Necessity by Emily Manuel, Marketing Specialist

ooking for a franchise that thrives in every season? There's no expiry date for creativity, which is why an Imagine Arts Academy™ franchise is perfect for anyone looking to grow a year-round business that has different areas of business perfect for every season. From young kids to retirees in senior centers, everyone needs to explore their creativity and open their minds through hands-on art. Our turnkey programming doesn't require any brick-and-motor location so the low overhead will

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empower you to go where you're most needed. And as our parent company has learned after over forty years of experience in children's enrichment, kids will always need enrichment opportunities outside of their school curriculums. Learn more how about how our unique model connects with customers all year, every year: FALL: The big kick-off of the school year means your business is stepping back into schools,

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starting with after school programming and in-class workshops, designed inhouse to complement school curriculums and support overburdened teachers and parents. Our programs also shine at harvest, Halloween, and thanksgiving celebrations. WINTER: The holiday season means plenty of celebrations. It's the perfect time for an Imagine Arts Academy event – whether a live show to thrill parents and

kids alike at a PTO assembly or a hands-on booth at a community fair. And of course, winter break is a thriving time for our engaging day camps where kids get to learn and create – with zero screen time! SPRING: Across your territory, you'll find community organizations and schools looking to offer workshops to honor people of different cultural backgrounds and life experiences. With Imagine Arts Academy's cultural and environmentally conscious workshops, you'll be a perfect partner to provide themed workshops for any statutory holiday or history month. SUMMER: While our franchises run camps over the fall, spring, and winter breaks, summer is when this area of business truly shines. With a variety of different camp themes, you can keep customizers – whether those are parents, library programs, or day camps looking to fill their own daily programming— coming back all season long YEAR-ROUND: Birthdays happen every single day and so our hands-on arts parties can help create special memories for kids and parents any day of the year! Our workshops and live shows are also adaptable for any yearround community or corporate needs, so our franchisees see success in seniors' centers, employee engagement

initiatives, and Take Your Kid to Work Days alike. FOUR DECADES – AND COUNTING – OF EXPERIENCE: Imagine Arts Academy™ was created by the Mad Science Group®, trusted for more than forty years for developing hands-on, educational STEM programs for children. With Imagine Arts Academy™, they have built a franchise that elevates art beyond the technical skills. With the global strength of Mad Science® behind you, your franchise will stand out in the booming children’s education industry. Add in the comprehensive business model, turnkey marketing support, and robust training and you have the ingredients for a rewarding entrepreneurial journey. WHAT FRANCHISE OWNERS LOVE ABOUT US: • Backed by the Mad Science® Group with 40+ years, 11 countries, millions of children reached • A business with purpose, creativity, and community impact • Low-overhead and low initial investment • Wide-open territories available across North America • Comprehensive training, support, marketing tools, and franchise community • Mission-driven programs that schools, parents, corporations, and community organizations trust

THE OWNERS' ESSENTIALS: With a franchise like Imagine Arts Academy™, kids and adults of every age love the way we seamlessly mix learning with laughter, building confidence and creativity, up to 365 days a year. If you’re searching for an enrichment franchise that’s rewarding, scalable, and seriously fun, Imagine Arts Academy™ might just be the ideal fit. We’re looking for the next wave of passionate franchisees to join our growing community. Franchise buyers have the chance to join early, secure prime territories, and grow alongside a brand supported by one of the strongest franchisors in the children’s education sector – The Mad Science® Group. Ready to grow a business that booms all year 'round? Visit https://www. imagineartsacademy.com/ franchising Phone 1-833-204-6777 About the Author Emily Manuel is an art lover and marketing specialist working for Mad Science Group. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Emily Manuel is an art lover and marketing specialist with Mad Science Group.

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PROPERTY SERVICES

The Virtual Workforce Behind Property Service Growth by Kyle Heck, Consultant, The Franchise Consulting Company

small businesses utilizing virtual assistants regularly save up to 78% in staffing costs, increase their revenue by up to 65%, and reclaim 30% of the business owner's time!

roperty service franchises make their money by providing services in person. Painters touch walls, roofers climb roofs, and cleaners scrub floors. But much of the work that determines whether those crews stay busy does not have to happen locally. That is why human virtual assistants are so valuable to property-service providers, and why VA Plus created an essential franchise opportunity. For many franchisees, the first growth bottleneck is

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not demand. It is everything surrounding the work: answering new leads, booking appointments, following up on estimates, keeping the CRM current, coordinating schedules, sending invoices, requesting reviews, posting on social media and keeping customers informed. When the owner, estimator or local office manager handles all of that personally, expensive local talent spends less time on what actually requires their local knowledge and relationships. That's why

OCTOBER 2026 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM

BEYOND AN ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Consider a painting franchise owner who is quoting jobs during the day and returning leads at night, or a roofing salesperson spending part of every morning updating records and chasing paperwork. Those tasks matter, but they do not require another full-time person sitting in the local office. A virtual assistant can respond to inbound leads, qualify the opportunity and schedule an estimate. Another can follow up on open proposals, reactivate past customers and keep the sales pipeline moving. Customer-support VAs can handle routine questions, appointment confirmations and rescheduling. Administrative and accounting VAs can assist with invoicing, payment follow-up, vendor coordination

and recordkeeping. Marketing-focused VAs can manage social content, email and SMS campaigns, review requests and Google Business Profile activity. VA Plus connects local businesses to college educated workers across each of these functions. For a property-service business, those capabilities directly impact the customer journey. The local team remains responsible for technical decisions, generating estimates, field supervision and customer relationships that benefit most from being in-person. The result is the people delivering the core service become that much more productive. Keep the work local when location adds value, and move the work remote when process and communication matter more than ZIP code. VA PLUS FRANCHISEES ARE THE LOCAL FACE OF VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS While the right virtual assistant keeps a business owner focused on growing their business, recruiting virtual assistants is not part of the standard business playbook. A VA Plus franchisee provides the solution. They get to know the business owner directly, learning their needs that can be supported by a virtual assistant. A small contractor may begin with one VA handling lead response and scheduling. As the business grows, it may add bookkeeping support, marketing assistance,

customer service or an executive VA. The relationship grows alongside the client's business. Who should consider owning a VA Plus franchise? The VA Plus model is ideal for entrepreneurs who want to focus on building relationships and creating solutions while earning steady, predictable income. Franchisees meet business owners and help discover where support from virtual assistants would have the greatest impact. VA Plus does the rest by recruiting the best available virtual assistants, then hiring and supporting the best matches. Franchisees continue regularly meeting with their clients to ensure success and add support as the client grows. Best of all, there is no expensive real estate, inventory or costly overhead! For a VA Plus franchisee, property services present an especially compelling market. Painting, roofing, cleaning, HVAC, plumbing, landscaping, pest control, restoration and other service businesses all share the same need to keep skilled local teams focused on the work only they can do while managing an ever-growing load of leads, scheduling, customer communication, marketing and administration. That combination of durable demand, recurring support needs and thousands of local businesses creates an ideal opportunity for a VA Plus franchisee to build long-term client relationships that can expand as those businesses grow.

THE FUTURE IS A BLENDED WORKFORCE Property-service companies will always need great local people. The competitive advantage is learning which people truly need to be local. To learn more about utilizing virtual assistants to grow your property service company or discover more about the franchise opportunity visit www.va.plus today. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Kyle Heck is a franchise consultant in Winter Garden, Florida who has served entrepreneurs for over ten years.

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