Lawn Doctor Franchise

[maddog22]

Does anyone in the forum own a lawn doctor franchise? I was looking into possibly buying into the franchise and was wondering if anyone could share some information on the company. It is primarily a lawn service that provides fertilizing (lawn, trees & shrubs), weed control, overseeding, aeration etc, no mowing.

[Seascape]

Its on euntreprunuer magazine's ( or howerver you spell it) top 100 for 2004.

Mike

[Phil Nilsson]

It is primarily a lawn service that provides fertilizing (lawn, trees & shrubs), weed control, overseeding, aeration etc, no mowing.

Yes ...

Also check Scotts franchise ... name recognition, a class act ... this would be my first choice in a lawn care franchise although many of them are very good. IMHO I think the Scotts Franchise is the Rolls Royce of all of them.

here's a start point link ...

http://www.franchiseprospector.com/franchise/scotts-lawn-service.php

Phil

[SodBuster]

Phil, what's your opinion of Weed Man?

[maddog22]

Thanks for the feedback Phil & all. I have a lawn maintenance company. However, exactly what Phil is saying about brand name recognition is what I was trying to take advantage of. If I bought into the Scotts franchise for example, I would take advantage of the brand name to help develop new business. Since they are a large corporation I would also take advantage of their research and development and the money they put into marketing and advertising programs. What I was thinking is to continue running a sort of lawn care division where mowing, cleanups, planting etc. would be core services to that division. But the Scott's division would deal with the turfgrass management in terms of ferts etc. I would make referals from Scott's to my lawn care division. Not sure if there are bylaws in the franchise that prevent this from happening but its a thought. Let me know what you guys think.

[Phil Nilsson]

Phil, what's your opinion of Weed Man?

Weed Man is a very good franchise ... Weed Man I think is the largest lawn care app provider in Canada and came into the U.S. with franchise offer some years ago. It's a thumbs up outfit no doubt ... Scotts ... Weed Man ... Lawn Doctor ... all have great track records ... plenty of comparisons can be made. Check them all out, make your own conclusions.

I'm impressed with Scotts, maybe partial because of their great reputation ... instant name recognition ... other product brands they own ... I mean if I had to place somebody at top slot ... It's Scotts ... national TV coverage .... and if you are ever in the Marysville, Ohio area drop by and visit their headquarters ... you'll be overwhelmed with their facility ... the grounds ... research facilitities ... I was there with PLCAA a few years back for some think tank sessions ... about what would help VO-AG Students, course content ... and was very impressed.

Phil

[Pilgrims' Pride]

Why buy a franchise/

Hey Maddog,

I believe that with franchises you are required to pay "royaltys"
These are dollars you pay Lawn Doc or whoever fro using the name, logo, training, etc.

This is money you pay beyond whatever it may cost to get started.

I worked for a Lawn Doctor years ago and the idea of giving up my money, (of course it wasn't mine at the time) never really made sense.

Fast forward nearly 15 years. I have a lawn and tree & shrub care service that I built myself and I'm much better for it.

By the way, I was approached by Scotts rep a year or so back.
He was interested in buying me out and then bringing me on board with them.

My reply? I told him I'd take everything I'd worked so hard for, put it under me, put a grenade between us and blow it all to the hot place.

He laughed. We still talk on occasion but he knows where to stop.

Think hard about it.

[Phil Nilsson]

Franchised businesses in the United States have an over 90% success rate whereas independents have an over 70% fail rate.

Phil

[maddog22]

Now I would just need to determine just how feasable it is to try and own two companies and make them work together. The Scott's division making referrals to the lawn maintenance division (mowing etc).

Royalty, well I suppose that is the price you pay for name brand like Scotts. The brand sells itself. Obtaining customers for my lawn maintenance division is the goal, can the Scotts franchise be the platform to help step into this goal? I will soon find out and let you know.

[J Hisch]

If I was going to franchise it would be Scott's but we already have one here. The main draw back to Scott's franchise is you better have deep pockets......not good for the new business man but very good for a well established one.

[CCLS]

I received a letter from Scott's today saying they would like to buy me out, then have me purchase a franchise from them. I like the whole idea behind the corporate support, but the reason I got into business for myself was to be my own boss. I think there are too many stipulations to being a franchisee.

[sodking]

I looked at several franchises. They offered me nothing that I wasn't capable of achieving myself. I read the Lawn Doctor literature and was asked by an equity partner what I thought. I told him it was franchise for people who know absolutely nothing about lawn care. If you didn't know what color grass was then buy that franchise. I also looked at Service Master at the time and felt it was a better franchisee, but I could save the $60,000 or so and more wisely invest that in my own company. That was 13 years ago and I am still going strong.

If you know what you are doing, the franchises offer you little more than colorful brochures and literature which you pay through the nose for.

[Seascape]

Originally posted by Phil Nilsson
Weed Man is a very good franchise ... Weed Man I think is the largest lawn care app provider in Canada and came into the U.S. with franchise offer some years ago. It's a thumbs up outfit no doubt ... Scotts ... Weed Man ... Lawn Doctor ... all have great track records ... plenty of comparisons can be made. Check them all out, make your own conclusions.

I'm impressed with Scotts, maybe partial because of their great reputation ... instant name recognition ... other product brands they own ... I mean if I had to place somebody at top slot ... It's Scotts ... national TV coverage .... and if you are ever in the Marysville, Ohio area drop by and visit their headquarters ... you'll be overwhelmed with their facility ... the grounds ... research facilitities ... I was there with PLCAA a few years back for some think tank sessions ... about what would help VO-AG Students, course content ... and was very impressed.

Phil

Phil,, I live 15 minutes from the plant. Did you get to see theyre new cooperate building?

Mike