Ryan Moore, Doctor of Lawn

At just 24 years old, Ryan Moore acquired his own Lawn Doctor* lawn care franchise to service Gadsden, Boaz and Albertville, Alabama. Lawn care is nothing new for this Gadsen native, who grew up mowing lawns. “I started cutting my neighbors’ yards when I was 12 years old, and, by 16, I had started my own neighborhood lawn mowing business,” said Moore. “I enjoyed the aspect of being a young entrepreneur while helping my community.” As he continued mowing lawns throughout his adolescence, Moore knew he wanted to continue working outside and build a career using the lawn care knowledge he had gained growing up. After eight years of building up his own lawn mowing company, he learned of an opportunity to open a Lawn Doctor franchise in his home town area. “I knew joining Lawn Doctor would provide opportunity for growth and development that my own lawn business could not offer,” said Moore. “Lawn Doctor meant I could be successful without going the traditional route of getting a four year college degree.” Lawn Doctor’s Vice President of Marketing, Paul Mumm, has witnessed several younger men and women go through the Lawn Doctor training program to become licensed franchisees. “Lawn Doctor was founded in 1967, and a lot of the applicants we’re seeing now were born significantly after our company was launched,” Mumm said. “It’s exciting to see how a well-established brand spans over multiple generations of franchisees.” With record-high levels of unemployment and the slow recovery of the economy, many Gen Ys and Millennials are forgoing the cubicle and corporate route altogether, which leaves a young and eager population exploring the idea of becoming franchisees. Enticed by the support of a proven system, many younger entrepreneurs are learning the difference between working for yourself and working by yourself. “Being backed by a national brand provides support for all aspects of your business,” said Moore. “As part of the franchise system, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Somebody else has already thought about it and worked out the issues, so when I started my Lawn Doctor franchise, I could just focus on servicing my community. There was a network of people available to call if I had a problem or needed advice. Life is easier when working in a franchise system.” Mumm added, “We’re fortunate to have a lot of younger franchisees at Lawn Doctor. It gives this established brand youthfulness, and franchisees with energy and passion like Ryan Moore are the future of Lawn Doctor.” Asked whether he has concerns about extending opportunities to younger generations, Mumm responded, “As long as they have a business mindset and are self-starters, I am proud to have them join the Lawn Doctor team.” --Metra Farrari