TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® is Moving People Forward® in the Garden State

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK has only been in the New Jersey market for a few years, but following the successful opening of three locations, the region remains primed for development.

According to TWO MEN AND A TRUCK Franchise Development Specialist Cheryl Ackley, the nation’s largest moving franchise currently has 13 standard territories available for development in the state. “The three standard territories we have in the area have done really well.” 

In early 2020, Ackley herself plans to travel to the area to meet with prospective operators at The Franchise Show at the New York/New Jersey Meadowlands Expo Center on February 15 and 16 to explore more opportunities to “move more people forward.” 

Take it from Mary Ellen’s Moving People Forward® Scholarship winners and New Jersey residents Liz Friedmann and Jason Washburn. Washburn was the first scholarship winner to franchise in New Jersey, relocating from Boston, Massachusetts to East Hanover, New Jersey in February of 2017. The Mary Ellen’s Moving People Forward® Scholarship is a year-long training and career development opportunity awarded to employees of TWO MEN AND A TRUCK who have demonstrated strong leadership within the organization, and prepares them to become franchisees of their own territory. 

Like many other TWO MEN AND A TRUCK franchisees, Washburn worked his way up in the company from mover to owner. He was first hired as a mover in 2011, and found himself climbing the ladder within just a few months of entering the business. “I quickly realized that this was so much more than just a summer job — there were serious opportunities for me to progress within the business,” said Washburn. “For someone like me that didn’t have a college background and was just looking to enter the workforce, that was huge.” Washburn graduated from mover to driver, and then from driver to working in customer service.

After two years as a customer service representative at the St. Louis location, Washburn was relocated to Salt Lake City to help out at an underperforming location as a manger. “That’s really where it all started for me,” said Washburn. “I was able to play to some of my skills and show the ownership group that I was serious about the company. About six months after that, the scholarship program was introduced and I was lucky enough to be selected as one of the winners.”

After exploring different markets, Washburn and the team at TWO MEN AND A TRUCK ultimately chose New Jersey because it was one of the few major metropolitan markets that had yet to be covered by the brand. 

In his current position, Washburn is grateful to be able to mentor others in the same way he himself was mentored. “Our core purpose is to move people forward. My mentors were able to provide me with the support to do that and I have a chance to pay that back,” Washburn said. 

Friedmann’s story follows a similar trajectory. When she started at TWO MEN AND A TRUCK, she was working three jobs just to get by. As a customer service representative with TWO MEN AND A TRUCK, she quickly began to take advantage of opportunities for professional and personal growth. “It has been a really remarkable journey,” said Friedmann. “The scholarship program teaches you not only how to operate a franchise, but how to be a leader.”

Friendmann moved to New Jersey in January of 2019 and has described the past year as being a “whirlwind” experience. 

“I think that one of the biggest things for me and why I wanted to do this specifically with TWO MEN AND A TRUCK is because of what they have done for me. Now I am able to do that for other people, both for my staff and within our community,” Friedmann said. “Of course I love where I am in New Jersey, but I think you can go anywhere and be a kind person.”

Friedmann’s business philosophy centers on kindness, and she has used her platform with TWO MEN AND A TRUCK to give back to the local community with programs like Movers for Meals®. “This is a company that stands 100% behind its core values and its mission statement, and anyone who works with TWO MEN AND A TRUCK sees that. We really pride ourselves on our referral rate and overall customer satisfaction, and I look forward to being able to connect with other franchisees in the New Jersey market as we grow our footprint in the state,” Friedmann said. 

“The people of New Jersey are really ready for our customer service,” said Ackley on the brand’s plans for expansion in the state. “There is competition of course, but the white-glove service that TWO MEN AND A TRUCK provides is unparalleled.”

Currently there are 11 open territories in the New Jersey market in Sicklerville, Vineland, Camden, Jersey City, Hackensack, Asbury Park, Paterson, Union, Plainfield, Morristown, and Wayne. Each location will be adding around 23 jobs to the area. 

Interested entrepreneurs should be sure to check out TWO MEN AND A TRUCK’s exhibit at The Franchise Show to learn more about available opportunities with the brand.

To learn more about franchising opportunities with TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®, visit www.franchise.twomenandatruck.com.