1851

Lawrence King and his wife, Sandy, moved to the U.S.&nbsp;from South Africa in pursuit of the American dream. The process was not easy, but after waiting 11 years for green cards to be approved and 16 years to become citizens, the Kings have finally settled in Northwest Orlando, Florida.

After a lifetime of travel, Lawrence was ready to make his community a home. This meant working with local residents and businesses and for that reason, <a href="http://welcomematfranchising.com/franchise-opportunities/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=franchisee-voices-lawrence-king-of-welcomemat-services-8251" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Welcomemat Services</a> was the perfect fit. In his business ventures with Welcomemat Services, King is able to become part of the community and help local business owners survive against the &ldquo;big guys,&rdquo; while providing friendly faces to newcomers in the community.

Tell us a little bit about your background.

We are originally from South Africa. It took 11 years for our green cards to be processed and 16 years to officially become American citizens. We became citizens last year in 2015. We chose to be here &ndash; we love the country and want create our own American dream. Sandy, my wife, and I are financial advisors and have been in the profession the past 16 years. I traveled to different markets that were known to be volatile and provided service to ex-pats in these areas, including Brazil, Columbia, Mexico and Nigeria.

I had been traveling for much of my career, so a local business that works with the community is a nice change of pace. I came across Welcomemat Services when I was looking at starting my own business, and it seemed to fit exactly with what I wanted to pursue. The brand is entirely focused on local business helping other local businesses. We were in the process of becoming a part of the community and trying to enjoy success ourselves, so it only made sense to help other local businesses.

Why did you choose to become a franchisee with Welcomemat Services?&nbsp;

Welcomemat Services is a niche market. It&rsquo;s measurable, targeted, and we&rsquo;re doing two things: helping new families as neighbors and helping local businesses grow. I used to like moving into a new house because the neighbors would bring you a gift. That&rsquo;s what we are doing through Welcomemat. I used to always say, if you are supporting a big multinational company, you are helping the CEO buy his second home. If you are helping a local business, you are helping that person send their kids to school.

What are some of the local businesses that you plan to work with?

We plan to work with salons, dentists, automotive services, dry cleaners, car washes, jewelry shops, family fitness, hardware stores, family medicine, pet boutiques, wine beverage stores, home furnishings, local grocers, florists and restaurants. Those seem to be the types of businesses that work best with our product. Generally, they are the local places that people stop after first moving to town. We have been here for six&nbsp;years and my wife is still looking for a salon. We really want to use the business as a platform to help others become comfortable in the community.

Realtor.com just named Orlando as one of the top ten places that Americans are moving. Have you noticed this surge in the population?

We live in the suburbs and have noticed a lot of multi-national companies have decided to move to the area. The city is in the process of building the Sand Rail, which is a commuter train that goes from our suburban area to Orlando, which I think will cause more people to move to this area.

What&rsquo;s next for you and your business? Do you have any development/expansion plans with the brand? &nbsp;

After we establish our initial presence in our local area, we plan to explore expanding into other areas. We would love to grow our business in downtown Orlando.

Visit the <a href="https://atourfranchise.org/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=franchisee-voices-lawrence-king-of-welcomemat-services-8251" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">International Franchise Association&rsquo;s @OurFranchise website</a> for more stories of passionate local franchise owners, employees and their communities.

Franchisee Voices: Lawrence King of Welcomemat Services

1851 Franchise

Franchisee Lawrence King's Welcomemat Services business helps him to play a bigger role in his community. 

This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

franchisee-voices-lawrence-king-of-welcomemat-services

Busy Bee Jumpers

Top 10 Reasons To Buy a Busy Bee Jumpers Franchise in 2025

top-10-reasons-to-buy-a-busy-bee-jumpers-franchise-in-2025

Home Halo

home-halo-former-athletes-frachisees-image

Why Former College Athletes Can Make Winning Home Halo Franchise Owners

former-college-athletes-home-halo-franchise

TruBlue Home Service Ally

TruBlue Featured in USA Today as Key Player in Helping Seniors Age Safely at Home

trublue-featured-in-usa-today-as-key-player-in-helping-seniors-age-safely-at-home

Right at Home

Right at Home Marks 30 Years With Continued Franchise Growth

Right at Home Marks 30 Years With Continued Franchise Growth, Tech Advancements, and Strong System Engagement in First Half of 2025

right-at-home-franchise-growth-2025

KidStrong Franchising, LLC

Unlocking Superpowers: How KidStrong Is Building the Next Generation of Confident Kids — and Thriving Franchise Owners

kidstrong-franchise-confident-kids

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

Photo of Roof Scientist truck and trailer

Roof Scientist Expands Into Northern Indianapolis as Entrepreneur Dale Speckman Launches New Business in Fishers

roof-scientist-expands-into-northern-indianapolis

Image of Donald Trump pointing with red stripes in the background

August 1 Tariff Deadline Is Said to Have ‘No Extensions’: What This Could Mean for Franchises

august-1-tariff-deadline-franchise-impact

What June’s Jobs Report Means for the Franchise Industry

what-junes-jobs-report-means-for-the-franchise-industry

Drone Delivery Takes Flight in QSR: The Future of Franchise Operations?

drone-delivery-takes-flight-in-qsr-the-future-of-franchise-operations

Chick-fil-A Tops Customer Satisfaction Rankings for 11th Year as Challenger Brands Gain Ground

chick-fil-a-tops-customer-satisfaction-rankings-for-11th-year-as-challenger-brands-gain-ground

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: How To Create a Strong Incentive

how-to-build-strong-incentives-to-attract-prospective-franchisees

Top 25 Franchise Marketing Leaders: Kelsey McManemin — Vice President of Marketing, HTeaO

top-25-franchise-marketing-leaders-kelsey-mcmanemin-vice-president-of-marketing-hteao

Photo of a large group of people standing in a circle, placing hands together in center

Franchise Opportunities for Minorities: Expanding the Franchise Network

franchise-opportunities-for-minorities

Amanda Evans - Stellar Service Brands - Franchise Marketing Leaders 2025 - 1851 Franchise

Top 25 Franchise Marketing Leaders: Amanda Evans — Senior Vice President of Marketing, Stellar Service Brands

stellar-service-brands-marketing-leader-amanda-evans

From Prescriptions to Pastries: Kari Khandelwal Creates a Comforting Community Bakery 

From Prescriptions to Pastries: Kari Khandelwal Creates a Comforting Community Bakery in Overland Park, Kansas

paris-baguette-franchise-overland-park-khandelwal

Kansas Couple Revitalizes Local Childcare With Children’s Lighthouse

From Corporate Careers to Community Roots: Kansas Couple Revitalizes Local Childcare With Children’s Lighthouse

kansas-couple-opens-childrens-lighthouse-gardner-olathe

Hooters Leans Into Franchising With Closure of 30 Company-Owned Stores - Agg - 1851 Franchise

Hooters Leans Into Franchising With Closure of 30 Company-Owned Stores

hooters-franchise-model-company-owned-closures

Franchisee spotlight graphic with photo of Ricki Oberoi and Layne's Chicken Fingers logo

Multi-Unit Wendy’s Operator Signs 12-Unit Deal With Layne’s Chicken Fingers

ricki-oberoi-laynes-chicken-fingers-growth

How Vishal Juneja Turned a Family Tradition Into a Paris Baguette Franchise

Franchisee Voices: Lawrence King of Welcomemat Services

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS