For Lawn Doctor, the lawn care brand with more than 630 locations, business is booming. Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lawn Doctor signed 20 new franchisees in 2020, largely due to the fact that the home services industry has been thriving as people spend more time in the home. Now, with a home-based business opportunity, membership-based model, strong support infrastructure, low cost of entry and high profit margins, Lawn Doctor franchisees are seeing groundbreaking success. 

For example, Joe and Alicia Weingate signed on to open a Lawn Doctor location in St. Petersburg, Florida last year. “My wife and I moved to Florida a few years ago and decided we were tired of working for other people,” said Joe. “My wife is a nurse, and I spent 25 years in the I.T. industry, and we were ready to build something for ourselves. Once we narrowed in on the lawn maintenance and pest control industry, we started looking into several brands in the space, and Lawn Doctor jumped to the top of the list.”

The Weingates did their homework, connecting with the Lawn Doctor corporate team and reaching out to learn more about the opportunity. Joe says they also spoke with other Lawn Doctor franchisees to hear about their experience and success with the brand. 

“It was clear there was longevity with Lawn Doctor, and we could see that franchisees had the opportunity to succeed,” said Joe. “The more we researched the franchise, the more it was clear they offered a ton of support, marketing assistance and training. The Lawn Doctor business model is designed to succeed in any market, and that is really what drew us to the brand.”

For one, Lawn Doctor allows franchisees like the Weingates to tap into a lucrative recurring revenue model. By focusing on high-demand and repeat services like lawn fertilization, weed control, mosquito/tick control and more, one-time customer acquisitions consistently lead to repeat business. In addition, Lawn Doctor offers a low-investment franchise opportunity compared to other concepts in its category because operators don’t need a brick-and-mortar storefront and require minimal staffing. 

“We officially started in March 2020, taking over an existing territory from a previous owner,” said Joe. “The previous owners, Jim and Dorothy Duffy, worked so hard to help us get off the ground and have continued to show support. That relationship helped us greatly in the success of our franchise, especially since we grew so fast. The Lawn Doctor corporate team has also been very supportive and positioned us for success in every single way. It was so great having the entire Lawn Doctor family working together to help us start our business.” 

Joe says they have also been heavily engaged with the Lawn Doctor RAMP team, which is a specific support team set up to help new franchisees through their first year of business. “They assist with marketing plans, sourcing materials, contacts, staffing and more,” he said. “This helps you scale quickly and gives you a playbook to maximize your first year and hit the ground running.”

And hit the ground running they did. The Weingates started with 45 customers, and today they are already at over 550. Now, with the rise in dual-income homeowners and the increased demand for home services due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Joe says the grass continues to look greener for his Lawn Doctor business.

“It was a great year last year, and right now we are trending on the same line,” said Joe. “The more we build up that brand recognition in Florida, the more customer referrals we see. Not only has it been a better year than most because people are staying at home more, but Lawn Doctor’s repeat business model also means many of those customers will return again.” 

Overall, the Weingates say their favorite part of Lawn Doctor ownership is the ability to work with family. “My wife and son are both with us full time, and the rest of my family is thinking of how they can help with the business,” said Joe. “It feels amazing to have been able to go from working at a corporate job to growing something that not only allows me to support my family, but also to spend more time with them as well.”

Eric Martin, vice president of franchise development for Lawn Doctor's parent brand, Happinest, says he is proud to be able to help the Weingates succeed and is looking forward to watching them continue to thrive. 

“At Lawn Doctor, we are always looking for ways to position our franchise owners for success, which is why we’ve continued to grow despite the COVID-related challenges that other companies are experiencing,” Martin said. “The home services industry is set to explode in popularity, and we are excited to continue expanding the Lawn Doctor family with exceptional franchisees like the Weingates.” 

The initial total investment for a single Lawn Doctor territory ranges from $102,015 to $127,065. For more information, visit: https://lawndoctorfranchise.com/.