Building A Happinest Brands Out of Bricks: A Different Model of Franchise Development

Happinest Brands, a multi-company franchisor that specializes in the home service niche, has grown substantially in the few short years since its inception. With the acquisition of Lawn Doctor, Mosquito Hunters and ecomaids, the franchise system’s unit count has increased to more than 800 territories all over the country.

Eric Martin, senior vice president of franchise development, and Sharon Cupach, vice president of franchise development, have been with Happinest for much of that scaling and growth. Since the two powerhouses of franchising joined the brand, they have assisted in adding over 350 new business locations between the three companies. 

The two have had so much success as a franchise development team because they have a clear vision for how to build Happinest and its subsidiaries. One of the most important values that both Martin and Cupach share for Happinest is that the brand should be like a “house built out of bricks.”

“We do things the right way, with integrity and thoughtfulness about growth. It’s a differentiator in franchising; we’ve all been around a long time, and it’s not always the case that brands grow responsibly,” Cupach said. “Eric and I are grateful for the opportunity to lead an integrity-based company like Happinest.”

“We have ownership in these companies. It’s different when you have this intimate involvement in leadership. It’s not always about getting more units and more deals. It’s about the people,” Martin explained. “We take it personally, and we have personal relationships.”

It’s a tale as old as time: businesses get greedy to expand and do it too fast in a way that the franchisor is incapable of sustaining. Some never grow large — 95% of franchisors don’t exceed 100 units in the first ten years, and 82% never do.

“The proof is in the pudding. Our leadership team has 150-plus years of combined franchise experience. We’ve been fortunate to know the right way and learn what the wrong way is. Now we enjoy lifting others and raising up others to be better,” said Martin. 

The duo has a great working relationship, having known each other professionally for about 15 years. Martin and Cupach will divvy up responsibilities in ways that complement each other — he handles numbers while she tackles structure and planning. 

“We bring out the best in each other, and we challenge each other in a positive, productive way. Eric has amazing attributes that I learn from and vice-versa. There is a synergy and positive culture we have created, and the way we envision building Happinest brands is totally in sync,” Cupach said. 

As Happinest looks towards the future and grows even bigger with more brands down the line, there is more opportunity for Martin and Cupach to continue doing things right and building a business with a solid foundation.

The startup costs for a Lawn Doctor franchise range from $116,465-$141,815. To learn more about franchising with Lawn Doctor, visit https://lawndoctorfranchise.com/.

The total investment necessary to open a Mosquito Hunters franchise ranges from $89,187-$116,187. For more information on franchising opportunities with Mosquito Hunters, visit https://mosquitohuntersfranchise.com.

The total investment necessary to open an ecomaids franchise ranges from $110,990-$136,379. For more information on franchising opportunities with ecomaids, visit https://ecomaidsfranchise.com/.