Why Jerry Lesh Decided to Become his Own Boss and Partner with Renew Crew in the Brand’s Hometown of Springfield, Missouri

In 2014, Jerry Lesh was looking for a business opportunity in his home of Springfield, Missouri, which also happens to be the birthplace of Renew Crew, an eco-friendly power washing company. 

Lesh had previously been working in the retail industry and owned his own division of convenience stores prior to landing in the pest control industry, which he remained a part of for 15 years. After several roles in the pest control industry including District Sales Manager, Lesh had an epiphany and decided it was time to become his own boss. He started his own pest control business and grew it into a successful company before he decided to sell. When he began looking for new opportunities, it turned out that the original Renew Crew location was in need of a new owner. 

Renew Crew was started in 1993 in Springfield, Missouri by Stan Krempges, a partner in a local fence installation business, who noticed a gap in the marketplace for a fence, deck and patio cleaning and protection service. Krempges noticed many of his customers asking for companies that provided these kinds of services, and with no recommendations to give, he decided to go off and start one of his own. After years of research, Krempges was able to develop an environmentally safe cleaning and protective solution specific for outdoor wood and, thus, Renew Crew was born. 

“The Renew Crew location that I own had been in business for nearly 30 years so I had known about them for a while,” said Lesh. “While I didn't know it was a franchise, I knew the quality of work. Plus, I knew the owner at that time. When I started looking for business ownership opportunities in Springfield, Renew Crew immediately caught my attention.”

As part of the Premium Service Brands portfolio, Renew Crew offers a fantastic opportunity for individuals who want to go into business for themselves with the support of a successful and proven business model behind them. 

“With strong revenue streams, Renew Crew provides franchisees a lucrative opportunity to enter the $885 million outdoor living industry through a turnkey business model with low overhead costs, strong margins and easy work-life balance with proper management of labor and materials,” said CEO Paul Flick.

According to Lesh, there are many reasons that Renew Crew has survived for so long in the Springfield area. For one, it is the third-largest city in the state of Missouri, and it also has the Branson area just to the south, which is a territory Lesh also owns. The thriving market is continuing to grow, with more and more homeowners looking to service their log homes, wood decks, cedar siding and more.

When it comes to the thing that sets Renew Crew apart from the competition in the area, Lesh notes that the brand’s professionalism is unparalleled. “We aren’t just a technician in a truck — we come with a proven sales process and expert, eco-friendly services,” said Lesh. “The customers understand that we aren’t just here today and gone tomorrow — we’ve been in the area for a long time, and we continue to bring in loyal customers.”

In addition to a proven business model, Renew Crew has the network in place to provide franchisees with the best support in the industry. The Executive Leadership team helps assess each franchisee’s operations, market and staff to determine the best course of action and timeline for continued growth. With turnkey marketing programs to help promote the business and experts on staff to help maximize online presence to drive lead flow, the brand’s strategies and executional tactics are second to none.

“Since Renew Crew became part of the Premium Services Brands family, the support from the corporate coaches and team has been amazing as far as helping us stay focused on goals,” said Lesh. “The bi-weekly meetings and constant communication with the leadership team helps us achieve success by staying on task.”

Now, amid COVID-19, Lesh is grateful to have been able to stay open and proud to have been able to provide value to his community. “People are at home more and are therefore using their outdoor spaces more,” he said. “It is important to ensure that these spaces are as enjoyable as possible, and it has been great to help people update their outdoor areas and refresh their home.”

Today, Renew Crew features 29 units nationwide and continues to grow, with five units opened in 2019 and 10 slated to open in 2020. While he doesn’t have any immediate plans, Lesh is always open to growth and is eager to continue the journey with Renew Crew.

The average Renew Crew investment ranges from $100,000 to $150,000, with a franchise fee of $60,000. For more information, visit: https://www.renewcrewfranchise.com