Eric Blakely is no stranger to entrepreneurship or reinvention. After launching and running businesses in staffing, real estate and even children’s salons, he wanted something more tangible, community-centered and values-driven for his next chapter. That journey led him to ServiceMaster Restore, the industry-leading restoration franchise. 

Now, Blakely is ready to bring trusted disaster restoration services to West Austin and beyond. Backed by a household name and national network, he’s focused on local impact — becoming the go-to expert for families and businesses navigating fire, flood and other disasters.

1851 spoke with Blakely to learn more about his background, his journey to ServiceMaster Restore and his plans for the future. 

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What do you want us to know?

Eric Blakely: I’ve been a serial entrepreneur my whole life. This is my third company — and will probably be my last. I’ve spent most of my career in high-tech staffing, and I’ve done some real estate investing and management on the side. But I got tired of sitting behind a desk. I’m in my 40s, and I wanted to do something different. The staffing industry is getting very automated with AI, and I wanted to move into an industry where I could have a more personal experience.

We still own the staffing firm, and I’ve co-owned property renovation and rental management companies. We even owned a small children’s hair boutique — that was a franchise too.

1851: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?

Blakely: One of the things that really appealed to me was doing something that felt bigger than just me. When you have a 100% owned small business, you can get stuck in your own bubble. I wanted to be part of something bigger — something with a broader reach and a strong support system.

1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?

Blakely: ServiceMaster has some amazing capabilities. They helped clean up the Pentagon after 9/11 — when there are big disaster situations, they can pull together this incredible network of restoration professionals. I liked that history. The brand has strong roots, conservative foundations and the right heart and core values.

I also wanted a brand people had heard of. I didn’t want to start over with something new or unknown. A lot of my decision-making came down to reputation — I wanted to align with the most reputable brand I could find.

1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?

Blakely: My number one mission is to serve the community and be known as the local expert in disaster restoration. Long-term, I’d love to grow our commercial restoration capabilities and take on more complex projects. I also want to mobilize and be ready to help with catastrophic events — when something big happens, I want to be part of the response. You can do a lot of good that way.

1851: Is there anything else about your story you want us to know?

Blakely: We’re very involved in our community. Our kids go to St. Theresa Catholic School, and we live in a large neighborhood in Austin called Steiner Ranch — there are probably 15,000 people here. We want to let our neighbors know we’re here and ready to help.

We’re a flag football and dance family — we’ve got two kids at home and another out in the real world, and we love being part of this community.

1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming franchise owners?

Blakely: Some franchisors will sell anyone a franchise. You have to do your due diligence and find the brand that really aligns with your core values. Don’t just listen to the money or the promises. Ask yourself: Who do I want to spend a lot of time working with? Find the people who are most like you — who share your values — and you’ll be glad you did.

About ServiceMaster Restore®: 

With approximately 2,000 franchised and licensed locations around the world, ServiceMaster Restore and ServiceMaster Recovery Management (SRM) serve customers through a global network of franchises available 24/7/365 to provide residential and commercial restoration services resulting from damage caused by water, fire, smoke or mold. SRM is the large-scale commercial catastrophic disaster restoration unit of ServiceMaster Restore. ServiceMaster Restore is a business unit of Atlanta-based ServiceMaster® Brands, a leading franchise provider of needs-based residential and commercial services. More information can be found at servicemasterrestore.com and srmcat.com.

About ServiceMaster® Brands: 

ServiceMaster® Brands is a leading franchisor of residential and commercial services in the restoration, cleaning, moving, junk removal, and bioremediation industries. Founded in 1929, the company is home to over 3,200 franchisees across 4,600+ locations serving over 1 million homes and businesses each year. ServiceMaster was founded with a deep commitment to its franchisees and has franchise opportunities available in ServiceMaster Restore®, ServiceMaster Clean®, Merry Maids®, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®, and TWO MEN AND A JUNK TRUCK®. Visit servicemaster.com/franchising to learn more.