After building careers in the customer service operations space, Lauren and Michael Montgomery, like many, began to consider what might be next and how they could build a bigger life with more independence and flexibility for their family. For them, the answer was Sparkle Squad, the rapidly growing window cleaning and exterior cleaning franchise.
“I think the entrepreneurial spirit has always been there for us. It’s always been in the background as a desire,” Michael said. “It came down to us saying, ‘Let’s own a bit of our destiny here and own our own business. We’ll see how far we can take it and what we can learn from it.’”
With this, the pair began researching franchise opportunities and identified Sparkle Squad. At the time, the brand was fairly young — the Montgomery family ended up being its 33rd franchisee. But this was a perk, not a drawback for the pair.
“We got in young, and that’s one of the reasons we went after Sparkle Squad,” Michael said. “Not only because we liked the idea of that home service. We love taking care of people and treating them how we want to be treated. But we also liked being a part of the beginning process and having a voice. We have a direct line to a lot of the leaders that are in place.”
While Sparkle Squad was an emerging brand when Lauren and Michael made the choice to join, the demand and growth potential were clear. The demographics in the Sarasota and Bradenton areas were perfect for the model, as was the environment.
“There are affluent areas around us,” Lauren said. “There are a lot of folks who are retired and others who don’t necessarily want to get up on ladders to clean their windows or the exterior of their homes anymore. And because there’s so much moisture down here, there’s a lot of mold and algae that needs to be pressure washed or soft washed.”
As Lauren and Michael got established in the community, they focused intently on customer service. In addition to the baseline demand that exists due to environmental and demographic factors, the pair aimed to leverage Sparkle Squad’s polished branding and their own customer service backgrounds to stand out even further.
They hit the ground running with window cleaning, house washing and gutter cleaning services, building both a residential and commercial customer base. Then, as the seasons changed, they started to consider holiday lighting.
“Originally, I didn’t want to get into holiday lights,” Michael said. “Then, next thing I knew, people were booking $3,000 jobs.”
While lighting isn’t necessarily a core revenue stream during the peak summer months when homeowners are focused on managing the consequences of the Florida humidity and keeping the exterior of their homes looking nice and clean, it’s a valuable add-on for franchise owners.
During the busy season, Lauren and Michael established a presence in the community, built a client base and developed their reputation as a trusted provider. This allowed for a smoother transition to the holiday lighting market, positioning the Montgomerys to market to both their current client base and new potential clients.
“I love the interactions with our customers,” Michael said. “Going from doing a service once to doing it monthly or quarterly. We’re starting to get to know our customers now. It’s been fun, especially during the holiday light season. We’re able to build a relationship with these folks. We’re going back and forth with designs, then we make it come to fruition. I learned a lot through that experience…Meaning I wasn’t sure about it at first, and now, I can’t wait for it. There’s so much gratification that comes with helping someone have a great holiday experience. We’re a part of their holiday season and holiday memories now.”
That local momentum opened the door to a national television appearance. HGTV reached out to Sparkle Squad while looking for teams to take part in a new season of “Worst Yard on the Block,” which renovates overgrown or neglected yards.
“We did two days of filming where we worked in two houses per day,” Lauren said. “To be able to help out in the community and also get the brand on a national stage like that was pretty cool.”
“Having Sparkle Squad franchisees featured on HGTV is a huge milestone for the brand,” said NAME, TITLE. “Opportunities like this give our local owners a platform to showcase the professionalism and results they bring to the community, but they also elevate the entire brand, reinforcing Sparkle Squad as a trusted name nationwide.”
As Lauren and Michael continue to grow, they’re enjoying the flexibility entrepreneurship has allowed, and they’re showing their three kids what it can look like to chase a dream and work for oneself.
“I can get up, I can leave, and I can come back to the work,” Lauren said. “We wanted to show them, whether they want to get into this particular business or not, that they can do anything they want. This is the land in which you can build your own business. You don’t have to just work for an organization. You can do things on your own; it just takes a little bit of courage.”
As they continue to grow, the pair is excited to develop the business itself, but they’re also focused on their reputation and the service they’re bringing to the community.
“I’d like to build a nice business that has a great reputation that people can count on us,” Michael said. “If they call us and need help, we’ll be there. Getting to a place where we’re profitable, consistently giving back to our community and known as a reputable business for the Sarasota-Bradenton area is a win for me.”
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/sparkle-squad.
Sparkle Squad Window Cleaning
SPONSORED
Leveraging their backgrounds in customer service operations, Lauren and Michael Montgomery are growing the window and exterior cleaning franchise while they build their own destiny.
After building careers in the customer service operations space, Lauren and Michael Montgomery, like many, began to consider what might be next and how they could build a bigger life with more independence and flexibility for their family. For them, the answer was Sparkle Squad, the rapidly growing window cleaning and exterior cleaning franchise.
“I think the entrepreneurial spirit has always been there for us. It’s always been in the background as a desire,” Michael said. “It came down to us saying, ‘Let’s own a bit of our destiny here and own our own business. We’ll see how far we can take it and what we can learn from it.’”
With this, the pair began researching franchise opportunities and identified Sparkle Squad. At the time, the brand was fairly young — the Montgomery family ended up being its 33rd franchisee. But this was a perk, not a drawback for the pair.
“We got in young, and that’s one of the reasons we went after Sparkle Squad,” Michael said. “Not only because we liked the idea of that home service. We love taking care of people and treating them how we want to be treated. But we also liked being a part of the beginning process and having a voice. We have a direct line to a lot of the leaders that are in place.”
While Sparkle Squad was an emerging brand when Lauren and Michael made the choice to join, the demand and growth potential were clear. The demographics in the Sarasota and Bradenton areas were perfect for the model, as was the environment.
“There are affluent areas around us,” Lauren said. “There are a lot of folks who are retired and others who don’t necessarily want to get up on ladders to clean their windows or the exterior of their homes anymore. And because there’s so much moisture down here, there’s a lot of mold and algae that needs to be pressure washed or soft washed.”
As Lauren and Michael got established in the community, they focused intently on customer service. In addition to the baseline demand that exists due to environmental and demographic factors, the pair aimed to leverage Sparkle Squad’s polished branding and their own customer service backgrounds to stand out even further.
They hit the ground running with window cleaning, house washing and gutter cleaning services, building both a residential and commercial customer base. Then, as the seasons changed, they started to consider holiday lighting.
“Originally, I didn’t want to get into holiday lights,” Michael said. “Then, next thing I knew, people were booking $3,000 jobs.”
While lighting isn’t necessarily a core revenue stream during the peak summer months when homeowners are focused on managing the consequences of the Florida humidity and keeping the exterior of their homes looking nice and clean, it’s a valuable add-on for franchise owners.
During the busy season, Lauren and Michael established a presence in the community, built a client base and developed their reputation as a trusted provider. This allowed for a smoother transition to the holiday lighting market, positioning the Montgomerys to market to both their current client base and new potential clients.
“I love the interactions with our customers,” Michael said. “Going from doing a service once to doing it monthly or quarterly. We’re starting to get to know our customers now. It’s been fun, especially during the holiday light season. We’re able to build a relationship with these folks. We’re going back and forth with designs, then we make it come to fruition. I learned a lot through that experience…Meaning I wasn’t sure about it at first, and now, I can’t wait for it. There’s so much gratification that comes with helping someone have a great holiday experience. We’re a part of their holiday season and holiday memories now.”
That local momentum opened the door to a national television appearance. HGTV reached out to Sparkle Squad while looking for teams to take part in a new season of “Worst Yard on the Block,” which renovates overgrown or neglected yards.
“We did two days of filming where we worked in two houses per day,” Lauren said. “To be able to help out in the community and also get the brand on a national stage like that was pretty cool.”
“Having Sparkle Squad franchisees featured on HGTV is a huge milestone for the brand,” said NAME, TITLE. “Opportunities like this give our local owners a platform to showcase the professionalism and results they bring to the community, but they also elevate the entire brand, reinforcing Sparkle Squad as a trusted name nationwide.”
As Lauren and Michael continue to grow, they’re enjoying the flexibility entrepreneurship has allowed, and they’re showing their three kids what it can look like to chase a dream and work for oneself.
“I can get up, I can leave, and I can come back to the work,” Lauren said. “We wanted to show them, whether they want to get into this particular business or not, that they can do anything they want. This is the land in which you can build your own business. You don’t have to just work for an organization. You can do things on your own; it just takes a little bit of courage.”
As they continue to grow, the pair is excited to develop the business itself, but they’re also focused on their reputation and the service they’re bringing to the community.
“I’d like to build a nice business that has a great reputation that people can count on us,” Michael said. “If they call us and need help, we’ll be there. Getting to a place where we’re profitable, consistently giving back to our community and known as a reputable business for the Sarasota-Bradenton area is a win for me.”
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/sparkle-squad.
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