Why Men In Kilts Founder Nicholas Brand Decided to Grow his Portfolio with Threshold Brands

Nicholas Brand knows what it takes to launch and grow a successful brand. A Scotsman based in Vancouver, Brand first donned a hand-sewn kilt in 2002 as a way to put a fun and unique visual on his local window cleaning company. His approach proved successful and, in Men In Kilts’ seventh year of operation, the brand crossed more than $1 million in annual revenue and began franchising in 2019, filling a void in the franchise industry in window and exterior cleaning services. 

In 2021, Men In Kilts joined Threshold Brands’ growing portfolio of home service-focused companies that currently includes FlyFoe, PestMaster, MaidPro, USA Insulation, Sir Grout, Plumbing Paramedics and Heating + Air Paramedics.

Soon after joining forces, Brand himself quickly jumped on board with complementary franchise opportunities within the Threshold Brands umbrella. Now, in addition to owning five Men In Kilts locations of his own, Brand has added two MaidPro Canada locations to his growing portfolio. 

According to Brand, the decision to become a multi-brand owner was motivated by a demand for all-inclusive home care in greater Vancouver. “The beauty of what Threshold Brands has done is how they are able to line up the next service that is most useful to clients. There was a need for professional cleaning services in my area and, by becoming a MaidPro owner, I am able to leverage my existing client base and relationships and provide a new in-demand service to the area.”

Brand adds that, by launching his own MaidPro locations, he was able to experience the process for the first time as a franchisee.

“I came in for the first time and experienced everything that previous MaidPro franchisees have gone through and developed. It has been an interesting and exciting adventure doing it from scratch, and it has been gratifying to see how important the support system of the franchisor is to the franchisee.” 

While he continues to expand his own brand portfolio within Threshold Brands, Brand also remains focused on propelling Men In Kilts forward as a brand, ensuring it continues to modernize and innovate. 

“The window-cleaning industry has changed a lot in the last five to eight years. When you think of window cleaning, you think ladders and squeegees. That’s what it was for far too long, but we’ve changed our processes and are now able to perform our services while keeping our feet on the ground 95% of the time. A measure that now keeps our employees safer,” said Brand. 

“We have also worked incredibly hard as a brand to offer unparalleled customer service, something this industry isn’t exactly known for. We have worked to change that; we treat our customers well and we go the extra mile, offering a 100% satisfaction guarantee for every service that we offer,” said Brand. 

R. Scott Sutton, chief growth officer at Threshold Brands, praised Brand for his tenacity and willingness to bring a unique perspective to the table. “It’s one thing for a franchisee take on new business ownership, but to see an actual founder of a franchise dive into ownership as enthusiastically as Mr. Brand has is really inspiring and a testament to Threshold’s franchise system.”

“(Nicholas) has helped Threshold Brands develop as a whole,” Sutton continued. “He’s given us both sides of the spectrum as a franchisee and as a franchisor, helping us to shape our assistance and bring our support initiatives to a whole new level.”

The initial investment range to own a Men In Kilts is $157,290 to $191,950. For more information on franchising with Men In Kilts visit: www.meninkiltsfranchising.com.