Mr Green - Lifestyle Blocks and Lifestyle Benefits

When Dave Green found a franchise that literally had his name on it, he couldn’t resist following up. That was 12 years ago when he became a Mr Green lawncare franchisee in the Wairarapa. He enjoyed being Mr Green of Mr Green so much that he later purchased the regional master franchise for the area. ‘Handing someone my business card often gets a double take –I can really joke round with that and they don’t forget me,’ he laughs.

All joking aside, Dave Green runs a successful business. As with other Mr Green regions throughout New Zealand, Wairarapa has its own points of difference. ‘One of the strengths of Mr Green is the way the franchise can be adapted to the needs of each area,’ Dave says. ‘In the cities it might be about small lawns and tidy edges, but Wairarapa is largely rural and, being so close to Wellington, much of our rural land is now lifestyle blocks. Owners are pretty quick to realise that spending their weekends mowing isn’t what they planned, nor is spending several thousand on a ride-on. That means our franchisees tend to use trucks rather than the distinctive Mr Green Home Services trailer and hand mowers are ditched in favour of ride-ons. It also enables them to service big acreage customers such as schools, vineyards, rest homes and so on. The machines are so manoeuvrable that they can also be used on residential properties with finishing off done with a line trimmer. As a result, our franchisees achieve results every bit as good as hand mowing.’

But it does lead Dave to reveal a unique requirement for a Wairarapa franchisee. ‘We use big capacity catchers on the ride-ons and a bit of height can be a definite advantage for emptying clippings into the back of a truck. In the rest of the country, Mr Green franchisees don’t have that issue!’

All Ages, All Backgrounds, All Areas

The adaptability of Mr Green has seen the franchise grow throughout the country. Founded in 1992 and still 100% New Zealand-owned, Mr Green has 28 regional master franchisees and 200 franchisees operating from central cities to rural regions like Wairarapa where even the biggest town, Masterton, has a population of just under 20,000. The business has attracted people from all sorts of different backgrounds as franchisees. ‘The team comes from all sorts of backgrounds: salesman, mechanic, farm worker, farmer, bread delivery contractor, house painter, and a home maker,’ Dave says. ‘They vary from mid-thirties to early sixties and they love the life – one has been with us for 12 years and the newest joined a year ago.’

Mr Green currently has opportunities with customers waiting not just in Wairarapa but throughout the country in all aspects of the business – lawn care, home cleaning, office cleaning and property management. ‘For anyone looking at self-employment, Mr Green offers a great deal,’ says Dave. ‘Packages start from $15,000 plus equipment and you’ll receive a client base, full training, regional advertising support and franchise systems manuals. There’s also a work guarantee that means you can be certain of earning from day one. Most of our franchisees generally start with around $900 a week income, but the system is very flexible and you can choose less or more –you’ll get the same level of support from Mr Green either way. This includes quoting being carried out by your local master franchisee, wherever possible. That way, franchisees are free to get on with the actual work – which is what makes the money – rather than spend valuable time quoting and answering the phone.’

New Horizons

With the lawncare business well-established, Dave Green isn’t letting the grass grow under his feet and is planning further expansion. ‘The first is a comprehensive lawncare package that would broaden the services franchisees can provide on top of the regular lawnmowing and other outdoor work, such as hedge trimming and water blasting. We would also like to launch Mr Green home and commercial cleaning in Wairarapa. Mr Green already has very successful cleaning operations in other areas and I see plenty of potential business among this region’s older population, as well as in commercial premises and holiday homes.’

Mr Green franchisor Julian Smith says that Dave’s experiences in Wairarapa are matched all over the country. ‘Of course every area has its differences, but one thing remains the same – Mr Green’s reputation for service and our support for our franchisees. So whether you are Mr Green by name or Mr Green by nature, we want to hear from you. Our franchisees enjoy owning successful businesses, have plenty of work and can get support whenever they need it. We enjoy each other’s company and enjoy being in control of our daily lives. If that sounds like you, get in touch – Mr Green has an opportunity for you.’

This advertorial is taken from Franchise New Zealand magazine Volume 19 Issue 2 

Contact details for Mr Green

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