From Grassroots to Growth: The Lawn Care Entrepreneur's Journey

This chapter explores the inspiring entrepreneurial journey of a lawn care franchise founder, who began his business at the young age of 11. It highlights pivotal experiences, including a serious workplace accident that prompted a shift towards efficient systems and effective delegation. The discussion emphasizes the importance of hiring, training, and defining roles to ensure sustainable business growth.

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#457 What started as two kids mowing lawns to pay for college has grown into a 185+ location franchise across the U.S., Canada, and Australia! In this episode hosted by Brien Gearin, Mike Andes, founder of Augusta Lawn Care, shares how a near-death accident under a dump truck became the turning point that forced him to systematize his business and step out of day-to-day operations. He breaks down the path from operator to leader, the three stages of scaling from $0 to $1 million, and why pay-for-performance, open-book management, and profit-sharing are game-changers for employee motivation and retention. Mike also reveals how content creation and personal branding helped him grow both his franchise and software companies — and why every small business owner should consider becoming “the mayor” of their local market online. Whether you’re mowing lawns or managing a team of technicians, this episode is full of practical wisdom and inspiration!

What we discuss with Mike:

+ From lawn kid to franchise CEO

+ Scaling from $0 to $1M

+ Pay-for-performance explained

+ Open-book management benefits

+ Systems vs. hustle mentality

+ Surviving a workplace accident

+ Hiring and training A-players

+ Using content to drive growth

+ Local brand vs. national fame

+ Why most franchises fail

Thank you, Mike!