Why Shark Tank’s Glen Richards rates the Gutter Knight Franchise Highly
“It is one of the more impressive and simple Franchise and better business models I have seen” – Glen Richards, Entrepreneur, Investor, ‘Shark’ on Shark Tank Australia.
When you look at inspirational people in Australian Business you can’t really go past Glen Richards of Shark Tank fame. Glen studied vet science in 1988 at the University of Queensland. He practiced Companion Animal medicine and surgery in Brisbane, Townsville and London before establishing Greencross Vets in Townsville in 1994. According to ‘Business News Australia’, Glen Richards was responsible for driving Greencross to become a “multi-million dollar integrated pet care empire which now operates more than 160 veterinary hospitals and 230 stores under the brand names Petbarn and City Farmers in Australia and New Zealand”.
In a recent LinkedIn Post Glen had this to say about the Gutter Knight franchise, ”For those of you looking for a possible career transition, change or trying your hand at going into business yourself, have a quick look at Gutter Knight. I have seen this Franchise model develop and grow over the last few years and it is one of the more impressive and simple Franchise and better business models I have seen. The business is unlike most Franchise models and very flexible where the margins are good enough to where the business can be run under management or you can also work directly in the business day to day, or both”.
Another unique point about this model is that the franchisor doesn’t make any money unless the Franchisee is making money so the support and systems are extremely effective. They are literally invested in every Franchisee’s success. The owners are well versed in all things business, very approachable and open guys and after a recent meeting with them I am excited for where the business is going for those involved”.
That is some endorsement from someone that invests and mentors in some of the best early stage and scaled up businesses in Australia. We decided to look into what makes this franchise a standout in Glen’s eyes.
Affordable entry and ‘being invested in the franchisee’s success’
Gutter Knight charges a $50k entry point to buy into the franchise. This is exceptional considering it includes a trailer, tools uniforms, all stationary and marketing material, training and also intial marketing so the franchisee hits the ground running. As Director and Founder of Gutter Knight, Brian Brown puts it, it is a low entry point designed to attract the right people. The franchisee pays a fixed fee of $500 a month. Where the franchisors make their money is by supplying the mesh installed in the gutters. The mesh supplied through Gutter Knight is aluminium and steel and is the best quality product money can buy. It is bought at scale and at low prices so there is a good margin to be made by the franchisee. The franchisee would not receive the same value outside their franchise system.
According to Brian, “The model is set up for a win – win – win situation. The customer is happy because of the quality warranty and longevity of the product. The franchisee is happy because of the financial return and positive reinforcement of the brand and is more motivated to install more meterage of mesh, and the Franchisor is making a profit which allows more money to be reinvested back into generating more leads.”
What is the ROI for a franchisee?
Good margins can be made as a Gutter Knight franchisee. While you can make up to 70% if you do the installations yourself, some choose just to manage the business and outsource the installation and make a 50% margin. The ‘under management’ model works well for a business person who just wants to focus on sales and growing their business.
According to Brian, at minimum, one average house a week could earn someone $110,000 turnover a year. That is only working for a day a week. Of course Brown has his star performers dotted across the country who make between $30k – $45k a month. “These guys are very much into their family life and are at home by 2pm every day,” says Brian. What ever your business you are currently in, that is an eye watering proposition.
Favourable Legislation:
It is now a health and safety issue that government institutions and commercial buildings such as hospitals, schools, shopping centres no longer allow the maintenance person to clean gutters. They now have to spend money to have their gutters cleaned every 3 months by a professional gutter cleaner. This is an expensive option and not as reliable as having gutter guard installed which pays for itself in a short amount of time. This is to stop the spate of people falling off ladders as well as preventing fire danger, especially in bush areas. Further, with residential properties, it is the landlord’s responsibility to clean out the gutters for their tenants. The ramifications of this points to further demand for the Gutter Knight service which in the long run will save a business thousands in unnecessary maintenance.
Training and Support
All franchisee’s attend a week’s training course in Brisbane.
Support is also first class with all franchisees having access to both directors and other franchisees if required at any time.
Gutter Knight’s in-house marketing agency Better Business Now is the engine room for lead generation and branding and the work is also done at cost prices for the franchise. For any franchisee who requires additional marketing material, this is developed at no cost to them.
The most important ingredient that Brian Brown is looking for is ‘chemistry’, “I need like minded people who can understand how lucrative the opportunity can be and are willing to grow the business”.
Opportunities for franchise ownership are available now. Enquire below.
Looking for a very simple business that earns exceptional income that can be run under management or done by yourself – supply and installing gutter guard? Gutterknight is an Australian owned and run business based in Brisbane with owner operators around Australia who provide high quality, value for money gutter protection available for residential through to commercial applications. All products are Australian made / product of Australia and pass through many strict Quality Control processes to ensure the highest quality material available. From start to finish you can expect first class service. The actual business owner will personally meet you onsite, on time, and will listen to what you require. They will answer any questions that you may have about the process and will suggest some options and ideas to assist you in making your decision for your individual circumstances. You can be assured you will be offered ‘real personalised advice’ that is right for you.. Unlike other companies, Gutter Knight not only guarantees its product but also importantly our workmanship. We will clean up the site so well that the only way you will know we have been there is from your leaf free gutters and added value to your home.
