Episodes
413
Latest episode
Jun 2026
Language
EN
The Jim’s Podcast is hosted by Joel Kleber, Chief Marketing Officer of the Jim’s Group. Each week, I sit down with the people who make Jim’s what it is. Franchisees, franchisors, and Jim himself. We talk honestly about what it’s really like to build a business inside the Jim’s system. The wins, the surprises, the lessons learned the hard way, and the advice Jim has been sharing with business owners for decades. If you’re researching a Jim’s franchise, these conversations are essential listening. You will also find them valuable if you're looking to start a business or franchise.
Meet Gus, who just surpassed his 10 years with Jim's Window & Pressure Cleaning. Gus started his franchise at 50 years of age after being burnt-out at work and hasn't looked back! A great listent to anyone thinking it's too late!
Thinking about joining Jim's Dog Wash? This is the interview for you! Sharon Connell, tells you everything you need to know about starting a Jim's Dog Wash franchise and who succeeds.
Hear from Sue, James and Craig who are coaches with our Jim's Life Coaching division. They share a lot of free knowledge and have a great free 60-minute introduction call offer at the moment. To claim it, just call 131 546.
Lloyd Richardson took over Jim's Bookkeeping in 2018 with around 20 franchisees. Seven years later, the division has more than 67 franchisees, 9 regional franchisors, and just became the first division in the network to earn the 50-franchisee plaque on the Jim's training room wall.Lloyd is a fellow CPA who grew up inside his father's accounting firm, scaled it to 26 staff, sold it in 1999, and retired. He came back to consulting, met Jim Penman, and ended up running one of the strongest divisions in the Jim's Group. In this episode of the Jim's podcast, Lloyd sits down with Joel to break down how the division actually works, what makes a successful Jim's Bookkeeping franchisee, and why his vision for the group is to build the happiest bookkeepers in Australia.Lloyd also covers the Payday Super legislation coming in on 1 July, why every Jim's franchisor needs to know about it, and the new MYOB Solo deal that gives any new business owner a year of accounting software plus 2 months of a Jim's bookkeeper for $11. He also explains the new regional franchisor pathway designed specifically for existing accounting firm owners who want to slow down without selling.timestamps 00:00 Introduction00:19 50 Franchisees and Growing01:20 Lloyd's Accounting Background02:56 Taking Over Jim's Bookkeeping05:54 Franchise Myths Accountants Get Wrong07:33 How the Franchise Works09:08 Weekly Support and Ask the Experts11:46 Training and Systems16:12 Traits of Successful Franchisees18:45 Regional Franchisor Opportunities21:14 Getting Your First Clients25:30 Starting Part-Time26:31 Services Offered27:31 Payday Super Explained30:29 Vehicle Log Books and Tax31:47 Cash Flow Advisory33:48 AI and the Future of Bookkeeping41:13 Building Wealth Through Business49:10 Franchise Costs51:56 The Happiest Bookkeeper53:00 Contact and Final Thoughts
One Jim's Hazmat franchisee did $750,000 in revenue in his second year while taking three months off. In this episode Joel sits down with Gary, the Jim's Hazmat franchisor, and Jason, the national franchise manager, to break down what is one of the fastest growing and least understood divisions inside Jim's Group. Gary started six years ago working from a corner of his kitchen and now leads 31 franchisees across the country. Jason walks through the three day induction, the 13 services Hazmat franchisees deliver, and what kind of person succeeds in the role. You will hear the real numbers behind the division, including a $42,000 fire job finished in three days and a $90,000 asbestos job done by a franchisee less than a year into the business. Gary explains why most franchisees pay off their buy-in within six months, how the team coordinates work across franchisees instead of competing, and why he set a goal of 1,000 franchisees. If you want to know what franchise opportunity Joel calls the best kept secret in Jim's Group, start here.0:00 The $42k and $90k jobs that paid off franchises0:46 Gary's journey from FIFO worker to Jim's Hazmat4:19 What Jim's Hazmat actually does6:17 The 3-day induction and 13-service training10:16 Six years building from a kitchen corner13:04 Hoarder cleans and jobs nobody else wants17:47 Women in Hazmat and partner involvement19:56 Buy-in costs and 6-month payback24:20 Why there's no income ceiling in this division28:00 The $42k fire job and $90k asbestos job30:31 Hard work, hot conditions, real reward34:05 Goal of 1,000 franchisees37:18 Training and support for new franchisees40:41 Full fees breakdown41:42 From Audi manager to $750k revenue in year two45:04 Why this is Jim's Group's best kept secret49:58 Expanding into New Zealand
Robert Young brought Jim's Building Maintenance and Jim's Handyman to New Zealand five years ago. His teams are now the market leader nationally, booked months out in Wellington and Christchurch while independent builders are calling him asking for work.Robert joins Joel on the Jim's podcast to make the case that property maintenance is the most recession-proof trade business in New Zealand right now, and that owning a customer base of around 1,000 people is the only real protection a tradie has against AI disruption and a flat economy. He has been through five NZ recessions and the pattern is the same each time.The conversation unpacks how the Jim's flat-fee model works versus percentage-based franchise systems that quietly turn franchisees into subcontractors. Robert breaks down how lead fees operate, why the maximum lead fee in NZ is $35, why some franchisees stop taking leads after 18 months, how territory and customer ownership actually work, and why his franchisees charge close to double the rates of independent builders. He also explains the pay-for-work guarantee and why it is rarely claimed.If you are a qualified builder or a seriously handy tradie in New Zealand thinking about your next move, this one is worth your time.
What's the real strategy a top Jim's Cleaning franchisee used to build their business? Not ads. Not leaflets. The unserviced leads report.In this episode Janille, head trainer for Jim's Cleaning New Zealand, sits down with Joel Kleber to break down how she and her husband went from bookkeeper and construction project manager to one of the top Jim's Cleaning franchises in NZ. Within the first few weeks they reduced their incoming leads and started cherrypicking from the unserviced leads report instead. Her husband refreshed it 50 times a day. Every lead got a callback within 30 seconds, before the customer had time to call anyone else.Janille now trains every new Jim's Cleaning franchisee in New Zealand on the same playbook. She covers why "no callbacks" is the service standard top franchisees build around, how one of her clients has sent her 8 referrals, the role real estate agents and property managers play in commercial work, and why "Facebook cleaners" can't compete on quality, insurance or accountability.If you're weighing up a Jim's Cleaning franchise in Australia or New Zealand, start here.0:00 Janille's first 6 months1:20 From bookkeeper to Jim's Cleaning1:50 Reducing leads in month one2:25 The unserviced leads report explained3:40 How customers react to the callback4:25 Building a top franchise in NZ4:45 The no callbacks service standard5:45 One client, 8 referrals6:15 Moving into the head trainer role7:15 What on-road training covers9:14 Jim's Cleaning vs Facebook cleaners11:15 The Jim's enzyme-based products12:50 Oven cleaning transformations14:35 What the best franchisees do differently15:45 Working with real estate agents16:00 Bimonthly franchisee meetings16:25 Master one before adding more
Damian Bush felt fit, coached footy, hit the gym, and weighed 80kg. Then a routine check found his resting heart rate sitting at 137 and he was in emergency heart surgery the next day.Damian has been a Jim's Mowing franchisee in Tasmania for nearly 10 years and supports the Tassie network alongside running his own crew. He joins Joel on the Jim's Mowing podcast to share the health scare that nearly took him out, and the business systems that kept his income running while he recovered.The conversation covers why franchisees service their machines but neglect themselves, the income protection gap most operators have no idea about, and how Damian turned every Tasmanian customer into a fortnightly retainer across all four seasons. Damian also breaks down the personal brand standards he runs his business by, how one local franchisee got 18 five-star Google reviews in two weeks, and why sponsoring local sport teams and raffle prizes still outperforms digital ads for long-term franchisees.If you run a service business or you are looking at a Jim's franchise, this one is worth your time.0:00 Diversifying services and winter upsells0:45 Meet Damian Bush, Tasmania franchisee1:10 The health scare that changed everything3:14 A resting heart rate of 137 with no symptoms6:23 Why franchisees skip their own check-ups9:25 Income protection and personal cover12:11 Diversifying into a full-garden retainer model14:24 How to get off Jim's leads and build referrals19:07 Personal brand standards every franchisee needs22:30 Setting your own non-negotiable standards24:34 Upselling, networking, and Google My Business33:00 Why one franchisee gets requested by name38:16 The 30 doors a day local marketing tactic40:21 Sponsoring sport teams and raffle prizes46:31 Building referrals through community trust
#ASKJIM May 2026 with Jim Penman and Joel Kleber
A franchisor recently copped a $19,800 fine for failing to update an entry on a government website nobody uses.Jay Westbury is the CEO of the Franchise Council of Australia. He returns to the show to walk through the regulatory changes hitting Australian franchising right now. The episode covers what's already been passed, what's sitting in the lower house, and what franchisors and franchisees need to be paying attention to.Jay breaks down the Franchise Disclosure Register fine and why the FCA is pushing for the register to be moved out of the ACCC. He covers the Unfair Trading Practices legislation, why Unfair Contract Terms reform has hit 100 per cent compliance across franchising, and the Reserve Bank's October surcharge ban, including the awkward gap where Mastercard and Visa surcharges are banned but Amex is not. He also covers the FCA Awards in Brisbane on 17 June and the National Franchise Convention in Canberra in October.If you run a franchise network or own a franchise, this is the brief on what's about to land.
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