Jim's Podcast

Hosted by Jim's Group

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432

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Aug 2026

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About the show

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.

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60 recent

August 31, 202623 min

14 years with Jim's Mowing: franchisee to franchisor - Interview with Jim's Mowing

Jim's Mowing franchisor Jason has invoiced anywhere from $50,000 to $600,000 in a single year across 14 years in the business. This episode of the Jim's Mowing Podcast covers the questions every prospective franchisee asks: how much you earn, how many jobs come through, and what the whole thing costs. Jason runs a regional franchisor territory in Canberra and raced as a professional triathlete before buying his own Jim's Mowing franchise. You will hear why Jim's takes no percentage of your job income, how the $1,100 pay for work guarantee works and why he has never paid it out, and how he sold 80 regular clients for $80,000 on a payment plan. Jason also breaks down startup costs of around $22,000 to $23,000 including training, leasing options under $150 a week, the 17 percent Stihl discount, and the equipment he tells new franchisees to skip at the start. Start here if you are researching a Jim's Mowing franchise and want honest numbers instead of a sales pitch. Timestamps 0:00 Introduction 0:47 Meet Jason: 14 years with Jim's 1:01 From pro triathlete to Jim's Mowing 2:18 What a Jim's franchisor actually does 3:13 How much money will I make 5:17 Scaling up with no extra fees 6:50 Selling clients and splits 8:26 How many jobs will I get 9:05 The pay for work guarantee 10:28 Choosing a territory and name 12:29 The Jim's systems explained 15:30 What the best franchisees do 17:24 What equipment to buy first 18:59 Total cost and Stihl discount 20:16 Life after a few years in 21:36 Observation days and next steps 22:28 How to get started

August 26, 202637 min

Jim's Garage Doors franchise review from a franchisee

Jim's Garage Doors franchisee Mike converts 80 to 90 percent of the leads he receives. This episode of the Jim's Group Podcast is a full look at the Jim's Garage Doors franchise: what the work involves, what the training covers, and what the income looks like against a salary. Mike left civil architecture to join Jim's Garage Doors as one of the first franchisees under franchisors Mick and Brian. He now runs six to ten garage door service jobs a day across his Mickleham territory in Melbourne. You will hear how the Jim's Garage Doors lead system and flat rate lead fees work, why the division currently takes on experienced garage door technicians only, and the two minute callback rule behind Mike's close rate. Mike also covers garage door servicing intervals, spring safety on a 120 kilo door, motor replacements, roller shutters, and commercial counterweight doors. Start here if you are researching a Jim's Garage Doors franchise or wondering when your own garage door was last serviced.

August 24, 20261 hr 0 min

#ASKJIM from our August 2026 new franchisee training with Jim Penman and Joel Kleber

We had 120 new franchisees into our training so it was a question-packed #ASKJIM with our new franchisees in training. As always, Jim delivers honest advice to everyone who asks him a question.

August 19, 202652 min

Builders earn twice as much with us. Robert Young explains

Robert Young's teams in Wellington and Christchurch are booked months out in a down market while he fields calls from tradies with no work at all. Robert brought Jim's Building Maintenance and Jim's Handyman to New Zealand five years ago and now runs both divisions as franchisor. He sits down with Joel Kleber to explain why property maintenance holds up when renovations dry up, and why he believes the only real income security for a tradesman over the next decade is a base of a thousand customers who know his name. He walks through the flat fee model and why taking a percentage of revenue turns a franchisor into a boss. He covers what a lead costs in New Zealand, why only one franchisee ever receives each one, and how territory works when your database is your real territory. He explains the pay for work guarantee, the two days of training every franchisee completes before signing anything, and what he says to people who should stay in their current job. Worth an hour if you hold a hammer for a living. 0:00 Why tradies have no work right now 1:26 AI, automation and job security 2:47 Why property maintenance is recession proof 6:17 Who Robert accepts as a franchisee 9:15 Flat fees vs a percentage of revenue 12:01 Owning your customers and your exit 13:30 How lead fees work in New Zealand 18:26 Why brand makes a lead convert 23:24 Talking to franchisees before you sign 31:00 Territory limits and Jim's Contracts 37:03 The pay for work guarantee explained 43:52 More quotes, better close rate, higher prices 49:06 Buying power and how to get in touch

August 18, 202647 min

Jordans Mowing shares his story and how he has built a massive following online!

Jordan's Mowing, aka Jordan Rogerson, shares his story on the Jim's Podcast and also about how he creates content. Jordan's videos have already had a million views online as he is documenting his journey of being a Jim's Mowing franchisee.

August 12, 202623 min

Why small businesses are ditching 12 IT bills for one

Most small business owners juggle a dozen separate tech bills and hours of DNS and email headaches every week. Lib from Jim's IT hands them one bill and takes the whole problem off their plate. Lib runs Jim's IT Abbotsbury and spent 10 years in IT across government, corporate and MSP roles before starting her own business. Six months into Jim's, he has a perfect run of five-star ratings. In this episode she explains what a managed service provider does for small and medium businesses. You will hear how he folded one client's 12 tech bills into a single monthly invoice, what she runs for a 54-staff manufacturing business from the internet line to every laptop and phone, and why full-time IT support no longer needs a full-time salary. He covers cyber security, NAS storage, corporate Wi-Fi, and the risks of hooking AI tools up to your email before you understand them. If you run a business and manage your own tech, this one will save you hours.

August 5, 202656 min

27 years in Jim's Mowing, why do I stay? Interview with Grant Osborne

Grant Osborne has run his Jim's Mowing franchise for 27 years. In this episode he explains why going out on your own is harder than most people expect.Grant works the Hunter region, the mining capital of Australia, where he has broken into commercial and industrial contracts long held by large national firms. He shares how Jim's franchisees band together to win schools and big sites, why brand recognition beats a better mower, and how the network generates around 1.1 million new leads a year with roughly 200,000 going unserviced. He covers the full-package mindset, his move to battery equipment, Jim's Life Coaching, and the real cost of running a mowing round. If you are weighing up a lawn mowing franchise in Australia against going solo, this is a candid look at what 27 years teaches you.WHAT YOU WILL LEARNWhy one solo operator admitted it was not so easy on the other side. How Grant turns over $500k a year with one staff member. The way Jim's franchisees win jobs big companies claim they cannot cover. Why chasing cheap leads on community Facebook pages is a losing game. What the switch to battery gear cost him and why he made it. How the full-package mindset earns more from every single customer.

July 29, 202641 min

18 Month Update with Mitch from Jim's Mowing (Income/Profit)

Eighteen months into his Jim's Mowing franchise, Mitchell Dennis was pulling $5,000 weeks through spring, about $1,000 a day. Mitchell left a trade as a technician, found Jim's Mowing on Seek, and started with just 22 regular clients. Today he runs a round in the low 70s across the hilly, big-block suburbs around Belgrave, and he is hiring casual help to get through his next spring. In this episode he is straight about the numbers. What a real spring looks like, why his costs ran to more than half his revenue the year he bought a car and upgraded gear, and how the 6% fee figure Jim quotes matched his own end-of-year books. He covers late payers and deposits, upselling hedging and cleanups without a hard sell, call transfers that convert, and the family flexibility that let his wife stay off full-time work after they had their son. If you want an honest look at year two of a mowing franchise, start here. Income disclaimer: The income and cost figures shared in this episode reflect one franchisee's individual experience and are not a guarantee of earnings. Results vary by location, effort, hours and market conditions. Seek independent advice before making any decision.

July 29, 20261 hr 7 min

#ASKJIM Q & A with Jim Penman and Joel Kleber - July, 2026

#ASKJIM replay with Jim Penman and Joel Kleber.

July 27, 202628 min

From Pet Patrol to Dog Wash to Franchisor in 5 Years

Dog Wash has the most unserviced leads in the entire Jim's Group. Demand has gone up dramatically, and one franchisee has grown so much she turned her leads off and now takes referrals only. In this episode, host Joel Kleber talks with a Jim's Dog Wash franchisee, Dot Powers about her five-year journey from Jim's Petrol to Dog Wash to a newly appointed franchisor role in the Wollongong region. You will hear: Why demand for Dog Wash outstrips supply right now How customer service and referrals built her business (one family alone brings 20 customers) The referral reward system: no price increase for a year Why following the Jim's model is non-negotiable How she hires staff, trains groomers, and earns spotter fees when they start their own franchise Why mobile grooming is kinder for anxious dogs Managing customer expectations with "humanity before vanity" Finding cancer lumps that saved dogs' lives The qualities you need to succeed in this business Timestamps 0:00 Dog Wash: most unserviced leads in the group 1:16 From Jim's Petrol to Dog Wash 2:52 Turning leads off, referrals only 3:55 20 customers from one family 5:14 Why the Jim's model is non-negotiable 6:01 Fast lead response and daily posting 9:44 Managing winter 14:36 Why mobile grooming suits anxious dogs 20:41 Finding cancer lumps that saved lives 25:43 Future plans and new franchisor role