Cutting-Edge Tools and Streamlined Systems Set This Fast-Growing Franchise Apart in Home Services
Sparkle Squad thrives because of its pioneering technology, which may be surprising for a cleaning-focused brand. Sparkle Squad’s bread-and-butter is quick, ladder-less window cleaning, but franchises also clean exterior walls with pressure-wash and soft-wash methods, vacuum out gutters, and handle holiday lighting chores. Cutting-edge processes, formulas and equipment minimize on-site time while delivering pristine results for all Sparkle Squad projects.
Founder Chris Stoness has always been a techie, working as a recording engineer for singer Bryan Adams up until 2006. “Window cleaning came into my life out of necessity — providing income — while I figured out my next steps,” Stoness says. “I saw endless potential in this industry. It felt like the world was made of glass, and the industry of maintaining that glass was decades behind. The last significant innovation, the Squeegee, was patented in 1936. I realized that by becoming a student of this craft, I could help modernize it for the 21st century, and I dedicated the next 18 years to doing that.”
How it Started
Stoness founded Elite Window Cleaning in his hometown of Kingston, Ontario, and began franchising in 2018. He built his franchise around the thought, “If I were a franchise owner, what would I want from my franchisor?” The answer: Elite’s carefully developed cleaning protocols supported by a computerized business system that serves as a multifaceted operational workhorse.
Elite’s success prompted proposals that he franchise in the U.S., which he’s doing under the Happinest Brands umbrella. “Happinest’s culture and values aligned perfectly with ours. In my first conversation with Happinest Chairman and CEO Scott Frith, he said, ‘There are only two things that truly matter if you want to succeed in franchising: strong unit economics and great franchisee-franchisor relationships.’ At that moment, I knew Happinest was the future of our brand and the ideal partner for U.S. expansion.
“In 2022 we joined Happinest, and Sparkle Squad was born, combining our technology andsystems with 55 years of best practices from brands like Lawn Doctor, Mosquito Hunters and ecomaids. In home services, customer experience is everything. Our core values are ‘Perfect Windows, Happy Technicians, Delighted Customers’ because we know that in a transactional digital world, the relationship we build with our customers will set us apart from the competition.”
Stoness says that as a founder-led franchise, Sparkle Squad “can relate to exactly what our owners are facing as they scale their business and can offer direct solutions for the complexities of each stage of growth. Whether an owner is adding their second JobPod [service vehicle] or their 15th, we have been there and can offer a road map to avoid bumps in the road.” He adds that Sparkle Squad’s system “serves as a playbook for disproportionate success. The approach is crucial to helping owners scale.”
Sparkle Squad began franchising in the U.S. in January 2024 and already has sold 50 territories. Franchises are available in all states except Hawaii. Franchisees, who receive training and individualized coaching, are expected to build and lead their teams but not work in the field.
Tech Power
Here are some of Sparkle Squad’s technology advantages:
- The Back Office Support System (BOSS) takes care of marketing, sales, scheduling and route mapping for franchisees.
- The Happinest Centralized Media engine and dedicated in-house sales center handle client inflow, conversion, residential dispatch and scheduling.
- Technicians use carbon-fiber poles and ultra-purified water to wash windows to six-story heights from the safety of the ground. “Our vehicles carry 250 gallons of pure water on board so our techs have zero on-site setup time,” founder Chris Stoness says. “This efficiency gives us an edge on pricing and service delivery.”
- Gas-powered turbines and camera-operated poles can vacuum gutters in a fraction of the time required by traditional methods.
- Sparkle Squad’s pressure-washing system operates with a gallons-per-minute technique to work faster while reducing the potential for damage as compared to a pounds-per-square-inch method.
The Ideal Franchisee
The ideal Sparkle Squad franchise owner has business ownership, management or operations experience and is goal-oriented. Candidates should also understand sales and marketing.
For more information, visit Sparkle Squad’s franchise website.
