Weed Man Multi-Unit Franchisees Scale Nearly 40 Locations

A Father-Son Team Grew One Madison Market Into Weed Man’s Largest Ownership Group

Rent and beer money might seem like a common must-have among college students, but it hardly qualifies as a career path to leading a multimillion-dollar company. Yet that simple motivator propelled Andy Kurth on a journey from summer job to running a family business that has grown into one of the largest multi-unit franchise ownership groups in the Weed Man franchise system. 

In those early days, Andy was a college student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, earning a degree in soil science, turf management and agribusiness. In 2005, to make some extra money, he joined Weed Man’s Madison location, working in sales and as a lawn-care technician. He had a connection. His dad, Terry, was a franchise developer instrumental in helping the Weed Man brand migrate from Canada to the U.S. and expand throughout the Midwest. As Andy grew more familiar with the business model, he started to see the Weed Man lawn-care franchise as a real career opportunity. He worked his way up to general manager, co-owner and eventually, CEO. Today, he’s leading a $100 million operation.

The magnitude of Weed Man’s success has surprised even Terry, who had been in the lawn-care business before. “I figured we could get Madison to $4 to $5 million and then add Milwaukee and Appleton/Green Bay to eventually reach $15 to $20 million,” he says. “But Weed Man systems, along with recruiting great leaders, managers and frontline teams, have enabled us to transcend my original goals and dreams.”

Multi-Unit Franchise Ownership

Starting with that Madison location, Terry scaled the business, eventually establishing the holding company, Epic3, which has become one of the industry’s premier examples of multi-unit franchise ownership and Weed Man’s largest ownership group. Under the Kurths, the company has grown from one market to nearly 40 locations. 

Today, Andy serves as the CEO of Epic3, while Terry remains a mentor and sounding board on high-level strategy. “It’s been a great fit professionally as well as for our personal relationship,” says Andy. 

One secret to their success? No micromanaging.

“Most driven entrepreneurs are heavy on wanting control,” says Terry, who acknowledges that letting go can be difficult. “Andy and I have had a great mentoring relationship as he’s seen my way of management, and I kept feeding him more and more decision-making over the years.” The strategy has worked so well that, at times, their roles have reversed. “Now the student may have become the teacher in so many ways,” Terry beams. 

While Andy’s initial career motivation stemmed from financial gains, as the company grew, his focus shifted to creating opportunities for their team members. 

“My dad was integral in that process as he challenged us to develop a culture that people wanted to be part of,” says Andy. “Partnering with our people and creating a place where team members feel they can contribute ideas and make an impact were the driving forces in all of our growth. We strive to be an ‘employer of choice,’ a place where people want to work.” 

He reinforces that vision by fostering what he calls a “hand-raiser culture,” where people can speak up, share ideas and ask for opportunities to further their personal and professional growth.  

A People-First Culture

Even as the company has grown into one of the largest ownership groups in the Weed Man system, it still operates like a family business. A people-first culture is as much a Kurth family value as it is a company priority. Treating customers, staff members and colleagues well is paramount. 

“My dad has often said, ‘Money can buy a lot of things, but respect isn’t one of them,’” says Andy. “Our mission is ‘People. Opportunity. Community.’ Everything revolves around those pillars.”

Terry agrees, “You can’t expect your team members to treat customers well if you don’t value your team members.”

The Kurths also embrace competition. “Being involved in athletics as a participant or a booster all my life, I know one tenet is true: You either get better or worse. You never stay the same. We choose to constantly get better,” says Terry.

To that end, Andy employs a “scoreboard culture.” “It ensures high levels of healthy competition in our organization and in the Weed Man system,” he says. 

Andy is transparent about his expectations — he believes it’s the only way to succeed. He makes his standards clear through a company-wide employee evaluation system. 

“Our team is made aware of projected growth, and they can see how they might grow within the company and have fun along the way,” says Terry.

Recognition is shared publicly, too. When customers say that an employee has exceeded expectations, the entire organization hears about it. The exposure doubles as a business strategy. “Winning is contagious,” Andy says. 

Could more generations of Kurths be in the cards for the Weed Man lawn-care franchise? It’s possible. 

“We have a grandson, Andy’s nephew, who will be a junior in college is working an internship this summer at the Madison branch. He’s shown great interest in joining the company after graduating,” says Terry. 

There’s no pressure, of course. 

“I’d love to see my kids get involved in the family business,” says Andy, “but I don’t want to force anything. I want them to choose their own paths.” 

And why wouldn’t he? After all, that philosophy worked out pretty well for Andy. 

Learn more about the Weed Man franchise opportunity.