Horse Power Brands, a trio of “blue-collar millionaires”, have teamed up on a mission to responsibly grow service-based franchise brands.
Beards, flannel shirts and baseball caps are a common look for this lively down-to-earth trio of Josh Skolnick, Zachery Beutler and Erik Van Horn. They not only have the business smarts and experience to grow and sell multi-million-dollar companies, but know their way around a farm and aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty. A rare mix today, they’re a breath of fresh air to the usual button-down shirt business executives.
Their first acquisition after forming Horse Power Brands is Mighty Dog Roofing – specializing in commercial and residential roofing, gutters, siding, windows, skylights and storm damage. Just six months into the investment, the company has awarded 40+ locations to its first 13 Mighty Dog Roofing franchisees across 10 states and is on track to sign a total of 80+ franchise locations by the end of the second quarter 2021.
The Partners teamed up last year with a goal to improve the franchisor-franchisee experience and ROI in the service-based franchise sector.
The trio, who crossed paths over their years in franchising together, plan to become the industry’s next major service-based conglomerate with a clear differentiator – active involvement in the operations and franchisee support of its portfolio brands.
Horse Power is laser-focused on ROI by delivering systems, service and support, so franchisees can focus on sales and production to maximize monetization.
“The standard practice in our industry has become a race to 100 units sold, often without sensible offerings nor a clear vision to actually open all 100 locations. That’s not success. We are focused on providing atypical efforts and services to ensure we not only sell franchises responsibly, but open them with the tools to ensure the franchisees’ growth and longevity,” Skolnick said. “This is what sets us apart and why we’ll become a portfolio of service brands with $1 billion+ in annual revenue.”
Sharing a goal to see franchisees open and grow successful businesses, Skolnick, Beutler and Van Horn said the formation of Horse Power Brands is the high point of their respective franchising careers.
“After awarding franchises, we have the means and experience to actually get the locations open quickly,” Van Horn said. “Seeing the franchisees open successful is extremely gratifying. Each of us have had years of experience as franchisees, franchisors, developers and consultants. We are where private equity meets operational excellence.”
ABOUT THE FOUNDERS WHO TEAMED UP TO DO IT DIFFERENTLY IN SERVICE-BASED FRANCHISING
Josh Skolnick
- Josh Skolnick is a serial entrepreneur who began a successful landscaping business in his youth. In 2008, he founded Monster Tree Service and grew it into a multi-million-dollar franchise with over 200 territories across the U.S. before selling it to Authority Brands in 2020. In 2018, Skolnick took over Redbox+, a patented combination portable toilet and dumpster rental service turning it into a nationally recognized brand with over 240 territories, but his drive didn’t stop there. On his most recent endeavour, Skolnick joined with two other franchising leaders to create the service-based parent company Horse Power Brands, which acquired and operates Mighty Dog Roofing. Skolnick lives in Pennsylvania with his wife, three children and dog Onyx, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
Zachery Beutler
- Zachery Beutler began his career in franchising as a young, ambitious franchisee with Nebraska-based Complete Nutrition, later becoming a multi-unit franchisee of Color World Housepainting, Inc. He went on to take up a variety of roles in franchise development with 5 different brands and as Chief Development Officer of Redbox+. As one of the highest performers in franchise development, Beutler has gained a wealth of knowledge on building brands and businesses. He is also co-owner of Beutler Beef, a company that provides high quality beef, and most recently co-founded Horse Power Brands. Beutler and his wife make their home in Pender, Nebraska raising cattle on their family ranch alongside a beautiful daughter and two dogs, Winston and Jedi.
Erik Van Horn
- Erik Van Horn is a franchising and marketing mastermind who has experience franchising at every level including successful runs as a multi-unit franchisee, Master franchisee, area developer, franchisee consultant and franchise industry podcaster. He worked with Liberty Tax Services, where he was a franchisee for six years and went on to be a Master franchisee for another four. Van Horn then opened Synergy HomeCare in 2011, Sola Salon Studios in 2012 and various other businesses garnering him more than 20 years of franchising experience. Most recently, Van Horn co-founded Horse Bower Brands. Van Horn and his wife live in Spearfish, South Dakota with their daughters and two dogs, Piper and Sparky.