Helping home owners and business owners recover from water damage has helped Restoration 1 blow its franchising goals right out of the water.
Founded in 2008, Restoration1 is a leading restoration franchise that specializes in a wide array of emergency mitigation, restoration, and reconstruction services. The founder began franchising in 2010 but it was not until 2016, under the leadership of Gary Findley, CEO, that Restoration 1 became the fastest growing restoration franchise in North America. Originally aimed to have 100 locations by the end of 2016, but thanks to an additional 75 locations sold throughout last year, it has surpassed that original goal by a long shot. Currently represented in 26 states, the company fully expects to be in all 50 states by the end of 2017.
An industry innovator, Restoration 1 uses advanced technologies and tools to perform restoration for both residential and commercial properties that have been damaged due to water, smoke, fire, mold, storms and more. Company plans call for having a total of 500 locations nationwide in the next four years.
Getting Started
Originally brought in strictly to handle the franchising aspect of the company, Mr. Findley, rose through the ranks quickly to the head of the entire company.
He was given the keys to the company and now finds himself running the show. With Gary having been in franchising for over 25 years, Restoration 1 is in great hands. Recently, Entrepreneur named Restoration 1 as one of the promising brands in its “10 Hottest Franchise Business Categories” list. Each category highlighted multiple brands that show tremendous growth potential.
The current CEO’s personal philosophy for franchising is that a good franchise has the following elements:
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- Low investment
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- Low overhead
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- High margins
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- No need for a brick and mortar location
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- The ability to be recession resistant
“Not every good idea makes a good franchise and not every franchise is a good idea,” Findley explained. “What makes a great franchise system is three things: your support, your staff, and the success of your franchisees. If franchisees aren’t happy, nobody’s happy.”
The Right Fit
Restoration 1 is looking for driven, service focused, passionate and professional entrepreneurs who are looking to own their own business. Many of their current successful owners have come from Corporate America with little or no experience in the restoration business proving experience is not required. People with military or civil service backgrounds are especially coveted.
Once it has found that right combination of elements in a potential franchisee, Restoration 1 provides the franchisee with a 12- day training program that fully prepares them to offer their services as soon as they return home. In addition, continued education is offered throughout the year.
“We provide superior support from the home team and a designated experienced field consultant to meet with franchisees weekly to analyze and strategize for the growth of their individual Restoration 1 Franchise,” Gary outlined.
The Restoration 1 Difference
Representing the individual home or business owner is what sets Restoration 1 apart from its competition, the CEO said. The company works directly with home or business owners’ insurance companies or adjusters to keep the process as simple as possible.
“We help our customers throughout the process, so as to cause the least amount of disruption in their life,” he stated. “We offer a free full inspection and evaluation. While not all inspections or evaluations will result in jobs, we are able to give the client free advice on the best way to handle their specific situation.”
Those consultations that do end up in jobs are always handled quickly and thoroughly, regardless of how extensive the damage is, as Restoration 1 has the equipment and techniques to repair and restore almost any property.
“Customers are amazed at how quickly and thoroughly we work in order to get their properties back to their pre-damaged state,” Gary said. “We only use high-quality materials and operate above code requirements so that our customers can relax, knowing that their properties are receiving the best restoration services available.”
In addition to that, Restoration 1 also offers 24/7 emergency services, as Gary knows disasters rarely wait for business hours to strike and addressing damage issues early on can make a big difference in mitigating the extent of that damage.
Looking Ahead
Starting this year, Restoration 1 will be adding content cleaning and reconstruction to its services, as well as a national catastrophe team. For franchisees, the company will be adding new operating software to assist them in becoming more profitable.
With its new services, new operating software and its continued dedication to offering the best possible service, Restoration 1 is set to blow its 2017 goals out of the water, too. Visit www.restoration1franchise.com to learn more.