Doug Pearson’s Journey from Military Service to Entrepreneurship
Driven by a desire to serve his country, Doug Pearson voluntarily joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 2001, where he learned invaluable leadership skills and enjoyed working with his fellow servicemen. “The Marine Corps made me see that it’s never about me; it’s about those I’m serving with,” Pearson says.
In 2010, while stationed in North Carolina, Pearson discovered Border Magic, an industry leader in decorative landscape edging. He saw the appeal of the product right away. After accessing the absence of landscape edging companies around his Lancaster County, Pa., area, he was inspired to start his own business and serve his community outside of the military. He opened his Border Magic franchise in July 2020.
Since then, along with a team of five employees, Pearson has dedicated weekends to staying productive and engaged with his Border Magic franchise. He handles every aspect of the business, from bookkeeping to payroll and estimates to hiring. He will transition to working the business full-time in 2024 when retiring from the military. His goal is to eventually train his team leader to take over the day-to-day operations. Pearson’s greatest satisfaction comes from mentoring his team and witnessing their accomplishments.
The Border Magic Franchise
Border Magic’s services benefit homeowners by adding curb appeal to their properties, preventing unwanted grass and weeds, and eliminating pests. The brand specializes in decorative walkways, stepping stones, landscape edging products, commercial concrete and curbing.
The benefits for franchise owners are also numerous:
- Simple business model
- Low-cost buy-in
- Niche $171.2 billion market
- Low competition
- Initial and ongoing assistance
As Pearson exemplifies, veterans and entrepreneurs with a landscaping background or a desire for a side hustle are ideal candidates. He values the open lines of communication with other Border Magic franchise owners and the easygoing nature of communicating with corporate leadership. While he knows it will be challenging to transition from part-time to full-time business ownership, he looks forward to what the future holds.
For Aspiring Franchise Owners
Pearson advises aspiring first-time entrepreneurs to do their homework and prepare as much as possible before opening a business. “Never hesitate to reach out for help or assistance just because someone else went through it,” he says. He adds that knowing your local area is also important because what works for you may not work for others. He has spoken to countless Border Magic franchisees throughout his time with the brand, and urges them to believe in the system and not give up after having a few bad days.
Unsurprisingly, bad days have never gotten Pearson down. With hard work and determination, he and his wife, Tina, received multiple awards in 2022: one for “Outstanding Leadership” and another for “Best Border Magic” for the most attractive, consistent projects as submitted by customers. His family is so supportive of the business that there have been times when they all worked jobs with him. Pearson even hired his 14-year-old daughter to help her better understand the business and get a sense of the blue-collar work ethic.
Veterans and Franchising
In both business and the military, Pearson is a great example of what it means to serve. But you’d never see him seek out praise for it. For example, during Veterans Day, Pearson focuses on why individuals join the military rather than receiving gratitude from the public for his service.
Pearson enjoys spending time with family and friends, has played softball and golf competitively, and recently took up micro-sprint racing. With his natural drive and leadership skills, the sky’s the limit for Pearson and his Border Magic franchise. For more information, visit www.mybordermagic.com/.