From PhD Student to Lawn Mowing Mogul
My journey to becoming one of Australia’s most successful entrepreneurs is anything but ordinary.
As a young man, I aspired to be a writer or academic and pursued a PhD in history at La Trobe University.
But after completing my studies, I found myself without a clear career path.
That’s when I turned to an unexpected source of income—mowing lawns.
In the early 1970s, I started a part-time gardening business to earn some extra cash.
By 1982, with just a $24 investment, I transitioned to full-time lawn mowing.
What began as a simple side hustle quickly became something much bigger.
Initially, I planned to take on subcontractors and build up and sell off mowing “rounds”.
But by 1989, I franchised my business and launched the Jim’s Mowing brand.
It would go on to become the largest franchise chain in Australia and the biggest lawn mowing business in the world.
Over the next three decades, I expanded Jim’s Group to include over 50+ different service divisions—everything from cleaning to dog washing—operating in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the UK.
My transformation from PhD student to lawn mowing mogul is a testament to entrepreneurial grit, customer service focus, and an openness to new opportunities.
I didn’t set out to be an entrepreneur, but I embraced it fully when the moment came.
Fanatical About Customer Service
From day one, I was obsessed with customer service.
Even back in the early days, I was fanatical about making sure every job I did was top quality.
I was one of the first contractors in Australia to use a brush cutter to trim edges and reach tricky spots regular mowers couldn’t handle.
I developed systems that allowed me to mow a lawn in just 35 minutes without cutting corners.
I was meticulous about showing up on time and leaving each lawn looking immaculate.
Word spread quickly, and I soon had more clients than I could handle.
In fact, these days, the bigger challenge is finding enough qualified franchisees to meet demand.
Even now, I stay deeply involved in customer feedback.
I personally review low-rated customer surveys and look for ways to improve.
I’ve always empowered my franchisees to make things right when issues arise.
I firmly believe customers value quality and relationships, not just cheap prices.
Building a Franchise Empire
As my mowing business grew, I saw an opportunity to scale it by selling off “rounds” to aspiring business owners.
That became the foundation for the franchise model we use today at Jim’s Group.
When I created our franchise system, I wanted it to be attractive and fair for franchisees, because I’d been in their shoes.
I spent nine months crafting a franchise agreement that offered real protections and benefits, including:
- Territorial rights and freedom to choose workload
- Automatic renewal after 10 years for stability
- Fixed fees regardless of business growth
- No requirement to give up clients to newcomers
I made it a point to support my franchisees directly.
They’ve always been my top priority, and I make myself available to them.
I listen to their feedback and use it to improve the system.
That open-door policy is part of why we’ve only had a handful of legal disputes with franchisees in our history—a rarity in franchising.
In 1999, just a year after launching our franchise model, I had 60 franchisees.
Today, Jim’s Group has over 5,500 franchisees across 50+ service divisions, generating around $1 billion annually.
Diversifying into New Services
Though lawn mowing was where it started, I’ve always looked for ways to expand into complementary services—cleaning, dog washing, you name it.
When VIP Cleaning Services started encroaching on my territory, I didn’t panic—I innovated.
I tried a new cleaning brand called “Sunlight,” but eventually realized that the Jim’s name had enough strength to carry new divisions, even beyond gardening.
I empower franchisees to propose new divisions.
I support them, but I let them lead.
That flexibility has helped us expand into dozens of new services and weather every kind of economic challenge.
Navigating Disruption and Controversy
Growth hasn’t come without its challenges.
The COVID-19 lockdowns in Victoria were especially tough on my franchisees, and I became a vocal critic of the restrictions.
I funded a legal test case because I felt small business owners—especially sole operators like my franchisees—were unfairly targeted.
The data showed complaints actually dropped during lockdowns, which made the restrictions seem unjustified to me.
Standing up to the government wasn’t easy, but I did it because I believe in protecting my franchisees.
I’ve always been willing to take a stand for what’s right—even when it’s unpopular.
While competitors in the gig economy race to the bottom on price, I double down on quality and relationships.
That’s what has set us apart and sustained our brand.