Franchisees like you naturally want to find a franchise that’s the best fit. And when you’re looking in the lawn care industry, you have plenty of franchises to choose from. Since you’ve discovered us here at GrassRoots Turf, we’re happy to be on your list of considered franchises, but we know that a good franchisee doesn’t make their final choice without doing their homework. You’ve probably come across one of our competitors, Weed Man, so let’s take a look at our franchise in comparison to theirs.
Crunching the Numbers
Looking at base numbers, the Weed Man franchise is a larger company than us. Whereas GrassRoots Turf currently has 20 units as of 2022, Weed Man has 332, according to business media company Entrepreneur. This is likely due to Weed Man being older than us, as it was founded in 1970 in Canada, coming to the U.S. in 1996. Our company, meanwhile, was founded in 2002. While this may give Weed Man a larger market presence, it also means that more local markets are already taken, and since both GrassRoots Turf and Weed Man offer exclusive territories, more pre-existing franchisees means markets you had your eye on might already be taken if you join Weed Man.
Weed Man is also a franchise that requires more employees for each location. Weed Man franchise locations require 4-6 employees to run them, while a GrassRoots location only requires 1-2. This means Weed Man will have higher expenses due to having more employees to pay.
Lastly, Weed Man’s growth has been at a much slower rate compared to GrassRoots Turf. From 2019 (the year we started franchising) to 2022, Weed Man’s units in the U.S. went from 208 to 237, an increase of about 14%. Our growth since we started franchising, on the other hand, went from one unit to 20, an increase of 1,900%.
The Requirements
The Weed Man franchise is also more demanding on franchisees in terms of how much work is required. Whereas GrassRoots Turf can be operated with part-time hours, Weed Man requires its franchisees to be directly involved with the franchise full-time. This makes Weed Man less suitable for franchisees who want to operate multiple locations and already have a portfolio with multiple franchises. Meanwhile, our franchise allows its franchisees more flexibility in how they operate.
Both we and Weed Man offer a wide variety of lawn care treatments, as well as mosquito control and weed control. However, our franchise also includes tree and shrub care, something that Weed Man doesn’t advertise. They do, however, advertise other forms of pest control, including moles and perimeter pest services. This means the additional services they do offer requires franchisees like you to be trained in the use of additional, potentially hazardous, pesticides.
Steady Revenue
At GrassRoots Turf, our business model is designed to ensure you have a steady revenue stream that isn’t dependent on the seasons or the weather. We use a monthly billing system to ensure franchisees like you have regular revenue throughout the year, enabling you to better plan your monthly budget. The Weed Man franchise, meanwhile, relies on clients renewing annually.
Finding the Fitting Franchise
So, which franchise is right for you — Weed Man or GrassRoots Turf? If you’re looking to join a long-established franchise to run a large lawn care business with multiple employees that also serves as both a lawn care provider and an outdoor exterminator, then Weed Man might be the better choice for you. If you want to join a fast-growing company that allows you flexible work hours, steady revenue and to focus your work on lawn care with minimal pest control duties, then you might be right at home with us at GrassRoots turf.
Get Onboard with GrassRoots Turf
We at GrassRoots Turf are excited to offer entrepreneurs like you the opportunity to join our growing company. We’re putting down roots in many new markets, and if you have the drive to grow, then you’ll find fertile ground with us and our recurring revenue model. Contact us today to find out more about your franchising opportunity with GrassRoots Turf.
