After 20 years in the alcohol industry, Andrew Herd launched his Jim’s Mowing franchise on 1 July, took on about 15 customers straight away, and was averaging a lead every two to three days within his first six to eight weeks. Just as importantly, he says the move gave him a lifestyle change that had already exceeded expectations.
In short: Andrew Herd left a 20-year corporate career, joined Jim’s Mowing on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, and built early momentum fast. He started with about 15 customers, saw steady winter lead flow, and said the business had already matched and exceeded what he hoped for in its first six to eight weeks.
BLUF: Andrew’s story matters because it shows what a Jim’s Mowing franchise can look like when someone with no trade background applies strong business discipline, uses the brand well, and leans into the support network. He did not buy into a fantasy. He made a calculated move away from high-stress corporate life into a lower-barrier service business with real demand, strong support, and a clear path to growth.
Andrew Herd’s Jim’s Mowing franchise gave him a practical way to leave a 20-year corporate career and start building something of his own. He launched on 1 July, began with about 15 customers, and within six to eight weeks was already seeing leads come through every two to three days. This article breaks down why he chose Jim’s, what happened in the early weeks, what the numbers show, and why he believes the move was worth it.
What Made Andrew Leave a 20-Year Corporate Career?
Before starting his Jim’s Mowing franchise, Andrew had spent 20 years in the alcohol industry, including close to 10 years living in Singapore and working across markets from the Middle East to Australia and New Zealand. It was a big corporate career, but he had reached the point where he was asking himself whether he really wanted to do the same thing for the next 25 or 30 years.
He was not just chasing a different job title. He wanted more control over stress, more time with family, and more presence when he was actually with his wife and kids. That question became the turning point: keep working for someone else for decades, or take a calculated risk and build his own business.
Why Did Andrew Choose Jim’s Mowing Over Other Franchise Options?
Andrew looked at other franchise options first, especially quick-service restaurant businesses. He ruled them out because the barriers to entry were too high, the risk was too high, and the lifestyle was not what he wanted. He specifically contrasted those options with a service business that gave him more control over his time and far less exposure upfront.
Jim’s Mowing stood out because the process felt transparent from the start. He submitted an online enquiry on a Saturday morning and got a call back in about five minutes. More importantly, his franchisor answered questions directly, gave him information without a heavy sales pitch, and shared the names and numbers of local franchisees so he could speak to people already doing the work.
That mattered. After meeting franchisees in his area, Andrew walked away thinking that if they could build a business from it, he could too. For people exploring owning a Jim’s franchise, that kind of real-world proof is usually more convincing than any sales brochure.
How Did Andrew Start with 15 Customers So Quickly?
Andrew started his Jim’s Mowing franchise on 1 July and says the first six to eight weeks were a fantastic experience, even with some steep learning curves. One of the smartest early moves was buying a split of about 15 customers from another franchisee on the Northern Beaches, which gave him a solid base instead of starting from zero.
The work was varied from the beginning. Alongside regular mowing, he was doing garden clean-ups, mulching, basic landscape work, fallen tree jobs, hedging, and quoting on work like rotary hoeing. That variety kept the work interesting and opened up more ways to build revenue beyond simple recurring mowing rounds.
The shift from corporate to physical work was real, but he describes it as positive. He was on his feet all day, drinking more water, packing lunch, eating better, and enjoying the mental reset that came from making decisions directly instead of sitting in meetings and navigating corporate layers.
What Were Andrew’s First 6 to 8 Weeks in Business Really Like?
Andrew says that revenue in the early weeks was roughly in line with the models he had built before launch.
He also explains that early profit was being affected by start-up purchases. He had to buy extra equipment, including a chainsaw and other gear, so he was deliberately absorbing those costs early in order to get a cleaner read on the true operating cost of the business heading into spring and summer.
Even in winter, after heavy rain in Sydney, Andrew says he was averaging about one lead every two to three days. That is a strong early indicator of demand for a new Jim’s Mowing franchise, especially before the busier spring and summer period kicks in. Readers who want the broader picture on earnings can compare this with Jim’s guidance on how much you can earn with a Jim’s franchise.
Where Did His First Leads and Jobs Come From?
Andrew’s early growth came from three sources: his starting split, the strength of the Jim’s brand, and deliberate local networking. The 15-customer split gave him a base, but he also picked up work from people approaching him while he was out in uniform, from walk-up enquiries, and from simple local visibility around the school, shops, and community.
He also used his network well. Friends from school backed his move, real estate contacts sent work his way, other Jim’s franchisees shared leads, and he even received cross-divisional work like pressure washing to help cover the winter gap. That is a reminder that a Jim’s Mowing franchise grows faster when the owner treats networking as part of the job.
Andrew is already planning for the next stage. He says he is starting to think about bringing on a staff member or off-sider because once service frequency doubles in summer, he expects it will become much harder to keep up with the workload alone.
What Systems and Support Helped Him Build Early Momentum?
One of Andrew’s clearest advantages has been how he uses support. When he gets a lead for something unfamiliar, he calls his franchisor or other local franchisees. If he has a question about a plant, a weed, a hedge, or a specific type of job, he is usually only a phone call or two away from the answer.
He also focused on constant improvement. His franchisor kept telling him not to rush, to do a good job first, and to write down what he learned from each visit. That meant paying attention to underquoting, job sequencing, time-wasting trips back to the ute, and the little process improvements that make a big difference over time.
Another smart strategic decision was the equipment. Andrew went all-in on battery gear with EGO equipment and five batteries. He saw that as both a practical choice and a point of difference for Northern Beaches clients who work from home and value quieter service. That helped him position himself differently while also making some jobs easier on tight-access properties.
Training also played a role. Andrew says the six-day Melbourne training was eye-opening and left him feeling empowered and ready to run the business. That is worth noting for anyone weighing up franchisee training as part of the decision.
What Challenges Come with Switching from Corporate to Physical Work?
The biggest early challenge was not mowing technique. It was learning to own mistakes fully. Andrew says that when you run your own business, no one fixes the problem for you. There is support available, but you still have to ask for help, reflect honestly, and improve fast.
His clearest example was underquoting. On one job, he thought the work would take about four hours, but it was closer to two days. He wore the cost himself, treated it as a learning experience, and used it to sharpen his quoting for future jobs.
He also learned the value of launching in winter. In his view, winter gave him space to make those rookie mistakes while the schedule was still more forgiving. That is a practical insight for people researching Jim’s Mowing cost and risk, especially when compared with more capital-heavy options. It is also why it helps to understand how franchising fees work before choosing a model.
Is a Jim’s Mowing Franchise Worth It for Corporate Professionals?
Based on Andrew’s experience, yes. His view is clear: the move has matched and exceeded expectations, especially from a lifestyle perspective. He talks about losing the Sunday-night dread, no longer worrying about meetings later in the week, and simply looking at the diary, doing the work, and sending the invoices.
That does not mean the business is effortless. It means the trade-off has been worth it. He has had to learn quickly, work physically, and make mistakes in public, but he has also built a customer base, seen consistent leads, and gained the satisfaction of owning the work and the outcome. For someone considering a Jim’s Mowing franchise, that is a strong real-world case study.
Corporate Role vs Franchise Start-Up Phase
| Area | Before Jim’s Mowing | First 6 to 8 Weeks in the Business |
| Career | 20 years in corporate sales and marketing | Owner-operator of a Jim’s Mowing franchise |
| Customer Base | No local service round | About 15 customers from an initial split |
| Lead Flow | No gardening lead pipeline | About one lead every two to three days |
| Lifestyle | Corporate stress and Sunday dread | More control, more movement, more satisfaction |
‘The big sort of lifestyle change has been fantastic. I don’t have that Sunday afternoon, Sunday evening dread of the week to come.’
– Andrew Herd, Jim’s Mowing franchisee in Sydney
Frequently Asked Questions
Andrew shares that early revenue was roughly in line with his pre-launch models, while lead flow was strong enough that he was already planning for summer growth.
He spent 20 years in the alcohol industry, including major corporate roles across Australia and Asia. That means his move into a Jim’s Mowing franchise was a genuine career change, not just a small shift inside the same field.
He began with about 15 customers by buying a split from another franchisee. Within six to eight weeks, he also said he was averaging about one lead every two to three days, even in winter.
He wanted lower risk, more control over stress, and a business that fit family life better than food service. He also liked the direct answers, transparent process, and the chance to speak with real franchisees before committing.
Yes. Andrew says the six-day training in Melbourne was eye-opening, well-delivered, and left him feeling ready to start running the business. That was notable because he already came from a strong sales and marketing background.
Underquoting. He mentions one job he thought would take four hours that turned into closer to two days, and he treated that as part of the learning curve rather than trying to push the cost onto the customer.
In Andrew’s experience, yes. He says the brand makes people more comfortable approaching him, helps start conversations, and creates trust much faster than trying to build recognition from scratch.
Key Takeaways
- Andrew left a 20-year corporate career to start a Jim’s Mowing franchise.
- He launched on 1 July and began with about 15 customers from a split.
- Within six to eight weeks, he was averaging about one lead every two to three days.
- He did not share an exact income figure, but said revenue was tracking roughly in line with his models.
- Early profit was affected by start-up equipment purchases, including a chainsaw and extra gear.
- He expects summer demand to rise enough that he may need an off-sider soon.
- The Jim’s brand, local networking, and small sales habits all helped drive early growth.
- The biggest win was lifestyle: less dread, more control, and more satisfaction from work.
A Simpler Path from Corporate to Business Ownership
Andrew’s story shows that a Jim’s Mowing franchise is not just for people coming from a trade background. It can also suit someone leaving corporate life who wants a lower-barrier path into business ownership, practical support, and a brand that already has trust in the market.
Learn more about joining Jim’s Mowing at jims.net or call 131 546 today.
