After a 20-year corporate retail career, Matthew Watts moved into Jim’s Group and helped rebuild support across Western Victoria. His approach is practical and results-focused, and the proof sits in the franchisees he supports, including one who grew from 13 clients to about 120 after selling a 40-client split in roughly two and a half years.
In short: Matthew Watts brings 20 years of corporate retail leadership to Jim’s Mowing, where he now helps franchisees build stronger businesses across Western Victoria. His formula is simple: choose the right people, set honest expectations, support them face to face, and push them to think beyond basic mowing into broader outdoor property management.
In this More Than Just Mowing Podcast episode, divisional manager Matthew Watts explained how he took a 20-year career across Shell, Coles, Kathmandu, and Caltex into Jim’s Mowing in Western Victoria, where he rebuilt franchise support through observation days, local mentors, direct coaching, and strong customer service standards. The results are real: franchisees in his region have grown from small starting points into split-ready businesses.
The direct answer is that Matthew Watts helps Jim’s Mowing franchisees succeed by treating the business seriously from day one. He backs that up with clear standards, hands-on support, and real examples from places like Dalesford, Trentham, and Portland. This article breaks down his background, what he looks for in a franchisee, how his region grew, and what future franchisees can learn from it.
Who Is Matthew Watts at Jim’s Mowing in Western Victoria?
Matthew Watts is one of the senior operational voices in Jim’s Mowing. Before stepping into the divisional role, he took on Western Victoria as a regional franchisor in April 2021 and helped rebuild the region through stronger support, better communication, and tighter standards.
It is a story about how Jim’s Group builds better franchise outcomes when the person leading the region understands business, culture, and accountability.
Matthew also works closely with franchisors, the head office, and Jim Penman himself. In practical terms, that means he sits between the field and the wider Jim’s Group system, helping different parts of the business work together more effectively.
What 20 Years in Retail Teaches About Running a Franchise Business
Before Jim’s Mowing, Matthew spent around 20 years in corporate retail. His background includes senior roles with Shell, Coles, Kathmandu, Caltex, and other large businesses.
He started at Shell as a casual, then worked his way through store management, area and zone leadership, and state-level responsibility. He later moved into senior retail leadership roles, including general manager positions.
That background gives him a different lens on franchising. He is not coming at this as someone who only knows one model. He understands structure, scale, performance, leadership, and what happens when support systems are weak.
It also explains why he talks so clearly about expectations. Matthew is not selling a dream. He is comparing business ownership against real corporate experience and saying that the trade-off only works when the operator is willing to drive the business properly.
Why Franchisee Selection and Culture Matter in Jim’s Mowing
Matthew does not take just anybody. He says he has knocked back people in places like Mildura and Warrnambool because they were not the right fit for the brand or the local group.
That tells you something important about how he sees a Jim’s Mowing franchise. He does not treat it as a simple sale. He treats it as a long-term business relationship where one poor fit can affect the culture of a whole local area.
His test is not based on talk alone. Prospects are sent on observation days with existing franchisees. That gives them a real look at the work and gives Matthew trusted feedback from operators already in the field.
He is looking for more than enthusiasm. He wants business acumen, proactiveness, communication skills, and the ability to handle the reality of running your own business. In his view, some people would make excellent employees but are not built for business ownership.
That selection process is one of the quiet strengths behind a Jim’s franchise opportunity. It reduces the risk of the wrong person coming in with the wrong expectations.
How Jim’s Mowing Rebuilt Growth Across Western Victoria
When Matthew took over Western Victoria, the region needed rebuilding. Matthew’s response was not to hide behind phone calls or Zoom meetings.
He went face-to-face.
He talks about the region being built on relationships, communication, honesty, and integrity. He also talks about spending each year heavily to get on the road, meet people, run local dinners, and stay visible in places like Ballarat, Bendigo, Mildura, and Warrnambool.
That is not cosmetic support. It is an operating discipline.
Matthew explains that if franchisees call, they know he is there and that he will call back. He also makes a point of putting local mentors around new people so they are not trying to solve everything alone in the first few months.
For a new operator, that matters. Starting a business is hard enough. Starting one without context, guidance, or local support is harder.
How Much Can You Earn with a Jim’s Mowing Franchise?
Matthew says he uses $140,000 as a guide when he speaks to new franchisees, but he is equally clear that income depends on the individual. He does not present one magic number and pretend it applies to everyone.
That honesty makes the point stronger, not weaker.
His view is that the opportunity can be as big as the operator wants it to be. The harder you work, the more you get out of it. That applies to franchisees and to franchisors alike.
He also explains that Jim’s does not take a percentage of your income. The fee structure is largely fixed, with lead fees as the main variable. If a franchisee takes on more work, fees may rise slightly because they are taking on more leads, but that should also mean more revenue.
That fee structure is one reason people compare a Jim’s model favourably against going independent. You can read more about how franchising fees work and how much you can earn with a Jim’s franchise.
What Systems Help Jim’s Mowing Franchisees Grow Faster?
The biggest system advantage is not a software platform. It is the operating model around the franchisee.
First, there is the observation day. Prospects do not join blindly. They spend time with current franchisees to see the work properly.
Second, there is mentoring. New people are usually given local mentors on top of Matthew’s direct support.
Third, there is the lead-fee model. Matthew explains that lead fees help franchisees value the lead instead of ignoring it. He also points out that one lead can turn into repeat mowing, gutter cleaning, landscaping, rubbish removal, or larger recurring work.
Fourth, there is the broader service mindset. Matthew is clear that a franchisee in his region probably will not thrive by doing mowing alone. Once they step onto a customer’s property, they should think like a manager of the whole outdoor space. That means quoting not just for lawns, but also for gutters, slashing, rubbish removal, hedging, pruning, irrigation, and landscaping where relevant.
Fifth, there is the split model. This is one of the best technical advantages in the whole story. When a run gets too full, the franchisee does not simply hit a ceiling and lose demand. Part of the client base can be packaged and sold as a split, creating value for the seller and a stronger start for the incoming operator.
The formal support side of that journey is strengthened further through franchisee training and the wider Jim’s Group onboarding pathway.
What Challenges Do New Franchisees Face in Jim’s Mowing?
Matthew is not soft on the hard parts.
He says some people come into the business thinking it is closer to an employee role. It is not. Running a Jim’s Mowing franchise is still running a business, and that can feel all-consuming if the person is not ready for it.
He also talks honestly about negativity cycles. Some franchisees get stuck mentally or operationally and struggle to pull themselves out. His role then becomes guidance, business planning, and connecting them to the right people, but he is also clear that franchisees have to choose to take that advice.
Customer service is another major line in the sand. Matthew gives an example of parting ways with a franchisee after poor treatment of an elderly client and repeated issues around how the situation was handled.
That story is important because it shows what Jim’s standards look like in practice. Support is real, but so is accountability.
Is a Jim’s Mowing Franchise Worth It for New Business Owners?
Yes, for the right person.
Matthew’s case is not that every franchisee gets the same result. His point is that the model works when the operator has the right attitude, communicates well, works hard, follows guidance, and treats the customer properly.
The story from Western Victoria supports that. A once-underdeveloped region now includes operators who are building meaningful client books, using local demand more effectively, and turning recurring work into long-term business value.
If you are looking at the model seriously, the better question is not whether the opportunity exists. It clearly does. The better question is whether you are suited to the way Matthew describes the work: proactive, hands-on, accountable, and willing to run a real business.
Jim’s Mowing vs Independent Lawn Care
| Feature | Standard Operator | Jim’s Professional |
| Training | Learns through trial and error | Observation day, onboarding, and ongoing support |
| Leads | Must generate every lead alone | Lead flow supported by the Jim’s system |
| Systems | Often quotes only the job requested | Quotes the full outdoor space and builds account value |
| Branding | Builds trust from scratch | Works under the Jim’s Group brand |
| Income Consistency | More exposed to dry spells | Better support through repeat work, broader services, and system-led growth |
“It could be as big as you want it to be.”
Matthew Watts, Jim’s Mowing Regional Franchisor in Western Victoria
Frequently Asked Questions
Matthew Watts is the Jim’s Mowing divisional manager and a regional franchisor for Western Victoria. He brings about 20 years of corporate retail leadership into the role and focuses heavily on franchisee support, standards, and growth.
Before joining Jim’s Group, Matthew worked across Shell, Coles, Kathmandu, Caltex, and other major businesses. His background includes store management, zone leadership, state management, and general management roles.
Matthew says he uses $140,000 as a guide when speaking to new franchisees, but he is careful to say that outcomes depend on the person running the business. Hours worked, service mix, lead conversion, and business discipline all matter.
Not necessarily. Matthew focuses more on business acumen, communication, proactiveness, and cultural fit than on whether someone has spent years mowing lawns.
Matthew highlights observation days, local mentors, direct franchisor access, and ongoing business guidance. That support is one of the main differences between joining a system and trying to build everything alone.
A split is when an established franchisee sells part of their client base and local territory to another operator.
No. Matthew directly pushes back on that misconception and explains that Jim’s uses a mostly fixed-fee model, with lead fees as the main variable rather than a percentage cut of earnings.
Key Takeaways
- Matthew Watts brought a 20-year corporate retail background into Jim’s Group and used it to strengthen franchise support in Western Victoria.
- His model is built on honest expectations, strong selection, local mentoring, and face-to-face support.
- Matthew is clear that Jim’s Mowing is not an employee role. It rewards the people who think and act like business owners.
- In regions like Western Victoria, broader service thinking matters. The strongest operators do more than mow lawns.
Get Started with Jim’s Mowing Services or Franchise Opportunities
Book a Local Jim’s Mowing Service Near You
If you want help with lawns, hedging, pruning, clean-ups, or broader garden care, working with Jim’s Mowing means using a recognised system with clear standards and reliable local service. You also get the confidence that comes from dealing with a business backed by Jim’s Group.
Request your free quote from Jim’s Mowing today.
Join Jim’s Mowing and Build Your Own Business
Matthew Watts’s story is a reminder that this opportunity is bigger than mowing alone. With the right fit, the right support, and the right work ethic, a small starting point can become a strong local business with real long-term value.
Learn more about joining Jim’s Mowing at jims.net or call 131 546 today.
