Since purchasing a Jims Fencing franchise three years ago I have never looked back. Buying a franchise was a big decision but I have no regrets and have enjoyed the fact that I can now spend more time with my family. What impressed me initially was the support that you had whilst setting up your business and the ongoing support that you received after it was up and running.

My business has continued to grow beyond my expectations over this time and has given me many great opportunities. I have built my business up and now primarily run on a referral basis.My customer base is quite diverse ranging from commercial to domestic.

Recently I have been given the opportunity to be part of the team of the domestic blitz show. This has given me a great deal of satisfaction; here we are dealing with people who have real problems who are true Aussie battler’s. It is not every day that you can say you have touched someone else’s life.

I am currently the co-coordinator for my franchisors 3 regions providing support and training for the franchisee’s as required. Together Rodney and I are sourcing new information, organising tours and product information on a continuous basis. I have enjoyed this role immensely as I believe in the Jims system.

Such opportunities have been fantastic but I think what one of the many highlights of being a Jims fencing franchisee is the everyday interaction with our customers.

Brett Turner - Yarrawarrah

I have owned a Jims Franchise for about 2 years now and previously worked as an aircraft engineer at Qantas.
After enduring shift work for 14 years I desperately needed a change.

My family life was beginning to suffer and the financial rewards from working as an employee of a large company were not satisfactory. I needed to be more in control of where my life was heading so I began to research the best way to work for myself with the ability to be flexible with family and work commitments.

I had heard about Jims Fencing but once I found out more about the fantastic business opportunities, support and training offered by Jims I had found what I was looking for.

Since the initial contact was made to invest in a Jims franchise I was very happy with how the transition from signing contracts to attending the training course and on the job training flowed so smoothly.

I have progressed from basic colorbond and timber fences, to pool fences, balustrades, gates and feature fences which may not have happened in such a short period of time without the dedication of the Jims team and the training provided.

My business is going great with many clients sending thank you letters and emails for the quality of work I have done for them which gives me enormous job satisfaction.

I have found with Jims that you can be your own boss but also be part of the Jims team.

I bought my franchise just prior to the 2003 Canberra bushfires. Work was in abundance so it was huge learning curve to have to deal with running a business in such a hectic, emotional market whilst still learning about the basics of quoting, customer service and building fences.

When all the continuous work slowed down, I had to change my focus from building the fences to marketing and sales. Instead of being able to move from one job to another, I had to win jobs in a competitive market. It was necessary to explain to clients the benefits of choosing Jims Fencing rather than other companies and stay professional and competitive.
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One of the reasons I joined Jims was because of its back up for franchisees and strict policies. It aims to set and maintain a high standard which ultimately benefits us all. Initially its start up and ongoing costs were also quite low compared to other alternatives.

The subject not talked about in any other newsletters from other franchisees is the on going pressure to keep levels at a high rate in order to operate a successful business. It’s not all red roses running a business. There are benefits of being your own boss and having some flexibility but there is also a constant pressure to keep up to date and maintain high quality standards in all aspects of the business. Our job is more challenging than just the manual building of fences; it’s the customer service, quoting, never-ending bookwork and time management areas that all have to come together to operate it as a successful business.

I am enjoying my time as a Jim’s Fencing Franchisee and challenging myself in the ups and downs of running my own business. I am hoping that this enjoyment will continue into the future.