Jim's Podcast

Meet Mark Vaughn, who has just started his Jim's Mowing franchise and shares what it has been like.He shares how he uses AI to help with quotes and advice, plus other great new starter information. To learn more about Jim's Mowing, visit www.jimsmowing.com.au

Thinking about joining Jim's Dog Wash? This is the interview for you! Sharon Connell, tells you everything you need to know about starting a Jim's Dog Wash franchise and who succeeds.

Lloyd Richardson took over Jim's Bookkeeping in 2018 with around 20 franchisees. Seven years later, the division has more than 67 franchisees, 9 regional franchisors, and just became the first division in the network to earn the 50-franchisee plaque on the Jim's training room wall.Lloyd is a fellow CPA who grew up inside his father's accounting firm, scaled it to 26 staff, sold it in 1999, and retired. He came back to consulting, met Jim Penman, and ended up running one of the strongest divisions in the Jim's Group. In this episode of the Jim's podcast, Lloyd sits down with Joel to break down how the division actually works, what makes a successful Jim's Bookkeeping franchisee, and why his vision for the group is to build the happiest bookkeepers in Australia.Lloyd also covers the Payday Super legislation coming in on 1 July, why every Jim's franchisor needs to know about it, and the new MYOB Solo deal that gives any new business owner a year of accounting software plus 2 months of a Jim's bookkeeper for $11. He also explains the new regional franchisor pathway designed specifically for existing accounting firm owners who want to slow down without selling.timestamps 00:00 Introduction00:19 50 Franchisees and Growing01:20 Lloyd's Accounting Background02:56 Taking Over Jim's Bookkeeping05:54 Franchise Myths Accountants Get Wrong07:33 How the Franchise Works09:08 Weekly Support and Ask the Experts11:46 Training and Systems16:12 Traits of Successful Franchisees18:45 Regional Franchisor Opportunities21:14 Getting Your First Clients25:30 Starting Part-Time26:31 Services Offered27:31 Payday Super Explained30:29 Vehicle Log Books and Tax31:47 Cash Flow Advisory33:48 AI and the Future of Bookkeeping41:13 Building Wealth Through Business49:10 Franchise Costs51:56 The Happiest Bookkeeper53:00 Contact and Final Thoughts

Robert Young brought Jim's Building Maintenance and Jim's Handyman to New Zealand five years ago. His teams are now the market leader nationally, booked months out in Wellington and Christchurch while independent builders are calling him asking for work.Robert joins Joel on the Jim's podcast to make the case that property maintenance is the most recession-proof trade business in New Zealand right now, and that owning a customer base of around 1,000 people is the only real protection a tradie has against AI disruption and a flat economy. He has been through five NZ recessions and the pattern is the same each time.The conversation unpacks how the Jim's flat-fee model works versus percentage-based franchise systems that quietly turn franchisees into subcontractors. Robert breaks down how lead fees operate, why the maximum lead fee in NZ is $35, why some franchisees stop taking leads after 18 months, how territory and customer ownership actually work, and why his franchisees charge close to double the rates of independent builders. He also explains the pay-for-work guarantee and why it is rarely claimed.If you are a qualified builder or a seriously handy tradie in New Zealand thinking about your next move, this one is worth your time.

Damian Bush felt fit, coached footy, hit the gym, and weighed 80kg. Then a routine check found his resting heart rate sitting at 137 and he was in emergency heart surgery the next day.Damian has been a Jim's Mowing franchisee in Tasmania for nearly 10 years and supports the Tassie network alongside running his own crew. He joins Joel on the Jim's Mowing podcast to share the health scare that nearly took him out, and the business systems that kept his income running while he recovered.The conversation covers why franchisees service their machines but neglect themselves, the income protection gap most operators have no idea about, and how Damian turned every Tasmanian customer into a fortnightly retainer across all four seasons. Damian also breaks down the personal brand standards he runs his business by, how one local franchisee got 18 five-star Google reviews in two weeks, and why sponsoring local sport teams and raffle prizes still outperforms digital ads for long-term franchisees.If you run a service business or you are looking at a Jim's franchise, this one is worth your time.0:00 Diversifying services and winter upsells0:45 Meet Damian Bush, Tasmania franchisee1:10 The health scare that changed everything3:14 A resting heart rate of 137 with no symptoms6:23 Why franchisees skip their own check-ups9:25 Income protection and personal cover12:11 Diversifying into a full-garden retainer model14:24 How to get off Jim's leads and build referrals19:07 Personal brand standards every franchisee needs22:30 Setting your own non-negotiable standards24:34 Upselling, networking, and Google My Business33:00 Why one franchisee gets requested by name38:16 The 30 doors a day local marketing tactic40:21 Sponsoring sport teams and raffle prizes46:31 Building referrals through community trust

A franchisor recently copped a $19,800 fine for failing to update an entry on a government website nobody uses.Jay Westbury is the CEO of the Franchise Council of Australia. He returns to the show to walk through the regulatory changes hitting Australian franchising right now. The episode covers what's already been passed, what's sitting in the lower house, and what franchisors and franchisees need to be paying attention to.Jay breaks down the Franchise Disclosure Register fine and why the FCA is pushing for the register to be moved out of the ACCC. He covers the Unfair Trading Practices legislation, why Unfair Contract Terms reform has hit 100 per cent compliance across franchising, and the Reserve Bank's October surcharge ban, including the awkward gap where Mastercard and Visa surcharges are banned but Amex is not. He also covers the FCA Awards in Brisbane on 17 June and the National Franchise Convention in Canberra in October.If you run a franchise network or own a franchise, this is the brief on what's about to land.

A franchisor now gets fined when one of their franchisees underpays staff, even when the franchisor had nothing to do with it. Payday Super kicks in 1 July and means super contributions must clear within 7 days of every pay run, not quarterly. The salary buffer rule that most employers rely on to stay compliant has changed, and one overtime-heavy week can now trigger an underpayment claim that costs hundreds of dollars per employee.In this interview, Damien Gooden from ER Strategies (an FCA Platinum Partner) walks through the industrial relations changes that will hit franchisors and franchisees over the next 12 months. You will hear exactly what the Vulnerable Workers Act requires every franchisor to have in place, broken into four specific elements. You will hear how the junior wages ruling phases in between December 2026 and July 2029, and what that does to business models built on lower-cost 18 to 20 year olds. You will hear the salary offset case study with real dollar figures, showing how a $55,000 salary that was compliant under the old rule can now leave an employer $404 short in a single pay cycle.Damien's number one takeaway for every franchise network: time sheets. For every employee, without exception, including salaried staff. That is the evidence that protects you when Fair Work comes knocking.If you run a franchise or employ staff under an Australian award, this is the compliance update you need before the next quarter starts.Need help? Contact https://erstrategies.com.au/ or https://hrcentral.com.au/

Sean went from 10 years managing an Aldi supermarket to $250,000 in his first year as a Jim's Hazmat franchisee, with no trade background and no prior business experience.Sean joins Joel on the Jim's Group Podcast to break down how he built one of the fastest-growing runs in the Jim's Hazmat division from scratch. He covers the full range of services his business does, including asbestos removal, biohazard cleans, crime scenes, hoarder cleans, mould treatment and meth testing. Sean talks through the real investment figure, the average job value, how he built his referral network through builders and real estate agents, and why his wife was able to leave full-time work before he hit his second year.By year three, Sean is projecting $700,000. He also talks about becoming the first Jim's Hazmat franchisor in New Zealand and what that opportunity looks like for the right person.Timestamps 0:00 Introduction and Sean's background3:20 Why Sean chose Jim's Hazmat over other divisions7:00 Training and certifications explained11:30 $250k in year one: the real numbers15:00 Investment costs and ROI18:30 Scaling to $700k and hiring staff22:00 Asbestos removal: the full process29:00 Biohazard cleans and crime scenes36:00 Hoarder cleans and what they involve43:00 Mold, meth testing and syringe pickups49:00 Building referrals through builders54:00 Franchise fees and lead system explained59:00 Mindset shift from employee to business owner1:05:00 Becoming a franchiseor in New Zealand

Ali Olmez, CEO of Jim's Cleaning Group, joined us in the studio to share the Jim's Cleaning Group's plans for 2026.A must listen for anyone thinking about joining Jim's.

Haydar's back for 2026 with a whole bunch of updates about the Jim's Cleaning Group. To learn more about joining us, visit www.jims.net

Meet Justin from Jim's Pool Care who shares his experiences about running an independant business before joining Jim's and which is better.

Meet Angel and Norman, who share how they have scaled their business using a VA system which is available to franchisees to use.