Why the Owner of Monster Tree Decided to Sell Franchises

This is the follow-up to the article to the one that was published last week featured on The New York Time’s “You’re the Boss” blog. 

The blog post is about Josh deciding to franchise and where the current locations are. Josh elaborates that he felt franchising would help him grow at a faster pace with higher revenues. He elaborates that franchising is like a partnership to help the business grow. Josh also discusses employees and systems differences within franchise systems. He mentions that Monster is set up as an executive model and that all locations are on track to make $1 million in annual sales for their first year. Josh positions Monster as the national provider of tree service. Click here to read full article or begin below. 

"Why the Owner of Monster Tree Decided to Sell Franchises"

By JOHN GROSSMAN

Last week, we published a case study about the founder of a suburban Philadelphia tree-trimming and -removal business. Having built his five-year-old company, Monster Tree Service, to 15 employees and more than $2 million in annual revenue, Josh Skolnick, 29, debated how best to expand: With corporate-owned locations or with franchises?

The experts we assembled and most readers offered pretty much the same advice — that he forgo or postpone franchising at least until he opens a second  company-owned location. In a conversation that has been condensed and edited, Mr. Skolnick explains why he decided to franchise Monster Tree Service, which is based in Fort Washington, Pa., and how that decision is working out. The first franchise opened in May, near Salt Lake City. Eight more have opened since then, all in Pennsylvania.

Click to read full article. 

A Fast-Growing Tree Service Considers Selling Franchises

Check out our article featured in The New York Times.  Click here to go straight to article or preview below. 

"A Fast-Growing Tree Service Considers Selling Franchises"
By: JOHN GROSSMANN

Monster Tree Service is a five-year-old tree pruning and removal business based in Fort Washington, Pa., north of Philadelphia. It is owned by Josh Skolnick, 29, an entrepreneur since boyhood, whose outdoor businesses have evolved from lawn mowing to mulching to his current company, which has 15 employees and annual revenue of more than $2 million. Mr. Skolnick, who manages the business, takes pride in the fact that he has “never pulled the cord on a chain saw.”

THE CHALLENGE Having established himself in a profitable niche, Mr. Skolnick wants to add more locations, but he is not sure whether he wants to own the locations or franchise them.

THE BACKGROUND Like many boys growing up in the suburbs, Mr. Skolnick mowed lawns in the neighborhood. At first he did it to earn spending money, but by the time he graduated from high school, he had three employees and 110 clients. He bought his first house (for $167,000) when he was 18. His friends had headed off to college, and Mr. Skolnick realized, “I didn’t want to be cutting grass for the rest of my life.” He took landscaping courses at a vocational school and started offering additional services, like putting in patios, walkways and ponds with waterfalls. He acquired other landscaping businesses, paying much of the purchase price out of future earnings, and folded them into Josh Skolnick Landscaping.

Click here to read entire article.

Choosing The Right Tree For You

Thanks to the folks at The DIY Network we can provide you with some great tips as to how to choose the right tree for you and the proper way to care for a it. Since picking the right tree can take time and money we want you to be able to do it right!  Click here to read the article or begin below.

"How to Care for a New Tree"
By DIY Network

Learn the mature size of the tree before you get started planting. It's one of the most common mistakes gardeners make, and the result is a tree that runs into power lines or that grows too big for its space and needs to be pruned every year. Too much pruning leads to stubs and stubs lead to rot and the rot leads to the death of some vertical limbs. Make sure you know the conditions your tree needs to grow so it can thrive. For example, a tree that needs a lot of moisture will not do well in a dry climate. Determine what you want the tree to do for your landscape. Different trees offer different things from the wow factor of cool bark to the shade from a standard maple. Choose between deciduous and evergreen. This is especially important if you are planting for privacy. You don't want to be surprised when your tree selection turns barren each winter. Different is good! Don't plant the same tree that everybody else in the neighborhood has. Not only is planting the same tree boring but it can also lead to trouble. For example, Dutch Elm Disease has wiped out trees in neighborhood after neighborhood over the last 50 years. When one tree gets sick they all get sick.

Click here to read the entire article...