Happinest Brands with Eric Martin

Happinest Brands has created a multi-brand platform with a focus on service concepts. Leveraging a strong leadership team, centralized systems, and over 55 years of franchising experience, they have a proven track record for lifting, growing, and developing franchises across the US and Canada. Happinest has a focus on mobile, low infrastructure, recurring revenue, high retention rate/membership-based models. Their brands are simple, straightforward, and scalable, focused on developing relationships with consumers who outsource home services. Happinest is building a portfolio of brands that cater to homeowners who don’t have the time or interest to do complete needed tasks around the home. They utilize centralized corporate marketing programs to drive interest and leads for franchise owners, along with a centralized in-house sales and conversion center to provide customers sales support for franchisees. There is a massive opportunity to capitalize on the home services market that is made up of mostly moms and pops, many of which struggle to provide on demand response, and service fulfillment, coupled with an excellent customer service experience.

Eric Martin oversees the franchise development efforts for multi-brand home services franchisor Happinest Brands. He and his team are responsible for helping prospective franchise candidates determine if franchise ownership is the right path for them. The Happinest Brands development team, with its nearly 100 years of collective franchise sales experience, has helped Happinest and its franchises grow to over 850 nationwide franchise locations.

Key Takeaways:

[2:10] - Happinest all started with Lawn Doctor and now with multiple brands is pushing 1000 locations.

[3:41] - Although covering several brands, Happinest provides a lot of centralized systems for franchisees.

[4:42] - Eric shares his background in franchising.

[6:37] - The main reason people decide to step into franchising is because they are dissatisfied or unfulfilled in their current career.

[8:22] - The home services industry is valued at over $600 billion dollars. There are a lot of opportunities to create wealth.

[11:40] - When thinking about a franchise, most people think of the food service industry first. Many don’t think about home services as an opportunity.

[12:38] - At this time, franchise owners do not own multiple locations within Happinest.

[16:56] - Eric explains the difference between a franchisee and an entrepreneur.

[18:56] - The first couple of years for a franchisee are the most important for them to get things off the ground with the support of a franchisor.

[20:48] - The service space gives franchisees an advantage.

[22:14] - Costs are driven down with centralized systems.

[24:28] - The initial investment for Happinest brands is low compared to other franchise brands.

[28:07] - Eric lists some of the ways people have created quick capital to start a franchise.

[30:34] - Undercapitalization is a challenge and Happinest Brands works hard on eliminating the problem up front.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Happinest on LinkedIn

Happinest Home Page

Lawn Doctor Franchise Site

Mosquito Hunters Franchise Site

Ecomaids Franchise Site

Elite Window Cleaning Franchise Site