Shack Shine Blog

Category Archive: Tips

1. Orange County’s Franchise Partner On Why He’s So Excited To Build His Business

   September 18, 2019 4:44 pm Leave a Comment

   

   Meet BJ Purvis. A former sales and marketing guy, he dreamed of owning his own business – and when he found Shack Shine, he found the perfect fit. He loved the branding, the start-up culture, the support from existing Franchise Partners, and the reassurance of proven systems. Fuelled by a desire to show his children that ‘anything is possible’, he’s 100% committed to making the houses of Orange County a little shinier! (They have a lot of windows). 

   Hi, BJ – welcome to Shack Shine! What made you want to become a business owner?

   I wanted to own my own destiny! I always knew I wanted to own my own business, but, and I know it sounds like a cliché, I didn’t want to be in business by myself – so I loved the franchise route. I looked at a whole lot of different franchise options, but Shack Shine was the one that stuck out. 

   Why was that? Why Shack Shine? 

   Originally I called about 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, and they told me that they have 3 other brands too. So I explored them, and I felt that Shack Shine was the place to be. I called around and was like, “man, there’s not one dominant market leader” – that was a big moment for me. The culture was huge in comparison to other franchises I looked at, too. It was almost like when you hear about Apple, and the Kodak days, y’know? I felt like all the other brands were going to get left behind. Shack Shine and O2E Brands, feels like the Apple of franchising – innovative, cutting-edge, with a brand culture that’s on the move and continuing to grow, not just resting on past success. It felt like the right fit, especially for Orange County. Shack Shine even sounds like a California brand! 

   And how has the process been, from that first call to opening your franchise?

   It’s been great. It’s super thorough – step by step by step – but as a first time business owner I really like that, because it takes all the guesswork out of it. They get right down to the nitty gritty – how you set up, costs of goods… every little detail is measured out. The training has been awesome too. We’ve actually done live jobs which has been really helpful, and speaking to other Franchise Partners in the system has been so cool, they’re so supportive. Even after we spoke ‘officially’, they were texting me that weekend like, “hey, if you need any more advice or have any questions, feel free to text me”, and I found that spoke a lot to the culture in general. It wasn’t like “oh, we’ll speak to you this one time and that’s it”, it was more like they were going through the process with you. 

   What was your background prior to becoming a Shack Shine business owner? 

   Pretty much sales and marketing, I’ve done a lot of that. I think my sales background will help with getting out there and building my business. As Mark Cuban always says, ‘sales cures all’ – so in the back of my mind I know that if I can get the sales, everything else will fall into place.  I think my marketing background is also why I was so drawn to Shack Shine initially – they clearly had such a good brand. I’m excited to move on to a new chapter, and build something of my own! 

   On that note, what are you looking forward to most?

   Again, probably just owning my own destiny. If you’re working a job you’re limited in how far you can go – owning your own thing in something that’s completely different. Shack Shine has this start-up culture, as I said, and it’s so exciting to think about how far this thing can go as a whole, and on a personal level how far I can take it. I would love to be around Orange County a few years from now and see trucks flying up and down the road, on the Pacific Coast Highway, as a standard part of the landscape. Like, “oh, there’s another Shack Shine truck!” That would be amazing. 

   What would you say to someone who was considering buying a Shack Shine franchise?

   I would say, do it! For sure. Their systems are hands down better than everybody else, especially for first time owners. They’ve had proven success, too, with 1-800-GOT-JUNK?. I’m not sure who said it, but I like the phrase: “somebody can’t take you where they haven’t been”, and there’s a lot of franchise systems out there who haven’t been to the top level like O2E Brands have. When you’ve got someone who has already done it, you know that they can do it again with Shack Shine, so I’m excited about that. 

   How are you involved in your community? 

   I’m involved in my church pretty big – I coach life group leaders. I like helping the elderly too – I’ve volunteered with orgs that pair you up with older citizens to just chat with them and play games and give back that way. I’ve also done some beach clean ups, because I’m such a beach guy. I’m a huge surfer so any time I get to do that, I’m in the water. 

   What are your main motivators in life and in business?

   To show my kids that anything is possible, and that if there’s a dream they have to go after it – don’t be afraid, put one foot in front of the other and keep going. I want to show them what I can do, and I want to look back one day and see that I’ve created this thing that I, and they, can be proud of. 

   Finally, tell us about your territory, Orange County – what makes it unique?

   Well, we have a LOT of windows [laughs]. I think it’s the best place to live in America, personally. There’s so much to do, with surfing, snowboarding, vineyards… you can go to the mountains and the beach in the same day – it’s incredible. A huge thing for Orange County is also the pride of home ownership. People are really excited to live here, so they are really meticulous about their houses. Also there’s the time thing – there’s a lot of people that are successful, and they’re working hard all day and all night – so I think that Shack Shine will be a big hit. We can step in and free up their time, and help make their houses a little shinier! And yes, I watched the show – don’t tell anybody. 

   Interested in learning more about owning a Shack Shine Franchise? You can do that right here.

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2. An Insider’s Guide to Buying a Home Services Franchise

   August 16, 2019 1:24 pm Leave a Comment

   

   So you’re ready to take control of your future by investing in a franchise. It probably feels equal parts exciting and daunting, but you’ve done some research, and know that buying a franchise gives you the best of both worlds: the freedom to be your own boss, with the back-end systems and support of a trusted brand to set you up for success.

   Now what? Buying a franchise can seem like a complex process, but knowledge is power, and preparation is key.

   Why Choose a Home Services Franchise?

   The exterior cleaning industry is valued at $10 billion dollars annually, with 5% year-over-year growth for the past five years – so there’s that. There’s also the strong profit margins, high-demand and recurring revenue model that make home services such a valuable option.

   Shack Shine has taken this a step further, by uniting several fragmented industries with no clear market leader under a one-stop shop: ‘house detailing’. The services aren’t new, but the way we’re innovating a space that’s been around for forever – that is. 

   Being in the house detailing business means you’ll have multiple revenue streams ensuring jobs on your schedule all year round, from window washing in the spring and roof cleaning in the summer, to gutter cleaning in the fall and installing Christmas lights in the winter.

   The best part? All of these revenue streams repeat season after season and year after year, so that you can build a loyal, long-term customer base, and predictable, recurring revenue.

   You also have the unique opportunity to up-sell: a gutter cleaning appointment could be expanded to include power-washing a deck, for example. Or perhaps your team will convert someone into a future Christmas lights customer – the possibilities are endless.

   And for someone like you, who’s hungry to break free from the 9-5 and get started, choosing a franchise business means that a lot of the legwork has been done for you, so that you can be operational and booking jobs within a couple of months.

   

   So… what next?

   The first step is getting in contact with your chosen brand – Shack Shine or otherwise, for information on what types of opportunities are available in your market. Our Franchise Development Managers do this with a simple phone call.

   Next is a deeper conversation around your background and experience, to determine if you’re the right fit for the brand, and if the brand is the right fit for you.

   The third step is more of a stage – the due diligence stage. This will help you understand the market conditions in the territory you’re interested in and what success could look like for you. Shack Shine follows up with a financial forecast tool and arranges calls with existing franchise partners, so that you can ask about their experiences.

   The fourth and final step is when you’re awarded your franchise, can sign your legal documents, pay your initial franchise fees, and begin your new life as a business owner!

   Owning a franchise means that you are part of something bigger and that you’re set up for success, but it still takes hard work, grit, and good leadership skills to get your business off the ground. It won’t be easy and it won’t be luck – but it’ll be yours to build, yours to own, and yours to make a success.

   If you’re interested in learning more about Shack Shine, reach out and contact us today – we’re here to help.

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3. A Guide to Gutter Maintenance

   March 30, 2017 9:14 pm Leave a Comment

   Spring is officially here! Even if it’s not quite warm enough to shrug off the coats and sweaters just yet, it is a good time to start thinking about spring home maintenance.

   That probably has you thinking about cleaning your windows, and power washing your deck to get it ready for summer. While those are important things to take care of in spring, there’s also another bit of maintenance that often gets overlooked in spring: gutter cleaning.

   

   If you thought you only had to worry about gutter cleaning in the late fall, you’re not alone. It’s a common misconception. Exactly how often you need them cleaned varies a great deal based on where you live. If you happen to live in an area with lots of evergreen trees, you’ll probably need to get them done 2 or 3 times a year, since these trees continue to drop leaves and needles all year round. Weather can play a big factor too; a particularly fierce spring storm can easily fill your gutters with leaves and debris, leaving you with an overflow situation.

   

   Aside from trees, nature has a few other ways to clog up your gutters. Animals can cause gutter debris too. The most common culprits are birds, who often drop things mid-flight, which often land in gutters. It’s not all that strange to find things like bones, rocks, nesting materials, and even small toys in gutters, thanks to the work of local birds.

   If you leave your gutters cluttered with all that debris, you run the risk of rodents making a comfy home in there too. Mice, rats, and other rodents have been known to bunk down in gutters, which can cause a whole bunch of problems. That alone is a great reason to keep your gutters clear all year round!

   

   To help give you an idea of just how often you should be thinking about gutter maintenance, we’ve come up with a suggested yearly schedule:

   Late fall: A proper cleaning after most of the leaves have fallen helps to keep things clear for winter rain and snow storms.

   Winter: (optional): A touch up in late December in November might be necessary if your area has seen any harsh storms.

   Spring: Another cleaning in March or April helps keep things clear for all those April showers.

   If you keep up with regular maintenance, you’ll likely never run into problems with overflowing gutters, and they’ll last you a lot longer.

4. Why You Should Get Your Windows Professionally Cleaned

   January 10, 2017 8:23 pm Leave a Comment

   It’s pretty obvious when your kitchen floor needs a good mopping or your bathroom needs a good scrub. But there are certain things we just don’t tend to clean all that often, like our windows. When you’ve got the blinds closed on chilly winter days, you likely don’t notice that your windows are getting dirty. Aside from aesthetics, there are several reasons why it’s important to make sure you clean the inside of your windows. And when we say clean, we mean having them professionally cleaned—they require more than just the occasional quick wipe with a cloth and some all-purpose cleaning spray.

   Let the sunshine in

   We all know that sunshine has a big effect on how we feel. That’s the whole reason behind the “winter blues.” When the inside of your windows is covered in smudges and dirt, you’re making it harder for the light to make its way inside. What you might not realize is that this can also have an impact on your heating bill. Dirt and smudges on the windows can also make them less efficient at conducting heat. Sunlight reflects off of the smudges and is unable to heat the inside of your house in winter.

   

   Lack of direct sunlight can also make it easier for all sorts of yucky substances to flourish around your windows. If the light can’t get in, you’ll soon find bugs, insects, condensation, and mildew accumulating in the window sills. This stuff can be quite difficult to clean, so it’s best to stop it before it even starts.

   Live long and prosper

   As you probably know, windows aren’t exactly cheap. So of course, you want to do everything possible to ensure they last as long as possible. Yep, you guessed it—that includes regular cleaning. Glass is porous, which means that over time, any dirt that accumulates will start to break down the surface. This problem gets worse in the winter but can happen any time of year. The most common substances that cause problems are hard minerals, oxidation, acid rain, sea spray, over spray from paint, etc. If you don’t clean these substances off the windows, it’s likely that you’ll need to replace your windows more often.

   

   So now that you know why it’s so important to have your windows professionally cleaned, you’re probably wondering how often you should have it done. We recommend doing it at least once a year, but twice a year is ideal.