A Job Well Done

MYGuy has massive demand for property maintenance and handyman services

Dave Bland had been working for Leon Allen at property maintenance company MYGuy for 10 months when they sat down for a coffee. ‘Leon asked me if I’d like to become dave bland their first franchisee,’ Dave remembers. ‘I immediately said “No” and then wondered why. I knew Leon was honest with what he says and does, so when I got home I told my partner Danielle and she said, “You’re an idiot!”

‘I realised I could work the rest of my life for wages and come out with nothing, or earn a good living and have an asset to sell at the end. So I changed my mind and, three months in, it’s going really well. I have more work than I can handle, I’m desperate to find my first staff member, and I’m looking forward to building a team of 2-3 people so I can spend more time on project management.

‘I’d been a carpenter since 1985, but I’m too old now to lift frames and build houses so this is a much better way to use my experience. I’ve done everything from changing a lightbulb to renovating a Ponsonby apartment, doing a lot of the work myself and bringing in plumbers, electricians or other specialists as required. The MYGuy franchise is brilliant, so organised, with everything in place including platforms for invoicing and pricing. Danielle came and learned them with me and once you’re trained, it’s a breeze.’

Dave Bland: 'A better way to use my experience'

Nuts and bolts

It’s no surprise that MYGuy is so well-planned. Leon Allen used to work in IT as an infrastructure architect, and has spent 20 years developing properties on the side. In 2016, he quit IT to work alongside builders for two years with the vision of creating MYGuy.

‘I launched MYGuy as a one-man business in 2019. The man was me, so I could learn the nuts and bolts of the operation from the ground up,’ Leon explains. ‘I always planned to franchise, so right from the start I was creating systems that would make things easier to manage. Just as well, because things went crazy. In the first year I took on three people, and there’s now a team of nine.

‘The brand and the marketing are bringing in so much work from Auckland alone that we are having to turn down half of it. I had my fortnightly catch-up with Dave yesterday, and his only complaint is that he’s got too much work! So now we’re looking for franchisees, initially in Auckland and then all over the country, to help meet the demand for MYGuy.’

Off the tools and into management

MYGuy will appeal to people like Dave, experienced tradies looking to get off the tools, or anyone with practical experience looking to build a business of their own with the systems they need. ‘They need to be dedicated, hardworking, and excel at customer service,’ says Leon. ‘If they want a manand-a-van business, we can help them be very successful, and if they have a vision of leading their own team of staff and contractors, MYGuy has the formula for that, too.’

The investment starts from $42,000 +gst for a standard area, plus a signwritten van (which can be financed) and tools (which many franchisees will have already).

‘We provide thorough training in the business and sales management systems, plus paid time on the road to get you used to the MYGuy approach,’ says Leon. ‘Our aim is to excel at customer service, to be fresh and reliable and thoughtful, and we encourage customers to post on-line reviews – that’s really important for building the brand. We establish a marketing plan for the first 12 weeks, and then there’s constant contact as you start to build your own business. I am dedicated to helping franchisees do as well as they possibly can.’leon allen

Believe me, this is better

Dave Bland says, ‘Leon and the team have been really good at helping me get into this, with systems for everything from whoa to go. I’ve had a business before and, believe me, this is better!’

What advice does Dave have for anyone looking at the franchise? ‘Investigate it thoroughly to make sure it’s the one for you, and take good advice. I had a bad experience with my own lawyer, who said, “Do not under any circumstances buy a franchise,” but he didn’t know anything about franchising. I looked at a list of specialists and talked to Khushbu Sundarji, who gave me great advice and helped me understand the whole franchise package much better.

‘One of the advantages of the MYGuy franchise is that you’re not restricted to a territory, which allows you to do jobs for friends or family, or to benefit from referrals – it’s your choice whether you pass the work on to someone else. And the ability to employ staff and contractors means you have plenty of opportunity to grow.

‘If you’re interested and you have the skills, call Leon and get to know him. He’s a good guy and MYGuy’s good, too.’

Advertiser Info

MYGuy

www.myguy.co.nz

Contact Leon Allen

M 027 505 8236 P 0800 469 489

LeonA@myguy.co.nz

Leon Allen, MYGuy franchisor