Welcome to Franchise Envy, the series where I talk to happy, successful franchise owners living their dream life. In this episode, meet Matthew Sarkela — US Marine Corps rifle instructor turned top-performing Mr. Appliance owner, and now the proud owner of three Dryer Vent Wizard territories. We talk about: ✅ Why Dryer Vent Wizard is recession-proof & always needed ✅ How every 36 minutes a dryer fire happens (and how to prevent it) ✅ The “Messy Middle” of growing a business and how to survive it ✅ Scaling from 1 van to 5 and hitting $300K+ per van ✅ Finding your General Manager & creating the dream owner lifestyle ✅ Are entrepreneurs born or made?
Welcome to Franchise Envy, the series where I talk to happy, successful franchise owners living their dream life. In this episode, meet Matthew Sarkela — US Marine Corps rifle instructor turned top-performing Mr. Appliance owner, and now the proud owner of three Dryer Vent Wizard territories.
We talk about:
✅ Why Dryer Vent Wizard is recession-proof & always needed
✅ How every 36 minutes a dryer fire happens (and how to prevent it)
✅ The “Messy Middle” of growing a business and how to survive it
✅ Scaling from 1 van to 5 and hitting $300K+ per van
✅ Finding your General Manager & creating the dream owner lifestyle
✅ Are entrepreneurs born or made?
If you’re considering buying a franchise or wondering how to go from a job you hate to a life you love, this episode is packed with insights, numbers, and lessons you can use right now.
⏱ Timestamps:
00:00 – Welcome to Franchise Envy & guest intro
01:15 – Matthew’s childhood hustle: selling his dad’s tools for a bike
02:40 – Why recession-proof & “needed” businesses win
03:25 – Every 36 minutes there’s a dryer fire – the Dryer Vent Wizard mission
05:10 – How dirty vents waste energy & risk your home
06:30 – Matthew’s path from Marine to Mr. Appliance top owner
09:15 – Vet Fran discount & joining the Neighborly family
11:05 – Selling Mr. Appliance & searching for the next business
12:40 – Why Dryer Vent Wizard checked every box
14:00 – Buying & expanding from 1 to 3 territories
15:30 – Scaling to 5 vans & $300K+ per van revenue
17:00 – Owner income potential & 20% profit margins
18:40 – The “Messy Middle” of business growth
21:10 – What a good employee really looks like
23:20 – Life after the messy middle – the “Fortunate Future”
24:45 – Finding & training a General Manager
26:40 – Are entrepreneurs born or made?
29:00 – Final advice & how to connect with Lance
💡 Thinking about franchising? Drop your questions in the comments!
Discover the true stories of the hustle, heart, and innovation fueling franchises across the globe : https://www.youtube.com/@FranchiseRoadTrip