Welcome to Eye On Franchising, where we delve into the captivating world of franchising and uncover the boundless opportunities it holds for aspiring entrepreneurs. In this episode, we have the privilege of introducing you to Adam Long, the remarkable president of Home Team Inspection Service, a groundbreaking home inspection franchise. Prepare to be astounded as we unveil the key differentiators of Home Team Inspection Service. Imagine a home inspection process that is not only swift but also incredibly comprehensive. With multiple inspectors working in tandem, Home Team Inspection Service revolutionizes the industry by providing a quicker and more thorough assessment of properties, ensuring peace of mind for both residential and commercial clients. But that's not all! Join us as Adam Long takes us on his extraordinary journey from a technology background to becoming a trailblazer in the franchising realm. Discover the sheer joy he finds in the constant innovation and improvement that comes with introducing fresh perspectives into the franchise system. Uncover the truth about franchising's affordability, as Long debunks the misconception that it requires a hefty investment. With Home Team Inspection Service, you can embark on your entrepreneurial journey with a reasonable franchise fee starting at just $45,000. This exceptional opportunity allows you to run your franchise from the comfort of your own home, without the need for a separate business address. And let's not forget about the incredible earning potential. Home inspections are a cash-based business with remarkable profit margins, enabling you to achieve a six-figure income. Witness the life-changing stories of franchisees who have thrived with Home Team Inspection Service, building successful businesses and enjoying the fulfillment of watching others grow and succeed. But that's not all we have in store for you. Discover the significance of owning a franchise business with a protected territory, as it paves the way for exponential growth and the potential to build multiple teams within your business. Imagine the freedom to step away from day-to-day operations and focus on scaling your empire. We'll also guide you through the process of becoming a franchisee with Home Team Inspection Service, from initial discussions to a comprehensive Discovery Day experience. Immerse yourself in the extensive training provided by Home Team, combining in-person and online sessions, as well as hands-on experience with existing franchise locations. Unearth the power of real estate agents as a primary source of referrals for Home Team franchisees. Learn how their recommendation is driven by expertise and knowledge, and how you can leverage online reviews and digital marketing to attract clients and showcase exceptional service. Technology and marketing are the lifeblood of franchising, and we'll reveal how Home Team Inspection Service has harnessed these tools to give their franchises a competitive edge. You don't need a background in construction or real estate to succeed; all you need is an eagerness to learn and a passion for homes and real estate. Join us as we emphasize the importance of building relationships and rapport in the home inspection business. Discover how your personality and communication skills can be the key to success, allowing you to thrive in this adaptable industry. And finally, we'll unravel the importance of the franchise disclosure document (FDD) and the valuable insights it provides through earnings claims from existing franchise owners. Experience the power of validation and feedback as you make informed decisions on your journey to franchise success. So, buckle up and get ready to explore the limitless world of franchising with Eye On Franchising. Like, follow, and subscribe to our content to stay up to date with the latest insights and opportunities. Don't miss this chance to embark on a transformative business venture with Home Team Inspection Service. - Introduction to Home Team Inspection Service - Team concept for quicker and more efficient inspections - Adam Long's background in franchising - Benefits of franchising and low investment required - Home inspection franchise advantages and potential income - Building a sizable franchise territory and sellable asset - Process of becoming a Home Team franchisee - Comprehensive training and ongoing support provided - Importance of real estate agent referrals and digital marketing - Technology and marketing in the franchising industry - Building relationships and rapport in the home inspection business - Success not determined by specific background or experience - Importance of franchise disclosure document and validation - Sustainable growth and continuous improvement for franchisees - Franchising as a valuable opportunity for entrepreneurs - Conclusion and call to action --- Have you heard the news? We are officially on YouTube. Come check out a few videos have have and give me a follow! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwoAdrkPZmveJt5AQRDk8WA --- Lance Graulich Franchise Consulting Services from ION Franchising Eye On Franchising
Welcome to Eye On Franchising, where we delve into the captivating world of franchising and uncover the boundless opportunities it holds for aspiring entrepreneurs. In this episode, we have the privilege of introducing you to Adam Long, the remarkable president of Home Team Inspection Service, a groundbreaking home inspection franchise.
Prepare to be astounded as we unveil the key differentiators of Home Team Inspection Service. Imagine a home inspection process that is not only swift but also incredibly comprehensive. With multiple inspectors working in tandem, Home Team Inspection Service revolutionizes the industry by providing a quicker and more thorough assessment of properties, ensuring peace of mind for both residential and commercial clients.
But that's not all! Join us as Adam Long takes us on his extraordinary journey from a technology background to becoming a trailblazer in the franchising realm. Discover the sheer joy he finds in the constant innovation and improvement that comes with introducing fresh perspectives into the franchise system.
Uncover the truth about franchising's affordability, as Long debunks the misconception that it requires a hefty investment. With Home Team Inspection Service, you can embark on your entrepreneurial journey with a reasonable franchise fee starting at just $45,000. This exceptional opportunity allows you to run your franchise from the comfort of your own home, without the need for a separate business address.
And let's not forget about the incredible earning potential. Home inspections are a cash-based business with remarkable profit margins, enabling you to achieve a six-figure income. Witness the life-changing stories of franchisees who have thrived with Home Team Inspection Service, building successful businesses and enjoying the fulfillment of watching others grow and succeed.
But that's not all we have in store for you. Discover the significance of owning a franchise business with a protected territory, as it paves the way for exponential growth and the potential to build multiple teams within your business. Imagine the freedom to step away from day-to-day operations and focus on scaling your empire.
We'll also guide you through the process of becoming a franchisee with Home Team Inspection Service, from initial discussions to a comprehensive Discovery Day experience. Immerse yourself in the extensive training provided by Home Team, combining in-person and online sessions, as well as hands-on experience with existing franchise locations.
Unearth the power of real estate agents as a primary source of referrals for Home Team franchisees. Learn how their recommendation is driven by expertise and knowledge, and how you can leverage online reviews and digital marketing to attract clients and showcase exceptional service.
Technology and marketing are the lifeblood of franchising, and we'll reveal how Home Team Inspection Service has harnessed these tools to give their franchises a competitive edge. You don't need a background in construction or real estate to succeed; all you need is an eagerness to learn and a passion for homes and real estate.
Join us as we emphasize the importance of building relationships and rapport in the home inspection business. Discover how your personality and communication skills can be the key to success, allowing you to thrive in this adaptable industry.
And finally, we'll unravel the importance of the franchise disclosure document (FDD) and the valuable insights it provides through earnings claims from existing franchise owners. Experience the power of validation and feedback as you make informed decisions on your journey to franchise success.
So, buckle up and get ready to explore the limitless world of franchising with Eye On Franchising. Like, follow, and subscribe to our content to stay up to date with the latest insights and opportunities. Don't miss this chance to embark on a transformative business venture with Home Team Inspection Service.
- Introduction to Home Team Inspection Service
- Team concept for quicker and more efficient inspections
- Adam Long's background in franchising
- Benefits of franchising and low investment required
- Home inspection franchise advantages and potential income
- Building a sizable franchise territory and sellable asset
- Process of becoming a Home Team franchisee
- Comprehensive training and ongoing support provided
- Importance of real estate agent referrals and digital marketing
- Technology and marketing in the franchising industry
- Building relationships and rapport in the home inspection business
- Success not determined by specific background or experience
- Importance of franchise disclosure document and validation
- Sustainable growth and continuous improvement for franchisees
- Franchising as a valuable opportunity for entrepreneurs
- Conclusion and call to action
---
Have you heard the news? We are officially on YouTube. Come check out a few videos have have and give me a follow!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwoAdrkPZmveJt5AQRDk8WA
---
Franchise Consulting Services from ION Franchising
Lance Graulich 00:00:02 Welcome to Ion Franchising. Are you looking for business opportunities? Well, you are in the right place. We represent over 650 franchises and business opportunities. We will help you find your perfect franchise for free. We even have a free assessment on our website that will help us determine what the best businesses for you based on your investment level mindset, skill set, and life experiences. This is Ion Franchising, where we share our vision for your franchise future. I'm your host, Lance Graulich. Each week we will speak to fascinating folks from the world of franchising, franchisors and founders, franchise funders, and franchisees. Are you looking to find your perfect franchise? Or perhaps you are an independent business owner looking to grow and scale your business by setting up a franchise? Either way, our team can help you, Ion Franchising, where you will learn the A to Z's of franchise. Hello everyone, and welcome back to another fabulous episode of Ion Franchising. I think you know me, Lance Grallick, your host. And, uh, today we're talking to a brand that has hit over 200 locations. 30 years in business. Over 30 years in business. And this gentleman is the president and has been the president of this awesome franchise brand for over six years. Spent a lot longer than that in the world of franchising. We're going to hear all about it today. Welcome to the show, my friend, Adam Long. welcome, Adam.
Adam Long 00:01:40 Thank you, Lance. So glad to be here today.
Lance Graulich 00:01:42 Awesome. Well, thank you for being here. And your brand is home Team. You are the home team captain, as I call you.
Adam Long 00:01:50 That is a good analogy.
Lance Graulich 00:01:52 So, let's start with what is Home Team? And then we're going to go deep and figure out how you got into franchising and what you want to be when you grew up. But what is Home Team Inspection Service all about?
Adam Long 00:02:06 No. Great question. So Home Team at the top level is a home inspection franchise, or so we're involved in the real estate, uh, transaction inspections, both on the residential and the commercial side. And, uh, our claim to fame is that we bring, uh, two or more inspectors to the inspection. So a lot of people do home inspections, but we do them more quickly and we do them more professionally by bringing two inspectors rather than one. Hence the name. Home Team Inspection Service.
Lance Graulich 00:02:33 I love it. I do recall my last home inspection seemed rather long. He definitely didn't capture everything that he should have. I found out later. Although he did come recommended and he did come all by himself.
Adam Long 00:02:49 Yes. And, uh, that is very normal. And so, uh, when we were founded 30 years ago, uh, there was a lot of research done in the real estate industry. And one of the biggest things that real estate agents and consumers both stated was that home inspections take a very long time, three, four plus hours. And also booking the inspection was sometimes complicated because home inspectors were booked out for 5710 days. And so the team concept was born. Um, that allowed not only a quicker inspection, because if two people can do the inspection in 4 hours, then I'm sorry, one person can do it in 4 hours, two people can do it in 2 hours, but also allows us to book the inspection more quickly. So instead of being booked out a week, we're usually booked out 40 hours, 8 hours or less, uh, because we have the multiple teams of inspectors.
Lance Graulich 00:03:35 Love it. And this is a really low cost investment. I'm so excited to speak to you all about that. But let's go back to I always am fascinated. What did all of these wonderful franchise people that I get to speak to on my podcast, what did they do before they fell into Franchising? And when they were growing up? What did they want to be when they grew up? And how did you end up in Franchising?
Adam Long 00:03:59 So, great question. Like, uh, almost everyone in Franchising, I didn't grow up thinking I want to be a franchise or president, uh, because like most people, I didn't even know what that was. And so at a young age, though, I was very enamored, uh, with technology. I liked taking computers apart, I liked knowing how things work. And so, when I went to college, I decided, uh, to go down the path of computer science. And so, um, after college, uh, with technology background, I was actually hired by a large regional bank, worked, uh, with it for a number of years, and then had an opportunity to work for a franchise.org. And so that franchise or was looking for somebody to head up their technology back in the early two thousand s. And technology, uh, was still, uh, maybe not as in tune with Franchising as it could have been. And so I took that opportunity, um, in the technology world. And then, of course, fast forward, uh, 20 years, uh, moved through the ranks, learned, uh, about, uh, not only the technology of Franchising, but marketing, digital marketing, all the things that happened over the years. Uh, got my certified franchise executive designation, got my MBA, and wound up being president of Home Team Inspection Service, uh, about six years ago. So that's how I got into Franchising. Uh, even though it wasn't my dream as a child, it definitely became a, uh, wonderful opportunity and something that I enjoy every day. Yeah.
Lance Graulich 00:05:21 So tell me what got you enamored with the world of Franchising? So, like you said, you didn't intend to do it in the beginning, but you stuck with it because you saw there was obviously great opportunities. So what did you like most about it? Or what do you like most about the world of franchising?
Adam Long 00:05:39 Well, the two things I liked most about franchising was that I felt that franchising is always improving, always looking for great ideas. I mean, that's the beauty of franchise. Ah, with each franchise that you bring into your system, you bring in new ideas, you bring in new feedback, you bring in new perspectives. And so, unlike a company that just has employees, franchiseors have franchisees that often bring in these wonderful subsets of franchising that become um, part of the franchise system. And that is the other aspect of it is the people in general. I like watching things grow. I like watching individuals come to Discovery Day, learn about Home team, purchase the franchise, open the franchise, and then fast forward three, 5710 years, have a successful business. It's exciting to watch. It's something that you become part of and you feel like you've been uh, a piece of their growth. And so I think that's the, to me, that's the difference or the similarity between technology and the people of franchising in that both ways, they're evolving, they're improving, uh, they're making differences. And uh, that's what's kept me in franchising for 20 years.
Lance Graulich 00:06:43 I love it. I love that response. So let's talk about the investment. It's a very low investment. There's a lot of misconceptions, uh, about franchising that you have to be a millionaire to own a franchise. Clearly that is not the case. We both know that. So what is the investment to get in? And how big are the territories and all that fun stuff?
Adam Long 00:07:05 That's a great question. Uh, yes, there are some franchiseors out there that have uh, very large investments, uh, but Home Team is not one of them. Uh, we have a very, uh, palatable, uh, investment level. Um, with Home Team, our franchise fees start at 45,000 and go to 65,000, depending on the size of the territory that you're purchasing. Uh, of course there's some startup fees, but in home inspections, there's not a lot. So on top of the franchise fee, there's nothing other $10,000 to $20,000 of investment type. And so you can get into our business, um, for anywhere between 60 and $80,000 total investment. And that's really the great thing about not only franchising, but home inspection specifically, is because a home inspection franchise, home team specifically, can be run out of your, uh, home does not require a business address, uh, because home inspections don't require um, things that are used up. You buy your tools one time and uh, you have what you need is that it's a very cash based business. You're paid at the inspection, and uh, the profit margins are very high. And so an owner can get to that level of, uh, running a successful business, even with employees, et cetera, getting to that six figure income that everybody's looking to get to, but also with an investment that becomes something that is sellable in the future as well. And, uh, that's the great thing about Home Team is we're not just looking for people to become home inspectors and be a home inspector. We're looking people to be home inspector business owners that may grow something bigger than themselves. And at the end of their time with Home Team, whether that be ten years, 15 years, 20 years or more, that they have a sellable business as well, um, that they can sell to someone else, uh, to take that business even maybe a next level. And, uh, we've had a lot of that happen over the last 30 years, including franchises that have sold their business for, uh, over a million dollars. Yeah.
Lance Graulich 00:08:51 Well, it's quite impressive that you can invest under $80,000 and exit for over a million dollars. But exit strategy is a huge question that I'm asked as a franchise broker on a regular basis. I don't want to just buy a job. A lot of people talk about buying a job. It's like, well, you don't exactly buy a job when you can actually build equity.
Adam Long 00:09:15 No, that's a great point. And that's something that's really important in the home inspection world, because a lot of people, when they become a home inspector, they're just looking to be a single home inspector. They just want a job. Yes, it's a job that they control, but it really is just a job if you have no employees and you have no extra strategy and no growth plan. So, with home team, the ability to have a company is kind of built in, because you start with a team, so you start with an employee, you have two people right off the bat. So you're already growing that business idea beyond yourself, even on day one, uh, with those two people in your business. But what sets home team, uh, aside from other franchiseors, especially in the home inspection world, is that those prices that I gave you, we have very sizable franchise territories, and they are protected. And that's so a business owner can not just start their business and have growth, but that they have can have exponential growth, and they can grow to multiple teams of inspectors and really run the business, even getting to the point where they're not doing any inspections at all. They're just operating the business with multiple teams. And that's where the exit strategy comes in. If you grow something bigger than yourself, if you grow a business, then it's much easier to sell. It's hard to sell and say, hey, I want you to do exactly what I'm doing, and I'm just going to shift that workload over to you. I mean, that's easier said than done. But when you have a business and you actually have employees working for you, you built something bigger than yourselves and you're operating it, then that is something that's not only sellable, but sellable for a price. That, uh, can be very advantageous in either that next stage of life or in retirement. I had a franchise, um, uh, in, uh, Kansas, uh, um, that told me the analogy of, uh, him buying the home team franchise uh, was his golden ticket. And that always has stood with me. He said, I feel like I got the golden ticket. I had this small investment, um, that I hoped would become something great. And it did. And because of that, I built a successful business. I brought both of my sons into it. I have a sellable asset, and I couldn't ask for more. And so that analogy has always stuck with me. The, um, golden ticket analogy.
Lance Graulich 00:11:13 Well, if you're listening, this could be your golden ticket. Right?
Adam Long 00:11:18 Exactly.
Lance Graulich 00:11:19 I love it. Um, let's talk about the process. So either a broker like myself might bring a candidate to you, or somebody's going to look at one of your ads, go to your website. How does this process start? Obviously, there's a first phone call. I call it the coffee date, and it gets more serious from there. Ah, give us a little layout of your process.
Adam Long 00:11:42 That's a great question. I mean, we are looking for the right fit. Um, careful growth has been one of the mantras of home team. Even though we've grown to 200 plus locations, we're not looking to grow too aggressively. We want to be able to operationally support all the new franchises we bring on. So we're looking for the right people, the right fit. That's why we love working with, uh, coaches and brokers because they often bring us somebody, um, that is knowledgeable about, uh, franchising. They've already spent time trying to decide what is best for them before they say, this is somebody I think might be interested in home team. Or we use websites and other lead generation tools to, again, educate people to the point where they're ready to have that first discussion. And that's what it is. It's a first discussion. It's a, uh, conversation with one of our franchise development individuals saying, this is what home team is all about. Tell me a little bit about you. And let's say if this is a good match for the next steps. If it is a good match, if the background or the desire of what they're looking for matches well with, uh, home team, our methodology, the way we do franchising, um, then we continue that learning process, which, of course, is going to be conversations with our franchise owners. We put a lot of time and effort to that. We want them to talk to as many franchise owners as possible because we want them to get a true understanding straight from the horse's mouth. This is what home team is about. This is the support system. This is how it works. This is what I like about it. This is what I don't like about it. So they can make an educated decision and get to that next step, uh, which would be the discovery Day, really meeting us in person, getting a full understanding of home Team. And then both of us deciding, is this the right person? Them deciding is this the right for me? Does home team match what I'm looking for? And us saying is this person the right match for home team? Is this somebody we want in our franchise system for ten years or more? Um, that's basically the steps that would take, uh, to become a franchise.
Lance Graulich 00:13:33 And, uh, is your Discovery Day face to face these days, or are you still doing some Zoom ones?
Adam Long 00:13:38 We still do some Zoom ones. Uh, we have moved primarily back to face to Face. I mean, we've had some great franchises come from Zoom, uh, Discovery Days. Our rookie of the year. Last year was a Zoom discovery day, so there's nothing wrong with Zoom discovery days. But yes, now that, uh, COVID has finally gotten on the back burner, it's nice to meet people in person. But we learned a lot about Zoom, we learned a lot about digital, and we've changed the way that we interact, the way we do training. All those things have modified into more of a hybrid type, uh, of discovery process. And so to answer your question, it can be either or. As long as we get a good understanding of that individual, um, we're welcome to kind of meet on their terms of what they think is best in the due diligence process. But once they become a franchise, all of our training is going to be done in house. They're going to come to Cincinnati, Ohio, spend a week with us, spend some time with, uh, one of our locations, and really have a great grasp of home team in person before they open their business.
Lance Graulich 00:14:34 Well, I was just going to ask about training, so nice. Segue Adam. So they come to Cincinnati for training for how long?
Adam Long 00:14:41 So they come here for a week. Um, so they do a lot of preliminary training. That's that whole hybrid, uh, beauty. Uh, over the last 30 years, we've done training up to two weeks. Um, but we realized with, uh, online, uh, programs and Zoom that we have been able to condense that down to, uh, one week to come in Sunday night. They stay through Friday, uh, evening, and that allows them to get everything that they need. Um, in addition to that, they also spend three days prior to that training in person with one of our franchise locations, actually going on inspections and actually going and meeting realtors and learning about the sales and marketing. So in reality, it's eight days of in person combined with, um, some online training as well. So they're fully, uh, positioned for successful.
Lance Graulich 00:15:26 And then when they're out of training and they leave Cincinnati and go back to their home market, they have some sort of follow up for the rest of their lives and possibly longer with some sort of coach from home team, right?
Adam Long 00:15:40 Yes, we have business coaches. That's exactly what we call them because that's what they're in charge of doing, coaching the franchise. The beauty about Franchising is you are an independently owned and operated business. You get to make a lot of your own decisions. You get to hire your own employees, do your own thing. But you do it within the world of the successful business model. And so that's what our coaches are there to do. We're there to make sure they understand what works best. And what I tell every franchise, it's not just what works, but it's also telling you what doesn't work that's just as important. We want to tell you the things, the pitfalls, the things that you don't want to do. So you're not wasting your money, wasting your time, et cetera. Going to tell you what to do, but also we're going to tell you what not to do as well.
Lance Graulich 00:16:19 Love it. So now that we're trained, we know what to do, and we're excited to get some customers. How do we find our first customers.
Adam Long 00:16:28 In our particular industry? Um, real estate agents are your primary source of referrals. Yes. A lot of consumers go online, and they look at reviews, and they look at websites, and they look at information, and they may get feedback from friends and family. But at the end of the day, your average consumer only buys a house every five to ten years. And so they're not experts when it comes to home inspections. That's why they hire a real estate agent. That's why the commissions are what they are. This is an expert individual helping you every step of the way. And they're going to recommend one or several home inspection companies that they think are best. They're going to focus on these are the differences, the team, or what they bring, or who they do or what they are. Then we recommend you go online and look at the reviews, get the feedback, et cetera, and then make your decision. And so we put a lot of time into not only working with agents to make sure that we get those referrals, but also making sure that we're doing the best inspection possible. So when that client does get the referral and they go to our website or they go to Yelp or Google or whatever it may be Facebook, they see those exceptional reviews from our clients, and they know this is a good decision because my agent recommended them and because I've seen all these other consumers, um, that have said they've done a great job. Love it.
Lance Graulich 00:17:40 And I'm sure social media, local search engine optimization, all the tips and tricks of any big marketing department.
Adam Long 00:17:49 Exactly. In fact, with my technology background, I was just going to say that. So, again, that's how I got into Franchising do share technology. But as you can imagine, um, back in the, uh, early 2000s, when I started, that's when digital marketing was really coming all about social media, um, digital ads, uh, the web, all those different things were really blossoming. And so quickly. I went from managing technology to also managing the digital side of marketing as well. And Home Team, um, was uh, very opportunistic in that we were able, uh, to get into the digital realm really quickly. We created what's called a digital marketing package for our franchises. We knew it was complicated and we knew the average franchise did not understand SEO and listings and reputation and all those different things. So what we did is we went out and we found all the best companies that offered these services and we combined them into one group called the Digital Marketing package. We had our franchises pay a fee to Home Team, and then we would take that fee as a pass through and pay these companies and basically they would get a discount from a corporate standpoint and it gave them all the tools they needed, but without finding one company. At the time when we started, I think we had five digital marketing companies to work with. We've now narrowed it down to three, because so many companies do the same things, but we still use that digital marketing package and it still gives our franchises an advantage, uh, and an edge in a world that is extremely complex and often changing. So they're constantly in front of the right people, the right agents and the right consumers when they're looking to, uh, sell their wares and make sure that people realize that Home team is the best choice for home inspections.
Lance Graulich 00:19:28 I love it. I knew you'd have a great answer on technology and marketing. No surprise. Appreciate that you got it when it comes to who you are looking for. I have a lot of people that come to me and they don't know what is right for them and obviously that's what my job is. And sometimes they're even shocked at some of the things I recommend to them. But I warn them, as we both know, all over the internet, these boring, unsexy businesses are talked about. It's not just a restaurant today that is the most difficult to run. So for most people, that is. So if you're thinking of the top 10% of high performing franchisees in your home team system now, what do they all have in common? Where did they come from before Home team?
Adam Long 00:20:23 No, it's a good question. And often people are very interested in the answer because you think in a home inspection world they're thinking, oh, you've got subcontractors and people in construction background, a real estate background, et cetera. It's quite the opposite. Rarely do we have a franchise owner that has a deep understanding of homes and constructions and things like that. Because the beauty of home inspection is you don't have to take a house apart and put it back together. It's a visual inspection. You're actually learning how to walk through a home m and do a visual inspection without taking things apart. That's the whole point of a visual inspection. And so that's something that can be taught very well. And so what we're looking for is we're looking for people that do have, uh, an eagerness to learn about real estate and homes. If that was never something that even came into their mind, they wouldn't be a good fit. So if they like the idea of real estate, or they like the idea of homes, or homes in general, um, that's great.
Lance Graulich 00:21:17 But what we're really looking at, we're just making money.
Adam Long 00:21:20 And that's where the thing so what we're really looking for is just people with good personalities that like meeting other people and making money, because that's really what it's all about. It's about building relationships. It's not about the home inspections per se, although that's a very important part of our business. It's about meeting people and building relationships and building rapport and building a good business. And that's where it really works. Well, when an individual says, I have the desire to build something, I'm more than happy to roll up my sleeves and put in the hard work, uh, but I just need some direction, and I've got a good personality and I like meeting people. Those are the type of people we're looking for. But we're looking people with a really strong business acumen. Many of the people that fire franchises are middle managers, executives, uh, people that have really proven themselves in the military branches, maybe 20 years of service. We've had Lieutenant Colonels, et cetera, by franchises because we're looking at somebody that's looking to build a business, not just somebody that's just looking for a job. And so we look for people that have some of that background that says, I've been successful in other things, but I want something that I can wrap my hands around and I can take to the next level without having somebody pushing me in one direction or another. And I feel like I have a lot to offer, but I'm looking to move outside of that corporate realm. And because home inspections are not only enjoyable, you're walking through people's homes, the different home every day, and people are happy because they're buying a home or selling a home, et cetera. But it's also a Monday through Friday, occasional Saturday job. You're not working evenings, you're not working weekends. Uh, you don't have a tremendous amount of employees, and there's no grease involved. So that's the nice thing about a home inspection, uh, versus restaurants. It really is a world that works well in a family atmosphere, or somebody that's looking for a cash based business that's mostly Monday through Friday, that, uh, they get their weekends and evenings off. That's where home inspections really work out well.
Lance Graulich 00:23:13 Yeah, no, it absolutely sounds like it. So if I was going to ask what careers those top 10% employees or employees franchisees came from, the most successful franchisees you have, I guess the answer is all over the place. Not it is all over the place.
Adam Long 00:23:33 We've even done deep dive to say which background is the best. And when you take our top ten or really end of our franchises and you try to segregate them into specific groups, all it really, uh, matters is that they have a good personality and they like to talk to people. If they have that and they're willing to go through a process and follow the structure, they can be successful. It doesn't matter if they have a marketing background or a business background, or a sales background, or a construction background. They can be successful. Because this industry is so widely adaptable to that type of person. Because if you think about it, each individual is not trying to get 100% of the inspections in their territory. In fact, to get to some of the top levels in our business, you need less than 20% of all the inspections in your territory. So you just find the realtors and the consumers that fit your mold, fits your background, fit your personality, and you work with them and you can become successful. And that's why all the very backgrounds work so well.
Lance Graulich 00:24:32 I love it. A lot of people talk to me about territories and territory size and obviously an average, well, pretty much nobody's going to have an idea if you tell people, like, how many households is it owner occupied dwellings or what is that number that is typical territory for you guys?
Adam Long 00:24:53 No, it's a great question. It is owner occupied households because you're basically looking at homes that are going to be bought and sold. And so our average franchise territory is somewhere between 100,000 to 150,000 owner by households, which, by the way, from an industry standpoint, is a very large territory because we're looking for individuals that want to grow to multiple teams. If you look at a lot of other home inspection franchiseors, you're going to see much smaller territories or you're going to see territories that are not exclusive, meaning that you could have competition with the other franchisees. We want people to grow their business and we know it's going to take a little bit longer as they grow that. But in the end, we are going to have a lot more successful long term businesses because um, of that size of that territory, and that's why we offer by far the largest territory in the industry.
Lance Graulich 00:25:36 Love it. So earlier when we were discussing your process, if I'm somebody listening to this, I hear the very low investment amount, I hear this great opportunity. This isn't some foreign sort of business. I mentioned a business to somebody the other day and they're like, I don't even know what that is. So at least home inspections are easy to understand and some people might be more appealing than other things. So if someone is not sure and they go through the process with you, you give them a copy of the franchise disclosure document for. Those of you listening and never have looked at one. The FDD or franchise disclosure document has 23 items in it. Item 19 is the earnings claim, which tends to be quite helpful. You do have an earnings claim. You do have talks about sales, talks about some other things that people can get excited about, right?
Adam Long 00:26:36 Yes, very much so, yes. We think an item 19 is extremely important. I always tell anybody that's looking at franchise, they don't have an item. You probably need to keep looking because you want to make sure that you have that representative information from actual franchise owners before you make your decision. Don't just take their word for it. Look at what the franchisees are actually doing.
Lance Graulich 00:26:56 So you have some helpful information that will be in the item 19 that people can review, and then you get to validation. And you were talking a little bit about that. Through the process, do you hand them a list of all the franchisees and say, call whoever you want?
Adam Long 00:27:12 So we do both. Uh, we give them a list of all franchisees, and so they can contact anybody. They want it's broken down by state so they can look at people that are close to them, et cetera. Uh, and then we give them an initial list and say, these are franchisees that opened up in the last three years, these are franchisees that opened in the last three to six years, and these are franchisees that have been around seven years or longer. And it breaks down franchisees into kind of that approximate time. So if they want to talk to franchisees that are very new, but they also want to talk to franchisees that have been around for longer than a decade, this gives them the opportunity to do both. And we think that's important. In fact, we won't allow any franchise to come to a discovery day unless they've talked to at least three or four owners, and in most cases, they've talked to six or more. We want them to take that time because we want them to know what they're getting into. We want them to get that perspective from other owners that are already doing it. And we want our owners to be very open with them. This is what the business is all about. This is what I have to do to be successful. And, uh, we want them coming in with their eyes wide open about franchising and about home team. So, uh, uh, that part of the discovery process is very important to us.
Lance Graulich 00:28:16 I absolutely love the segmented list. I haven't seen that in a long time. Um, some brands give a list of 100 and something franchisees or more, and good luck, call five people or so, which is fine. They want to treat it. Everybody feels differently about the process. I just know as a franchise broker and a multi unit, multi brand franchisee myself over the years, I just want my candidates to be able to have the ability to validate and essentially verify that what they're thinking in. Their business plan based on the item 19 information. Based on what the franchise or has said thus far that, hey, this is a good brand for them. Verify that people are happy, they do it over again. That's one of my favorite questions when you talk to a franchisee, ask, would you do it over again?
Adam Long 00:29:07 Yes. That is a great question to ask. And so the Imit team gives us the information we're allowed to disclose. Uh, but when they're talking to a franchise owner, they can ask them where they want, how much money do you make? How much money do you make your first year? Again, those are the real life questions that we really want them to ask our owners. And we're glad to do it because our owners are very happy, they're very successful. And in some cases, if they, uh, didn't have the best first year, they explain why. And most of the time it's because they didn't follow the plan or they didn't go down whatever path. Ah, and that real world feedback is very important. It's just like when you read a review, uh, before you go and buy something. Sometimes, ah, reading through the reviews, even some that are a little different, just instead of just reading the five star reviews is helpful because it gives you an overarching, um, understanding, and it gives, uh, us the ability, uh, to explain what's going on with our franchises. But validation is never a problem. Our franchise are very happy with what they do. We have great relationships with them. And so we're eager, uh, to get to that point in the conversation with franchise.
Lance Graulich 00:30:10 And validation is just such a crucial step for prospective franchisee to get really comfortable, to realize this is a system that, uh, the culture fits me, I want to jump into this organization. It feels good, right?
Adam Long 00:30:24 Exactly. We want them to feel connected with the other people and say, I have a connection. I feel like I could be successful doing this, uh, because of the feedback that I got from these other owners.
Lance Graulich 00:30:34 So, 200 locations, what's next besides 201, 300, 400?
Adam Long 00:30:42 That's a great question. So, like I said, careful growth has been our mantra. As much as any franchise system wants to grow. Um, we have found that in order to support our franchises best, we want to grow in a way that is sustainable. And so we put a lot of effort into the, uh, coaching aspect, into the training. We're always looking at how to improve that, how to get even better starts, how to get even better support of our franchises. Um, but yes, what you said, even though we've been around for 30 years, uh, we started in the Ohio area and kind of moved concentrically. So we've got a lot of growth opportunities on the West Coast. And northeast and things such as that. Um, even though we've saturated some areas like Florida, there's a lot of potential out there. And so Home Team has the opportunity to, um, grow with a lot more franchises. And so that's what our goal is, just getting the messaging out to individuals that are looking for a business, um, that they think would, uh, be beneficial to them. Perfect.
Lance Graulich 00:31:38 So, Adam, this has been fabulous. I love all the info. What are your, uh, final thoughts for the audience? Final words of wisdom?
Adam Long 00:31:46 Well, I appreciate you asking that. What I've learned of anything in the last 20 years is the value of franchising. Uh, like you said when we were first talking about franchising, some people don't know what that is, or they just think it's McDonald's and Subway. The value of franchising is that it gives anybody an opportunity. Anybody that has any desire to work hard and follow plan the opportunity to be successful beyond themselves. To build something that they built with their own sweat equity, that they don't have to worry about their boss or whoever managing it, and that they can build it as long, as strong and as big as they want. And so, if I've learned anything about, uh, franchising over the years, is that there's so much opportunity out there, and if a person does the due diligence to find what's a good match for them and then puts the effort into it, they're going to be successful. But at the same time, make sure you find the right franchise. Make sure not only that it's a good match for you, but it's also a good match from a culture standpoint, that the way you like to be motivated, you like to be coached, is going to be similar to the way that company does it, because you don't want to choose the wrong franchise for ten years. And that's why we put a lot of time and effort into that due diligence to make sure at the end of the day, when they're ready to buy a franchise, they're ready to buy a franchise. And so that's what I've learned, and that's what I tell prospective franchises, and that's what I tell anybody that, uh, you would send our way.
Lance Graulich 00:33:04 Love it.
Adam Long 00:33:04 Well.
Lance Graulich 00:33:04 Adam Long, president of home team. I think it was absolutely amazing having you here. And, I guess we'll talk to you pretty soon.
Adam Long 00:33:14 Yeah, well, thank you so much, Lance. I really appreciate it. Great questions, and, uh, uh, I'm always eager to talk about franchising and especially about Home Team. So thanks again for the opportunity.
Lance Graulich 00:33:24 Awesome. My pleasure. Thanks again, Adam.
Adam Long 00:33:26 Bye. Uh, bye.
Lance Graulich 00:33:27 Thank you very much for listening today. Please, like, follow and subscribe. This is Lance Graulich. Until next time.