We spoke to Bryan O’Donoghue, owner of Gutter-Vac Knox, VIC, to find out how he became a Gutter-Vac franchise owner and about his journey since his very first day.
1. What was your occupation before owning a Gutter-Vac franchise? What made you decide to change?
I was an independent contractor in blinds, curtains and awning installations. My job entailed a lot of travelling all around Melbourne which also meant long days and not a lot of control over work/life balance. A desire to work more locally in my area and have more control over my work hours brought about my decision to make a change.
2. What were you looking for in a franchise business?
I was looking for a business that was simple to operate, within my initial start-up budget, did not have a fixed premise and was something that I felt I could transition into comfortably.
3. When you were initially looking for a new franchise business, what were your deal breakers?
Deal breakers were anything with a fixed premise, anything outside my budget, any business that required staff from the outset, and any business that I felt did not fit my capabilities and experience.
4. What were the key reasons you bought a Gutter-Vac franchise?
The key reasons why I purchased a Gutter-Vac franchise, were: To regain work/life balance and control; the good feedback from franchisees that I spoke to in my initial enquiries; increased chance of success in a franchise system; it is a very simple business to operate, and it’s a service-based business, which is what I have previous experience with.
5. When did you know a Gutter-Vac franchise was right for you?
Not until I was in the second half of my second year of operation, did I know that buying a Gutter-Vac franchise was the right choice for me.
6. What’s something that has surprised you about your Gutter-Vac franchise since purchasing it?
The level of organic growth without even having to search for the work. Also, the benefit of being part of a group of franchisees that you can all learn and grow from.
7. Has it changed your work/life balance?
Yes, definitely. I now am working regular hours or even easier hours than what would be considered regular. I can control every day around my life and other commitments, I am not as tired, and am happier overall than I was before.
8. Did Covid impact the operation of your business?
Although our business was forced to cease trading for around six weeks in Victoria, as a whole Covid actually had a positive effect on my business at the time. Because people were either forced to work from home or in lockdown, there was a large spike in the amount of enquiries for gutter cleaning. I think this was because people were spending money on things to maintain and improve their homes rather than spending that money on travel and entertainment.
9. What’s one thing that has contributed to the success of your business?
Customer satisfaction. If you try and deliver a good service and please your customers, they will use you again and again and give you plenty of word-of-mouth business.
10. What’s one piece of advice you would give to someone interested in buying their own Gutter-Vac franchise?
Ask a lot of questions and try and create a clear picture in your head on whether it will be a good match for you. If yes, back yourself and have a go. I think that every business requires a consistent level of effort to get results but from what I have seen since being involved with Gutter-Vac, there is a very high success rate as long as you are prepared to put in the effort to make it work.
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