Clean Air Lawn Care has first $1-million franchisee

SEATTLE –Clean Air Lawn Care’s Seattle-based franchisee Adam Werner was the first franchise owner to hit the $1 million milestone.

Adam Werner

Werner started his Clean Air Lawn Care franchise in 2008 as a side business while he was a travelling software salesman. After 3 years, he quit his job to focus on growing his franchise.

Werner’s business, which provides organic lawn care, employs 15 workers who utilize 25 pieces of electric equipment, including eight electric mowers, blowers, hedge trimmers, weed whackers, edgers and battery chargers.

“We have two spray tanks as well, that run off of solar power,” Werner said.

For day-to-day operations, Werner said the franchise is 100% battery operated in terms of its equipment usage.

“The only gas-powered equipment we have are aerators and dethatchers,” Werner said. “We also have a gas-powered weed whacker that we use a few times a year on new clients with large, overgrown areas. I would say that last year we used it three times.”

To reach the $1 million mark, Werner said it was important the business to not only connect with its customers, but also set expectations early.

“Setting the customer’s expectations at the beginning has helped us keep our customers happy and helps them be part of the process,” he said. “In the early years, people hired us for our quality and customer service and not necessarily because we were not using any gas-powered equipment. Nowadays, almost all of our estimates come in because they are specifically looking for a company that does not use any gas blowers and mowers or synthetic fertilizers or weed control.”