ORLANDO, Fla. - Franchise landscape maintenance company U.S. Lawns has been listed as one of Black Enterprise’s "Top Ten Franchises You Can Afford." The national publication written by and for black entrepreneurs, managers and business professionals included the company in its list that includes businesses in the residential cleaning, maintenance, computer and education industries.
The list was based on a national survey of franchisers conducted by BE Research. It provides an overview of franchises that have franchise fees and start-up costs of less than $70,000 and that already have black owners among their franchisees.
The September 2000 issue of Black Enterprise also profiles Willie Rollins, a U.S. Lawns franchise owner in south Florida. Rollins, who was honored by U.S. Lawns as its Franchisee of the Year in 1999, had already run his own landscape maintenance company for 14 years when he decided to purchase a franchise with $15,000 of his personal savings. In the article, Rollins credits U.S. Lawns with helping him build a business that last year grossed $1.3 million. Rollins, who employs more than 30 people, committed additional investment in the concept when he purchased an additional U. S. Lawns franchise this year.
“Franchising gives business owners the strength of brand recognition, as well as corporate support and training. It is a viable option for people looking to start their own businesses, especially in the service industry,” said Thomas Oyler, U.S. Lawns president. “U.S. Lawns offers its franchisees the ability to own and maintain their own businesses, while maintaining the benefits of partnering with a large corporation.”
These benefits include professional training, ongoing support and access to technology.
U.S. Lawns was also included among SUCCESS Magazine’s listing of best franchises in its annual “Franchise Gold 100,” in which it was rated 5-Stars in its franchisee satisfaction poll.
With headquarters in Orlando, Fla., U.S. Lawns is a network of national franchisee organizations. The company has been called “America’s fastest growing landscape maintenance franchise company,” by Lawn & Landscape magazine.
Founded by Oyler in Orlando in 1986, U.S. Lawns was acquired by Environmental Industries Inc. in 1996. It is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Environmental Industries, which also includes Environmental Care, a provider of landscape maintenance, irrigation, water management, arborist and professional horticultural services; Environmental Golf, which builds, maintains and operates golf courses; Valley Crest, a landscape and total site construction company; and Valley Crest Tree Company, a grower of containerized specimen trees.
For more information about the franchise, visit www.uslawns.com.