Stephen Sherwood recently joined the PuroClean franchise family – his franchise office will serve Romeoville, IL. Join us in welcoming him to the PuroClean team, and get to know his background and views on new franchise ownership in the questions and answers below.
As a Veteran, what made you decide to purchase a PuroClean Franchise?
I’ve always been a hands-on guy who appreciates a good challenge. The restoration industry certainly provides ample opportunities for both and so I began researching franchise opportunities. That’s where I found and landed on PuroClean. Being part of the PuroClean franchise offers name recognition of a national brand, the right amount of support, the framework and autonomy to build your own level of success. In my market, it’s common for insurance companies to guide their insured’s (our potential customers) to use their preferred vendors or network programs. PuroClean can potentially offer access to these networks and will help build a balanced business model. A lot of these traits can be offered by any number of franchises, but in interviewing a few of them, PuroClean stood out as a company that valued its owners and their success. They have a servant leadership culture and were proud to support me, not only as a business owner, but also as a veteran. I’d still make the same decision in a heartbeat.
What would you tell a prospective owner looking at the PuroClean opportunity today?
PuroClean offers a great entry into [franchise] ownership. There are multiple layers of resources and support though the franchise and other [Franchise] Owners. The support shown by other Franchise Owners was a big surprise. Most of them recognize that if the brand grows, we all win. That’s because increased brand recognition can lead to more sales. There are success to be had with small and large jobs, watching your team and business grow, and making meaningful connections in your community.
What would you tell a military veteran looking at exiting the service, and maybe had not previously thought about franchising or the PuroClean opportunity?
The skills and traits that you learned during your service are directly transferable. Leadership, dedication, hard work, following orders, all will lead to success in the restoration industry. There are multiple layers of support during the transition and many resources. Knowing when to ask for help is key but knowing that it’s there is all the more important.
What value do you think you bring to the network now, in your experience and background?
Being a smaller franchise, having [Franchise] Owners who believe that when the brand succeeds, they succeed, is key. I bring that perspective to the network and think it makes us stronger as a whole. Team work is important, whether it’s sharing advice, support, tools, etc. When our brand excels it opens more doors for local and national level success.
How do you think your military experience will help you achieve your goals with PuroClean?
PuroClean is no different. Running this business and this industry, requires being flexible, willing to stand your ground, doing more with less, and having the knowledge of what you are capable of both physically and mentally. For veterans, we spend our entire time in service developing and honing these skills. For me personally, it’s like I’m running a platoon again. As with a platoon, I am building a team and family with my employees. This will create loyal and dedicated workers for years to come. That sense of family and team is something I missed dearly since exiting the Corps and am very happy to have it back through my PuroClean franchise.
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PuroClean is excited to have Stephen on board, and we can’t wait to see how his franchise best serves his community members in Romeoville! To learn more about how veterans can franchise with PuroClean, click here.