Common Franchise Ownership Expenses with the Skedaddle Business Model

There are few things as soul-draining as returning to an unfulfilling job day after day. Instead, you could start a profitable business that allows you to become your own boss and build something that’s fulfilling and helps you build true wealth. While that might sound like an overwhelming task, joining an established franchise can make it feasible for anyone – as long as you’re prepared to maintain your revenue generation and plan for the expenses that come with owning a business. In this blog, we’ll take a look at some of the most common franchise ownership expenses you can expect when you join Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control.

The Most Common Expenses You Can Expect as a Skedaddle Franchise Owner

Initial Franchise Investment

When you start your own business, the associated start-up costs and the amount you’ll need to financially invest should be one of the first things you’ll consider prior to launch. When you decide to become a Skedaddle Franchise Owner, the first financial commitment you can expect to make includes your franchise fee and all the initial associated costs. The initial figure may fluctuate depending on the number of territories you choose to start with or if you qualify for our veteran’s discount, so check out our Investment page for info on our current range.

With Skedaddle’s home protection franchise model, our financial investment starts at just $89,600!

For the kind of profit that’s possible with a Skedaddle franchise, it’s hard to imagine that the initial financial commitment is so low! Our financial investment does more than just give you the right to use our business model in the territory of your choice; you also receive all the initial training you need to get started and all the inventory and supplies necessary to complete your first job.

Depending on the franchise you choose to join, you may also need a new vehicle or to wrap the vehicle you have so you can advertise your business while you drive around to meet with customers and complete jobs around your territory. When you franchise with Skedaddle, as long as you have something that meets specific standards and specifications, you’ll never be restricted to purchasing a new vehicle of any particular make or model. While we’ll provide you with our recommendations, we will ultimately empower you to choose the vehicle that works best for you.

Business Licenses & Permits

Many states and provinces around North America have their own sets of regulations, laws, and rules that dictate how entities can conduct business in their region, some of which may be specific to franchise businesses or businesses operating in the home protection industry, similar to Skedaddle. These regulations often come in the form of licenses, certifications, and permits that you must obtain before you can start to provide services to customers in your territory without any legal repercussions. This could be anything from standard business licenses and sales tax licenses, where applicable, to something specific to the home protection industry, like a contractor license or home improvement license.

These are likely to come with an annual cost to keep your business current, showing your state or province that your qualifications are current and allowing you to continue operations. Since these licenses can change depending on your state, city, and county, you’ll need to check with your local jurisdiction to figure out what paperwork you need to file in order to get the proper licenses. If you need assistance with this pre-launch stage, you always have the option to consult with a legal advisor familiar with your area to ensure you don’t overlook anything.

Technology for Everyday Operations

One of the biggest differentiating factors that set Skedaddle apart from competitors, outside of our commitment to never being the unprofessional and ineffective chuck-in-a-truck type of provider, is our future-forward use of technology. We find critters without having to climb ladders or breakthrough customers’ walls. We leverage things like drones to inspect roofs and find wildlife from above and Forward-Looking Infrared (FLIR) to see the tell-tale heat signatures of animals in walls so we know exactly where to find intruders.

As a Skedaddle Franchise Owner, your initial training will cover how to use all this equipment. While the initial technology you’ll need for launch will be included in your investment, any additional tech you need to outfit new hires as you grow will be a franchise ownership expense you can plan on. You’ll be given guidance on how to train new employees on the tech and when to order it, so you can know exactly what expenses to expect and when.

Marketing Efforts

As a business owner, your marketing costs will be one of your largest expenses overall. This can easily get out of hand and result in very little if not done right. That’s why Skedaddle offers all home protection Franchise Owners a corporate call center that is open 7 days a week to assist with scheduling, fielding calls, and sending appointment reminders! With this, you’re empowered to focus on interacting with customers, marketing, and revenue-generating activities. In fact, our call center currently receives 500-600 calls a day! This gives you a consistent marketing expense that you’ll be able to easily track the ROI through your appointments

At Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control, the corporate team will assist you in creating a location-specific website and maintaining ongoing search engine optimization (SEO). We assist Franchise Owners with launching Google Adwords and creating content that can be shared to help promote their business. We also help to obtain and wrap your vehicle(s), which is a highly cost-effective method of outdoor advertising!

Additionally, networking plays a big part in obtaining a strong customer base, so we help Franchise Owners partner with local humane societies. These types of organizations receive over 12,000 calls a year for animal control services that are then referred to Skedaddle!

As a Skedaddle Franchise Owner, your initial training will cover how to use all this equipment. While the initial technology you’ll need for launch will be included in your investment, any additional tech you need to outfit new hires as you grow will be a franchise ownership expense you can plan on. You’ll be given guidance on how to train new employees on the tech and when to order it, so you can know exactly what expenses to expect and when.

Pre-Launch & Ongoing Training

When you become a Franchise Owner, one of the first things you’ll do after investing will be to attend training – online and in-person. Not only will this help you understand every aspect of the Skedaddle model so you can effectively run your new business, but it will also help you build the foundation you need to eventually train new employees that you bring on board as you grow.

This essential expense is often included in your initial franchise investment, but it should also be complemented by attending the regular training courses provided as needed. Industries and businesses change all the time, so it’s important to keep yourself and your team up to date with the newest systems and processes your corporate team creates.

Professional Services

Business ownership of any kind, whether it’s with a franchise or not, always involves certain tasks that you can’t do on your own (if you want it done right!). Over your first few months, you may be able to act as your own accountant or your own contract writer, but once the business starts to ramp up, you’ll quickly find yourself needing to outsource these tasks. This will not only give you some of your free time back, but it will also ensure you’re operating with all the financial, legal, etc., knowledge you need to make the most educated decisions as you scale your business.

Miscellaneous Needs

As a Skedaddle Franchise Owner, there are a few unique, miscellaneous expenses you may need to consider before launch and as you scale your business. While our model can be a 100% home-based business, if you’d prefer to keep your home and business lives separate, you can always keep your equipment in a storage unit instead. Additionally, you can choose whether or not you want to offer holiday decorating as an extra home service offering. This would be another additional expense, but once you purchase your decorations, you’ll be able to reuse them again and again, making them a one-time cost.

If you’re feeling confident that you could ditch the corporate world to run your own business and manage the associated costs, Skedaddle could be the franchise ownership opportunity to get you started. Our proven wildlife control model and humane approach have positioned us as one of the leading providers in the pest control industry across Canada, so we’ve now opened up franchising opportunities in the U.S., too! Take our quick, 1-minute qualification quiz to see if you’re right for Skedaddle franchise ownership today.