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Franchise 500 2023
2024 Franchise 500 Rank
#120 Ranked #79 last year
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Initial investment
$118K - $143K
Units as of 2023
635 Increase 7.3% over 3 years

Lawn Doctor was founded in 1967 by Tony Giordano and Bob Magda. It began franchising the same year. Throughout its over 50 years of existence, Lawn Doctor has established itself as a leader in the lawn care industry, with nearly 600 franchise locations across the U.S. The brand has sought to gain a consistent edge through their ability to provide quality services to consumers on a national level, provide innovative technology, and expand and develop the industry.

Lawn Doctor specializes in habitual lawn care solutions for business and residential consumers. They offer weed control, shrub care, lawn mower maintenance, commercial lawn care, and lawn pest control. Lush, well-maintained lawns provide an ideal place to play and relax, but they also enrich the environment and raise property values.

Why You May Want to Start a Lawn Doctor Franchise

Lawn Doctor focuses on quality lawn care and fits best with those seeking to provide excellent customer service. This opportunity appeals to many people, but it is especially attractive for those seeking a family business. There is a significant opportunity to work with a spouse or adult children, and many franchisees pass their business down to their children or other family members.

Consistently over the years, Lawn Doctor has been ranked in Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 based on an evaluation of more than 150 data points in the areas of costs and fees, size and growth, franchisee support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability.

What Might Make Lawn Doctor a Good Choice?

Offering three tiers of ownership, Lawn Doctor is an excellent fit for a franchisee looking to manage a single territory, multiple territories, or an “empire.” The business model allows a franchisee’s business to grow with their personal goals. The company is committed to continual improvement and focuses on customer conversion and retention. They seek ways to streamline their systems to make operations easier.

Lawn Doctor is considered to be a fairly low investment franchise opportunity. There is limited equipment, infrastructure, and staffing requirements and no retail location to build. However, franchisees will need to meet the company's set net worth and liquid capital requirements. You should be prepared for an initial investment made up of a franchise fee and other startup costs. Ongoing fees in the form of advertising fees and royalty fees will also be present.

Lawn Doctor may offer financing of up to half the startup costs for qualified candidates. They have also partnered with third-party sources to help franchisees cover costs associated with equipment, inventory, and payroll. Additional discounts may be available to veterans, first responders, and members of minority groups. 

How Do You Open a Lawn Doctor Franchise?

The length of time required to start your Lawn Doctor franchise can vary based on your goals, but typically enter the multi-month range. During this time, you will have ample opportunity to speak with fellow franchisees and tap into the Lawn Doctor network for ideas and support in how to best launch your business. This group tends to be well-connected.

Lawn Doctor has significant initial and ongoing support for franchisees. At the onset, you’ll attend a multi-week training program at company headquarters in Holmdel, New Jersey to learn everything from marketing to agronomy. You will also receive support to develop an operating plan before you open. For a few years after opening, you’ll receive regular on-site visits from your regional business consultant to aid in achieving optimal growth and performance.

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Company Overview

About Lawn Doctor

Industry Maintenance
Related Categories Lawn & Tree Care
Founded 1967
Parent Company Lawn Doctor Inc.
Leadership Scott Frith, CEO
Corporate Address 142 State Rte. 34
Holmdel, NJ 07733
Social Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest

Business Overview

Franchising Since 1967 (57 years)
# of employees at HQ 90
Where seeking

This company is offering new franchises in the following US states: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming

# of Units 635 (as of 2023)

Information for Franchisees

Here's what you need to know if you're interested in opening a Lawn Doctor franchise.

Financial Requirements & Ongoing Fees

Here's what you can expect to spend to start the business and what ongoing fees the franchisor charges throughout the life of the business.

Initial Franchise Fee Information Circle
$40,000
Initial Investment Information Circle
$117,740 - $143,232
Net Worth Requirement Information Circle
$200,000
Cash Requirement Information Circle
$60,000
Veteran Incentives Information Circle
$10,000 off franchise fee
Royalty Fee Information Circle
10%
Ad Royalty Fee Information Circle
10%
Term of Agreement Information Circle
10 years
Is franchise term renewable? Yes
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Financing Options

Some franchisors offer in-house financing, while others have relationships with third-party financing sources to which they refer qualified franchisees.

In-House Financing Lawn Doctor offers in-house financing to cover the following: franchise fee, startup costs, equipment, accounts receivable
Third Party Financing Lawn Doctor has relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: equipment, inventory, payroll

Training & Support Offered

Franchisors offer initial training programs and a variety of ongoing support options to help franchisees run their businesses.

Classroom Training 56-61 hours
Ongoing Support
Purchasing Co-ops
Newsletter
Meetings & Conventions
Toll-Free Line
Grand Opening
Online Support
Security & Safety Procedures
Lease Negotiation
Field Operations
Site Selection
Proprietary Software
Franchisee Intranet Platform
Marketing Support
Co-op Advertising
Ad Templates
Regional Advertising
Social Media
SEO
Website Development
Email Marketing

Operations

Additional details about running this franchise.

Is absentee ownership allowed? No
Can this franchise be run from home/mobile unit? Information Circle
Yes
Can this franchise be run part time? Information Circle
Yes
Are exclusive territories available? Information Circle
Yes
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Franchise 500 Ranking History

Compare where Lawn Doctor landed on this year's Franchise 500 Ranking versus previous years.

Additional Rankings

Curious to know where Lawn Doctor ranked on other franchise lists? Find out below.

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Disclaimer
The information on this page is not intended as an endorsement or recommendation of any particular franchise or business opportunity by Entrepreneur Media. Our listings and rankings are solely research tools you can use to compare opportunities. Entrepreneur stresses that you should always conduct your own independent investigation before investing in a franchise or business opportunity. That should include reviewing the company's legal documents, consulting with an attorney and an accountant, and talking to former and current franchisees/licensees/dealers.
Updated: December 12th, 2022