Jim's Podcast

Meet Mitch Blake, who came onto the podcast just under 2 years ago as a franchisee, and now he is a franchisor with Jim's Mowing! Mitch shares his story and information about becoming a franchisee in his region.

Meet Andrew, who left a long-time corporate career to start his own business with a Jim's Mowing franchise. Andrew shares everything you need to know about making the switch! To learn more, call us on 131 546 or www.jimsmowing.com.au

Jim Penman responds to his recent comments in the Daily Mail for some context.

Meet Alan from Jim's Blinds, Shutters and Awnings about all things to do with this division! Alan shares everything you need to know about the franchise and their services that they can offer. To learn more call 131 546 or www.jims.net

September 2025 #ASKJIM with Jim's Group CEO, Jim Penman and Joel Kleber.

Miriam and Ronny joined Jim's Cleaning after running their own cleaning business for 17 years. Here is why they did this and what benefits they have had from joining the Jim's brand. To learn more about Jim's, call 131 546 or www.jims.net

Thinking of leaving the building game? This is a must listen with Jim's Building Inspections Franchisor, Phil Smallman.

A raw and emotional interview with Jim's Building Inspections franchisee Daniel Hills who shares his full Jim's journey in full! He covers the business, services and also his mental health journey. We thank Daniel for coming into the studio and sharing his story in full.

Interview with one of our Jim's legends, Bill Cobangolu, who has more than 370 franchisees in his regions and division. Bill shares what makes Jim's unique and also everything you need to know about Jim's Laundry Services. To learn more about us, call 131 546 or www.jims.net

Jim's Scratch and Dent is a new division, however, the franchisees in this division are absolutely over the moon! Meet Con and Jenny who share their journey and what the franchise has been able to do for them and their family.

George from Jim's Mowing is a young dad and shares everything you need to know about how you can work the business around your family.

Enoh did a video back for us in March 2025, so it was great for him to come into the studio and catch up about how his franchise experience has been. He also shares some great customer service tips and insights into the life of a small business owner!

Meet Sam and Alex who share the Jim's Bathrooms difference and why they chose to be a part of the Jim's family.

We met Cameron back at the new franchisee training, so it was great to be able to catch up with him to talk about how his franchise has been going after a few years.

#ASKJIM August 2025 training replay with CEO, Jim Penman and CMO, Joel Kleber.

Jim Penman, founder of Jim’s Group, joins the Whatever It Takes podcast for a candid conversation on growing from a one-man lawn mowing operation to over 5,500 franchisees. Jim shares lessons on selling without selling, screening franchisees for success, and why ethics are non-negotiable in business. The discussion also dives into networking, AI’s role in franchising, and Jim’s unfiltered views on Australia’s housing crisis and why he’s considering a run for Victorian State Parliament.Timestamps:0:00 – Jim considers running for Victorian upper house over housing crisis0:18 – Introduction to Jim Penman and Jim’s Group1:39 – From PhD student to full-time lawn mowing3:52 – Facing competition from VIP and launching Jim’s Mowing franchise5:26 – Growth from 1 to 5,500 franchisees6:31 – Expanding into other service divisions7:52 – Early fears about brand transfer and the birth of Jim’s Cleaning8:59 – Selling by focusing on the other person’s needs13:05 – Why saying “no” can grow your business17:02 – Screening franchisees for suitability20:19 – Red flags and deal-breakers when onboarding21:43 – How screening actually fuels growth23:40 – Granting vs selling a franchise24:09 – Jim’s Group training program and onboarding process25:50 – Measuring and improving training impact27:50 – Networking’s role in franchise success29:47 – New and emerging divisions within Jim’s Group34:03 – Using humor and social media to humanize the brand35:18 – Embracing AI with “Digital Jim”36:40 – Potential for digital-focused divisions37:05 – Jim’s candid take on government support for small business39:53 – Why franchising regulations fail franchisees42:38 – The real estate crisis: zoning, supply, and affordability46:41 – How policy drives homelessness and inequality48:09 – Town planning failures in Sydney and Melbourne50:55 – Personal impacts of housing scarcity52:25 – Final thoughts on entrepreneurship and legacy

We caught up with Jacob from Jim's Window and Pressure Cleaning to talk about his business after we caught up with him couple of years ago! A great story with a lot of great business insights as well.

#ASKJIM from our July training with Jim's Group CEO, Jim Penman and CMO, Joel Kleber.

In just two months, Chris from WA has racked up 97 regular clients, serviced over 160 properties, and maintained a perfect 5-star rating with 43 reviews. How? By blending years of management and customer service with a hands-on approach to lawn care and even using AI-generated landscaping mockups to win jobs.Chris opens up about transitioning from employee to franchisee, his pricing strategy, how he builds trust before quoting, and why strong client relationships are everything. From cricket-pitch lawns to green equipment ambitions, this episode is packed with smart insights and a lot of personality.

After the tragic loss of his daughter, BJ Wallace didn’t retreathe built something extraordinary. In this deeply personal and energising episode, BJ shares how the lawn care community rallied behind him and helped launch what would become the Lawn & Land Expo, now one of the biggest contractor events in Australia.BJ dives into how robotic mowers, AI quoting tools are reshaping the industry. He explains how he's scaled his own independent business with smart financing, strong hiring choices, and relentless networking. You’ll also hear why he sees less rivalry and more respect between independents and franchisees like Jim’s and what he thinks truly drives long-term success in lawn care.Whether you're a solo operator or part of a national brand, this episode is packed with grounded advice, heartfelt insight, and exciting vision for the future of the industry.Learn more via - https://llee.com.au/