This month, we’re excited to announce that one of our franchisees is being featured in Franchise Consultant Magazine! This is a huge honor and we want to take some time to congratulate them and share the story with you. We’re so excited to have Dustin Klinger, owner of the Crawl Space Ninja of Columbus, GA location, onboard and helping us make even more crawl spaces dry, clean, and efficient.
Franchisee Story
Dustin Klinger worked several years in the corporate world, but never felt like he belonged. He didn’t enjoy going into an office every day or dressing in business attire, and he hated sitting in conference rooms enduring endless meetings. “I’m more of a hands-on kind of guy,” he says. “I earned a college degree, but I relate better to blue collar work.”
When Klinger finally decided to make a change, he looked to franchising to find a business opportunity that could suit his desired lifestyle and provide a reliable income to support his growing family. Klinger looked at several opportunities and was skeptical when he first learned about Crawl Space Ninja. “The franchise hadn’t been around that long, but the more I learned, the more I liked,” he says.
A Needed Service
The company’s crawl space encapsulation service essentially turns residential crawl spaces into properly ventilated, properly insulated areas. The service controls humidity, standing water, and prevents mold in customer’s homes. “This is a great service and a great business,” he says.
When Klinger opened his Columbus, Georgia location in October 2019, his wife was pregnant with their third child. The couple was nervous about starting something new. “I knew I had to go all-in to make it work and I did.” he says.
Scaling the Business
At first, it was just Klinger and a salesperson running the business, but he brought on more help in order to scale. “I now have four full-time employees. Even though I don’t do much of the actual work anymore, my ability to step in when needed makes a big difference. If there’s something I don’t know how to do, corporate is there for support.” he says.
Why Crawl Space Ninja?
Crawl Space Ninja helps customers improve air quality and structural issues in their homes. The home-based, recession-proof business can be customized to a franchisee’s market. Crawl Space Ninja provides necessary, but not emergency, services, so franchisees can take weekends off and enjoy family-friendly hours. Although the franchise opportunity is fairly new, the business is not. The company has been serving customers since 2005, and has expanded with three corporate locations. Over the years, the company has fixed hundreds of crawl spaces. After perfecting their systems, the company started franchising in 2019 with a tried-and-true business model. Klinger is the third franchisee in the system.
Klinger says the best decision he made as a franchisee was hiring a really good salesperson to follow up on leads. “I brought in someone who can close deals and that makes all the difference,” he says. The average job is around $14,500.
To get the word out, the company uses Google and SEO to get leads. Klinger takes it a step further and invests in billboard advertising. “It’s a really effective way of bringing in business and has made a huge difference for us. The corporate office handles all the branding and production. We just need to place the ad.”
Getting Business
As a former U.S. Army officer, Klinger is no stranger to discipline and it helps him manage his franchise. “This can be a lucrative business, but you have to keep your nose down and get to work,” he says. Although Klinger has more of a project manager role in running the business, he is not afraid to roll up his sleeves and get dirty. “This is hard work and is not for the faint of heart. It can be sweaty and gross.”
—Jill Abrahamsen
FranchiseConsultantMag.com
A big thank you to Franchise Consultant Magazine and Jill Abrahamsen for featuring Crawl Space Ninja of Columbus this month. We’re so excited for what’s in store for this location! If you’re needing service in the Columbus, GA area, you can schedule a free quote today.
If you or someone you know is looking for a business opportunity like Crawl Space Ninja, be sure to visit franchise.crawlspaceninja.com to learn more about our Franchising Opportunities.
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