Legacy Over Profit: How Jim Penman Built a 5,500+ Franchise Empire

In this episode, Jim Penman, founder of Jim’s Group, shares how he scaled a simple lawn mowing service into one of Australia's largest and most trusted franchise networks.

From his humble beginnings to managing 5,500+ franchisees, Jim dives deep into the principles of ethics, customer service, and discipline that fuel his success. He also reflects on technology, family legacy, the future of AI, and the importance of purpose-driven living.

This is a must-listen for anyone seeking long-term business success without compromising values.

00:00 – How Jim started mowing lawns at 8 years old and built a business from scratch
03:42 – The VIP franchise that pushed Jim to create his own model
07:06 – The “secret weapon” behind scaling: obsessive customer & franchisee service
10:35 – Systemizing feedback: from handwritten complaints to SMS-based surveys
12:57 – Why Jim personally handles complaints and leads franchisee training
15:03 – Demand vs. supply: turning down 240,000+ leads due to franchisee shortage
19:00 – Why Jim wouldn’t compete with himself—and what he’d do instead
22:59 – Launching Jim’s Removals with family and long-term legacy planning
30:59 – The role of health, discipline, and faith in sustaining success
45:42 – Jim’s take on AI, automation, and why customer service always wins