Franchisee Profile: Mike Faulconer of Kansas City, MO

Mike Faulconer - HomeTeam Inspection Service

Location Opened in 2002.

 

Q: Before Franchising, what were you involved with?
A: “Before I got into franchising, I worked in the corporate world for 20 years. I was primarily involved with sales and marketing management. I burned out of the corporate world and wanted to go into business for myself. That’s why I decided to shop around for a new opportunity.”

Q: Why was this brand the right fit for you?
A: “First of all, I looked into franchising because I wanted and needed the support. I still find it valuable to this day every day. It’s very important to have a network of colleagues to tap into. I didn’t have experience in home inspection, but I wanted something that would be an intangible service. I was thinking of something that could be a viable business in a short amount of time. I think of myself as a small business owner and entrepreneur. It just so happens my business is home inspection. Luckily, I’m good at it!”

Q: What’s your business approach?
A: “We use a team approach on every inspection. I go to each home inspection along with a subcontractor on my team. We also pull in others as needed. I’d say typically there are three of us at each home inspection, which cuts the time of the inspection down to about half.”

Q: What have been some career milestones for you/your business?
A: “Last year, we had our best year and grew about 15%. While many businesses were down, we had a banner year. We gained more market share and continue to gain market share this year. While others were losing business and getting out of the business, we continue to grow.”

Q: What are your future goals? Development plans?
A: “My goal is to continue to gain market share in my existing territory. I may add multiple teams in the future too.”

ABOUT HOMETEAM INSPECTION SERVICE:
For more than 20 years, HomeTeam Inspection Service, a 175-plus-unit home inspection franchise, has brought exceptional quality, value and dependability to the home inspection industry.  HomeTeam franchisees work with homebuyers, home sellers and real estate professionals to service home inspection needs.  Today, HomeTeam Inspection Service continues to expand throughout the United States by offering franchise opportunities.  For more information on HomeTeam Inspection Service, visit www.hometeaminspection.com.

Franchisee Profile: Brian O'Rear of Louisville, KY

How Brian O’Rear Got Started With HomeTeam…

Before getting his start with HomeTeam, Brian O’Rear spent 22 years in the United States Air Force, flying fighter jets and the stealth bomber. After retiring from the Air Force as a Colonel, Brian decided to return to Louisville to pursue his entrepreneurial dream and open his own business after looking at the option for the last 15 years of his military career. Brian explored many possible routes searching through different possible franchising concepts and even considered starting his own business. What Brian learned through his research is that by choosing a franchising concept, he could start up the company faster, get proper training and have a corporate staff with marketing ideas to help his business succeed.

What Intrigued Brian O’Rear about HomeTeam…
Brian was instantly intrigued by HomeTeam when he first saw the company name. What drew Brian to the concept specifically was the “team” aspect, as Brian had spent a majority of his life working in a team oriented atmosphere. He recognized the importance of having a professional home inspection service and realized that the market was flooded with inspectors who spent a career in construction, yet lacked in efficiency and clear specialization in home systems.

What also fascinated Brian about the concept was that he could operate his whole business out of his home, which gave him a low start-up cost, low equipment cost and the ability to begin operations in only a few months. In addition, the high profit margins that were attainable in the home inspection industry ultimately made opening HomeTeam a financial decision that Brian couldn’t resist.

Something Interesting About Brian O’Rear’s Business…
Despite opening his business in the height of the recession in one of the worst possible fields, Brian has exceeded expected revenues and number of inspections in his first year of operation. Within the first 6 months, Brian had to hire additional team members to meet the growing demand.

In addition to providing optimal service for real estate agents and home buyers, HomeTeam helps save the consumer’s time and money by providing a thorough home inspection in only 1.5 hours. Included in Brian’s regular inspections are pest control as well as mold, radon and allergen testing.

ABOUT HOMETEAM INSPECTION SERVICE:
For more than 20 years, HomeTeam Inspection Service, a 175-plus-unit home inspection franchise, has brought exceptional quality, value and dependability to the home inspection industry.  HomeTeam franchisees work with homebuyers, home sellers and real estate professionals to service home inspection needs.  Today, HomeTeam Inspection Service continues to expand throughout the United States by offering franchise opportunities.  For more information on HomeTeam Inspection Service, visit www.hometeaminspection.com.

Franchisee Profile: Ray Fonos of Pittsburgh, PA

Franchisee: Ray Fonos
Location: Pittsburgh, PA

Q: What did you do before becoming a HomeTeam franchisee?
A: I spent 25 years in corporate America working in sales and service product management. I was starting to get tired of the whole corporate culture, having all the responsibility without all the power and the “more with less” mentality. When my company was bought out, I took my chance to strike out on my own.

Q: How did you learn about HomeTeam?
A: A former employee I kept in touch with owned a HomeTeam franchise and was very happy with it. He said he thoroughly enjoyed the work, and after doing some research I decided it sounded like something I would enjoy.

Q: What steps did you take to validate HomeTeam as a brand?
A: I did lots of research online into HomeTeam and its competitors, checking the Entrepreneur Franchise 500 and other resources. I ended up choosing HomeTeam because of their marketing program. None of the other brands I looked at could match the professionalism, content or quality of HomeTeam’s material.

Q: What are some career milestones for you? Is there anything unique about your business?
A: My growth has been exponential every year we’ve been open. Last year I was in the top 10 for HomeTeam franchises, and we’re set to do so again this year. Even though it’s been a tough year for the housing industry, we’ve done very well. We continue to gain market share. My strong service background enables us to deliver the highest quality service and superior customer care.

ABOUT HOMETEAM INSPECTION SERVICE:
For more than 20 years, HomeTeam Inspection Service, a 175-plus-unit home inspection franchise, has brought exceptional quality, value and dependability to the home inspection industry.  HomeTeam franchisees work with homebuyers, home sellers and real estate professionals to service home inspection needs.  Today, HomeTeam Inspection Service continues to expand throughout the United States by offering franchise opportunities.  For more information on HomeTeam Inspection Service, visit www.hometeaminspection.com.

Franchisee Profile: Dwayne and Erica Moore of Lanham, MD

Name:  Dwayne & Erica Moore                                               

Opening Date: April 1997

Brand:   HomeBiz                                                                              

Location: Lanham, MD

After retiring from the U.S. Army, Dwayne Moore and wife Erica Moore settled in Lanham, Md. where they now own their own HomeBiz business. Aided by the assistance of their 31-year old son and master inspector, Patrick, and 32-year old son, Nicholas, the Lanham HomeBiz location is truly a family affair.

Q: Where are you from?

A:  I’m originally from Norfolk, Va. The U.S. Army brought me here in 1987 and I loved the area so much that my family and I decided that we were going to make this home after I retired from the Army.

Q: What was your career before franchising?

A: Before franchising, the only real job I had was the U.S. Army.

Q: How did you learn about the brand?

A: I learned about HomeTeam by calling several different franchises. I had talked to House Masters, another franchise which I was interested in, but I just couldn’t stomach some of the things they were saying.

Q: Why did you decide to open your own business?

A: I decided to open my business because I wanted to be my own boss. After being in the Army for 20 years, I was tired of clocking in and out and having everyone tell me what to do and how to do it.

Q: What was appealing to you about joining a franchise system?

A: Joining a franchise system was appealing to me because it was cost effective. For example, I was quoted approximately $2,200 for a brochure template, whereas I was able to purchase brochures for five cents apiece when with a franchise. Joining a franchise also provided a backbone and support for when things didn’t go as planned. With a franchise, you don’t have to figure it out all by yourself. You have people with the same interest, so that infrastructure was definitely appealing.

Q: With regard to your previous experience, what skills do you feel helped you in your business?

A: My management skills have definitely helped me in my business as they’ve allowed me to juggle my time and use the correct resources. Also, I believe my nursing skills have helped because I care. My passion for caring has carried over to this business because it’s important to care about people and their emotions. Most people are emotionally tied to a potential home because it’s the biggest dollar item they’ve bought. I’ve also learned how to separate my home life from my business life. It’s difficult, but necessary.

Q: Why did you choose to enter this industry?

A: I chose to enter the home inspection industry because I had a home inspected back in 1990. The gentleman didn’t respect me and he didn’t do anything I couldn’t do. I started going to school for it to gain knowledge. I wanted to know what that home inspector was supposed to do when he had inspected my home. I really started enjoying it as I went through school, so I decided it was what I wanted to do after the Army.

Q: How did you finance your business?

A: I financed my business through personal savings and with the help of family, colleagues and friends.

Q: What obstacles have you overcome to get where you are today with your business?

A: The most challenging obstacle has been the down economy and subsequent slowing business. However, networking has also been an obstacle I’ve had to overcome. I believe people should watch me work and then base their decision according to my performance, so trying to sell myself has been difficult. I don’t want to go around and tell everyone how wonderful I am. I want to show them.

Q: What makes your business different?

A: Our business is different due to our team approach and customer service. There’s no other home inspection service in the area that utilizes a team approach, so it puts us a step ahead of everyone else.  We also stay abreast of current technology and use it in the best way possible for our customers. For instance, we just obtained new software that emails our clientele base and keeps everyone in the loop. So everyone is aware of what’s going on and what’s about to happen.

Q: Are there any prominent industry trends that you are experiencing right now?

A: I’ve noticed the demographics of homebuyers shifting. Younger people, around age 23, are buying more homes that the older clients who are in their forties or older. Younger people have flooded the DC area, so more are now buying homes. People are beginning to realize that the market is at its rock bottom and that it’s the perfect time to buy a house.

Q: What are your expansion or development plans?

A: I’m patiently waiting for my business to grow to the point where I can hire multiple teams again. I would like to get back to having three teams of inspectors, but I need to wait until the market can support it.

ABOUT HOMETEAM INSPECTION SERVICE:
For more than 20 years, HomeTeam Inspection Service, a 175-plus-unit home inspection franchise, has brought exceptional quality, value and dependability to the home inspection industry.  HomeTeam franchisees work with homebuyers, home sellers and real estate professionals to service home inspection needs.  Today, HomeTeam Inspection Service continues to expand throughout the United States by offering franchise opportunities.  For more information on HomeTeam Inspection Service, visit www.hometeaminspection.com.

Franchisee Profile: John Helton of Goshen, OH

Name:  Jon Helton                                                                         

Brand:   HomeTeam                                                                   

Location: Goshen, OH

Being in real estate since 1974, Jon Helton is no stranger to the housing industry. He continues his love for the industry alongside his two sons, Chris and Zach, in hopes of aggressively expanding company volume.

Q: How did you learn about the brand?

A: The HomeTeam Corporation is located in my hometown, so I knew the young man that owned the franchise. I tried to hire him but he wanted to sell the business so we bought him out.

Q: Why did you decide to open your own business?

A:  I decided to buy two HomeTeam businesses because I wanted my boys to always be employed. The economy is rough, but you can at least control your own destiny with your own business. I wanted to help the boys have a future.

Q: With regard to your previous experience, what skills do you feel helped you in your business?

A: I’ve been in the real estate business since 1974, so I understand what realtors look at when they need a home inspection. To a realtor, a home inspection is one step closer to closing. They don’t pay much attention and encourage their clients to find the cheapest inspector. Although a home inspection is the cheapest part of a real estate transaction, it’s definitely the most important.

Q: Why did you choose to enter this industry?

A: I chose to enter this industry because I love the real estate business. I don’t like selling houses, but I love the other phases of real estate.

Q: How did you finance your business?

A: I financed my business by putting a lot of money down and taking out a small loan.

Q: What obstacles have you overcome to get where you are today with your business?

A: I overcome negativity and the declining government every day. Although I don’t control the market, I can control market share.

Q: What makes your business different?

A: Customer service! Service is what we preach and service is what we give. Secondly, our team approach and multiple inspectors set us apart from other businesses. Lastly, all of our inspectors are certified and licensed. The state of Ohio doesn’t require inspector licensing, so we go above and beyond expectations. Our employees will always be trained and updated in all aspects of the homecare industry.

Q: Are there any prominent industry trends that you are experiencing right now?

A: The prominent industry trend is slowly making businesses rely on the higher class for income. In the old days, I made the bulk of my money from the middle class which allowed me to make bonus money from the higher class. However, the government has gotten rid of the middle class money, so I now have to rely solely on the higher end. I no longer have bonus money.

Q: What are your expansion or development plans?

A: My plan is to double my company volume in the next five years. It’s an aggressive plan, but I like being aggressive.

ABOUT HOMETEAM INSPECTION SERVICE:
For more than 20 years, HomeTeam Inspection Service, a 175-plus-unit home inspection franchise, has brought exceptional quality, value and dependability to the home inspection industry.  HomeTeam franchisees work with homebuyers, home sellers and real estate professionals to service home inspection needs.  Today, HomeTeam Inspection Service continues to expand throughout the United States by offering franchise opportunities.  For more information on HomeTeam Inspection Service, visit www.hometeaminspection.com.