On the heels of a record-breaking year in systemwide sales and a renewed franchise growth strategy, City Wide Franchise, the franchisor counterpart of the nation’s leading management company in the building maintenance industry known as City Wide Facility Solutions, is celebrating its 20th year in franchising.
Within the past 12 months, City Wide Franchise has helped essential businesses stay open and safely serve employees and customers; touts several notable recognitions from Entrepreneur including being a franchise poised to thrive in 2021, Inc. 5000 and Franchise Times Top 200+; hit more than $390 million in systemwide revenue; and updated its branding to reflect its look towards the future. To align with the company’s continued success and its stretch goal to open 100 locations over the next five years, David Braun has recently joined the company as Director of Franchise Development.
“When we first began franchising, I knew we were taking a risk, but it was a risk I was comfortable in taking because I knew it would pay off and end up making a difference in people’s lives,” said Jeff Oddo, CEO and owner of City Wide Franchise. “It took a lot of hard work and wouldn’t have been possible without the first few franchisees who decided to take a chance on the vision I had. I’m happy that now, 20 years later, we can say that we serve more than 11,000 clients across the country and have positively impacted the lives of more than 21,000 families through franchising.”
In 2001, Jeff founded City Wide Franchise following City Wide’s transition in 1998 from a traditional janitorial service to managing 20+ interior and exterior facility solutions for clients through the use of independent contractors. Don Durham became the first franchisee in 2002 when he opened City Wide in St. Louis, Missouri. Since then, the company has grown to nearly 70 locations across the United States and Canada, with plans for additional international expansion.
“Through the years, City Wide’s franchise model has proven to be recession-resilient, deliver a strong recurring revenue stream and create a positive ripple effect to everyone in the City Wide community. It has provided many the opportunity to build a legacy with several former employees becoming franchisees and many other franchisees becoming multi-unit owners,” added Braun, who has decades of experience in franchising working with brands like Art Van Furniture and Allegra. “What drew me to take on the role of director of franchise development is how much I believe in the impact of the model. With our renewed franchise expansion strategy, I believe City Wide will be having record years of growth.”
City Wide is focusing its franchise expansion strategy across several key markets across the United States and Canada, including California, Illinois and New York. Entrepreneurially spirited individuals interested in owning a City Wide franchise should have a minimum net worth of $500,000, with $140,000 to $200,000 of it being liquid. The typical franchise fee is $70,000. Ideal franchise candidates have a business-to-business background focused on sales, management and operations experience.
For more information about City Wide Franchise, visit www.citywidefranchise.com.
