Jeff Oddo is the CEO and Owner of City Wide Facility Solutions, a management company in the facility maintenance industry, leading 104 franchises across the U.S. and Canada, targeting $2B in systemwide sales by EOY 2030.
Subscribe to EOFire
Guest Resource
City Wide Facility Solutions – Go and check Jeff’s website for all their services.
3 Value Bombs
1) Franchising is an amazing business model because it is a proven plan and a business in a box.
2) You don’t have to bet all your chips on block chain. If you have the drive, desire and work ethic and skill sets is more important than going all in.
3) Start with the end in mind if you use franchising to build wealth and legacy.
Sponsor
The Speaker Lab: Want to learn how to get booked and paid to speak? Go to EOFire.com/speaker to grab your spot for our LIVE training on May 28th, and learn how to get booked and paid to speak!
Show Notes
**Click the time stamp to jump directly to that point in the episode.
Today’s Audio MASTERCLASS: From Vision to Legacy, a Journey to Building a Billion-Dollar Franchise Empire
[1:22] – Jeff shares something that he believes about becoming successful that most people disagree with.
- Stop listening to all influencers out there who tell you you can accomplish anything you want. If you work hard enough and try hard more than anyone else is a bad advice. It is okay to quit if you are not having success. Quit the model, bring a partner, learn a new skill and try something else.
[2:24] – Jeff talks about how to instill an entrepreneurial mindset in the next generation.
- Its starts with beginning with the end in mind. There are so many opportunities today and with internet and AI , you can create your own business. If that is what you want to do for long term, now is the time to start focusing on it.
[3:56] – Jeffs tells that franchising is one of the most powerful paths to building wealth and legacy.
- Franchising is an amazing business model because it is a proven plan and a business in a box.
- Not all franchises are created equally and you don’t need it for wealth and legacy but it is a lot easier if someone else has created the system, process and policies and all you have to do is execute the plan and build the team.
[4:52] – Jeff talks about how City Wide franchises achieved long term success and how they accomplished this.
- City Wide provides facility maintenance solutions to commercial properties, anything from roof top to the curb. Janitorial, window washing, handyman services, they provide this to independent business owners who do what they do best . They focus on the end user , their customers to provide all the services themselves.
[5:51] – Jeff gives a real world example.
- Father and son, husband and wife, brothers of 3 individuals, all 3 of them sold their businesses, homes and went all in to partner on City Wide to create the dreams of their future. Each of them did it in a different path but each one of them believed in tge City Wide model and each one of them was able to get out and make things happen.
- Its rewarding to see different kinds of folks accomplish their objectives in many different ways and making an impact to their community by following the City Wide model.
[6:57] – Jeff tells that going all in is not a key ingredient.
- You don’t have to bet all your chips on block chain. If you have the drive, desire and work ethic and skill sets is more important than going all in.
[8:13] – Jeff talks about the steps of being a franchise in the forst 3-6 months.
- Narrow the search for a franchise by finding somebody who does a good job who can introduce you to a bunch of franchise concepts. Visit and talk to a few franchise owner and validate to the franchisor and then sign the agreement. There will be a time frame on how long its going to take you to open your doors. Food and retail might take 18 months but on City Wide it may take 3 months or less.
- The start up process is dependent on what concept you have invested in. It’s a matter of building your team and sharing your vision.
- For City Wide, its all about mission, vision and values. Their long term success is all because of the belief that they are making an impact on others.
- There is a light in the end of the tunnel. That light is freedom that allows you to go from just being financially successful to being significant in the world.
- Its not enough to just be financially successful, you have to be significant and by owning a business and employing people and sharing your vision and making the feel that they are part of something bigger. Giving them the autonomy to believe they are accomplishing something great is what business ownership is all about.
[11:02] – A timeout to thank our sponsor.
- The Speaker Lab: Want to learn how to get booked and paid to speak? Go to EOFire.com/speaker to grab your spot for our LIVE training on May 28th, and learn how to get booked and paid to speak!
[13:46] – Jeff shares how they accomplished transforming City Wide into a franchise system with an $8 million average unit volume.
It is not normal because the average franchise system has a $ 400,00 to $ 500,000 unit volume. City wide is different because they are incredibly picky with choosing their franchisee. He
- learned from a General Manager that the most important when selecting anybody in your team is choosing someone that you want to hang out and have dinner with you and your family. No matter how talented or how skilled they are, if they are not good people that you want to hang out with then you are not a good fit.
- That is how they choose their franchisees, employees and contractors because at the end of the day business is business and the only thing that differentiates us is the people.
- When you’ve got the best business model which is franchising and you also got the best people and contractors from becoming incredibly picky and following the systems, you will be so much better. Seek a business model that you connect at the heart level.
[16:39] – Jeff tells how Fire Nation can leverage franchising to create financial freedom and generational wealth.
- Entrepreneurs are focused on building a big business and what they have to do is to find contractors and employees who have a great value and sense of accomplishments.
- Start with the end in mind if you use franchising to build wealth and legacy.
- If you want to instill an entrepreneurial mindset in your family, let them be a part of your business. Their family use business, entrepreneurship and now franchising to build wealth and generational wealth.
[19:21] – Jeff gives his key take away.
- Life is too damn short to be unhappy. If you are not happy, then own it, you are in control of what you are in control over. The less time you spend focusing on anybody else and on what is outside your control, the better off you are going to be.
- Decide in 10, 15, 20 years from now if you still want to do what you are doing. If you do, keep doing it but if not, take charge and take control of your life. Go out there, find a coach, mentor and partner because not everyone is qualified to be a business owner but having a partner will make a difference in the world and break the chains of corporate America.
[20:27] – Call to action.
- City Wide Facility Solutions – Go and check Jeff’s website for all their services.
[21:00] – Thank you to our Sponsor!
- The Speaker Lab: Want to learn how to get booked and paid to speak? Go to EOFire.com/speaker to grab your spot for our LIVE training on May 28th, and learn how to get booked and paid to speak!
Killer Resources!
1) The Common Path to Uncommon Success: JLD’s 1st traditionally published book! Over 3000 interviews with the world’s most successful Entrepreneurs compiled into a 17-step roadmap to financial freedom and fulfillment!
2) Free Podcast Course: Learn from JLD how to create and launch your podcast!
3) Podcasters’ Paradise: The #1 podcasting community in the world!