By Brandon Sheppard, Multi-Unit Weed Man Franchise Owner
One of the most daunting and rewarding milestones for a small business owner is the opportunity to expand into new territories; more daunting still is the opportunity to expand far beyond your geographic comfort zone. As an owner of multiple Weed Man franchise locations across Virginia, Maryland, and now Alabama, I’ve experienced this kind of non-contiguous expansion firsthand. We began our Weed Man journey in 2004, with our first franchise in Winchester, VA, and over the years we’ve expanded into surrounding territories in Richmond, VA; Annapolis, MD; Frederick, MD; and Washington DC. Then, in 2022, we made our most ambitious leap yet, expanding our operations to Birmingham, AL – a territory more than 10 hours away from our existing operations.
As intimidating as it may be, this non-contiguous expansion has proved to be well worth the effort. Our Birmingham franchise currently holds the records within the Weed Man network for the most successful rookie year and the fastest rise to $1 million. I can certainly attest that the opportunity for non-contiguous expansion can elevate your business, but it also demands careful planning and strategy to navigate the complexities. Below, I’ll share three key strategies, from my own experience, that will lead to success in expanding your small business to non-contiguous territories.
- Evaluating Your Target Markets
So, you know you’re ready to expand your business to new territory, but you aren’t sure exactly where you want to go. In a lot of ways, it might feel natural to expand to your neighboring areas – there are some logistical advantages to staying within a certain radius of your home base – but if you’re already considering territory 2-3 hours away, I would argue that you might as well widen your net.
When we were considering our expansion into Birmingham, AL, we were careful to thoroughly evaluate all of our target markets.
- We looked at the demographics – who is living there, and why is it growing?
- We looked at the marketplace – what’s the size of the market, and who is our competition?
- And we looked at our potential ROI – what prices can we set in this new market vs our operating costs (the latter of which are significantly cheaper in Alabama as opposed to the DC area).
The question you need to ask yourself is not “where are the easiest places to go?” but rather, “where are the markets I want to be in?”
- Standardizing Your Systems and Processes
With Weed Man, we are fortunate that the strength of our business model allows us to focus on expanding to the best territory, rather than the easiest territory. This is because we have consistency in our systems and processes. No matter which state or province you’re based in, Weed Man franchises are built upon the same tools: our business plan, our CRM, our marketing strategies, our employee training program, and our broader suite of management and accounting tools, just to name a few. By keeping consistency in the core of our operation, we can scale up without reinventing the wheel or overburdening our team.
I’m not the only owner who has experienced the benefits of these standardized systems and processes. Within the Weed Man network, we have franchise owners based in Wisconsin operating locations in Texas and owners in Canada operating locations in California—all very, very successfully. Consistency ensures customers experience the same high-quality service and employees experience the same positive company culture, regardless of location.
- Properly Prioritizing Your Remote Management
It’s no secret that expansion over long distances requires a phenomenal team, and especially a phenomenal branch manager. With an office more than 10 hours away from my home, I can’t be there in person every day. But with our streamlined and standardized procedures and tools, I’m able to prioritize my remote management of the Birmingham location through clear and transparent communication. When I’m meeting with my team, we don’t have to waste time talking about the nuts and bolts, because we’re working from the same CRM, and I already know all of the details and data I need in order to evaluate the health and performance of a branch without physically being there. This means we can spend our valuable meeting time strategizing at a higher level and making informed decisions for the success of the business.
The Rewards of Non-Contiguous Expansion
Expanding your small business across long distances is scary – but it doesn’t have to be. By targeting your ideal markets (regardless of location), standardizing your systems and processes, and prioritizing your remote management, you can position your small business for long-term success. Take it from me: the rewards of non-contiguous growth are more than worth the effort.