Franchise FastLane CarPool Brand Spotlight: Joshua Tree Experts

In 2023, Franchise FastLane launched a first-of-its kind program called CarPool - a franchise development coaching and administrative services program designed to become a brand-based solution for the many, not just the chosen few. From evaluating anywhere from 150-200 new franchise concepts each year, FastLane realized that many of these businesses were facing similar challenges to growth and expansion – especially in the areas of sales support, training, and ongoing development. The solution was formulated in the launching of CarPool, which offers crucial franchise development coaching and administrative services to help with emerging and established brands alike. CarPool allows for brands to plug into our proven systems while keeping development in-house, giving them the opportunity to grow at a rate they are ready and built for but learning from the #1 FSO in the country. In celebrating the success of this innovative program, we’re highlighting Joshua Tree Experts.

What is Joshua Tree Experts?

Joshua Tree Experts is a franchise opportunity that began back in 2005 as a simple home-based tree and plant care service provider operating out of a small garage in Pennsylvania. As the brand improved and evolved over time, it was fashioned into a scalable business opportunity for franchise owners in an industry valued at $25 billion annually. What began as simply tree and plant care has become a multi-service business model offering a comprehensive range of home services – everything from tree and lawn care to pest control. A veritable one-stop shop for exterior home services with a recurring revenue model. What makes Joshua Tree such a unique opportunity? Founder Joshua Malik shares his inside opinion. “First and foremost, we have an awesome culture. I invest a ton back into the business and everybody within the company understands that. People are amazed at how committed we are to growing. We’re really trying to continue doing well and see steady growth within the business. Another brand differentiator is that we work in a really cool industry. There’s a lot of pride in getting to work outside and having your office be the great outdoors. It can be really beautiful. It really comes down to giving customers a unique and exceptional experience in tree care. We still have clients we are servicing from when they signed with us 19 years ago.”

The Best is Yet to Come

While Joshua Tree was founded nearly 20 years ago, the brand only recently launched its franchising model in 2021. Since that time, Malik has been hard at work with his team of corporate executives to build out and refine the infrastructure of their franchise opportunity. Despite the diligent work, Malik is quick to express his reasonable expectations for responsible growth. “We’ve grown steadily over the past year, and revenue is up double digitals in percentage in all three departments and 40% overall for the business. We work in an industry that is really needed right now, and we’re giving people the opportunity to ride the tailwinds of that demand. We signed four franchisees in 2023 and are looking to sign another 12 in 2024. Ideally we would like to launch those within a five-hour radius of headquarters in Pennsylvania. We have the infrastructure, connections, etc. to grow right now, and we’re in a much better position for growth than many franchise brands of our size.”

Father and Son Franchisees Share Their Thoughts…

Seth and Caleb Hill are the father and son owners of Joshua Tree of Cranberry Township, a suburb of Pittsburgh. The Hill’s tight family bond and a natural love of the outdoors had a lot to do with their decision to seek an entrepreneurial lifestyle with Joshua Tree. But the journey really took flight when Caleb and Dylan DeGroat, the Joshua Tree’s director of franchise development, served in the Army together during an overseas deployment in Iraq. Caleb recalls his mindset at the time, “I was determined to not let a year from home prevent me from consistently learning a new skill or furthering my education, so I began to research many options as well as just building my understanding of business structure even before I selected the direction I wanted to go.” It didn’t take long to convince his father, Seth, of Joshua Tree’s potential. “Caleb was consumed with the idea of starting our own business and we both began reading business materials. The P&L was very impressive, but it was the organizational standards and the atmosphere and attitudes of the workforce that sold us. As we dug deeper into the industry, we found that it was full of great people who loved their career, families, and country.” Caleb was particularly impressed with the brand’s professionalism. “What attracted me to the business model of Joshua Tree was the people. Honestly, that's what solidified my decision. It definitely helps that the business model, and the service practically sells itself. But it's how Joshua Tree focuses on ‘the right person in the right seat.’ Anytime you can get a group of people all pulling towards the same end goal, it makes business easy.” While the jobs keep rolling in, both Seth and Caleb are working towards their goal to become ISA-certified arborists. Their ultimate aim is to become the community’s go-to resource for comprehensive home exterior services. Seth puts it best, stating, “The Lord willing, this will be a growing and successful family-owned franchise for many years to come.”

How CarPool is Helping Joshua Tree Experts Grow and Expand

Joshua Malik is bullish on the future when it comes to brand expansion and responsible growth. Especially considering the coaching advice, training, and mentoring he’s gained by participating in Franchise FastLane’s CarPool program. “We have started to establish modules for future franchisee training. We have dedicated someone on our staff to start this, and we’re still working through it. We know that training is one of the most important things for franchisee success. We are working with a team right now to put together a marketing playbook, for example.” He’s also gaining valuable insight to help the brand plot its specific market penetration plans. “We’re looking at the East Coast and states like New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. We want to grow our franchise opportunity just like Joshua Tree Experts did - start with one service and then start to add more from there.”

For more information about Franchise FastLane’s CarPool program, please visit https://campaigns.franchisefastlane.com/carpool. For more information about becoming a Joshua Tree Experts franchise owner, please visit https://www.treecarefranchising.com.

Are You Ready to Explore Franchise Ownership?

Franchise FastLane is the No. 1 Franchise Sales Organization (FSO) in the country and our mission is to responsibly drive extraordinary growth for the chosen few. We have vetted over 100 brands and partnered with over two dozen brands that are ready to grow! To learn more about the brands we represent, explore our brands page today. If you are interested in learning more about the possibility of joining the FastLane or CarPool, please click here to submit an application. To keep up with all the latest happenings, make sure you follow us on LinkedIn, like us on Facebook, and check out our collection of photos on Instagram.