Blair has recently become one of the newest owners of a Junkluggers franchise—a business opportunity that’s seeing high demand. Read this tale, as he explains the journey in his own words…
Background
“I’m from the island of Newfoundland in Canada. After earning a Bachelor of Commerce degree in international business and entrepreneurship I relocated to Alberta, Canada. It was out west where I began working on oil rigs as a roughneck and fell in love with the industry right from the start. Over time, my expertise and experience with new drilling technologies led to a job offer based in Houston. Along the way, I had brief stint in Florida, where I met my wife who—strangely enough—is also from Newfoundland! We have two children – Aoife & Bodhi.”
On Becoming an Entrepreneur
“My father was an entrepreneur and a small business owner, so I always wanted to become my own boss. While in Alberta, I started a small company and gained some good experience. In 2020, when things weren’t looking good for the O&G industry, I had planned on resigning at the end of the year—but the decision came a little earlier in the form of a layoff. I wasn’t too upset about it, as I’d begun to reflect on the things that bothered me about working for large companies. Overall, I just felt trapped.”
Why Franchising?
“I chose franchising because of the business model. It’s a playbook and—much like a coloring book—if you can stay inside the lines, you’ll end up with a pretty good-looking picture, right? I was also attracted to the corporate support and the geographic freedom it could provide our family, the ability to go and visit family on our schedule.”
How FranNet Helped
“Before I met Diana [Trondsen], I had done some digging around on my own. But after one session with her, I could tell a 100% difference with how FranNet works. The professionalism is so evident. Diana was able to present multiple concepts for me to review and keep me on track with how I’d positioned my preferences for owning a business. Thanks to her ability to guide me through the process, I’m where I am today with no regrets.”
Where Do You Stand?
“I would have bought a Junkluggers business even if it hadn’t been a franchise offering. The financials of the concept are strong and when I spoke to the CEO, things just clicked between us. Once we opened, we were scrambling and had to delay a few jobs because our truck was still on the way! I’ve done the networking thing and joined the right groups in our local area and we’re just building and growing. We’re past our first month and revenue is where it should be. What I love about this business is the ability to help others and the chance to give back to the community. We’re a bridge that connects donated goods for people truly in need. Being able to provide that kind of generosity is a very rewarding feeling.”
For more information, please visit Blair Paul’s business, Junkluggers of Northwest Houston and The Woodlands.