City Wide Franchise Celebrates 20 Years of Creating a Ripple Effect Through Franchising

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.

About City Wide

Founded in 1961, City Wide has a proven reputation for being the go-to resource for commercial facility solutions in its home Kansas City market and nearly 70 locations across the U.S. and Canada. By uniquely representing the client, professional management teams serve as a single-source solution by managing dozens of interior and exterior services through independent contractors. City Wide simplifies the janitorial, disinfecting and maintenance issues most critical to building owners, operators and management companies, saving them time, solving their problems and reducing stress typically associated with facility management.

For more information about City Wide Facility Solutions or to find a location near you, please visit www.gocitywide.com.   

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Success Stories

I feel very blessed to be part of this business. The thing that is amazing about this franchise model and system that I don’t think any of us foresaw was the scaleability. The scaleability makes all the difference. This is everything I liked about corporate America without all the micromanagement that I hated. You can listen to our Franchisee “Z” Call where I discuss this and more by clicking on this YouTube link: https://youtu.be/kLhEHORq-uI

success story of David Otis David OtisCity Wide Facility Solutions operating in Metro Atlanta

Much like the saying, “dreams come true, not free,” City Wide offered me the opportunity to chase a dream to build a business for my family though hard work and perseverance. The fruits of that hard work have not only created a profitable and growing family legacy business but, more importantly, the platform for us to improve the quality of life of our employees’ families as well as to give back in a meaningful way to our middle Tennessee community. The ceiling is high for those who want to chase their dream.

success story of Tim Akers Tim AkersCity Wide Facility Solutions operating in Nashville, TN

Jeff and I saw firsthand through my work for City Wide Franchise Corporate how this business can provide real wealth opportunities for us; there is no greater endorsement than a former employee who decides to buy a franchise from the company! With City Wide, we get to make a difference in our community, not just for ourselves and our family, but for our clients and our team. The work is rewarding because we believe in what we are doing for our clients every day.

success story of Meredith Cimino Erickson Meredith Cimino EricksonCity Wide Facility Solutions operating in Omaha, NE

What appealed to us about City Wide was the opportunity to work together and build a family business. No corporate bosses, no long distance travel, and the freedom to be there for our children when we want. Personal effort is directly rewarded with results and as you grow you get to share that success with an ever-growing team of direct staff, independent contractors, and happy clients.

success story of Alan Matheson Alan MathesonCity Wide Facility Solutions operating in Central Pennsylvania

I fell in love with the Home Office team. I believed in the concept of the model. I loved the team’s professionalism, enthusiasm, integrity, ethics and, most importantly, family values. When we left [Discovery Day] I was scared we would not be selected. We were so excited when we got the call that we had been. It has been the best decision we have ever made for our family.

success story of Naila Matheson Naila MathesonCity Wide Facility Solutions operating in Central Pennsylvania
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