Fred and Lisa Arthur strive to “be the buffalo” every day in their 1-800 WATER DAMAGE business. As Fred explained: “In Colorado, when storms come over the Rockies, herds of cows will start running away and then they get enveloped, whereas buffalo will head face-first into the storm and take it all on. So that’s our motto: We go headfirst into the storm.” By Lizzy Yeserski

Fred and Lisa Arthur strive to “be the buffalo” every day in their 1-800 WATER DAMAGE business. As Fred explained:

“In Colorado, when storms come over the Rockies, herds of cows will start running away and then they get enveloped, whereas buffalo will head face-first into the storm and take it all on. So that’s our motto: We go headfirst into the storm.”

For 11 years, the Arthurs have helped customers recover after fires, floods, and other disasters. They began their Michigan-based business in 2010 after the daily corporate grind motivated Fred to leave his 25-year IT career.

With five children, then ages 10 to 19, the Arthurs wanted a professional life that would pair well with their busy family life. They recognized the intrinsic benefits of franchise ownership. “Why re-invent the wheel?” said Fred.

The couple chose 1-800 WATER DAMAGE because of its low-risk investment and enormous potential. “We wanted something that wasn’t tied to the economy, that was almost recession-proof,” Fred said. “And there’s a demand for restoration services every day.”

The Arthurs launched their Michigan-based 1-800 WATER DAMAGE franchise in 2010. And now they’re looking forward to eldest son Josh taking over their multimillion-dollar business and providing a seamless exit strategy.

The Arthurs’ business has experienced a staggering 25% growth year after year. Starting with a single part-time person, they now have 27 employees and five territories. “We’ve been the largest franchise for the last four or five years,” Fred said.

Besides having each other’s rock-solid respect and trust, the Arthurs have the BELFOR Franchise Group’s full support. “BELFOR invests so much into the success of the individual franchisees,” Lisa said.

The Arthurs expect to grow their company to $25 million over the next decade, paving the way for Fred and Lisa’s early retirement. “We’re in a great position to really keep our incredible growth and leave something incredible for Josh to continue growing, as we head off into the sunset,” Lisa said.

For now, the Arthurs continue to gain fulfillment in providing an essential service.

“There’s a level of gratitude just from the nature of the work we do and being able to help people in a rough situation,” Josh said.

“We get to save the day,” Fred added.

To learn more, visit 1800waterdamagefranchise.com today!

– Lizzy Yeserski