After years as a senior executive in a multi-national chemicals company, Chris Toomey decided to exit the corporate world and take the plunge into entrepreneurship. Toomey recognized that, although he had built an impressive career, the ability to help and connect with his community on a personal level was missing. By Elice Morgenson
After years as a senior executive in a multi-national chemicals company, Chris Toomey decided to exit the corporate world and take the plunge into entrepreneurship. Toomey recognized that, although he had built an impressive career, the ability to help and connect with his community on a personal level was missing.
He searched for an ownership opportunity that would use the skills he had developed and fill what he saw as an unmet need in his community. Toomey researched various franchise opportunities online, narrowed his focus to home services and then to handyman franchises.
Ace Handyman Services checked all the right boxes, and Toomey decided that, through its partnership with the trusted Ace Hardware brand, he had found the perfect match.
“The Ace name had a huge influence on my decision to partner with the brand. I had looked at all the national handyman franchises, and the major differentiator was having that Ace name behind it,” Toomey said.
In August 2021, he launched his first Ace Handyman Services territory in Michigan’s Commerce Township and has continued to expand into surrounding territories. This past October, expansion into Ann Arbor, Michigan, gave Toomey a much wider audience, and in March, he is opening his seventh territory in Lansing, Michigan.
Toomey employs trained, background-checked handymen to do the physical work and has continued to grow the business as manager over his territories. “It takes time to build a business, and there is so much that you can do to help build that business,” he said. “Word of mouth, reputation and the things that drive a repeat business base take time to build. The reputation of Ace Hardware, and our excellent service model that we have, paired with properly executing the service model, have formed a winning combination.”
He said that while he may add territories in the future, he is interested in adding more types of home services first, and expanding the value he is able to offer his customers, strengthening his customer base.
“The calendar year for my business ended a short time ago, and our repeat customer rate is about 30%, which I think is very good,” Toomey said. “As time goes on, if three out of 10 customers become repeat customers, that builds the base and sustainability over time. The cost of customer acquisition is high, so my business performs better with repeat customers.”
For Toomey, success with the brand has been built with strategic management of the business. He keeps tight control over finances and operations. The model works with owners involved in the business rather than hiring managers to run it, he said.
Being actively involved has helped him achieve a greater level of success, he said. “In the first few years, it does require the active involvement of the franchisee. In general, it is designed to be a hands-on activity for the first few years. I’m not physically doing the work, but what makes this model work is if the franchisee is managing the business. Tight execution, tight financial control along with effective marketing.”
Elice Morgenson