When Chris Duncan decided to invest in an Ace Handyman Services® franchise in Bozeman, Montana, his brother, Jerris, became an unexpected mentor, not because Jerris had years of franchise experience to share but because he was coaching Chris through the business fundamentals as a professional business coach. By Tamara Rahoumi
COVER STORY
When Chris Duncan decided to invest in an Ace Handyman Services® franchise in Bozeman, Montana, his brother, Jerris, became an unexpected mentor, not because Jerris had years of franchise experience to share but because he was coaching Chris through the business fundamentals as a professional business coach.
At 40, Chris was reinventing himself professionally, transitioning from underground utility construction to the home services industry. Meanwhile, Jerris was helping Chris navigate the onboarding process. About 60 days in, Jerris leaned into his curiosity: “Do you think Champaign is available?”
Six months after Chris launched his franchise, Jerris launched his own Ace Handyman Services franchise in Champaign, Illinois. Suddenly, the traditional big-brother-little-brother dynamic flipped. Despite being 11 years older, Jerris found himself learning from Chris’ early experiences.
“In my first months, I didn’t make some of the beginner mistakes because Chris was ahead of me,” said Jerris, reflecting on how he learned from watching his brother chart the course shortly before him. “That helped tremendously. I did make plenty of my own mistakes, though.”
Of course, any entrepreneur knows this is par for the course. Having grown up around entrepreneurship, Jerris and Chris’ father was something of a serial entrepreneur; the brothers learned about the ups and downs of running a business by watching up close. They’ve always known there are sure to be bumps in the road but being able to navigate those bumps alongside one another has worked wonders not only for their respective businesses but also for their relationship.
“This experience has helped us become a lot closer as brothers,” said Chris. “We talk almost every day, whether it’s about the business or not. We like to say we’re either celebrating, winning or learning. We call each other because we know how hard this is and how we can both appreciate the little wins that we have. If we win a bid, have a really good interaction with a customer or client, or have a tough one and just need to be consoled through it, that part has been extremely invaluable.”
The brothers recognize how lucky they are because they know not every new franchise owner has someone in their corner who truly understands it. That’s why Jerris sees real value in the sense of family that Ace Handyman Services has fostered across its network.
“It would be so nice if more people joining the brand could have what Chris and I have,” Jerris said. “I think the corporate group in Denver has functioned like a family for a long time. They see each other like family; they talk like family. There is that kind of DNA. The bigger we get, the harder it is to keep that – it’s just a natural part of expansion. And yet, I do think the company genuinely tries, like by giving us regional directors and those types of things, to help. Their hearts are in the right place.”
For Ace Handyman Services, which emphasizes family values and community connection, Chris and Jerris represent the brand’s philosophy in action. Their parallel journeys prove that sometimes the best business support system isn’t about working in the same office, it’s about having someone who truly understands the challenges you face and celebrates your success as their own.
Tamara Rahoumi