Is It Better To Be a Multi-Brand Franchisee or a Multi-Unit Franchisee?
Franchising remains one of the smartest ways to build wealth and for families to take control of their financial future. For the hundreds of thousands of Americans running a successful franchise today, there’s an exciting opportunity to grow further by owning multiple franchise brands. This strategy, known as multi-brand franchising, involves owning businesses in a variety of industries or sectors, giving franchisees a chance to diversify their income while also reducing risk.
For example, someone who owns a pet care franchise like Pet Butler could also expand into lawn care with SpringGreen, both of which are owned by the same parent company. These two brands serve customer needs differently without being competitive with one another. By combining them, franchisees can create a powerful business portfolio that generates steady income year-round, serving both residential and commercial clients.
If you’re thinking about expanding your business ownership in 2025 or exploring franchising for the first time, here are three big reasons why building a multi-brand portfolio could be the perfect move for you.
Reason #1: Diversification for Risk Mitigation and Revenue Growth
One of the best ways to protect your business portfolio from economic uncertainties is by serving the same client base in different industries. This strategy spreads risk across different markets while opening up new opportunities to increase revenue and grow your income.
- Spread Your Risk Across Industries: When you own franchises in unrelated industries, you’re less affected by challenges in any one market. For instance, the pet care industry is known to be recession-resistant because people prioritize their pets’ needs even during tough times. On the other hand, lawn care services like those offered by SpringGreen may see seasonal highs and lows. Together, these businesses balance each other out and provide year-round stability.
- Boost Your Income Streams: Each brand you own creates its own source of revenue. Pet Butler focuses on providing convenient pet care services like dog walking, pet sitting, and waste removal while SpringGreen serves homeowners and commercial properties with lawn care, pest control and tree care solutions. By representing both brands in your local community, you can tap into two customer bases, maximizing your total earning potential.
- Expand Your Market Reach: Multi-brand ownership allows you to serve a wider range of customers. Imagine being able to market both pet care services and lawn care solutions to local homeowners—many of whom likely need both! This creates opportunities for cross-promotion and customer retention that single-brand owners simply can’t match.
Reason #2: Operational Efficiencies and Proven Franchise Systems
One of the biggest perks of franchising is that you’re never starting from scratch—you’re buying into a business system proven and perfected over time with built-in support. When you own multiple brands under the same franchisor (like Pet Butler and SpringGreen), the benefits multiply even further.
- Streamline Your Operations: Running multiple brands doesn’t mean doubling your workload. In fact, many tasks—like payroll, scheduling, staffing or marketing—can be centralized to saves time and money across your franchise enterprise.
- Learn Once, Apply Twice: If you’ve already mastered the systems of one franchise, it’s much easier to pick up another. For example, if you’re a SpringGreen partner familiar with their training programs and support tools, transitioning into Pet Butler will seem natural because the same franchisor operates similarly.
- Save Money Through Shared Resources: Owning multiple brands allows you to combine resources like office space, staff, or marketing budgets. For example:
- Once support team could handle customer service calls, texts and emails for both brands.
- Marketing campaigns could promote both services together to maximize local reach without doubling marketing expenses.
- Leverage Proven Processes: Franchises like Pet Butler provide step-by-step systems that have been tested and refined over years of operation. This reduces the guesswork involved in running a business and gives you a clear path to success from day one.
Reason #3: Long-Term Growth Potential and Competitive Advantage
Owning multiple brands isn’t just about making money today—it’s also about setting yourself up for long-term success. A diversified portfolio gives you more ways to grow your business while staying ahead of the competition.
- Scale Faster: If you’ve already maxed out growth opportunities within one brand (for example, by opening all available territories for SpringGreen in your area), adding another brand like Pet Butler lets you keep expanding without hitting a ceiling.
- Dominate Your Local Market: Multi-brand owners often become local leaders by offering complementary services that meet a wide range of customer needs. For instance:
- A homeowner who hires SpringGreen to maintain their lawn might also need Pet Butler’s dog waste removal services.
- By owning both brands, you can position yourself as a one-stop shop for busy families who value convenience, or commercial properties that need tree care and pet waste station management services.
- Create Cross-Promotional Opportunities: Complementary brands naturally feed into each other’s success. Imagine offering discounts on SpringGreen services to loyal Pet Butler customers or vice versa—this not only boosts sales but also strengthens customer loyalty across both of your franchise businesses.
- Build an Exit Strategy: A multi-brand portfolio may be more attractive to potential business buyers than a single franchise brand because it offers diversified income streams and reduced risk. Whether you plan to sell individual franchises or package them together as an investment opportunity down the road, owning multiple brands gives you greater options when it’s time to move on.
Ryan Leland is one example of a multi-brand franchisee: Based in Washington state, Ryan is a successful franchisee for both Pet Butler and SpringGreen!
Multi-Brand vs. Multi-Unit Franchising: What’s the Difference?
It’s important to understand that multi-brand franchising is not the same as multi-unit franchising.
Here’s how they compare:
| Aspect | Multi-Brand Ownership | Multi-Unit Ownership |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Owning franchises from different brands | Owning multiple units within the same brand |
| Risk Diversification | Great—spreads risk across industries | Good —risk is tied to one brand’s performance |
| Operational Complexity | Good—requires managing distinct franchise systems | Great—standardized operations across units |
| Revenue Streams | Multiple industries | Single industry |
| Example | Pet Butler + SpringGreen | Multiple Pet Butler locations across a wider area |
While it is common to be both a multi-unit and multi-brand franchisee at the same time, each approach offers unique benefits depending on your goals.
Why Choose Pet Butler as Part of Your Franchise Portfolio?
For current franchisees or just those considering expanding into the booming, $145B pet care industry, Pet Butler offers several advantages:
- Recession-Proof Demand: The pet care industry continues to thrive as more people treat their pets like family members.
- Comprehensive Support: From our training programs to our tireless support team assistance, Pet Butler provides everything franchisees need to succeed.
- Established Reputation: Launched in 1988, Pet Butler has decades of experience in pet care services and has become a trusted name in 28 states that customers recognize.
- Perfect Fit for Home Service Providers: If you already own a home-services franchise, adding Pet Butler is a natural next step since it targets similar customers without competing directly.
What Is The First Step To Become a Pet Butler Franchise Partner?
Building a multi-brand franchise portfolio is one of the smartest moves existing franchisees can make. By diversifying your businesses across non-competing industries while serving your local community, you can enjoy steady income streams, reduced risk, and improve long-term growth opportunities—all while leveraging proven support systems that make running your businesses easier.
Whether you’re an experienced franchisee looking for your next opportunity or just starting out in franchising, now is the perfect time to explore how multi-brand ownership can help you achieve your financial goals. Request our free Pet Butler Franchise Journey Map today!
