Michigan franchisee stays motivated 25 years into TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® journey

With just one 20-foot, 1987 GMC manual transmission truck and a small office space that was being rented out for $100 dollars a month, Ashley Anderson began her franchising experience with TWO MEN AND A TRUCK.
She had been working as a digital copy architect for the Lansing State Journal in Michigan when she decided to make the purchase of the Bay City, Mich., franchise. Twenty-five years later and with two secondary locations in Midland and Saginaw, Anderson is one of the longest tenured franchisees in the entire TWO MEN AND A TRUCK system, with a great deal of success to match.
Picking one aspect to identify as her favorite part of this quarter century-long journey was tough, but she points to the people she has the privilege to work with as one of her favorites.
Ashley-Anderson“[I’ve really enjoyed] watching the fleet of trucks grow,” Anderson said. “[Over the years], the most challenging thing has been finding the right fit for employees, but we have a culture that we are proud of.”
A major point of pride for Anderson is the way the staffs at each of her locations operate on their day-to-day basis, something that really allows for continued success across her entire operation.
“I’m proud of my staff,” Anderson said. “They dig in daily to make sure they increase sales, hire the best people, and they truly believe in TWO MEN AND A TRUCK. They eat, drink, and sleep the brand.”
After 25 years of running a successful group of locations for the number one franchised moving company in the United States, it would be easy to rest on the foundation that has been built and coast along.
However, Anderson is still working to be the best franchisee she can be – even if that means letting go sometimes and trusting the people she has brought on to her staff.
“The area I feel I’ve improved the most is letting go and allowing the staff to grow our business,” Anderson said. “Even as the owner, you do not have all of the answers. I still try it improve what I do by sharing information and gathering ideas from other franchisees. They have a wealth of information, and it’s great to implement their systems that have worked for them into our model.”
In 25 years, there has been a lot more than just the growth of Anderson’s franchise locations in mid-Michigan. The entire TWO MEN AND A TRUCK brand has reached a new level in that time, and now features 388 total locations across the United States, Canada, Ireland, and the United Kingdom.
With a coast-to-coast reach and an international presence to match, Anderson has been impressed at what the brand name has become, and is proud to represent such a family-oriented company.
“[I’m] impressed with the growth of the brand. We are all over the United States, and other countries – wow,” Anderson said. “I love to wear our logo brand when I’m out traveling. So many people comment and have wonderful things to say about the brand. It’s a very rewarding experience.”
The franchising model built by TWO MEN AND A TRUCK has been highly rewarding to people all across our system, and Anderson is no different. She pointed out that she would strongly recommend franchising with us to anyone interested, and has made it a point to do so over the years when she talks to people with potential interest.
“I always recommend TWO MEN AND A TRUCK as a franchise system,” Anderson said. “It’s a quick start up, even if you don’t have any idea about a moving company. The Home Office team helps guide you right from the start. Other franchisees are always lending a helping hand and a listening ear.”
Much like she has throughout this 25-year journey, Anderson still isn’t resting as a franchisee and is still working to set goals for her locations – even if she isn’t as hands-on as she used to be.
The three locations have a staff that she trusts, and moving forward, she wants to continue to reach the milestone goals and numbers that have made the locations successful over this timeframe.
“My goals moving forward are to reach the $2 million revenue mark,” Anderson said. “I also want us to remain at the top of the customer service and safety list. Personally, I want to continue allowing my staff to grow, manage the business, and work toward semi-retirement. I don’t want to get in their way as they continue to grow the business. I’m so proud of them all, and they are achieving excellence!”
TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® is the first and largest franchised moving company in the United States. Let us help move you forward! For more helpful tips and information on moving services subscribe to our blog and like us on Facebook.

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