DJ Avellino is originally from the Philadelphia area and currently lives in Philly with his wife and dog. Before launching his Lightspeed Restoration franchise earlier this year, his professional background was primarily in sales, real estate, insurance, and risk management. From those experiences, he learned a lot about building relationships, earning people’s trust, and helping clients navigate situations that can sometimes be complicated or stressful.
Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with family, friends, and his dog. He also enjoys golfing, boxing, and surfing at the Jersey Shore – although he says he’s pretty bad at all three.
We talked to him about what it’s like owning his Lightspeed Restoration Franchise on the Main Line of Pennsylvania.
What made you decide to look into purchasing a franchise?
I had reached a point in my career where I knew I wanted to build something of my own. I liked the idea of entrepreneurship and having control over the direction of my career, but I also recognized the value of having a proven system, established brand, training, and experienced people to lean on.
Franchising felt like a great middle ground. I could take on the challenge and responsibility of building my own business without having to figure out every aspect of the business from scratch.
When researching franchises, what criteria mattered to you most? How did your franchise meet that criteria?
I wanted a business that provided an essential service, had strong long-term demand, and gave me the opportunity to build something meaningful in my local community. I was also looking for a business where relationships and reputation mattered and where there was significant room for growth.
Lightspeed checked those boxes for me. Restoration is a business where customers often call you on one of the worst days they’ve had as a homeowner or property owner. Being able to solve that problem, communicate well throughout the process, and leave someone in a better position than when you met them is extremely rewarding.
I was also attracted to Lightspeed Restoration because I felt there was an opportunity to build a strong restoration company in my market while having the systems, training, technology, and support of a larger organization behind me.
Financing can be an obstacle and/or intimidating factor for aspiring entrepreneurs. How did you find financing options to purchase your franchise?
I financed the business through an SBA loan. Like a lot of first-time business owners, the financing side of purchasing a franchise initially felt a little intimidating, but the SBA route gave me a way to fund the initial investment while preserving capital for actually launching and growing the business.
The process definitely requires preparation and documentation, so be prepared and understand the steps involved. For anyone considering a franchise, I would recommend exploring financing options early in the process and having a clear understanding of not only what you need to purchase the franchise, but also how much working capital you’ll want available as you build the business.
Which of your prior skills and experiences do you use in operating your business today?
My background in sales, real estate, insurance, and risk management translates extremely well to restoration.
Sales taught me how important relationships, follow-up, and communication are. My real estate experience gave me a strong understanding of homes, property owners, and the network of professionals surrounding a property. Insurance and risk management gave me experience explaining complicated situations to clients and helping people make decisions when there are a lot of moving pieces.
Probably the biggest transferable skill has been communication. When someone has water damage or discovers mold in their home, they don’t just need someone who understands the technical side of remediation. They need someone who can clearly explain what happened, what needs to happen next, and what they should expect throughout the process.
What resources did you use to compare franchise opportunities?
I did a significant amount of research into the restoration industry and spoke with a number of different restoration franchise brands before ultimately deciding that Lightspeed was the best fit for what I was looking for.
I spent a lot of time comparing the different business models, speaking directly with franchisors, researching the competitive landscape in my market, and trying to understand what owning and operating each business would actually look like day to day.
I also spoke with existing franchise owners, which was one of the most valuable parts of the process. Those conversations gave me a firsthand perspective on the realities of the business, the challenges of getting started, the level of support they received, and their overall experience as franchise owners.
Going through that process and having the opportunity to compare multiple restoration franchises ultimately gave me more confidence in my decision to choose Lightspeed.
When doing your research, which questions did you ask the franchisees?
I wanted to know what the business was really like once the sales process ended and you actually became an owner.
I asked franchisees about the quality of support they received from the franchisor, what their first year looked like, where their customers came from, what surprised them about the business, what their biggest challenges were, and whether they would make the same decision again knowing what they knew now.
I also wanted to understand how much freedom owners had to build their individual businesses while still benefiting from the systems and resources of the franchise.
Which questions did you ask the franchisor?
I asked a lot of questions about training and ongoing support because I was entering an industry where technical knowledge matters tremendously. I wanted to understand what would happen after I signed the franchise agreement, not just what would happen leading up to it.
I also asked about marketing, business development, technology, operational support, territory, the competitive landscape, and the long-term vision for the Lightspeed brand.
One of the biggest things I wanted to understand was how the franchisor viewed its relationship with franchisees. I wasn’t simply looking to buy a brand name. I wanted a partner that was invested in helping me build a successful business.
What were your first 90 days like as a franchisee?
Busy! The first 90 days were a combination of learning, building relationships, getting our name into the market, and figuring out how all of the different pieces of the business fit together.
In restoration, you’re simultaneously learning the technical side of the industry, building referral relationships, managing jobs, communicating with customers, developing your team, and trying to create processes that will allow the company to grow.
There were definitely long days, but I enjoyed that part of it. Every week I felt like I understood the business better than I did the week before.
At what point did you feel like you “got the hang of it” and settled in as a business owner?
I’m not sure there has been one specific moment, and I actually think that’s part of owning a business.
You become more comfortable as you gain experience, but then the business grows and presents you with a completely new set of challenges. Early on, the focus is getting the phone to ring and successfully completing jobs. Then you start thinking about hiring, developing people, creating systems, building referral relationships, managing capacity, and planning for growth.
I feel much more confident today than I did when we opened, but I also hope I’m saying the same thing a year from now. I don’t ever want to feel like I’ve completely figured it out.
How does the franchisor support and encourage your success?
One of the biggest advantages has been knowing that I don’t have to solve every problem alone.
Lightspeed Restoration provides training, operational systems, technology, marketing resources, coaching, and access to people with years of experience in the restoration industry. Having that support is particularly valuable when you’re dealing with a situation you’ve never encountered before.
The franchisee network is another major resource. Being able to pick up the phone and talk with another owner who has already dealt with a similar situation can save an incredible amount of time and help you make better decisions.
At the same time, I’ve been given the ability to build a company that reflects my local market and the reputation I want Lightspeed Restoration of The Main Line to have.
What are you most proud of and why?
I’m incredibly proud of what we’re beginning to build with Lightspeed Restoration of The Main Line and the reputation we’re developing in our community. We’re still a young business, so every customer, every relationship, and every job matters. It’s extremely rewarding to have a homeowner call us during what can be one of the most stressful moments they’ve experienced with their property and know that we’re able to step in, solve the problem, and make that situation a little easier for them.
On a more personal level, I’m also incredibly proud of my wife. She was the first one of us to take the leap into entrepreneurship and start a business of her own. I had the opportunity to watch her build a company from scratch, develop it into a successful brand, and work through all of the challenges that come with owning a business. Watching her do that gave me a lot of the confidence to eventually take that same leap myself.
Now, being able to build our own businesses alongside one another is something I’m extremely proud of. We understand the long days, the wins, the setbacks, and everything that comes with trying to create something of your own. Her example played a big part in giving me the confidence to start this journey, and I’m proud of what we’re both building.
What advice would you give to potential franchise owners?
Do as much due diligence as you possibly can, and talk to franchise owners, not just the franchisor.
Ask difficult questions. Find out what owners love about the business, but also ask what frustrates them, what surprised them, and what they wish they had known before they started.
I would also tell someone not to confuse buying a franchise with buying a successful business. A franchise can give you a brand, systems, training, resources, and a roadmap, but you still have to execute. You have to build relationships, take care of customers, develop your team, and put in the work.
For me, that’s actually one of the most rewarding parts of franchising. You have a strong foundation and people supporting you, but ultimately you still get the satisfaction of building something that is your own.
More About the Lightspeed Restoration Franchise Opportunity
Lightspeed Restoration offers water damage restoration to homeowners. In addition to being a fast-growing franchise, they earned a spot on our Top 200 Franchises of 2026. Whether you’re looking for careers with insurance experience as a plus, or have great business development skills, this is a great option.
They also share their full franchisee satisfaction report. This is the survey that we here at FBR administer to their franchisees. You can read real responses from Lightspeed Restoration franchisees and see how the company performs in areas like technology and training.
Each franchise office is independently owned and operated. These testimonials represent that person’s experience and the opinions of a specific franchise owner. Individual results and experiences will vary. This is not a guarantee, promise, or prediction of future performance or outcomes. For a comprehensive understanding of the costs, risks, and performance data associated with this franchise opportunity, please refer to Lightspeed’s Franchise Disclosure Document.
