Jerral Ingle was raised in Cherokee County, Alabama. He went to College at Jacksonville State University and now lives in Fort Payne. Jerral owns a PuroClean franchise in Fort Payne alongside his wife, Chrystal. They are a family business, with 8 of their 26 employees being family. Their oldest son, Chazz, is learning the business so he can one day take it over. The Ingle’s youngest son just graduated high school and is going to college to play baseball. When he gets out of school, he will help run the business with his older brother. While Jerral runs the day-to-day of the franchise, Chrystal is enjoying life as a grandmother since they just welcomed their first grandbaby in February.
We chatted with Jerral to find out more about what it’s like owning his PuroClean franchise.
What made you decide to look into purchasing a franchise?
I was in the carpet cleaning business and saw a need in this area. I was getting calls about drying carpet out when people we knew had a pipe burst. So, in 2010, I started my certification in water restoration. I was in an odor class and met Hunter Jones from PuroClean of Birmingham. We talked a bit, then I went home and got on the internet searching for restoration companies. After talking to several different franchises, Tom Brady from PuroClean’s Franchise Development Team called me. Here we are, ten years later.
When researching franchises, what criteria mattered to you most? How did your franchise meet that criteria?
I went down to meet the team in Tamarac, FL, and talked to a few new PuroClean franchisees. I was excited about what they talked about on how they were going to grow the business and make PuroClean a world-class brand. Once I got the opportunity to sit down with Steve White, the president of PuroClean, he was my defining factor in investing in this company. Steve knew some of the challenges I faced, and he helped me a lot in getting started.
Financing can be an obstacle and/or intimidating factor for aspiring entrepreneurs. How did you find financing options to purchase your franchise?
I remortgaged my home for the license fee, and I borrowed every dime I could get from the bank and took out around $150,000 in credit card debt, just to get started. This caused several sleepless nights, but we were blessed to pay all that money back within a year. I had the carpet-cleaning business that paid my bills, but I took no money out of PuroClean for the first 3 years. We used that money to grow our business.
Which of your prior skills and experiences do you use in operating your business today?
We have built houses since 1995. So, that gave me a leg up on the reconstruction side of the business.
What were your first 90 days like as a franchisee?
The first 90 days were kind of tough. We spent all our time speaking to insurance agents and adjusters. In about 6 months, we started getting referrals from our efforts on marketing.
At what point did you feel like you “got the hang of it” and settled in as a business owner?
Sometimes, I still feel like I don’t have the hang of it! But I would say about 2 years in, we had a good system set in place and we were more comfortable with making decisions in the field. One of the most important decisions I made was joining an impact group; those guys helped me shape my business into what it is today.
How does the franchisor support and encourage your success?
I love the culture in PuroClean. I have made some lifelong friends in the PuroClean system. I get some excellent support from my regional director, Daniel Thompson; anytime I need something, he is the first person I call. But the network is what I love; going to convention and regionals and learning from the other guys has been invaluable.
What are you most proud of and why?
I am proud of the culture that my team has set for our community. They know we are here to help them when they need it.
What advice would you give to potential franchise owners?
Get involved in your community, show up at events, and let them know you care. Hire a BDR as soon as possible; it will change your business. Even if you think you can’t afford one, do it anyway. The results will be evident quickly. Last, join an impact group and learn from them. They are there to help you get through things that are difficult, because more than likely they have already been through it.
More about the PuroClean franchise opportunity.
PuroClean provides fire and smoke damage remediation, water damage remediation, flood water removal, mold removal, and biohazard cleanup to commercial and residential customers. In addition to offering a valuable service, PuroClean is a top franchise in many areas. Because they survey their franchisees with us here at Franchise Business Review, we can take their data and rank them. With our unbiased information, we’ve ranked them on the following lists.
- Top Franchises for Culture
- Top Franchises for Veterans
- Most Profitable Franchises
- Top Franchises for Women
- Top 200 Franchises Overall
Additionally, PuroClean shares their full franchisee satisfaction report. Here are a few highlights from their report:
- 83% of franchisees agree that they enjoy operating this business
- 86% of franchisees are likely to recommend this franchise to others
- 83% of franchisees agree that they respect their franchisor
