Greensleeves Lawn Care welcomes new franchises to its portfolio as we head further into spring, with Dan Scott taking over Greensleeves Newmarket in the past month and John Lilburne taking on Mid Staffordshire and Natalie Reid in Aberdeen.
Dan says: “I did a lot of research into different opportunities before making the leap into franchising. When you look at business failure rates, it’s clear that joining an established franchise gives you a much better chance of success. Greensleeves stood out because it had a proven system in place.”
Dan’s new venture came with a solid foundation, as Greensleeves Newmarket had already been operating for 16 years. That stability was a key selling point for him.
“I wasn’t looking to start from scratch – I wanted something established so I could focus on growing the business rather than setting it up. I took on the two existing lawncare operatives, who had great experience, and we currently serve 750 customers. But I’m ambitious – we’ve already added nearly 30 new customers in my first month, and I plan to expand the team soon,” said Dan.
Another franchisee flourishing in the network is John Lilburne, owner of Greensleeves Mid Staffordshire. Having worked at head office as a Franchise Sales Manager, John was already familiar with the brand before deciding to invest in his own business. Since taking over in August last year, he has seen steady growth – despite winter traditionally being seen as a slower period in lawn care.
“When I took over, we had around 630 customers. Fast-forward to today and I’ve added 63 more, which is amazing considering a lot of that growth happened over winter,” explained John.
Understanding that building a business solo wouldn’t be sustainable, John focused on creating job opportunities while expanding his customer base. “One team member works part-time helping with leaflet delivery, while another is employed part-time through the business to support me directly with mechanical work,” said John. “They’ve both been brilliant, and 17 of my 63 new customers have come directly from those leaflets.”
That growth is already paying off. “We’re fully booked until the end of May and have already surpassed double the revenue from this time last year under the previous ownership. If things keep going the way they are, we could even surpass the previous annual turnover.”
John’s success challenges the notion that lawn care businesses slow down in winter. “People assume winter is quiet for us, but that’s not necessarily true. By pre-booking work over the colder months, we’ve kept a steady flow of business. Planning ahead has been key.”
Meanwhile, Natalie Reid, who took over Greensleeves Aberdeen in January, is defying industry expectations in her own way. Previously an office administrator for the business, she saw an opportunity to build something for herself and her family when the previous franchisee approached her about taking over.
As one of the few female franchisees in the lawn care sector, Natalie is passionate about inspiring more women to step into leadership roles. “There’s still this idea that women can’t run a business like this as well as men,” explained Natalie. “But I know we can, and I’m determined to prove it.”
For women considering franchising, Natalie has a clear message: “Don’t let the industry define what you can or can’t do. Running a lawn care franchise isn’t any harder for me than running any other business – it’s about skills, leadership and determination.”
With franchisees like Dan, John and Natalie driving growth and breaking barriers, 2025 is shaping up to be a milestone year for Greensleeves. The network is already 30% up on last March, demonstrating the strength of the brand and the growing demand for expert lawn care.
Cheryl Harper, MD of Greensleeves, is thrilled with the progress across the network. “Our franchisees are at the heart of our success,” said Cheryl. “Seeing them thrive – whether they’re transitioning from corporate careers, giving young people opportunities or championing diversity – is truly inspiring. Greensleeves has always been about helping people build strong, sustainable businesses, and this year’s achievements prove that our model works.”
