In this FDD Talk post, you’ll learn the following:

• Section I – Background information on the Fish Window Cleaning franchise opportunity, including relevant news updates

• Section II – Estimated initial investment for a Fish Window Cleaning franchise, based on Item 7 of the company’s 2020 FDD

• Section III – Initial franchise fee, royalty fee, marketing fee, and other fees for a Fish Window Cleaning franchise, based on Items 5 and 6 of the company’s 2020 FDD

• Section IV – Number of franchised and company-owned Fish Window Cleaning outlets at the start of the year and the end of the year for 2017, 2018, and 2019, based on Item 20 of the company’s 2020 FDD

• Section V – Presentation and analysis of Fish Window Cleaning’s financial performance representations, based on Item 19 of the company’s 2020 FDD, including information on the:

• 2019 average, median, highest, and lowest total revenue and number of new customers for the 265 franchised outlets that were open and operating for the 12-month period from January 1, 2019 until December 31, 2019

• 2019 average, median, highest, and lowest revenue from a residential window cleaning, commercial window cleaning, and annual price for a commercial route job for the 265 franchised outlets that were open and operating for the 12-month period from January 1, 2019 until December 31, 2019

Section I – Background Information

16 Things You Need to Know About the Fish Window Cleaning Franchise

Ranks in List of Largest U.S. Franchise Systems

1.  In mid-November 2019, Fish Window Cleaning was named to the Franchise Times Top 200+, a comprehensive ranking of the 500 largest U.S. franchise systems. Within that list, FISH was one of the Top 28 cleaning services franchise brands in the country. The Top 200+ is ranked based on hard revenue numbers. Fish Window Cleaning made the list at number 342 out of 500 franchise systems.

2.  Randy Cross, president of Fish Window Cleaning, said, “FISH is extremely grateful to be recognized in the Franchise Times Top 200+. We have been working together with franchisees since 1998 after spending 20 years prior to that perfecting our model. Franchisees choose Fish Window Cleaning because they want to be a part of a great franchise system that strives to be the best! FISH has been in the window cleaning business since 1978 and this list proves that Fish Window Cleaning continues to be a premier choice for entrepreneurs looking for a franchise that will stand the test of time.”

Launches Campaign to Prevent Ladder Injuries

3.  In March 2020, Fish Window Cleaning launched a campaign encouraging people to think twice before climbing a ladder to clean out or wash second-story windows. March was National Ladder Safety Month, and FISH is passionate about ladder safety.

4.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

• 500,000 falls from ladders occur annually;
• 43% of fatal falls in the last decade have involved a ladder;
• Among construction workers, an estimated 81% of fall injuries treated in U.S. emergency departments involve a ladder;
• 97% of falls occur at home or on farms; and
• More Americans are treated for ladder falls than burns each year.

5.  Ladder danger is much more prevalent than many Americans realize. The goals for National Ladder Safety Month are to educate residents, business owners, and workers on the risks associated with ladder usage, heighten awareness of the danger, and promote proper ladder training.

6.  Fish Window Cleaning has led the industry with a premier safety program designed to ensure the protection of both FISH cleaners and customers. FISH window cleaners are licensed, bonded, insured, and committed to providing clients with quality service.

7.  Randy Cross, president of Fish Window Cleaning, said, “We take ladder safety very, very seriously. We pride ourselves on always maintaining the highest level of safety in all aspects of our business. That’s why we have strict safety training and practices in place and adhere to OSHA safety rules. We value our customers’ safety, which is why we always recommend bringing in a professional to help clear out gutters and clean high-up windows.”

8.  On a final note, Fish Window Cleaning offered some tips to avoid an injury or fatality:

• Always inspect the ladder before using it;
• Face the ladder and keep three points of contact when climbing;
• Make sure the ladder’s feet are firmly and securely on the ground;
• Wear the right shoes.

Franchisee Offers Free Window Cleaning in Honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month

9.  In early October 2020, a Janesville, Wisconsin woman recently diagnosed with breast cancer received a free window cleaning from the Madison Fish Window Cleaning franchise. Chrissy Holcomb was diagnosed with stage one breast cancer just before the pandemic began. COVID-19 has made things complicated, especially for getting surgeries.

10.  As part of breast cancer awareness month, Fish Window Cleaning in Madison offered free cleanings to women battling cancer to take a load off their minds and help improve their moods. The owner, Holcomb’s aunt, reached out to her with the offer she said she couldn’t refuse.

11.  Holcomb said, “They offered to clean not only the window I wanted done, but the whole inside and outside of my house for free. I feel very fortunate to be chosen to have the windows cleaned. They’re beautiful. It would have been out of my budget to have it done. It’s not even something I would have thought about.”

Company History

12.  Fish Window Cleaning was founded in 1978 by Mike Merrick in St. Louis, Missouri. Before starting Fish Window Cleaning, Merrick was the branch manager of Farm and Home Savings and Loan. In January of 1978, Mark Stobe, who cleaned the windows of Farm and Home Savings Loan every four weeks, told Merrick that he was going to sell his business, which at the time had 100 commercial accounts.

13.  Merrick set up a meeting to look over Stobe’s books and while he was initially hesitant to dive head first into owning his own business, Merrick’s decision was made for him when he was let go from his job. Without a new job lined up, Merrick bought Stobe’s window cleaning business and changed its name to Fish Window Cleaning because of the Christian fish symbol and because of Merrick’s belief that God opened up this window of opportunity.

14.  Initially, Merrick was the only window cleaner and he learned a lot about the window cleaning industry. Demand for Merrick’s services grew and in 1998 he started franchising the Fish Window Cleaning concept. The first franchised location opened in Tampa, Florida.

15.  Today, 80 percent of Fish Window Cleaning’s business is commercial properties, including ground level storefronts and one- to three-story office buildings. The remaining 20 percent is residential. Merrick’s sons have joined him in running Fish Window Cleaning and there are now locations across the country.

Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500

16.  Fish Window Cleaning ranked No. 259 on Entrepreneur’s 2020 Franchise 500 list.

Section II – Estimated Costs

• Please click here for detailed estimates of Fish Window Cleaning franchise costs, based on Item 7 of the company’s 2020 FDD.

Section III – Initial Franchise Fee, Royalty Fee, Marketing Fee, and Other Fees

• Please click here for detailed information on Fish Window Cleaning’s initial franchise fee, royalty fee, marketing fee, and other fees, based on Items 5 and 6 of the company’s 2020 FDD.

Section IV – Number of Franchised and Company-Owned Outlets

Franchised

2017

• Outlets at the Start of the Year:  271
• Outlets at the End of the Year:  274
• Net Change:  +3

2018

• Outlets at the Start of the Year:  274
• Outlets at the End of the Year:  271
• Net Change:  -3

2019

• Outlets at the Start of the Year:  271
• Outlets at the End of the Year:  279
• Net Change:  +8

Company-Owned

2017

• Outlets at the Start of the Year:  1
• Outlets at the End of the Year:  1
• Net Change:  0

2018

• Outlets at the Start of the Year:  1
• Outlets at the End of the Year:  1
• Net Change:  0

2019

• Outlets at the Start of the Year:  1
• Outlets at the End of the Year:  1
• Net Change:  0

Section V – Financial Performance Representations (Item 19, 2020 FDD) and Analysis

Part 1 – Number of New Customers (Commercial and Residential) and Total Revenue

• The information in the table below is a historical financial performance representation for a subset of Fish Window Cleaning businesses from January 1, 2019 until December 31, 2019.

• Fish Window Cleaning had 280 outlets in its system as of December 31, 2019, which number includes one affiliate-owned outlet. The information in the table below is based on information for the 265 franchised outlets that were open and operating for the 12-month period from January 1, 2019 until December 31, 2019. Therefore, the remaining 14 franchised outlets were not included in the table below because they were not open and operating for the 12-month period from January 1, 2019 until December 31, 2019.

• Six franchised outlets closed during the 2019 fiscal year, and so they did not report data to Fish Window Cleaning for the entire 12-month period between January 1, 2019 and December 31, 2019, and therefore their data is also excluded from this Item 19. Of the six franchised outlets that closed during the fiscal year 2019, one franchised outlet closed after being open for less than 12 months.

• The information in the table below was prepared from sales records and reports from the franchised businesses. Fish Window Cleaning’s affiliate-owned business is not included in the tables below.

• Fish Window Cleaning does not know of an instance, nor does it have reason to believe, that a franchisee would overstate or understate the information in the table below. The information provided has not been audited or submitted as part of a financial statement reporting requirement.

• The Fish Window Cleaning businesses included in this financial performance representation share similar characteristics in that they are in similar locations, have similar degrees of competition, offer similar services, and are entitled to receive similar goods and services from Fish Window Cleaning.

Top Performing Outlet