Being electrocuted allowed Michael Sims to see the light shining
on a different career path.
In 1995, a major accident on the job as a trainee electrician
left him laid up for months, contemplating his next move. Fate
intervened when Michael was reunited with an old church friend, a
Pop-a-Lock technician who came to assist a neighbor who was
locked out of his car. Upon hearing Michael's plight, the
friend introduced Michael to his boss, who hired him on the spot.
Three years later, Michael and his wife, Gwen, both 32, knew they
wanted to open their own Pop-a-Lock franchise. "Having served
as a technician for one of the franchises, I was able to see
firsthand how the company not only operates, but [also] provides
support in all areas, from management and marketing to technical
training," says Michael.
Using $50,000 of start-up capital obtained mostly from personal
investments, the Simses relocated from their hometown of Baton
Rouge, Louisiana, to open the Brower County, Florida, branch of
Pop-a-Lock in December 1999. Within their first year, they
generated more than $250,000 in revenues.
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Pop-a-Lock provides services such as unlocking car doors,
roadside assistance and locksmithing to individuals as well as
motor clubs. Pop-a-Lock also works with 911 through its Emergency
Door Unlocking program, offering free service in situations where
infants, small children, seniors or people with disabilities are
locked in vehicles.
Combining Michael's technical skills with Gwen's
business acumen proved the ideal formula for success. "In the
beginning, it was just the two of us," says Gwen. "I
handled all the administrative duties from home while Mike was out
servicing the field. Initially, we received about three calls [per]
day." Today, the company receives more than 70 calls daily and
employs 10 technicians and five support staff members.
The couple now manages operations from Morristown, Tennessee.
"Last year, we fell in love with this town nestled in the
foothills of the Smokey Mountains while on vacation and thought it
would be a great place to settle and raise a family," says
Michael. The Pop-a-Lock system allows franchisees to operate from
any remote location-all they need is access to a phone and a
computer. With plans of diversifying into more complicated areas
such as safes and closed-circuit security systems, the
franchise's revenues are projected to reach $800,000 in
2004.
"It's not an understatement to say that franchising has
enriched our lives," emphasizes Michael. "Pop-a-Lock has
allowed us to provide a service to over 54,000 people to date, hire
our friends and relatives, and live our lives the way we
want."