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The hidden costs of growing a gutter franchise to the top 1%
An interview with Joshua Dspain at Brother's Gutters
Bryan Shankman
May 22, 2025
Welcome to this week’s edition of The Workbench, a resource-rich weekly newsletter and podcast for home services entrepreneurs.
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This week, I had the pleasure of chatting with Joshua DSpain from Brother Gutters, a rapidly growing franchise in St. Louis. Joshua shared the unfiltered journey from being a complete industry outsider to running one of the franchise’s largest locations in record time.
He broke down the true pros and cons of buying into a franchise, how he handled fast growth and hiring nightmares, what you can (and can’t) expect from corporate support, and the financial and operational realities every aspiring home service operator should know.
The 7 Key Takeaways
Below are the most essential insights from my conversation that you can apply to your home services business today.
1. Selecting the Right Franchise
Finding the right franchise isn’t just about a flashy brand or a proven process. Joshua dove deep into due diligence, speaking directly with dozens of owners to ensure the operational and cultural claims from headquarters actually matched reality. This hands-on research protected him from common franchisee regrets and set him up for alignment from day one.
"I had looked at a number of different franchises. They all sound really good up front. They talk about having a proven process, but when I started calling owners, I found out a lot of them didn’t actually run that process or didn’t even know about it. Brothers Gutters was the first where owner experiences matched what the company promised, and that was a big green flag for me."
2. Zero Experience, Maximum Learning Curve
Joshua stepped into the gutter business with zero prior experience—never having even cleaned a gutter before. But by focusing on constant learning and assembling a team from day one, he quickly rose to expert level and built a business that didn’t depend on him holding every role.
"I had never cleaned gutters. I’d never touched a gutter. I was handy but had no real construction experience. There was definitely a learning curve, but I never wanted to be my own best installer or salesperson. I always hired for those, so I could focus on growing the business itself."
3. What a Franchise Actually Gives You
For those on the fence about whether to buy, build, or franchise, Joshua’s perspective is invaluable. The franchise brought a crucial knowledge base and safety net for areas like marketing and operations—especially for solo operators missing a “department” support structure.
"There’s a team that supports you, which means you’re not wide-eyed walking into the industry. The franchise helped me with things like branding, accounting, and marketing—which I’d never done before—so I could focus on what I’m good at. They run my Google Ads, handle design, help with social… Things I didn’t have to stress about learning from zero."
4. Franchise vs. True Ownership
Joshua emphasized that despite backing from a national brand, the ultimate responsibility for business success—and risk—is entirely on the owner’s shoulders.
"At the end of the day, it’s still my business. The franchise doesn’t share my debt, and if my lead flow dries up, it’s on me to go get those leads. The franchisor helps, but the local operator has to own the outcome. You can’t blame a missing department. You have to take ownership no matter what."
5. Catastrophic Growth and Tough Hiring Lessons
While rapid scaling sounds attractive, Joshua learned that explosive growth demands huge capital outlays and exposes operational weaknesses—especially around hiring skilled labor.
"We grew really fast—catastrophic growth, I call it—and became one of the biggest locations quickly, but it was hard. I had to pour profits back in, borrow money, and hiring skilled installers is by far the hardest part. It takes months or even a year for someone to be ready to run their own truck. That’s a big operational pain point."
6. Flexibility in Systems, Not Just Handcuffs
Although some processes and tools are standardized, Joshua appreciated that his franchise offered surprising freedom in vendors and operations, which let him adapt to local realities.
"With Brothers Gutters, they’re actually more hands-off than most. I don’t have to buy materials from one supplier, or use a specific gutter guard. We do have to use the CRM and QuickBooks for reporting and branding, but I still choose my accountant, attorney, and insurance. That freedom matters."
7.Choosing the Right Business Model for You
Joshua's biggest advice: Before choosing a franchise, understand the operational and risk profiles behind each model, not just the marketing.
"Some models—like ours—mean W2 employees, capital-heavy equipment, and real insurance risk. Others outsource everything and have no trucks, no W2s. Ask yourself, do you want to manage 20 employees and trucks, or just contractors? But above all, you have to be able to stand behind the business and feel its value to the customer, or it’ll be hard to succeed."
Looking Ahead
Joshua is excited to keep building his market leadership and growing the St. Louis operation, while helping raise overall standards and recognition for quality in gutter services nationally.
"Our goal is to become the first nationally recognized, full-service gutter company—not just a product or guard. As franchise owners, we’re coming together more, leveraging group buying power, and looking for ways to get even better for customers and employees alike."
Wow! You made it to the end; thanks for sticking with us.
The full interview is available on YouTube below, Spotify here, and Apple Podcasts here.