About Jim’s Group
Jim’s Dog Wash and Grooming is a part of the Jim’s Group.
With over 50 divisions, we offer a wide range of professional services to meet all your needs, from expert automotive care to home maintenance, gardening and dog wash.
Jim’s Dog Wash and Grooming has grown to more than 200 franchisees all across Australia with the support of the Jim’s Group franchise system. Interested in becoming a Franchisee? Explore diverse opportunities across our extensive network, find the perfect fit for your skills and interests, and join a trusted brand to build a successful business.
Who is Jim?
Jim Penman started a part-time gardening business while earning his PhD in history at Latrobe University. He launched a full-time mowing business in 1982 with a $24 investment.
He originally aimed only at taking on subcontractors, but his business grew and he gradually began to specialise in the building up and selling of lawn mowing rounds. By 1989 he franchised his business, and since then Jim’s Mowing has become the largest franchise chain in Australian and the largest and best-known lawn mowing business in the world.
Jim’s Cleaning was launched in 1994, followed by more than 50 different brands which now operate in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United Kingdom. Jim’s Group now has over 5,500 Franchisees and a turnover of approximately $1 Billion Dollars Annually.
“The key to success in franchising is an overriding concern for the welfare of franchisees, and constant improvement in customer service.”Jim Penman
He is still actively involved in the running of the business, is directly accessible to all his Franchisees and to any client with a serious complaint.
He is funding a research program into the epigenetics of social behaviour, a continuation of his PhD work, which he believes could help in the treatment of mental illness and addictive disorders.
His books ‘Biohistory’, Biohistory: decline of the West’, and ‘Every Customer a Fan’ are available on Amazon and from his website biohistory.org
Join the Jim’s Group family
Take control of your career and enjoy the freedom of being your own boss by becoming a Franchisee with Jim’s Group. Join our supportive community, benefit from our trusted brand, and build a successful business with our proven system. Start your journey today and become part of the Jim’s Group family!
No Other Success
How a Lawn-Mowing Business Transformed Thousands of Lives
What started with a $24 investment and a battered mower grew into one of the largest franchise systems in the Southern Hemisphere. In No Other Success, Jim Penman—founder and CEO of Jim’s Group—shares the remarkable journey from mowing lawns in suburban Melbourne to leading a network of more than 5,500 franchisees across 40+ industries. This is not just a business story. It’s a story about second chances, family, resilience, and the belief that true success cannot be measured by money alone.
From near-bankruptcy and personal struggles to building a business model that prioritises people before profit, Jim reveals the messy, unpolished, and deeply human story behind the iconic Jim’s logo. Packed with real-life lessons, candid reflections, and stories from franchisees whose lives were changed, No Other Success is both a business memoir and an inspiring guide for anyone chasing freedom, purpose, and the chance to build something lasting.
All copies come signed by Jim himself!