Lifetime entrepreneur, Troy Wayman, spent a full year exploring recurring revenue business opportunities before choosing City Wide Facility Solutions for his next career pursuit. City Wide began operating in Wichita in 2017, primarily offering janitorial services for commercial buildings. They are now a $10 million building solutions company, led by Troy and his son, Mitchell Wayman.
“When we started with City Wide, national business development didn’t exist yet, so we worked very diligently and persistently making calls, knocking on doors, attending social business events, that kind of thing,” shared Troy. “It took several months and then things started clicking. In our first year, we surpassed $700,000 in revenue and earned Rookie of the Year honors as the fifty-second City Wide territory.”
Mitchell added, “Persistence was really key for us. We spent countless hours researching and evaluating market verticals and looking to add other services to our janitorial customers. Brand awareness, marketing, and business development never stop.”
Operating a successful business in a mid-size market also demands great team culture, both men share.
“The City Wide business model is only as great as your team, and that’s not just your personal team, but the collaborative City Wide team,” Mitchell states. The Wayman’s say they are blessed by the camaraderie of the City Wide network, a group of men and women who support them, any time of day, any day of the week.
“If I need to talk on a Sunday afternoon, I can pick up the phone and call any of my peers and they’ll gladly help me,” said Troy. “We’re not competing against each other; unlike some other franchise models I saw during my research phase. The culture of City Wide is that we work together as a system for the benefit of everyone in the system.
“As a business owner, I believe in surrounding myself with people who are smarter than me. They’ve been there themselves, or they’ve had a similar situation they have worked through and handled.”
The pandemic was not something anyone anticipated or had a road map for, but City Wide of Wichita remained focused and persistent, doubling their business during that time. Revenues have continued to climb $2-3 million each year since.
“Expansion was never an ‘if’ but more of a ‘when’ conversation when we looked at the future,” said Mitchell. “We understand the Midwest, and when the opportunity to grow into other markets presented itself, we were all in.”
Troy added, “Never be satisfied. Always be evolving and set an expectation to achieve the next level.”
Troy and Mitchell have signed on to bring City Wide Facility Solutions to Northwest Arkansas and Des Moines, Iowa, two new territories for the company, similar in size to Wichita.
“Janitorial is the engine that drives our business, but it’s not the answer to ‘Who is City Wide?’ If you ask your client, ‘Who is City Wide?’ and their response is janitorial services, then you’re not doing a good job educating the client and growing that relationship,” advises Mitchell.
Both men admittedly love processes and following them. Mitchell views operating systems as critical elements of not only maintaining business but also scaling over time. He has participated in several projects over the years as a beta-tester for City Wide, including most recently a work order management software. Troy has served on the system’s Franchise Advisory Council whose purpose is to create even better systems for City Wide as a whole.
“We help each other be better. It’s not just about the profit. It’s about being part of something bigger than yourself,” concludes Troy.
