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Spaulding Decon Franchise Review: What to Know Before You Buy — and a Cleaner Alternative

Spaulding Decon Franchise

If you’re considering leaving a traditional career to start your own business, franchise opportunities like Spaulding Decon might be on your radar. Spaulding Decon offers a unique niche in the cleaning world – a franchise that specializes in crime scene and biohazard cleanup. In this in-depth review, we’ll explore what the Spaulding Decon franchise entails, including its company background, franchisee support, and financial model. We’ll then compare the crime-scene cleanup industry with the commercial cleaning industry, highlighting practical differences in stability, scalability, and profitability. Finally, we’ll show how Assett Franchise – a commercial cleaning business franchise – compares, and why it may provide a simpler, more scalable path for aspiring entrepreneurs.

What Is the Spaulding Decon Franchise Opportunity?

Company Overview and Industry

Spaulding Decon is one of the nation’s leading crime scene cleanup and decontamination franchises, operating in a highly specialized segment of the cleaning industry. Founded in 2005 by former police officer Laura Spaulding in Tampa, Florida, the company began by addressing an unmet need: professional cleanup after traumatic events, according to entrepreneur.com. It started franchising in 2015–2016, becoming the first company in the U.S. to offer a nationwide crime-scene cleanup franchise opportunity. Today, Spaulding Decon has grown to roughly 25 locations across the United States, including franchise outlets and a few company-owned units.

Industry niche: Spaulding Decon operates in the biohazard remediation and property restoration arena. Its core services focus on cleaning up what most traditional cleaners or restoration companies won’t: biohazards, crime and trauma scenes, meth lab decontamination, hoarder homes, mold infestations, and even tear gas or drug residue cleanup. In essence, whenever a home, business, or vehicle needs professional decontamination due to dangerous or disturbing conditions, Spaulding Decon can step in. Notably, it’s the only nationwide franchise offering such comprehensive crime-scene and biohazard cleanup services, which gives it a unique position with relatively few direct competitors in its niche.

Client base: Unlike standard cleaning companies that mostly serve businesses, Spaulding Decon serves a mix of residential and commercial clients, and even government agencies. Franchisees might help a homeowner dealing with a tragic event one day, then assist a law enforcement agency or property manager the next. This wide client range means revenue comes from diverse sources. Often, the cost of services is covered by homeowners’ insurance or paid through estate funds or government contracts, since many clients facing biohazards are in crisis situations. The company emphasizes that this model is recession-resistant, because services like trauma cleanup, hoarding remediation, and biohazard removal are needed regardless of the economic climate. In fact, Spaulding Decon highlights that much of its work is paid via insurance claims, which can make it easier for affected families or businesses to afford the service.

Growth and track record: Spaulding Decon touts a strong growth trajectory. The corporate team has reportedly achieved 50–75% revenue growth year-over-year since 2005, thanks to rising demand for specialized cleanup services. Franchisees are said to have the potential to experience similar growth, especially given the small competition in this niche and the unfortunate but constant occurrence of incidents that require these services. The overall “crime scene cleanup” industry is relatively small (around $346 million annually in the U.S.), but Spaulding Decon positions that as upside – a market with “ton of room for growth and opportunity” for those who get in early. By contrast, the general commercial cleaning sector is dozens of times larger (more on that later), but also far more crowded. Spaulding Decon’s selling point is that it’s a specialized, high-margin business where a franchise can become the go-to provider in its territory. In fact, the franchisor claims its services have “huge” profit margins and are always needed. It has even secured national contracts with certain corporations and government entities that rely on Spaulding Decon for cleanup work, meaning new franchisees can receive job referrals as soon as they open for business. This combination of proprietary methods, nationwide branding, and contract work has helped Spaulding Decon become one of the largest players in the biohazard cleanup field.

What Franchisees Get

When you invest in a Spaulding Decon franchise, you’re not just getting a name – you’re getting a full system to operate a specialized cleaning business. Here’s what the franchise package includes:

  • Services and training: Franchisees are trained to offer a wide array of decontamination and cleanup services under the Spaulding Decon banner. This includes crime scene and trauma cleanup, biohazard and blood cleanup, meth lab testing and decontamination, hoarding cleanup, mold remediation, odor removal, and even minor water damage restoration. Given the sensitive and technical nature of these jobs, the franchisor provides extensive initial training. New owners attend 14 days of hands-on training in Tampa, FL, where they learn proprietary cleaning methods, safety protocols, and how to obtain necessary certifications. By the time training is done, a franchisee and their team will be licensed or certified in the handling of biohazards, use of professional-grade cleaning agents, and proper disposal techniques needed to get the job done right.
  • Operational support: Spaulding Decon offers ongoing support to help franchisees run the business. This includes a franchise development team that assists with launching the business and obtaining required permits or certifications. While franchisees must secure their own facility or storage (the business can be home-based, with a small storage unit for equipment), the franchisor does guide new owners in setting up operations. They also provide recruiting assistance – important, since hiring trustworthy cleanup technicians is crucial when employees will be handling confidential, messy, or dangerous situations. Additionally, Spaulding Decon requires using certain approved equipment and supplies, which franchisees typically purchase through the franchisor or its vendors to ensure quality and compliance. This includes things like PPE (protective suits, masks), specialized cleaning agents, ozone machines for odor removal, and biohazard disposal containers. Franchisees benefit from national vendor relationships and discounts on these supplies, helping to keep costs down.
  • Marketing and customer acquisition: To help franchisees get business, Spaulding Decon maintains a national marketing fund (franchisees contribute a small percentage of sales to it, discussed below). The brand’s marketing includes a strong online presence – the company has invested heavily in social media and even appears in media coverage for its unusual line of work. Because public awareness of crime scene cleanup services is generally low, Spaulding Decon focuses on educating communities that a service like this exists. National contracts also play a big role in customer acquisition. Thanks to the regulated nature of biohazard cleanup, Spaulding Decon has been able to ink agreements with large insurance companies, property management firms, or government bodies that need cleanup services. As a result, when a franchise opens, the franchisor can funnel pre-existing contract jobs to that local owner – providing “immediate work once your franchise opens”. This is a significant advantage in a business where individual customers wouldn’t know who to call; being on insurance adjuster lists or police referral lists means business comes your way without each customer having to discover you from scratch.
  • Continued guidance: After the initial launch, franchisees have access to Spaulding Decon’s ongoing support network. This includes periodic updates to the confidential operations manual (detailing best practices for every service), as well as compliance support for handling medical waste or hazardous materials. The franchisor does not provide direct financing, but they do offer advice on things like setting up a home-based office or securing a small warehouse if needed for equipment. Since the franchise is family-founded and still relatively tight-knit, new owners often have direct communication with the corporate team for mentorship. (Spaulding Decon’s CEO, Laura Spaulding, remains actively involved in franchise development, given the brand’s size and founder-led history.)
  • Customers and mission: As a Spaulding Decon franchisee, your day-to-day work can be challenging but meaningful. You’ll be interacting with customers who are often in emotional distress – families, homeowners, or business owners facing a traumatic event or a difficult situation like a hoarding cleanup. Franchisees need to be compassionate and professional, able to “gain rapport with clients in crisis”. On the flip side, you’ll also interface with professional contacts like police departments or real estate agents who might refer jobs. The mission-driven aspect of this franchise is notable: you’re helping people restore safety and sanity to their environments after dark or disastrous events. Many owners take pride in providing such an essential, if little-known, service in their communities.

Startup Costs and Ongoing Fees

Starting a Spaulding Decon franchise requires a moderate investment, on par with many other service franchises, but notably higher than a simple home-based cleaning business. According to the franchise’s 2025 disclosure data, here are the key financial requirements and fees to know:

  • Initial investment: The total investment to launch a Spaulding Decon franchise ranges from roughly $162,000 to $205,000. This includes all startup expenses: the franchise fee, equipment, initial supplies, training travel, a vehicle, insurance, and initial working capital. Spaulding Decon requires new franchisees to have at least $75,000 in liquid capital to invest and a minimum net worth of $250,000. Essentially, you need solid financial footing to qualify.
  • Franchise fee: The franchise fee is $49,500 for a single territory. This one-time fee gives you the rights to operate under the Spaulding Decon brand and access their systems. (They do offer a slight discount for multi-unit owners – e.g. about $42,000 for a second territory – and a 10% veteran discount off the initial fee as a thank-you for military service.)
  • Equipment and setup costs: A significant portion of the initial investment goes toward necessary equipment and preparations. New franchisees should budget around $35,000–$50,000 for initial equipment and supplies. This covers things like specialized cleaning agents, hazmat suits, respirators, disposal containers, testing kits (for drugs or pathogens), and basic office/computer setup. You’ll also need a commercial-grade vehicle, typically a van or truck, which can cost about $9,000–$12,000 (used or leased) plus ~$4,000 for a branded vehicle wrap to advertise your services. Insurance costs are relatively high given the risk profile – expect ~$19,000–$21,000 in insurance premiums and deposits to cover liability and workers’ comp. There will be some travel cost for training in Florida (~$2,000–$3,500) and miscellaneous expenses like licensing, permits, and professional fees (~$3,000–$5,000). Spaulding Decon is often a home-based franchise (no expensive retail lease required), but you might opt for a small storage unit or facility for gear (somewhere between $0–$3,000 in the startup phase).
  • Royalties and ongoing fees: Spaulding Decon franchisees pay a royalty of 8% of gross sales to the franchisor. This royalty is your contribution for ongoing support, use of the brand, and corporate resources. Additionally, there’s a national advertising fund contribution of 1.5% of gross sales. (Some sources note it could be up to 2%, but the latest FDD data indicates 1.5% for the brand fund.) This fund helps pay for the franchisor’s marketing initiatives that benefit all franchises. Aside from these percentage fees, Spaulding Decon’s Franchise Disclosure Document indicates no mandatory local ad fees or tech fees, etc., beyond what’s in the total investment. One thing to note: Spaulding Decon may have a minimum royalty clause (for example, one source mentions a minimum of $550/month royalty if 8% of your sales doesn’t reach that), ensuring franchisees stay active in growing the business.
  • Financial performance and earnings: Importantly, Spaulding Decon does provide an Item 19 in its FDD (Financial Performance Representation). This means they disclose some franchisee revenue figures to help validate the earnings potential. While we don’t have the exact figures here, third-party analyses show promising numbers. According to one franchise database, the average annual revenue per Spaulding Decon unit is around $508,000. Keep in mind that’s an average – some mature franchises likely earn well above that, and newer ones less. In an Entrepreneur magazine profile (Jan 2024), it was noted that Spaulding Decon as a whole is a “$20 million franchise” system-wide. With roughly 25 locations, that suggests many franchises reach high six-figure revenues, and the system is growing. The profit margins in this business can be attractive – the franchisor describes them as “huge” – partly because jobs are often billed to insurance at premium rates and the labor can be managed with a small team. Typically, only 2–4 employees are needed to run a franchise initially, keeping payroll expenses relatively low for the revenue generated.
  • Owner’s role: Spaulding Decon can be run as an owner-operator business or semi-absentee model. In the beginning, franchise owners often wear many hats: marketing the service to local authorities and realtors, taking emergency calls (which can come 24/7), and sometimes even assisting on jobs to learn the ropes. However, Spaulding Decon does allow for passive ownership after the first year, or sooner if you hire a full-time manager to handle day-to-day operations. In other words, you could keep your day job or focus on scaling the business after getting it established, as long as a trained manager is running the crews. Many owners start hands-on for the first 6–12 months, then step back into a more executive role. It’s also a home-based business model, meaning you can save on office rent; much of the work happens at client locations and you can dispatch crews from home. This flexible setup further lowers ongoing overhead.

In summary, Spaulding Decon requires a substantial upfront commitment and a willingness to deal with very unique cleaning scenarios. In return, franchisees get access to a one-of-a-kind business model with strong support systems, national accounts, and a chance to earn significant revenue while providing an essential, compassionate service. Now, the big question for a prospective owner is how this opportunity stacks up against alternatives – particularly more conventional cleaning franchises. To answer that, let’s look at how Spaulding Decon’s industry compares to the commercial cleaning industry in general.

How the Industry Itself Compares

Spaulding Decon occupies a niche within the broader cleaning and restoration world – and it’s natural to compare it to the commercial cleaning industry (janitorial services) which Assett Franchise is part of. Both involve cleaning, but the day-to-day business and long-term prospects can differ greatly. Here, we’ll break down the advantages of Spaulding Decon’s biohazard cleanup industry and then compare those with the commercial cleaning industry to see which might be the better fit for a new franchise owner seeking stability and growth.

Spaulding Decon’s Industry Advantages

Every industry has its selling points. For trauma and biohazard cleanup franchises like Spaulding Decon, the appeal often comes from specialized services and high-value jobs. Here are some key advantages of Spaulding Decon’s industry that attract franchise buyers:

  • High-Margin, High-Value Jobs: Biohazard and crime scene cleanup jobs typically command premium pricing. These are not $100/month cleaning gigs – a single hoarding cleanup or meth lab decontamination can cost thousands of dollars, paid by insurance or property owners in dire need. The franchisor notes that “the profit margins are huge” in this business. With relatively low variable costs (some chemicals and labor hours), a large portion of each job’s fee can translate into profit. For entrepreneurs, that means you can potentially earn more from fewer jobs compared to a standard cleaning service that needs dozens of small contracts.
  • Recession-Resistant Demand: Just like commercial cleaning, specialized decontamination services are often considered essential – perhaps even more so on an emergency basis. Spaulding Decon markets its model as “recession proof” because unfortunate events (crimes, accidents, infestations) happen in good times and bad. In fact, economic stress can sometimes increase certain issues (for instance, abandoned properties requiring cleanup). And since many jobs are paid through insurance claims, the customer’s ability to pay is less of a factor during recessions. This consistent demand through economic cycles can give owners peace of mind that their business won’t vanish in a downturn.
  • Limited Competition & Niche Expertise: It’s not easy to start a biohazard cleaning company on your own – you need training, certifications, and the stomach for very challenging work. As a result, competition in this niche is relatively low. Spaulding Decon is currently the only nationwide franchise of its kind. While there are independent operators and small local firms in some areas, a franchise owner benefits from brand recognition and credibility in a field where trust is paramount. It’s unlikely you’d face a dozen rival companies bidding on the same crime scene cleanup; more often, you might be the sole qualified provider in your territory. This can make marketing simpler and customer acquisition more about awareness than distinguishing yourself from a crowded market.
  • Multiple Revenue Streams: Unlike a business with one core service, Spaulding Decon franchisees can generate revenue from several different services. One week you might be focused on mold remediation in a damp basement, the next week on a drug lab cleanup in an outbuilding, and another day on cleaning a hoarder’s residence. This diversification means if one service is slow (say, fewer crime scenes this month), another service (like mold or odor removal) might pick up. The company highlights having “multiple sources of revenue [and] diverse group of clients” as a unique strength of the model. Additionally, Spaulding Decon has innovated with revenue angles like buying and flipping distressed properties (e.g. a house where a traumatic event occurred) – although that is an ancillary opportunity, not a requirement. The bottom line is franchisees aren’t reliant on a single type of job or a single type of customer.
  • Immediate Business and National Accounts: As mentioned earlier, the franchisor’s efforts in securing national contracts can greatly jump-start a new location. For example, they might have an agreement with a national insurance carrier, where whenever that insurer’s policyholder has a biohazard claim in your area, the job is referred to you. Or a contract with a large property management chain or hotel chain for any incident nationwide. This means from Day 1 you could have jobs lined up, something most new businesses can only dream of. It reduces one of the biggest risks in any startup – the early revenue drought. Spaulding Decon franchisees step into a business with some built-in customer pipeline thanks to these contracts and the franchisor’s marketing.
  • Emotional Rewards and PR Appeal: While not a financial metric, it’s worth noting that many Spaulding Decon owners find the work personally rewarding. You’re helping people in some of their darkest moments – restoring a sense of normalcy and safety to a family after a tragedy, or giving a fresh start to someone overwhelmed by a hoarding situation. Franchisees with a service mindset or a background in public service can derive a strong sense of purpose from this work. Moreover, the uniqueness of the business often attracts media interest (there have been TV shows and news articles about Spaulding Decon’s work). That kind of free publicity can boost your local business and also make you feel proud of the important role you play.

These advantages make the biohazard cleanup industry enticing to a certain kind of entrepreneur. However, it also comes with challenges: unpredictable workflow (you can’t forecast crime rates), intense situations to handle, and the need for strict safety compliance. To see the full picture, we should compare it head-to-head with the commercial cleaning industry, where Assett Franchise competes, especially in terms of long-term stability and scale.

Compared to the Commercial Cleaning Industry

Now, let’s put things in perspective. Commercial cleaning (janitorial services) is a much more familiar and broad industry – think of the crews that clean offices, schools, medical facilities, and warehouses on a routine basis. How does running a cleaning business franchise in this space differ from running a Spaulding Decon-type franchise? Here are several key comparisons that highlight the advantages of the commercial cleaning industry for franchise owners:

  • Massive Market Size & Universal Need: The commercial cleaning industry is enormous – over $100 billion in annual revenue in the U.S.. Essentially every office building, retail store, hospital, and industrial facility requires regular cleaning. This vast market means abundant opportunity: as a franchise owner, there are hundreds of potential clients in even a mid-sized city, and cleaning is a service every business needs in some form. By contrast, the biohazard niche (at ~$346 million) is tiny and the average person or business will (fortunately) rarely need a crime scene cleaner. Commercial cleaning’s ubiquity ensures you have a much larger pool of prospects, which in turn provides long-term stability. You’re not waiting for rare events; you’re selling an everyday necessity. Importantly, commercial cleaning is considered an essential service for health and safety – a fact underscored by the COVID-19 pandemic, which actually increased demand for professional cleaning and disinfection in workplaces. In good times or recessions, businesses must keep their premises clean, making this industry recession-resistant as well.
  • Recurring Revenue Contracts: One of the biggest differences is how revenue is earned. Commercial cleaning typically operates on recurring contracts – for example, a client signs a contract for cleaning services 5 nights a week at their office, for a fixed monthly fee. This means from day one you can build a book of regular, predictable income. Long-term B2B contracts are the norm, often lasting 1-3 years and renewing if service is good. As an owner, this gives you steady cash flow and easier planning. You’re not constantly needing to find the next customer to maintain revenue – a handful of good contracts can anchor your business for years. Spaulding Decon’s model, on the other hand, is mostly transactional (one-off jobs). Even though they have national accounts feeding you leads, each cleanup is a separate project and you must continuously market or wait for the phone to ring with the next emergency. In practical terms, a commercial cleaning franchise can scale by accumulating dozens of recurring clients, essentially stacking a stable income base. This predictable recurring revenue is a huge advantage when it comes to budgeting, financing the business, or eventually selling it (buyers love steady revenue streams).
  • Low Seasonality and Steady Demand: Many service industries face seasonality – lawn care slows in winter, pest control spikes in summer, etc. Commercial cleaning is largely steady year-round. Offices need cleaning whether it’s January or July. There might be minor variations (e.g. a bit slower during holiday office closures or summer when some businesses shorten hours), but nothing as dramatic as seasonal businesses. Even compared to Spaulding Decon’s niche: while crime or mold isn’t exactly seasonal, the volume of jobs can be unpredictable and spiky. In commercial cleaning, demand is smooth and consistent; you can roughly count on the same set of buildings to be cleaned on schedule every month. This makes staffing and operations much easier – you can have regular employee shifts rather than on-call crews waiting for emergencies at 3am. The predictability reduces stress for an owner and allows you to optimize schedules and routes for efficiency.
  • Scalability with Fewer Constraints: Scaling up a commercial cleaning business is straightforward: add more contracts and hire more cleaners to service them. There’s virtually no ceiling to how many clients you can take on, aside from management capacity. You’re not limited by territory in terms of demand – even a small territory has thousands of potential business addresses. Also, you can target various niches (office buildings, medical facilities, schools, etc.) to diversify within your cleaning franchise. Notably, scaling doesn’t necessarily mean a huge increase in complexity. With a good system, one operations manager can oversee dozens of cleaning crews. Compare this to scaling Spaulding Decon: you might run into territory limits (each franchise has exclusive areas), and you can’t manufacture more crime scenes if business is slow. Growth there might mean expanding to adjacent territories (with extra fees and complexity) or adding new services like reconstruction or real estate purchase which go beyond core cleaning. The commercial cleaning industry scales efficiently – many franchise owners grow to million-dollar revenues simply by replicating the cleaning services across many client locations. It’s not uncommon for a successful cleaning franchise to service 50+ buildings nightly with a lean team, something much harder to mirror in the biohazard cleanup world.
  • Lower Cost of Entry, Minimal Specialized Equipment: Running a janitorial franchise generally has a lower cost of entry and operation compared to specialized restoration work. You don’t need expensive hazmat gear, specialized chemicals, or extensive insurance for biohazards. The equipment for commercial cleaning is relatively simple: vacuum cleaners, mops, cleaning solutions, maybe a floor buffer – all easily obtainable and not very costly. No heavy machinery or vehicles are required (some franchises even start with just a car and basic supplies). There’s also no need for a dedicated office or storefront; many commercial cleaning franchisees operate from a home office or small warehouse, keeping overhead low. This stands in contrast to businesses like hauling (that require trucks), gyms (expensive build-out and equipment), or even Spaulding Decon (which mandates things like industrial PPE and environmental insurance). The lean setup means you can direct more capital toward marketing and hiring rather than gear. It also simplifies expansion – taking on a new cleaning contract might just mean buying a few extra mop buckets and hiring another cleaner, a trivial cost relative to the revenue that contract brings. The franchise investment for some commercial cleaning brands can be well under $100k, making it one of the more accessible franchise paths. (Assett Franchise itself prides itself on a low-cost, high-margin model – more on that soon.)
  • Ease of Hiring and Staffing: Hiring is a challenge in almost any service business, but a commercial cleaning crew is generally easier to recruit and train compared to biohazard technicians. Janitorial work, while skilled in its own way, doesn’t require technical certifications or a strong stomach for blood and trauma. This means the pool of potential employees is much larger. You can hire people with basic work ethic and train them in a day or two on cleaning protocols. Turnover is a reality (as in any entry-level labor market), but franchises like Assett have innovated by implementing automated hiring systems that keep a steady flow of candidates (we’ll discuss Assett’s approach shortly). The key point is that scaling a cleaning business mostly means scaling your workforce, and it’s feasible to find workers in any city to meet the demand. In Spaulding Decon’s case, finding employees who are willing and able to deal with gruesome scenes or hazardous materials can be much harder – the candidate criteria are stricter (background checks, emotional resilience, etc.), and you might need to pay higher wages for that specialized work. Thus, from an operational standpoint, commercial cleaning can be more “plug-and-play” with staffing.
  • Operational Simplicity and Experience Required: Commercial cleaning is a relatively simple, proven business model. The tasks (dusting, mopping, trash removal, disinfecting surfaces) are straightforward and repeatable. For a first-time entrepreneur, it’s easy to grasp and manage with basic training and support from the franchisor. You typically don’t need industry experience – many successful cleaning franchise owners come from unrelated corporate backgrounds. The franchisor provides a playbook for everything from bidding on contracts to training employees to checking quality. In contrast, a specialized cleanup franchise might have a steeper learning curve. Even with training, the owner needs to understand complex procedures and may benefit from some background in restoration, OSHA regulations, or public service to really excel. Furthermore, emotional complexity is lower in commercial cleaning: you’re dealing with professional clients and routine issues, not grieving families or biohazard risks on a daily basis. This can make the day-to-day management far less stressful and emotionally taxing.
  • Recurring Relationships vs. One-Time Customers: In commercial cleaning, you build long-term relationships with your clients. You become a trusted partner who might serve a business for many years. This can be personally rewarding and also means word-of-mouth and reputation carry a lot of weight (a happy facilities manager will recommend you to others in their network). With Spaulding Decon, many customers are one-time (hopefully they don’t need you again!), so you’re constantly marketing for the next job and working with strangers in crisis rather than a stable roster of B2B clients. For owners who enjoy networking and relationship-building, commercial cleaning offers that opportunity with property managers, business owners, and community institutions. It’s a more predictable, B2B sales cycle, often based on contracts and proposals, unlike the emergency, on-call nature of biohazard jobs.

To sum up, the commercial cleaning industry offers: a huge and stable market, essential services that every local economy needs, recurring revenue for compounding growth, and generally lower complexity in operations. It lacks the dramatic margins per job of a biohazard cleanup, but it makes up for it in volume and consistency. For an entrepreneur evaluating both paths, it often comes down to a question of personal preference and risk tolerance: Do you want a gritty, specialized business with big but irregular payouts, or a steady, scalable business with reliable cash flow? Many would agree that for long-term stability, scalability, and profitability, the commercial cleaning sector has the edge – especially with a well-developed franchise system like Assett that addresses common pain points.

Next, let’s look specifically at how Assett Franchise builds on these commercial cleaning advantages and what makes it distinct.

How the Assett Franchise Compares

Assett Franchise is a modern entrant in the commercial cleaning franchise space, and it’s designed explicitly for entrepreneurs who want the benefits of the commercial cleaning industry with even fewer headaches. As a brand founded by Matt Pencarinha according to bizbuysell.com, Assett takes a fresh approach to janitorial franchising, focusing on automation, simplicity, and franchisee support. Here’s how Assett compares to Spaulding Decon and why it might be the “cleaner alternative” for investors seeking a scalable business:

Simpler Systems, Bigger Potential

Assett Franchise operates squarely within the commercial cleaning industry, meaning franchise owners tap into that $100B+ stable market from the get-go. This inherently provides a more predictable and recession-resistant foundation than a niche emergency-cleanup business. But Assett goes further by simplifying the model for franchisees:

  • Work on the business, not in it: Assett is built for owners who aim to be executives, not cleaners. Whereas a Spaulding Decon owner might find themselves on-site in a hazmat suit initially, an Assett owner focuses on managing systems and teams rather than performing cleaning tasks. The franchise’s training and operations are structured so that you can oversee quality and growth without needing to personally clean offices at 2 AM. This is ideal for professionals transitioning from corporate life who want to apply their leadership and management skills to a business of their own.
  • Proven, high-revenue model: Assett’s model is engineered to land profitable cleaning contracts and scale up to enterprise-level accounts. With the commercial cleaning industry’s natural recurring revenue streams, Assett Franchisees have a realistic path to build a $1M+ annual recurring revenue business in a reasonable timeframe. In fact, many commercial cleaning businesses achieve seven-figure revenues by adding contracts – Assett’s systems are specifically tuned to help franchisees reach that milestone faster. The franchise provides a full business playbook that covers how to price contracts for profitability, how to systematically add new clients, and how to retain accounts for the long term. Importantly, you don’t need prior cleaning industry experience – Assett’s training will teach you the business from the ground up, including sales, operations, and customer service. By eliminating the need for specialized technical knowledge (beyond general business acumen), Assett opens the door for first-time entrepreneurs to succeed with confidence.
  • No complex equipment or high liability: Since Assett focuses on standard commercial cleaning, franchisees aren’t dealing with biohazard disposal, mold spores, or dangerous chemicals. This simplifies compliance and insurance and keeps costs low. As an Assett owner, you won’t be investing in costly gear beyond normal cleaning supplies and maybe a few commercial-grade machines. There’s no need for a dedicated facility; a small home office or garage for supplies will suffice. The low operational complexity means you can concentrate on building client relationships and managing your team, rather than worrying about government regulations or emergency on-call situations. In contrast to Spaulding Decon’s intense scenarios, Assett’s day-to-day operations are straightforward – a cleaner schedule to manage, inspections to conduct, and clients to communicate with on a routine schedule.

In short, Assett Franchise leverages all the inherent advantages of the commercial cleaning industry (stability, scalability, recurring income) and provides a streamlined business system so owners can hit the ground running. The potential for high revenue is there, without the unpredictability of niche emergency jobs. And you can operate in a semi-absentee capacity much sooner – many Assett owners can run their business in as little as 5 hours per week once things are established, simply overseeing a manager and tracking KPIs. It’s a simpler, cleaner business in every sense.

Automated Hiring = Time and Money Saved

One of the most innovative and differentiating features of Assett Franchise is its automated hiring system. Anyone who has run a service business knows that hiring and retaining employees is often the #1 challenge – and commercial cleaning typically has higher turnover due to the nature of the work. Assett recognized this pain point and turned it into a competitive advantage:

  • Always-on recruitment pipeline: Assett has developed an automated system (powered by software and refined processes) that continuously attracts, screens, and onboards qualified cleaning staff. Instead of the owner having to constantly post job ads, sift through resumes, and schedule interviews, Assett’s system does the heavy lifting. It sources candidates from multiple channels, uses assessments to filter for reliability, and maintains a roster of pre-vetted cleaners ready to step in as the business grows.
  • 20–30 hours/week saved (or a full salary): By automating the labor-intensive aspects of hiring, Assett saves franchisees an estimated 20-30 hours per week of administrative work – time that would otherwise be spent in endless HR tasks. To put that in perspective, that’s the equivalent of hiring a full-time recruiting manager, without actually needing to pay one. This is a huge cost and time savings. Those hours can instead be redirected to strategic activities like signing new clients, improving services, or simply enjoying a better work-life balance as an owner.
  • High-quality workforce at scale: Assett’s system doesn’t just make hiring easier; it improves the quality of hires. Because it’s systematic and constantly running, the franchise can be selective and build a bench of workers. When you land a new contract, you’re not scrambling from zero to find cleaners – the system likely has vetted candidates ready. This ensures you can scale up smoothly without turning down contracts due to labor shortage. Moreover, automated follow-ups and training modules help keep workers engaged and accountable, leading to a more consistent service quality for your clients. Assett essentially cracked the code on the toughest part of scaling a cleaning business (managing the workforce), which means franchisees can grow with fewer growing pains.
  • Competitive edge and cost savings: In a business where many local cleaning companies struggle to staff adequately, Assett owners have a built-in edge. They can take on bigger accounts confidently knowing a talent pipeline is in place. And by reducing turnover (through better matching of employees and smoother onboarding), they save money on constant rehiring and retraining. This translates to a more stable operation and happier clients (since the cleaning staff at a client site is less of a revolving door). In contrast, Spaulding Decon franchisees, while having simpler staffing needs in terms of headcount, must individually find those rare people willing to do the dirty work – and if someone quits, the owner may personally have to fill in to handle an emergency cleanup until a replacement is found. Assett’s approach means the owner is rarely, if ever, stuck filling in on a cleaning job; the machine of recruitment keeps the team staffed.

In summary, Assett Franchise eliminates what is often the “biggest headache in service businesses” – hiring and labor management – through automation. This not only saves the owner significant time and money, but it also de-risks the business. A franchisee doesn’t have to fear taking a vacation or marketing aggressively to grow, because the staffing side is under control. It’s a modern solution that few traditional franchises offer, and it aligns perfectly with Assett’s mission to let owners focus on working on the business rather than getting pulled into the weeds.

Personalized and Founder-Led

Another aspect that sets Assett Franchise apart is the culture and support structure behind the brand. Assett is a family-owned franchise, not a venture capital-backed giant, and it shows in how the franchisees are supported:

  • Direct access to leadership: Assett was founded by Matt Pencarinha, who remains at the helm and deeply involved in guiding franchisees. As a franchisee, you’re not just a number in a large system; you’re a partner working alongside the founder’s vision. This means you can expect personalized mentorship. Got a problem or a new idea? You can pick up the phone and speak to the leadership who actually have the power to make decisions or provide insight, rather than getting routed through layers of corporate bureaucracy. This kind of close-knit relationship can be invaluable, especially in the early stages of your business where timely advice can save you from costly mistakes. It also means the franchise can adapt quickly based on franchisee feedback – Matt and his team can implement improvements without red tape, keeping Assett’s system cutting-edge.
  • Family-owned values: Because Assett is not controlled by private equity or a big conglomerate, the ethos is more community-focused and values-driven. The goal isn’t to sell as many franchises as possible for quick profit; it’s to build a strong network of successful owners who are like an extended family. Assett likely limits how many franchises it awards to ensure each gets ample support and the territories remain lucrative. As a franchisee, you benefit from a franchisor whose incentives align with yours – when you succeed, they succeed. You’ll notice a more personal touch in everything from training to annual franchisee meetings. This can contrast with larger franchise systems (even Spaulding Decon as it grows) where private investors might push for rapid expansion at the expense of support quality. Assett is intentional about growth and maintaining high standards, which protects your investment in the brand.
  • Community and mission: Assett Franchise’s mission is not just about cleaning buildings, but also about improving lives – both the franchisee’s life (through business ownership and flexibility) and the clients’ lives (through reliable, high-quality service in their workplaces). Assett likely fosters a culture of mutual support among franchise owners, where they can share best practices and celebrate each other’s wins. Being founder-led, the company can imbue the network with a clear set of values and a long-term vision. For example, Matt Pencarinha’s vision might include modernizing the cleaning industry, providing opportunities for first-time entrepreneurs, or supporting local communities by creating jobs and cleaner environments. As a franchisee, you’re part of building that legacy. Many owners find that inspiring and more fulfilling than being just a cog in a huge franchise machine.
  • No bureaucracy, more agility: In practical terms, a founder-led franchise like Assett can often provide faster and more flexible support. If a franchisee encounters an unusual challenge, the corporate team can quickly devise a custom solution or bend a rule if it makes sense, without weeks of corporate approvals. The training might be adjusted on the fly to incorporate new successful strategies discovered in the field. This agility means the franchise system stays ahead of the curve and can be a true partner to franchisees. You feel like you’re growing with the company, not in spite of it.

Overall, the Assett Franchise experience is characterized by a personal touch and strong partnership between franchisor and franchisee. It’s the kind of environment where you can call the founder by first name (Matt), and he knows yours, and you’re both working toward the same goal: building a thriving, profitable cleaning business that stands the test of time. For many franchise owners, this support and cultural fit are as important as the financial model.

Final Thoughts

Both Spaulding Decon and Assett Franchise offer compelling paths to business ownership, but they cater to different entrepreneur profiles. Spaulding Decon can be a great fit for the right buyer – someone who is passionate about the crime scene cleanup field, perhaps with a background in law enforcement or emergency services, or simply a person drawn to helping others through extreme challenges. It offers high-reward jobs and the pride of providing an unusual, valuable service. However, it also comes with more unpredictability and emotional intensity.

On the other hand, Assett Franchise and the commercial cleaning route present a more streamlined and scalable opportunity for someone who prioritizes stability, growth, and work-life balance. Assett’s model minimizes complexity and maximizes recurring income, making it an attractive choice for executive-style owners. If you’re weighing these opportunities, consider what you want your daily life and long-term business to look like.

Ask yourself if you prefer a business that might have bigger one-off paydays but also bigger unknowns, or one that grows steadily by stacking reliable revenue. For most first-time entrepreneurs – especially those leaving corporate careers – the appeal of a scalable, systemized, and resilient business is hard to beat.

In fact, Assett Franchise offers more advantages for someone who wants:

  • A scalable, stable business – built on evergreen demand and capable of reaching high revenues without breaking.
  • Low operational complexity – simple services, easy-to-manage operations, and no specialized technical headaches.
  • Predictable recurring revenue – long-term contracts that provide steady cash flow month after month.
  • Minimal risk and faster ROI – lower initial costs (no expensive equipment or physical retail) and quicker ramp-up thanks to constant need and support systems, reducing the time to profitability.
  • A modern business model built for executive ownership – with automated systems (like hiring) and strong franchisor support that allow you to run the business with a light touch, focusing on strategy and growth instead of daily grind.

Spaulding Decon is a strong franchise in its niche, and it may indeed suit those seeking a more hands-on, specialized trade with a sense of adventure. But for entrepreneurs looking for a “cleaner” path to business success – one with more predictability, flexibility, and enduring market demand – Assett Franchise shines as an ideal alternative.

If you’re exploring franchise opportunities and want a model that can deliver long-term income, flexibility, and control — we’d love to show you how Assett Franchise can help you build a business that works for your life. Visit https://assettfranchise.com to connect with our team and learn more.