Colin Sprake, Owner & CEO, Local Handyman Group | The CEO Magazine

The art of practical problem solving at home is timeless. A few fixes and glow-ups around the house can turn a fixer-upper into an achievement, and it’s been this way for a very long time.

Unfortunately, we aren’t all so gifted in this department. For some, even changing a light bulb can be a daunting task. That’s why, in 2023, Canadian entrepreneur Colin Sprake and his partner purchased Local Handyman Group, where one call can solve a lot of problems.

“I’m a serial entrepreneur,” Sprake tells The CEO Magazine. “I love running businesses, and I love helping people.”

Driven to serve

South African-born Sprake was a veteran of the high stakes world of mergers and acquisitions, bolstered by a resilience forged since childhood.

“When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, I had a training company doing US$1 million per month that went to pretty much zero overnight,” he says. “The fear hit me like crazy, but I was able to suck it up and move on.”

What one moves on to when the world is under a cloud can be tough to decipher, but for Sprake, only one question mattered.

“When you’re a CEO, you’ve got to make some very hard decisions,” he says. “I did a mass layoff right at the beginning of the pandemic before we knew how long it was going to last.

“I always say there are only two options with every decision you make when you’re an executive. You’re either a hero or the village idiot. I made that decision and found myself wondering what happens next. I thought, ‘People are hurting out there. I’m going to step into going out and serving people.’”

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“What stands out about Local Handyman is how focused they are on helping franchise owners succeed. Colin and his team aren’t afraid to challenge how things are done, and they work closely with us to find better ways to support their growing network. It’s a partnership where both teams keep learning and improving together.” – Brooks Pettus, President, Housecall Pro

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That journey began with a masterclass.

“There were no sales, no calls to action, just a a daily masterclass five days a week, Monday through Friday, for 10 weeks as a gift to people,” he says.

From there, Sprake founded Staycation Boxes, a company that provided themed packages as a way to enjoy the flavor of an international vacation at home. The focus on making the home itself a destination was, he says, a revelation that aligned with his changing priorities.

“I didn’t want to travel for business anymore, I didn’t want to be away from my family,” he says.

Leveling up

The learnings from these ventures helped Sprake figure out his next step.

“You can’t train core values, but you can train any skill set,” he says. “I wanted a company full of people that matched our values, and then we could train them up to get them to the next level.”

The ultimate result was Local Handyman Group, which links local home improvement experts with households in need. From painting to plumbing, electrical to carpentry and everything in between, the company provides a helping hand in just about every department.

Aside from everything else, Sprake says it was an opportunity to combine his love of business with his passion for assistance.

“More than anything, I love helping people achieve something they never thought was possible,” he says.

Local Handyman scratches that itch on two fronts: helping clients improve their homes, and helping franchisees build a business of their own.

Those seeking to join the Local Handyman family are provided with world-class business training and marketing systems, as well as the unwavering support of the Local Handyman Group. Sprake says all potential success partners need to bring is leadership and the drive to succeed.

“When we interview potential franchisees, the first 90 minutes is spent talking about values,” he says. “We don’t talk about the job, about salary, about what they’re going to be doing. It’s just values. You work out what they’re really telling you and that way, you end up with a company filled with great people that align with you. It’s called our hero hiring system.”

All in the family

Franchising, he says, is an island in the business world.

“Franchise agreements are extremely binding. It’s as if you’re getting married, so I want them to be successful,” he says. “That’s why I want the right people to join our family, because once they’re in and we sign a 10-year agreement, that’s a decade in which we have to work harmoniously, follow a working system and share the right values.”

Local Handyman differs from most franchises in that it’s not a matter of the leadership team providing a model to follow.

“At the end of the day, they’re our partners. They’re someone we walk alongside to success. They don’t work for us,” Sprake says.

Instead, they work for thousands of homeowners across North America. Sticky doors, leaky taps, a room in need of a new coat of paint; no job is too small for the Local Handyman success partners. And by teaming up with SaaS platform Housecall Pro, Local Handyman is within easy reach of any household with a burning list of jobs to be done.

“Right now, we have 105 vans on the road across North America,” Sprake says. “Each one is a successful partner. Once they have success, it ripples out into their family and provides more money, more opportunities to travel or do things they couldn’t before. The next ripple after that is the success it brings to the community.

“It’s not just about making money, it’s about doing good for people.”

And Sprake lives by that example. In over three years as CEO of Local Handyman, he says he’s yet to make a dollar himself.

“People ask me how I live, but of course I’m fortunate enough to have other things happening, other companies,” he says. “With Local Handyman, I didn’t expect a full-time job.”

Once again, Sprake has reached a point where he’s faced with that age-old question: now what? This time, he says the answer is simple.

“I want them to write a book about our brand and how we did things so differently in the franchise world. This is an impact business,” he concludes.