How Outdoor-Loving Corporate Escapees Can Build a Tree Service Business
Scott & Eric O’Connor about Monster Tree Service and its approach to a large, highly fragmented industry. We discuss why the model may appeal to experienced corporate professionals who want to apply their leadership, sales, and management skills toward building a lasting business asset.
By Scott Elliott · Published
Monster Tree Service is a home service franchise built on tree trimming, removal, and emergency storm work, with additional recurring revenue from a Plant Healthcare program covering fertilization, pest control, and disease treatment. Franchise development manager Eric O’Connor joined Scott Elliott on the Franchise Spotlight podcast to explain what makes the model work, who succeeds as an owner, and what the investment actually covers. Here is a summary of the podcast.
What Is Monster Tree Service, and Who Are You Looking For as Franchisees?
Monster Tree Service serves people looking for a home service business that is AI resistant and recession resistant, with multiple revenue streams. It is an asset-based business: startup costs include equipment that may qualify for bonus depreciation, sometimes 100% in the first year.
Franchisees come from every background, from corporate escapees to a former Lowe’s analyst to a franchisee who previously ran a biotech company. What most have in common is a desire to get out from behind a desk and work with their hands.
What Makes Monster Tree Service Stand Out From Local Tree Care Companies?
Monster Tree Service is the fourth largest tree service company in the US and the largest franchise system in the sector. The other 94% of the industry is mom-and-pop operators who typically lack marketing capability, leadership systems, and safety and compliance standards.
Monster’s 24-month Smart Start onboarding program addresses that gap directly. Franchise business coaches are certified arborists, including specialists in Plant Healthcare and safety compliance, who work with owners in the field.
Who Succeeds as a Monster Tree Service Franchise Owner?
Success comes down to embracing the sales and marketing side of the business. Every service brand, tree care included, is fundamentally a sales and marketing company. Owners who skip sales training or avoid the consultative homeowner conversation will not maximize the brand.
Red flags include discomfort with sales and unwillingness to invest in ongoing training for the team.
What Does Ownership Look Like Day to Day?
Very few Monster Tree Service owners climb trees. The most successful owners manage their team, scale their staff, and build relationships with municipalities, HOAs, and commercial property owners. Monster targets 25% to 40% of a franchisee’s business coming from commercial and Plant Healthcare work, which depends on owners building those community relationships rather than doing technical fieldwork themselves.
How Does a Monster Tree Service Territory Scale Over Time?
Franchisees typically start with one to two territories, each covering 80,000 to 100,000 single-family homes, three to four employees, and one equipment package. Growth follows a repeatable formula: create capacity, fill capacity, repeat. Owners add crews and equipment as demand grows rather than carrying heavy overhead upfront.
Which Markets Are Best for a Monster Tree Service Franchise?
Strong markets share four traits: mature tree canopies, established neighborhoods, higher household income, and a mix of commercial and HOA properties. Contrary to intuition, markets with existing competitors signal demand rather than saturation.
How Seasonal Is the Tree Care Business?
Tree care shifts by season rather than shutting down. High season calls for a four-to-six-week workload backlog. Fall brings storm work, winter brings emergency work from snow and downed power lines, and spring brings cleanup from thaws and wind. Owners in warmer climates see steadier year-round demand, while owners in colder regions shift toward commercial work and equipment maintenance in winter.
What Is the Investment Range for a Monster Tree Service Franchise?
The total investment for a Monster Tree Service franchise runs from $395,000 to $515,000. That figure includes roughly 12 months of working capital, with the remainder covering franchise start up costs and equipment: trucks, chippers, and small tools that may also qualify for tax benefits.
What Training and Support Do Franchisees Receive?
Onboarding includes a 10-day training program at Monster’s Charlotte headquarters: five days of technical classroom training on tree care, safety, and Plant Healthcare, followed by two days of sales and marketing training. A second week of hands-on, on-site training follows. Ongoing support includes a dedicated franchise business coach, a national talent lead who helps recruit key roles like sales arborists, and buying-power benefits through Authority Brands’ group purchasing program, Buymax.
What Makes Monster Tree Service an Attractive Business Model?
Monster Tree Service combines an essential service, multiple recurring revenue streams, a scalable and home-based operating model, and strong unit economics. According to the brand’s FDD, in 2025 the top-performing franchise generated $4.8 million in revenue, and the third quartile median exceeded $1 million.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Monster Tree Service franchise cost? The total investment ranges from $395,000 to $515,000.
Do I need to be an arborist to own a Monster Tree Service franchise? No. Most owners are not arborists. Success depends on sales, marketing, and team leadership; technical tree work is handled by employees.
Is Monster Tree Service seasonal? Demand shifts by season rather than disappearing. Storm and emergency work rises in fall and winter, while commercial and Plant Healthcare work provide steadier revenue year-round.