At one time, Jim Cavanaugh was a University of Oklahoma student with an eye on a desk job. His job as an auditor, however, taught Cavanaugh that the need for janitorial services would always be around. A year later, in 1969, he set up Jani-King. He connected with clients by day, then went to work with the mop and pail by night. Today, Jani-King is the world's No. 1 commercial cleaning company with franchises around the globe.
Janitorial work has come a long way since the '60s. Marketers are quick to sell the sector as a "proven lucrative business." Despite its humble roots, Jani-King hasn't escaped the ups and downs of the franchising business.
The field is quite different from the white-collar world, and especially the cyberworld where other pioneers have gained their fortunes. Either way, success is success. Just tread these waters with caution.
