I was born “before Disney” in Orlando, back when orange groves stretched further than highways and tourism wasn’t the city’s heartbeat. My dad helped build Disney World, and I was one of the first kids to walk through the Magic Kingdom in the fifth grade. While the theme parks have changed the skyline, my life has always been grounded in the fundamentals: construction, hard work, and eventually, home inspection.

From Construction to Home Inspection

Before launching my Pillar To Post franchise, I spent years in construction, then transitioned into commercial inspections and sales at Terminix. I knew the housing world from the ground up—literally. Framing homes, managing jobsites, and learning what quality looked like behind the walls were second nature to me. But after years in the corporate world, I found myself burned out.

I needed a change—something that would let me stay local, keep my family rooted in our community, and give me a chance to build something of my own. My mother, who was becoming a real estate agent at the time, suggested I look into home inspection. It clicked. When AmeriSpec (which owned Terminix) didn’t have any local opportunities, I began exploring franchises. 

That’s when Pillar To Post found me, and I’m grateful they did. I scraped together every dime I had and made the leap. That gamble paid off in ways I couldn’t have imagined.

Launching During a National Crisis

My first day of Pillar To Post training was September 11, 2001. The world was in chaos. Despite the uncertainty, I stayed the course and completed training. By January 2002, I was up and running, inspecting homes across Central Florida.

That first year moved fast. By 2004, I had hired my first employee and hit my first major milestone. I ranked among the company’s top 50 franchise owners and now consistently rank among the top 10.

When I started, buying a franchise meant buying yourself a job. But what I didn’t realize at the time was how valuable having a business plan would be. I followed it to a T (mostly because I didn’t know better), and that gave me a three-year head start. That plan became my roadmap and helped me grow faster than I ever could have on my own. Later on, I joined a Pillar To Post peer group called Navigator. That group was like an MBA program. It showed me how to truly run a business—to work on the business, not in it.

Learning to Lead and Let Go

I haven’t done a home inspection myself in more than 15 years. That’s by design. If I wanted to scale, I knew I had to shift from being the technician to becoming the leader. I read The E-Myth Revisited and started implementing the lessons. I hired well, I managed better, and I focused on coaching and leadership when things got tough.

Still, there were moments when I took my hands off the wheel too soon. Around 2018, our growth stalled. In fact, we started shrinking. I realized I’d drifted too far from the day-to-day, and the business suffered. I had to borrow money just to make payroll. It was humbling.

So, I stepped back in. I took ownership of our mistakes and started leading again. By the end of 2019, we had grown by 58%. In 2020, we earned “Franchise of the Year.” By 2021, we had tripled our revenue. That turnaround was only possible because I was willing to reassess and adjust.

Building a Business with Staying Power

Now at age 67, I’m focused on legacy and long-term sustainability. My son-in-law is our field manager and likely successor. I am structuring the company so it can continue without me. The business itself will eventually buy me out, which creates a path for continuity and future leadership.

We’ve built a strong team: seven inspectors (six active), a marketing coordinator, and administrative support. I spend most of my time mentoring, problem-solving, and planning. During my free time, I’m active in a local ministry running men’s retreats called boot camps and helping with men’s ministry overall. On weekends, my wife and I like to camp across Florida. We’ve also knocked some major items off our travel bucket list: Glacier National Park, a New York road trip including Hudson Valley, Adirondacks, Finger Lakes, Niagara Falls, and even standing in front of the Statue of Liberty. 

This lifestyle wouldn’t have been possible in my old corporate job. Franchising gave me the opportunity to build a business that works for my life, not the other way around.

Advice for Future Inspectors and Franchisees

What I’ve learned over the years is that home inspection is a highly regional business, but success doesn’t depend on where you are. It depends on how you run things. But the challenges are universal: competition, pricing, customer service, scaling your team. That’s why systems and leadership matter more than geography.

For those considering a franchise in home services, especially inspection, I’ll tell you what I tell people who call me looking for advice: You could spend $250,000 opening a restaurant, work 70 hours a week, and never get the quality of life you want. Or you can build a business like mine, which is still challenging and demanding, but with the right boundaries and vision, deeply rewarding.

My advice for current franchise owners trying to grow is this: Play the role you’re best suited for. If you’re a people person, get out and network. If you’re a technician, build a strong back office. Hire well. Take calculated risks. Be slow and deliberate. Learn how to manage and lead, not just do everything yourself.

I’ve made plenty of mistakes along the way, but I wouldn’t trade this journey for anything. I feel blessed to be where I am and to have built something worth passing on. That’s the real reward—not just the business success, but the life it’s helped me build.

Jeff Mackey is a Florida-licensed home inspector and the longtime owner of Pillar To Post Home Inspectors in Central Florida, where he has built one of the franchise’s top-performing businesses. A 20-plus year affiliate member of ASHI, he is known for mentoring new inspectors and leading a team focused on growth, service, and long-term sustainability.