Joining One of the Top New Auto Franchises Is Easier Than You Think

In the summer of 2020, Jared English, an auto mechanic in southern Illinois, launched what has already become one of the most exciting new opportunities in franchising with HHO Carbon Clean Systems. The emerging brand has introduced a revolutionary solution for carbon cleaning to the United States, and industry entrepreneurs are eager to get involved.

But what kind of skills, background and experience does it take to own and operate an HHO Carbon Clean System franchise? According to English, the requirements are not as stringent as you might expect.

“This is a great opportunity for anybody who understands the industry and sees just how valuable this service is,” he said. “But, this is also a great opportunity for someone with a background in sales.”

Carbon cleaning process

The value of HHO’s service lies in its ability to make carbon-buildup removal — one of the auto industry’s most persistent and costly frustrations — easier, greener, safer and far more profitable for car and truck owners.

Car and truck engines collect carbon deposits as they burn fuel, and that carbon can take a severe toll on engines, causing friction, decreasing performance, degrading fuel efficiency and eventually requiring repairs or replacements that can easily exceed $1,500. For business owners who manage fleets, those costs add up quickly.

Traditional carbon cleaning procedures use harsh chemicals that are dangerous to work with, pollute the environment and are only partially effective in removing carbon buildup.

In Europe and Australia, where environmental regulations are more stringent than in the U.S., chemical carbon cleaning has been largely replaced by hydrogen carbon cleaning, which uses special equipment to remove carbon deposits using hydrogen gas rather than chemicals.

Despite being both safer and more effective, hydrogen carbon cleaning has not yet been widely adopted in the U.S. because environmental regulations have not yet required fleet managers or automotive service professionals to adopt the most modern procedures, which puts HHO at the forefront of a major shift in the industry.

Franchise opportunities

That’s exactly why auto-industry professionals are eager to get on board with HHO Carbon Clean Systems, which has already established a proven business model, meaning owners won’t have to invest the time, money and research into figuring out how to turn hydrogen cleaning into a viable business.

Fortunately, English says that running an HHO franchise doesn’t require any specialized background. Rather, franchisees just need to have a knack for sales and know enough about the auto industry to speak the language.

“We are looking for people who have some general knowledge about the industry, but they don’t have to be technicians themselves,” he said. “Most of the sales, particularly for the larger fleet customers, are going to take place in an office setting, and those potential franchisees who have spent time selling B-to-B products will feel very comfortable with our sales process. We’ve invested a lot of time and energy producing the marketing and sales materials that will get franchisees in the door. After that, it’s just a matter of closing the deal.”

Training and support

HHO has created a comprehensive training program that teaches new franchisees everything they need to know about hydrogen carbon cleaning, how to operate the brand’s model and the sales strategies that have proven successful, in as little as a week.

“The beauty of hydrogen cleaning is it’s an incredibly simple process once you have the equipment and know how to use it,” English said. “If an automotive-industry newcomer joins our team, we’ll make sure they understand the terminology and are able to learn the process quickly, so we can get new franchisees out servicing trucks and making money right away.”

That’s not to say HHO’s team is looking exclusively for candidates with direct sales experience. In fact, English says some of the brand’s ideal franchisee candidates are people who have spent years working in industrial plant settings and are looking for an opportunity to spend more time with their families and own a business for themselves.

“There are plenty of folks who have spent their whole careers working in energy plants, chemical production facilities or other industrial settings, working long hours and swing shifts that make it hard to participate in family life. Maybe they’ve raced stock cars on Saturday nights, rebuilt classics in their garage, or tuned up their kids’ dirt bikes on a Sunday afternoon. Those are people who know their way around an engine, and they are looking for an opportunity to make a lifestyle change that makes use of that knowledge,” English explained.

As HHO Carbon Clean Systems prepares to expand into new markets — starting with territories surrounding its headquarters in Illinois, ensuring that early franchisees are within driving distance and benefit from unparalleled support — English is certain his team will have no trouble finding qualified franchisee candidates wherever they look.

“Anyone who is paying even a little attention to this industry can see how valuable this opportunity is,” he said. “Emissions laws are changing, and anyone who can offer more bang for the buck in terms of fuel economy stands to make a killing. The difficult part is figuring out the equipment and building a business model around it, and we’ve already done that. For our franchisees, it’s just a matter of taking what we’ve built and running with it.