Jeff Dudan, the founder and chief executive officer of AdvantaClean, America’s fastest-growing Light Environmental Services™ franchise system, leaves the comfort of his corporate office to get an inside look at his company’s local franchise operations on the hit series “Undercover Boss,” The episode was originally scheduled to air Memorial Day weekend, but it will now air next season. R&R profiled AdvantaClean in an article in the March issue.
Dudan’s “Undercover Boss” journey comes as AdvantaClean continues its rapid expansion across the country. Dudan first created the company in 1994 after jumping into the restoration industry to help South Florida recover from Hurricane Andrew. Over the last 22 years, AdvantaClean has quickly grown to become the nation’s leading expert in ensuring that homes and businesses are clean, safe and healthy. The brand’s services range from cleaning mold and air ducts to emergency air quality and water removal services.
“AdvantaClean has been building this incredible momentum for more than two decades, and as CEO, I’ve helped push our company to new heights from a corporate standpoint,” Dudan said. “But participating in ‘Undercover Boss’ gave me the opportunity to see for myself how our team is performing on the local franchise level. Our first priority has always been to help our franchisees be as successful as possible. Now I know firsthand what needs to be done to make that mission a reality.”
For one week, Dudan worked alongside employees to complete routine tasks, including air duct cleaning, mold remediation, and water damage recovery. Among Dudan’s long list of takeaways from his undercover experience was how AdvantaClean’s corporate staff can better help its network of dedicated franchisees be even more successful than they already are.
“I wouldn’t trade my time on ‘Undercover Boss’ for anything. Some moments were challenging and stressful, but ultimately the experience was rewarding and insightful,” he said. “At the end of the day, I learned that while there’s always room for improvement, AdvantaClean’s franchisees have an unbreakable entrepreneurial spirit.”
Each week, the Emmy Award-winning "Undercover Boss" follows a different high-level executive as they slip anonymously into the rank-and-file of their organizations. While working alongside the employees who truly represent their companies, they see the effects their decisions have on others, realize where the problems lie within their organizations and get an up-close look at both the good and the bad while rewarding the unsung heroes who help their companies run successfully.
Dudan, the author of "Hey, Coach!" and the forthcoming “Popsicle Plan,” scheduled to be published later this year, believes his experience on “Undercover Boss” will help set a higher standard for the brand across its entire franchise system and pave the way for further expansion. Since first launching franchise opportunities in 2009, AdvantaClean has expanded from three states to 32. The brand plans to continue that rapid growth by opening 25 locations in the next year across the U.S.
