Reviewed by Tony France, General Manager
Published 18 June 2026 · Last reviewed 11 July 2026
Many Australians dream of starting a business, but few are ready to walk away from the security of their job on day one. That’s why a Diggermate franchise side hustle appeals to so many people. It provides a practical way to start small, build demand, and grow at a pace that suits your goals without turning your life upside down overnight.
That was exactly the situation Jackson and Rachel found themselves in at Flagstaff Hill.
Jackson was already familiar with machinery. As a fitter by trade, he had spent years working around equipment and had often thought about hiring machinery out himself. When he came across Diggermate, the advertising stood out, and the business model made sense.
Like many people considering business ownership, Rachel’s biggest concern was risk. Starting a business is a significant decision, and there are always questions about whether the investment will pay off.
But once they took the leap and got started, the business grew much faster than either of them expected.
Starting With One Machine
Jackson and Rachel began with a single 1.7t machine in October 2024.
Like many Diggermate franchise owners, they started the business around their existing work. The goal was to build something on the side first, prove the demand, and then decide what came next.
That side hustle did not stay small for long.
Within about a year, they had grown from one machine to 15 machines. Demand kept building, the workload kept increasing, and the business reached the point where running it before and after work was no longer sustainable.
That growth is now backed by booking data. Jackson and Rachel’s first recorded Diggermate booking was on 8 October 2024. By April 2026, their Flagstaff Hill and Mile End locations combined for more than $53,700 in gross booking value across 87 bookings, roughly 18 months after that first booking.
Every Diggermate business is different. Some owners push hard and grow into larger multi-machine or multi-location operations. Others prefer a smaller, more flexible local business. The figures shared here are historical gross booking value examples, not profit, owner income, forecasts, or guaranteed results.
This is the part of Diggermate that often gets missed. The franchisee is not starting from scratch with a blank brand and a few generic templates. Diggermate supports the local business with local ad campaigns, location-specific creative, franchisee photos and videos, professional studio campaigns, website infrastructure and the wider brand engine. The owner still has to turn that attention into relationships, fast responses, repeat customers and good service. Jackson and Rach’s growth is a strong example of that combination working: the system helped create the platform, and their local effort helped turn it into a full-time, multi-location business.
Leaving Employment for a Full-Time Diggermate Franchise
At first, Jackson and Rachel were trying to manage Diggermate around their normal jobs.
That meant early mornings, late nights, and taking calls during the day while still trying to keep up with work commitments. Jackson described getting home at 10 or 11 o’clock at night, then starting again at 4:30 or 5 o’clock the next morning.
Eventually, the decision became obvious.
Rachel moved into Diggermate full-time first. Around five or six months later, Jackson followed. The business had grown enough that both of them were needed in it full-time.
They have now also employed someone, giving the business more capacity as it continues to grow.
What Helped Their Diggermate Franchise Side Hustle Grow
When asked about the specific benefits of being part of Diggermate, Jackson pointed to a few key things.
The first was advertising.
The second was online marketing.
The third was support from the franchise network.
For new business owners, those are not small details. Finding customers, building trust, setting up systems, and knowing who to ask when something comes up can be the difference between guessing your way forward and building with a proven support structure around you.
Jackson and Rachel also valued the local network. Being able to reach out, ask questions, and get advice from people around them helped create a better environment to work in.
A Practical Path Into Business Ownership
Not everyone wants to quit their job immediately and hope the business works.
For many people, the better path is to start with a model that can begin as a side hustle, then grow into something bigger once the numbers and workload support it.
That is exactly what Jackson and Rach have done.
They started with one machine, built demand, expanded the fleet, moved into the business full-time, and hired support as the operation grew.
Their story shows what is possible when local operators combine their own work ethic with a franchise model that provides marketing, systems, support, and a network behind them.
For people who want to build a business in machinery hire but do not want to start from scratch alone, Diggermate offers a practical way to get started.
Thinking About Starting Your Own Diggermate?
Diggermate is designed for people who want to build a real local business with the support of an established brand, marketing system, and franchise network.
You can start small, learn the model, build demand, and grow from there.
Jackson and Rachel’s journey is one example of where that path can lead.
If you are ready to explore whether Diggermate could be the right fit for you, learn more about becoming a Diggermate franchise owner.
