Reviewed by Alisa Canama, Marketing Manager
Published 18 June 2026 · Last reviewed 11 July 2026
Many people investigating a franchise are not ready to leave full-time employment immediately.
They want to test demand, learn the systems and build confidence before deciding whether the business can support a larger commitment.
Mit’s Diggermate experience began as a side hustle and developed over time. In his interview, he explains that the transition into a full-time operation took approximately two years and was supported by wet hire, fleet growth, cross-hire and an increasingly established local brand.
His story does not provide a guaranteed timeline. It shows how one owner used the network and operating model to learn, expand and make decisions based on real customer demand.
Starting With One Machine
New Diggermate owners often begin with a limited fleet.
That can reduce the initial operational load, but it also means one machine cannot cover every customer request or job type.
Mit sees cross-hire as one of the practical advantages of the network. A newer owner can sometimes access equipment from another nearby Diggermate location when their own machine is unavailable or unsuitable for the job.
This can help the owner serve customers while learning which machine categories attract repeat demand in the territory.
Read more about how the Diggermate franchise network supports owners and whether it is practical to run a Diggermate franchise as a side hustle.
Using Cross-Hire to Learn What Customers Need
Mit gave a simple example: if a location repeatedly cross-hires a particular mini loader or compact machine, that activity can help the owner decide what to consider purchasing next.
Cross-hire does not remove the need for financial analysis. It creates an additional source of operational evidence.
Instead of buying equipment based only on instinct, an owner can examine:
- the number and frequency of requests;
- the revenue available from the machine category;
- transport and maintenance costs;
- local competition;
- seasonality;
- finance repayments; and
- whether demand is strong enough to support acceptable utilisation.
Mit also described responding to an urgent request for a 5.5-tonne machine and arranging delivery within hours through the wider network. That responsiveness can strengthen customer relationships, but availability and delivery times will always depend on location, fleet and scheduling.
The Role of Wet Hire in Going Full-Time
Mit said his business did not focus heavily on wet hire at the beginning.
In his experience, developing wet-hire work helped create a pathway toward full-time involvement because it added operator-led jobs alongside dry-hire bookings.
Wet hire can also introduce more complexity. It involves operator availability, skills, safety, quoting, site conditions, scheduling and different cost structures.
Prospective owners should not assume that adding wet hire will automatically produce a particular income. It needs to fit the territory, equipment, owner capability and local market.
From Owner-Operated to Team-Supported
As the business became more established, Jay built a team to handle more of the day-to-day work.
He said this reduced the amount he personally needed to manage and gave him more flexibility to take time away from the business.
That flexibility came after a period of groundwork. Mit described the beginning as involving considerable running around while the operation, customer base and local reputation were being established.
This is an important part of the story for prospective franchisees: lifestyle flexibility may be an outcome of systems, staffing and consistent demand, but it is not necessarily the starting point.
How Many Machines Should a New Owner Start With?
Mit’s personal recommendation is to start with at least five machines because a broader fleet creates more opportunities to serve simultaneous bookings and different job types.
That view comes from his own operating experience. It should not be treated as a universal rule.
A five-machine launch may increase revenue capacity, but it also increases capital requirements, finance exposure, maintenance, storage, transport and utilisation risk.
The right starting fleet depends on the territory and the owner’s financial position. A prospective franchisee should compare multiple scenarios and stress-test repayments under conservative utilisation assumptions.
For broader planning information, review the guides to Diggermate franchise cost and how Diggermate franchise fees work.
Diggermate Wangara Historical Booking Value and Growth Performance
Historical Booking Value and Growth Performance
Mit launched his first Diggermate business, Diggermate Wangara, in 2021. The operation has since expanded to three active territories, Wangara, Cannington and Midland, with a combined current fleet of 69 active machine and vehicle assets.
Across the 65 complete months from April 2021 to August 2026, the three-territory operation recorded an average gross monthly booking value of $52,687.45. Its highest-performing month was September 2025, generating $154,368.09 in gross booking value across 178 valid bookings.
The growth from Wangara into Cannington and Midland has also broadened the operation’s geographic reach and fleet availability, creating more opportunities to serve simultaneous bookings and different equipment needs across Perth.
These figures show strong growth in booking volume and operational scale, but gross booking value is not the same as profit or owner income. Results can vary by month, territory, fleet utilisation and operating costs.
Could Diggermate Be Your Next Business Move?
Mit’s journey from one location to a multi-territory operation shows what can be built over time with the right systems, fleet planning and consistent local effort.
If you’re considering starting an equipment hire business and want to understand how the Diggermate franchise model works, join the free webinar. You’ll learn more about the business model, available opportunities, support systems and what to consider before taking the next step.
Disclaimer This article presents one owner’s experience and opinions for general information only. Results, timelines, equipment needs and staffing requirements vary. Cross-hire availability is not guaranteed. Prospective franchisees should review current franchise documents, model equipment finance and operating costs, and obtain independent legal, accounting, financial and business advise before making a decision.
