Jeff Dudan wasn’t sure he’d amount to much in life, never mind have a prime-time TV show featuring him and his company. But the CEO and founder of AdvantaClean, America’s fastest growing environmental services franchise system™, was featured on “Undercover Boss” on Wednesday, January 11 on the CBS Television network.
For one week, Dudan, using the name “Dusty”, left the comfort of the corner office and worked alongside his employees, crawling under houses to find mold, cleaning air ducts, and performing water damage cleanup. Dudan learned how his corporate team could better help the network of dedicated franchisees and employees achieve even greater success.
In his early days, Dudan wasn’t much of a student and after high school headed to community college. He found his identity through sports and eventually earned a starting position on the football team for Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. That’s where he got his leadership skills and entrepreneurial itch. While in college, Dudan started a house painting company and realized the guts and glory of business ownership. After graduation in 1994, he headed to South Florida with some buddies to help with clean-up after Hurricane Andrew. That’s where he realized the potential of the restoration business and he started AdvantaClean, now a leader in keeping homes and businesses clean, safe and healthy. The Huntersville, NC-based company focuses on indoor air quality, complete moisture control solutions, mold remediation, air duct cleaning, as well as emergency water removal services.
AdvantaClean’s rapid expansion and national recognition have been spearheaded by Dudan, the author of “Hey, Coach!” and the soon-to-be-published “Popsicle Plan”. In 22 years, AdvantaClean has rapidly grown from a three-state operation to one covering 31 states with more than 222 franchises. Dudan is committed to adding 25 more franchises in 2017, with an eye toward even more expansion over the next three years.
“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 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.”
“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 and employees have an unbreakable, entrepreneurial spirit.”
“Undercover Boss”, in its eighth season, is a two-time Emmy Award-winning reality series that follows high ranking executives as they slip anonymously among the rank and file of their own organizations. Each week, a different leader will leave the comfort of their corner office for an undercover mission to examine the inner workings of their operation. The experience can be eye-opening, as the employees offer unfiltered opinions on company policies, challenges, and even glimpses into their personal struggles.
About AdvantaClean Systems, Inc.
Founded in 1994 as a contracting business handling cleanup and repairs in South Florida, AdvantaClean, now headquartered in Huntersville, N.C., is the leading national franchised provider of Light Environmental Services™ in the country. The company currently ranks 85th on Entrepreneur Magazine’s fastest-growing-franchises list, and is among Franchise Business Review’s Top 50 in franchisee-satisfaction ratings. In 2013-14, USA Today and the International Franchise Association recognized AdvantaClean as a Top Franchise for Military Veterans. Today, more than 222 AdvantaClean franchised territories operate in 31 states. For franchise information, please visit http://advantaclean.com/
