Jim Penman started Jim's Mowing in Melbourne, Australia in 1982 whilst studying for a doctorate in history. From a modest beginning, initially starting with the idea of making "a few dollars" by mowing other people's lawns, Jim's has grown into the world's largest lawn mowing franchise. A commitment to customer service and excellence saw this business grow at a rapid rate with more customers than one person could effectively manage, leading Jim to commence franchising in 1989. The Jim's Mowing system proved successful enough to be duplicated across many other industries, with the Group establishing Jim's divisions for all manner of household and business services between 1994 and the present day.