1-800-GOT-MOLD? Awards First Franchise in National Expansion Drive

Online, September 24, 2009 (Newswire.com) - PRINCETON NJ - 1-800-GOT-MOLD? LLC has awarded the first franchise in its national drive to bring accurate, reliable mold detection and assessment services to troubled homes across America.

Jeremy Sparks of Hopewell NJ will be representing 1-800-GOT-MOLD? in the central New Jersey region. He is currently in training with company founder and CEO Jason Earle and the original company Mold Dog™, Oreo, who has been featured on Good Morning America, Channel 6 Action News and in numerous print publications during the past six years.

Sparks, who has operated Sparks Construction LLC, a high-end home remodeling construction firm for the past 7 years, said he is excited about his new career. He expects to complete his training and have his own dog in about a month.

"This is such a perfect fit for a guy like me," said Sparks. "I look forward to helping people in a much more meaningful way than upgrading their kitchens and expanding their homes. This is really about helping people restore their health and the health of their loved ones."

"I love the royalty-free system. I've talked to other people with franchises, and the thing they hate the most is writing that royalty check. 1-800-GOT-MOLD? only makes money if they make appointments for me," Sparks said. "Helping people and working smarter feels great, and I know I can make more money doing this than I ever did in construction."

The Company

With their highly trained canine assistants and high-tech toolboxes, 1-800-GOT-MOLD? detectives sniff out the root cause of many mysterious illnesses and help their customers regain healthy homes.

The company's market is an extremely underserved but large sector of the population: more than 70 million Americans with asthma, allergies and chronic sinus problems, many of which are connected to mold, according to recent medical studies. Peace of mind and an improved quality of life are the final products delivered to customers, and that gives franchisees the satisfaction of "Doing well by doing good, and having a great time doing it."

1-800-GOT-MOLD? is the only franchisor in the US to combine the use of mold-detection dogs with infrared thermal imaging and other non-invasive tools designed to pinpoint the location of hidden indoor mold growth. The company also provides allergen testing and offers a complete range of indoor air quality improvement assistance.

Developed after five years of field testing, 1-800-GOT-MOLD? offers a unique "royalty-free" system combined with a national call center. This allows franchisees to focus on making a difference instead of making appointments. The original company, Lab Results LLC, a true one-man, one-dog operation, experienced explosive growth in its local market with much of its new business coming from referrals from customers and doctors.

Appointments are made by the call center and distributed via the company's web-based scheduling system to each franchisee, eliminating the cost of office personnel, and making the business truly home-based. The company only gets paid if it schedules appointments for franchisees, making each franchisee's success central to the parent company's interests.

In Dog We Trust

"Anyone who doesn't love dogs and children won't understand our company," said Allen Castleman, President of 1-800-GOT-MOLD?. "Our company is all about seeking to improve the health of people in mold-affected homes, especially the children. And obviously, we're all about the dogs."

Under an exclusive agreement with a nationally recognized dog training center, 1-800-GOT-MOLD? dogs are all black Labradors rescued from animal shelters.

"We use Labradors because they're smart and gentle, we use rescued dogs because we can't stand the idea of perfectly good dogs being put to death, and we use only black dogs because, sadly, they're the ones people don't want," Earle said.

The company mascot, Oreo, was on "doggy death row" twice before her 1,000 hours of training began. She is considered the heart - and nose - of the company.

Franchisees get comprehensive training in all aspects of the mold business, including how to work with their Mold Dog™, building science and mold/moisture problems, infrared thermal imaging, the company's proprietary Mold Assessment Protocol (MAP), mold remediation methods and proven local marketing and networking techniques.

"We provide everything the franchisee will need. It's as close to a turnkey opportunity as you can get," said Castleman.

About Mold

According to the US EPA and Centers for Disease Control, mold exposure can cause a wide variety of health problems such as runny nose, nasal congestion, throat irritation, sneezing, coughing or wheezing, eye irritation and skin irritation, difficulty breathing, headaches, nausea, dizziness and fatigue.
Other recent medical research has directly linked mold to asthma, allergies and chronic sinus problems. Anecdotal evidence points to more severe reactions in sensitive individuals. People with a compromised immune system may be at risk of serious infections.

"Mold is the scourge of the 21st Century, and it doesn't discriminate." Earle said. "It affects the health, wealth and property values of millions, even celebrities like Michael Jordan and the late Ed McMahon. No one is immune. Nearly everyone knows someone who has been affected by mold.

"When we award a new territory, we give that franchisee the tools and knowledge to help people affected by an unhealthy indoor environment, and the means to build a better life."

"We are excited to announce our first franchisee," said Castleman. We are currently responding to numerous requests for the next training session. The company is working with a number of eager candidates to determine if they qualify and will be awarded a protected territory.

"We are working to fill up the next training session. If you or someone you know would like to help people and make good money while working from home with Man's best friend, contact us now to reserve your territory before it's taken," Castleman said.

1-800-GOT-MOLD? is a subsidiary of Mycelium Holdings LLC, which also owns MycoLab USA LLC, maker of the GOT MOLD?® Test Kit, the most affordable, science-based, do-it-yourself screening tool for indoor mold growth. GOT MOLD?® and 1-800-GOT-MOLD?® are trademarks of Mycelium Holdings LLC.

For more information, go to http://www.1800gotmold.com, or call 1-800-GOT-MOLD? (1-800-468-6653).