Mike and Linda Merrick founded Fish Window Cleaning in January 1978. Mike was managing a savings and loan and the person who cleaned the windows had his business up for sale.
Raise time was coming up at the savings and loan and Mike decided if he received a good raise, he'd stay in his position, and if he didn't, he would know that he should buy the window cleaning business. Mike's conversation with his boss didn't go exactly as he planned. Instead of receiving a raise, he was informed that they were cutting back on payroll and he was fired.
"When you pray about something, you have to be open about any answer that the Lord will give you", said Mike. "And I can tell you that was not the answer that I was expecting".
This closed the doors behind him and allowed him to purchase the window cleaning business.
Mike and Linda decided to call the business "Fish Window Cleaning" because they felt it was God's idea more than their own.
The Merricks were in business for 20 years before they began franchising. While developing efficiencies within the business that they felt would benefit them, they realized that they were really developing a system that could be shared with others.
Fish Window Cleaning's first franchise location opened in January 1998 and has grown to 223 franchise owners and 272 locations nationwide.
