Breaking GroundOne seasoned land developer puts his experience to good use.

Jerry Baker had been financing and building subdivision homes for seven years in a successful land development business with his father and brother. But as the economy slowed and the risk of keeping large capital investments became too stressful, Baker decided to look for another opportunity.

After researching different franchises, Baker found the perfect one: A UBuildIt franchise would capitalize on his 16-plus years of construction experience without requiring a huge investment. UBuildIt is a construction service that helps inexperienced homeowners build or renovate their homes by mapping out the gritty details-from scheduling and site visits to creating budgets and finding subcontractors. "It provides systematic, step-by-step [direction] on how to go through the building process," says Baker, 42. "It simplifies the process for [owner-builders]."