5 minute read
MISTS OF TIME
Retirement beckons, opening Ecomist Waikato 6000-plus client opportunity
Ten years ago, Karen Keenan arrived home with an Ecomist Odour Neutraliser aerosol, an Ecomist automatic dispenser and the proposal that her builder husband, Jon, get off the tools and into a business that maximised his gift of the gab.
‘Earlier that day, I had experienced a wonderful aroma. As a nurse, I’m used to hospital smells, but this was different,’ recalls Karen, while relaxing on the Gold Coast’s Coolangatta Beach.
‘Asking my fellow nurses about this soft fragrance, I was told it was our new Ecomist Odour Neutraliser automatic dispenser. Saying I’d love one for home, I was given the address of Ecomist in Hamilton.’
Sitting beside her, Jon chuckles at the memory of what happened next. ‘When I walked into Ecomist, I was greeted by a man in his mid-60s with, what I describe as, a nice face,’ continues Karen.
‘Telling him I’d like to buy a can of Ecomist Odour Neutraliser and an automatic dispenser, he asked if I’d also like to buy his business and become the Ecomist Waikato franchisee.
‘I know he’d asked in jest but, behind his smile, I could see he was serious. He told me he had reached an age where he wanted to retire from a very profitable and enjoyable business. The more he spoke, the more I pictured Jon standing behind the counter.’
For his part, Jon says he would be lying to say he wasn’t interested. ‘Had I not, I don’t think that, in June 2024, I’d have my Ecomist Waikato franchise on the market and be on Coolangatta Beach getting a taste of what I hope will soon be part of our retirement lifestyle.
Earning from day one
‘I knew of the Ecomist brand,’ recalls Jon. ‘And after 35 years as builder –25 of those in the UK – I agreed it was time for a change.
‘Meeting and talking with people is something I enjoy. And, with this opportunity, I knew we wouldn’t have to leave Hamilton. I also knew the benefits of being a franchisee under a respected brand. With this opportunity, I knew I’d be earning from day one.’
Through due diligence, Jon says he learnt Ecomist is a New Zealand company launched in 1992. He discovered it manufactures and distributes premium aerosol-based, automatically dispensed insect control, odour neutraliser and fragrance products to commercial and domestic customers. He found out how Ecomist dispensers have fully programmable technology, which ejects small volumes of fine particles that stay in the air longer for lasting effect.
Ecomist products are manufactured at the franchise’s Rotorua base, by parent company Damar Industries; a New Zealand success story in itself.
Dating back to 1968, Damar Industries began in a converted cowshed near Tauranga. Today, it is a globally respected manufacturer of coatings, chemicals and aerosols. All Ecomist insect control products are made from natural pyrethrins, considered the safest insecticides around people and pets.
Unlimited market
‘Meeting with the then Ecomist NZ General Manager confirmed the Ecomist Waikato franchise was for me,’ says Jon. ‘Especially when he explained how Ecomist provides franchisees with three solid, recurring revenue streams, across commercial and residential sectors. He also reminded me of how unlimited the Ecomist market is; from Waikato homes to cafés, restaurants, fast food outlets, aged-care facilities, childcare facilities, banks and more.
‘The first revenue stream is generated by customers ordering products via the Ecomist website, the franchisee in the nearest territory fulfils the order to where it is to be sent.
‘Revenue stream number two is selling Ecomist products through local retail outlets. Revenue stream three is the commercial side of the business. This sees franchisees, or their staff, providing ongoing services with programmable dispensers delivering aerosolised insect or (odour neutralising) fragrance control.
Multiple income streams
‘These income streams very much describe the Ecomist Waikato business base, which is also the country’s biggest Ecomist territory stretching from Pokeno to Turangi,’ says Jon.
‘Right now, we have 6000-plus clients - 25 percent commercial, 75 percent domestic. There’s still huge potential for growth. Ideally, I would like our experienced office assistant, Roseanne Catchpole, and popular service guy, Grant Pennel, to be part of the sale.
‘Ecomist Waikato is not a difficult business to run; it has provided us with an easy lifestyle. For the first four years, I worked five to six hours a day but, since then, and having Grant on board, it’s down to one or two hours a day, to generate excellent profits reflected in the sale price of $650,000. This includes retail premises, ongoing training in Ecomist systems and procedures, marketing support and more.
‘Camaraderie among franchisees is amazing. We’re like one big family looking out for each other. Personally, I’d love to see interest from a youngish couple, or two friends or family members, who are “people people”, have some business understanding and ideally some selling experience,’ says Jon.
‘Now it’s come full circle. After 10 years, we have Ecomist Waikato on the market so we can retire while we are still relatively fit and healthy.’
Ecomist Group General Manager Ian Robertson advises, ‘Jon’s 6000-client Ecomist Waikato franchise is a fantastic opportunity. But if, for whatever reason, it’s not for you, we have two other potential opportunities, one North Island and one South Island, so please feel free to contact me for more information.’
Advertiser Info
Ecomist www.ecomist.co.nz
Contact Ian Robertson 027 433 4513ian.robertson@ecomist.co.nz
