Welcome new franchisee – Wangaratta
John Foley’s engineering company has included the
Totalspan franchise in Wangaratta for three years. However, when the engineering side of that business grew to the extent it looked like they’d have to sell Totalspan, his wife Tracie saw an opportunity.
“I have always worked in retail,” says Tracie. “I thought the Totalspan business was too good to pass to someone else. Also, I really enjoy the customer service part of things, so I wanted to have a go at making this a really profitable business.”
Tracie left her day job selling office supplies and is now her own boss. “It’s challenging,” she admits. “I have a lot to learn, trying to grasp the engineering of sheds. It’s different but I think I’m getting there!” Tracie and John have two children, and love to camp or visit the snow country just a couple of hours from their home. Tracie is also having a not-so-secret love affair with her car – a black 1994 body-kitted two door Mitsubishi FTO. “I love that car – I’ve always been a hoon!”
Welcome new franchisee – Emerald Ron and Hayley Russell took over the Totalspan Emerald franchise in February 2007 as an adjunct to Ron’s building contractor business. So far, mining contracts have kept the other business so busy that they are just now “fine tuning” the Totalspan business; completing the display village and appointing erectors.
“I see a lot of (Totalspan) business for us here, but we need to be good at it,” explains Ron. “My building contractor employees are carpenters and other trades, not specialist shed erectors. I was a bit concerned at first that I wouldn’t attract the shed erectors to Emerald to give us a competitive advantage, but we’re fine tuning that now and have people coming to work. Now it’s just a matter of making the sales!”
Ron and Hayley are kept pretty busy with their businesses, as well as three sons aged 8, 10 and 12. When they do get time out they love to go camping and “do our own thing,” says Ron. And of course fish, which is Ron’s passion. “I just sold my last boat so I’m looking for another nice boat,” he says.
Welcome Nathan Millard, new BDM for Southern Region Having worked at a pizza franchise from the tender age of 13, outlasting four changes of franchise name before moving to manage commercial vehicles at Hertz in 2000, Nathan has more experience than most of the relationships between a franchisee and the company they buy into. And with stints as Contract Manager for Toll Group and Franchise Recruitment Manager for Dominoes, Nathan says just about all his previous work experience comes together in his new role.
“I’ve had experience in so many of the issues facing franchisees,” he says. “From transport logistics to contract issues, and of course the relationship between franchisee and franchisor. So everything, all my past experience, was a good fit for this role.”
Nathan looks forward with confidence. “I think we’ve got the right management to take the business to the next step. I am really looking forward to the challenge,” he says.
Welcome Delena Farmer, new BDM for Northern Region Delena Farmer has taken over responsibility for business development of the Totalspan branded range of DIFM products in the Northern Region from Kevin Shriek. Having started on 9 July, Delena was able to take part in 4QL training in her first week. “To invest in this kind of training and to make it available to franchisees shows me that Totalspan really wants to have successful people in the system,” says Delena, who has over seven years of franchise business development experience behind her.
“I came to Totalspan because I like their dynamic approach to the franchise system and the engineering of the product – how labour-intensive it is and how each shed is made for a specific customer. “I’m really keen to get to meet all the franchisees in my area and learn about their challenges and how they see themselves going forward. I want to help them be successful, to make as much money as possible while they are in the franchise.”
12-Nov-2007