How this couple went from the mining sector buying a franchise.
Debbie and Justin Van Camp worked in the mines as fly-in-fly out (FIFO) workers in Western Australia for approximately seven to eight years. They now own the Western Australia Bridgestone franchise.
“The reason I wanted to quit being in FIFO because we were looking to start a family and wanted a business we could do together,” says Debbie Van Camp.
The lifestyle change has been significant for the couple as they can now be home every night to watch their daughter grow up.
“The decision to choose Bridgestone was easy, Justin knew all about the brand from his experiences as a mechanic and he figured that there is always the demand there for tyres and servicing,” she says.
But running a franchise does require hard work.
“The hours are still a lot, particularly for Justin,” explains Van Camp.
“He leaves home around 6.30am every morning to beat the traffic and make sure he gets to the store nice and early to do some admin stuff and make sure everything is sorted for the day.
Debbie Van Camp has a full time job and also supports her husband with accounts. But in their view, there are a lot of benefits that come with being backed by Bridgestone, such a well-known brand.
“They were with us the whole first week, helping and supporting us, and they’ve been just a phone call away ever since,” she continues.
Justin Van Camp adds that the benefit of the industry is a “no brainer”.
“You could probably guarantee that almost every household is going to have 1.5 cars Australia wide,” he says.
“Every car is going to need servicing and new tyres.”
His advice for potential buyers is twofold.
“With every store now having to be opened as a Bridgestone Select, which includes a full range of automotive servicing, not just including tyres now, it would be difficult without an automotive background.
“Be prepared to work hard, as you only get out what you put in. However, it is incredibly rewarding.
“It’s given us the independence to work the way we want to work. We’re doing something for ourselves instead of working for someone else,” he says.
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