Aussie franchisor David Lindsay has reached the finals of the US NextGen contest, taking his Salts of the Earth business into the top three of this global competition.

“I’m stocked,” Lindsay said, after scooping his finalist spot. Along with17 other hopefuls he had showcased his business model in front of a franchise audience and panel of judges at the International Franchise Association’s annual convention.

He then presented a four minute snapshot of his business model in front of thousands of delegates who went on and voted for the winner at the closing session of the conference.

Lindsay won the Australian competition run by the Franchise Council of Australia in October 2016, and was supported by the FCA’s Hall of Fame.

In Las Vegas for the event, Lindsay said “The mentoring and advisory prior to the preliminary rounds is absolutely sensational. We’ve already been contacted by international partners,” he said.

Bruce Billson, chairman of the FCA, said “How fabulously exciting this, it’s great recognition for David and his Salts of the Earth team. It’s a further example of how Australia is a leading innovator in franchising, and what an important role franchising and the new opportunities it creates is to our economy.”

Two other Australian brands were picked by the IFA from direct entries and showcased their models – Rolld and Real Property Photography.

You can read the story of Salts of the Earth in this month’s edition of Inside Franchise Business – here’s a sneak preview:

While his first few months in business were an “incredible failure”, David Lindsay found success after TV exposure and has now won an award.

He has scooped an award in the Franchise Council of Australia’s NextGen competition for his Salts of the Earth venture, something completely removed from his original career as a skilled craftsman.

When the qualified stonemason left his native Ireland, it was to escape the Global Financial Crisis of 2007-08, which had brought to an end his multi-million-euro contracts. But it wasn’t until he returned home from Australia to visit family that he found his future.

“My father has always been a sufferer from respiratory illness. When I went back in 2009 it was the first time I’d seen him anyway healthy, and that was after two and a half weeks using salt therapy.”

Over the years, Lindsay senior had consulted specialists about his lung condition, but to no avail. Lindsay junior, who had seen his father gasping for air while waiting for an ambulance, was startled to see the change in his father, who is now on minimum medication with his asthma attacks infrequent.

Convinced of the value of the centuries-old salt therapy, he told his father, “I have to introduce this to Australia”.

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