VEHICLE FOR AMBITION

James Cash grew up on a farm and is no stranger to hard work. “I went straight into agricultural contracting after I left school, and spent eight years on a tractor,” he explains. “Considering the hours I spent, the pay was really poor. After some time on a big wind farm, I still felt exploited, and convinced myself there had to be a better way. I had a medical incident which altered my outlook on life, and I decided I was done working for someone else. I spent time looking for businesses and began to narrow down the choices.”

“The biggest challenge was whether to start my own business or go with a franchise.” James explains. “The longer I considered it the more I could see the advantages of a good franchise. It’s an established business with far fewer risks whilst you are building things up. There is greater initial security which was a great draw card, particularly as my wife, Ashleigh, and I now have three little ones under four. We really couldn’t afford to have any down time!”

The standout franchise

“The standout franchise was V.I.P.,” states James. “Not only are they eye-catching on the road, but from talking to franchisees and their clients, they clearly have an excellent reputation. In terms of what I wanted and needed out of a business, V.I.P. was the right franchise model. In the past 18 months I’ve had no cause to regret that choice.”

“I kind of knew what I was getting into,” James continues. “I spent a lot of time talking to the franchisee who was selling off a portion of his customer base, and I didn’t want to waste hard-earned capital on too many lawyer’s or accountant’s fees by looking at lots of different options. I guess you can call it ‘gut-instinct’, but I’m motivated and knew I could make it work. I had confidence in myself, friends and family backed me, and part of me always knew I should be out on my own.”

In November 2023 James (just 28 years old at the time) bought part of a V.I.P. outdoor-based lawns and garden care franchise, with an initial income of around $1,300 per week from mainly Ōtaki-based customers. “We live in Shannon, which meant a bit of travelling,” he explains, “It was always my intention to build the round, sell off the work and build a business closer to home. This is standard V.I.P. practice. Growth was fast, and in 18 months I have doubled the original customer base. I took on a couple of part-timers to keep on top of it, and one of them is now in the process of buying the Ōtaki portion of my business. 

“Another thing that impressed me about the V.I.P. system was the amount of marketing,” says James. “You expect to do a lot of advertising when you start a new business. Well, I wasn’t putting much into marketing myself, but the quotes just kept coming through and that’s a real comfort, especially when you’re new in a business.

“I’ve noticed that really successful businesspeople often spend too long in the office and miss out on their family time. I was quite determined that was not going to happen to me, and I’ve found the right balance, with an excellent franchise system behind me to help ensure that. The best part is, there are no limits – I can expand this business, and I will.”

The can-do attitude

Estelle Logan, who with her husband John is the national franchisor for V.I.P. Home Services in New Zealand says, “We are delighted with James’ rapid expansion. He is a superb example of the can-do attitude we welcome in the franchise. He has big goals; he’s not going to limit himself – neither are we! He has chosen absolutely the right franchise to further his career and enjoy bringing up his family. As he pointed out, there is never any shortage of work, and we need more franchisees to cover the demand.”

“James bought a good-sized lawnmowing business, with the intention of expanding further north and then consolidating, which is just what the franchisee he purchased his customer base from has also done. Many more of our longest-serving franchisees have also expanded, and/or sold on part of their customer bases to help save on travel time and improve efficiency. We have opportunities for all. James bought big but we have many franchisees who bought much smaller businesses because they were short of capital or only wanted to work part-time. If you have the desire to succeed, V.I.P. can offer you an opportunity at almost any level.”

So, what about the future? “I can see myself with a kind of mini empire in five years’ time,” says James. “Once our baby boy is ready for pre-school, Ashleigh will join me in the business then we can juggle collecting the children after school. As Estelle said, the sky’s the limit with this franchise, and she is right.”

“Call me to find out more,” suggests Estelle, “We are so proud of what James has accomplished by making the most of the opportunity V.I.P. offers franchisees to achieve their dreams.”  

See this advertorial on page 19 of Franchise New Zealand magazine Year 34 Issue 03

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