When you join Zones Landscaping, you’ll join a group of successful business owners from a wide range of professional and personal backgrounds. What all of them have in common is a drive to take control of their careers and build a high-growth, high-satisfaction, high-potential business.
What was your career background prior to starting your Zones business?
I worked in the software industry. Helping develop an Online booking tool for the corporate travel market. When I left the industry I was an Engineering Manager of a development team.
What attracted you to Zones as a business opportunity?
Good backend systems and support documentation through each of the stages
What is the market opportunity?
Zones is a great opportunity to help elevate the landscaping industry and transform the way people approach their outdoor living spaces and the investment they are making into improving their lifestyle.
What is the biggest challenge running this type of business?
Finding the right trades and subcontractors that you can trust and work with. As well as understanding the industry, compliance and building supplier relationships.
What is your best advice to run a great Zones business?
Value your worth and the service you provide. Don't be afraid to walk away from a project, scope and materials can be negotiated but not the quality of the finished product. Don't get caught in a race to the bottom.
Who is the ideal Zones owner?
Anyone with passion and drive. If you have a sales background I think it gives you a bit of a head start especially building the relationship with the customer and helping with the conversions.
Why is the Zones model so compelling for customers?
It sets you apart from other landscaping companies and lends itself to that design and build concept that people are already familiar with when building a home or doing any renovations.
What do you think of Zones' marketing, and what are the most effective techniques you’ve used to find new customers?
In general the website is great and there is a lot of information that one can share in your personal social media profile/s. With the current climate we are in and the changes in our marketing suppliers/strategy it is a challenge. We haven't quite found the most effective technique yet.
What is it like working with clients?
It is rewarding and sometimes frustrating especially when you run into issues like the weather problems of recent and trying to navigate through them. You are helping people bring their dream to reality and it's awesome when it all comes together.
What were key hires for you as you started building out your team?
Our project manager and landscape designer.
Any advice for the start-up phase?
There is a lot that is covered during induction. Take the time to get things set up I.e. directories, get familiar with the support system(LMS) before the leads are turned on.
Any areas for improvement?
There are always areas to improve on as a business so having regular retrospectives is a good way to identify these. The training at head office is great but for us we felt that more time should be spent around the working drawings and costing stage. Marketing is another area that needs to be covered in more detail.
Would you do it again?
Yes
What was your career background prior to starting your Zones business?
I’ve worked in many industries within sales, construction and tourism, plus owned multiple businesses too.
What attracted you to Zones as a business opportunity?
I had heard multiple times from a friend who was involved in landscaping how good the money was. From there I did some research and found Zones. Their systems and support from the start were very good and one thing led to another and I invested.
What is the market opportunity?
It’s very good in the Rodney area with just 2 franchises and the area is growing with lot’s of new builds.
What is the biggest challenge running this type of business?
People… It can take time to find the right people (mainly contractors) but once you build a good relationship it’s easy as.
What is your best advice to run a great Zones business?
Surround yourself around good people and build a good reliable team of contractors and designers.
Who is the ideal Zones owner?
Anyone who is well organised with good people skills will no doubt do well.
Why is the Zones model so compelling for customers?
I think it gives them trust and confidence that you have all the contacts (designers / contractors) to get the job done on time and within budget.
What do you think of Zones' marketing, and what are the most effective techniques you’ve used to find new customers?
Generally the Zones website with Head Office actively keeping the website up to date and producing leads. New customers can come quite easily from there from job referral.
What is it like working with clients?
It’s great…. nothing beats helping clients reach their gaol and delivering a project they are proud of and ultimately adding value to their property.
What were key hires for you as you started building out your team?
Designers and Contractors.
Any advice for the start-up phase?
Chat to other franchisees in the area to find out who the good designers and sub contractors are and start building a good team.
Any areas for improvement?
Yes… of course, there always is and the Head Office is always working on improvements.
Would you do it again?
Yes… overall it’s been a good investment and it’s great working my own hours.