Often smart entrepreneurs look for out of the way businesses, things out of the mainstream but businesses, which have a good customer base and steady incomes. This is an extremely interesting story. I had always considered the mobile truck washing efforts to be very profitable and believed that fixed truck washes were a big waste of money. That was until one year when a new franchisee joined our team from Oklahoma City. I run a franchise company called the Car Wash Guys; www.carwashguys.com. Turns out the franchisee was formerly employed by Blue Beacon Truck Washes the largest chain of truck washes in the US. They do about $138,000,000 per year with 80 truck washes and the company is very closely held. Tim our franchisee was a truck manager for them and before buying into our franchise and started washing cars in OKC even though he knows truck washing best. He had a two-year non-compete with his old company, which we have honored in OKC. He has tons of experience and had indicated to me that the business is sound and we should really get into it. Later that year I sold a franchise to a person in WA State who owned car washes (5) and he made a deal with a truck stop on an Indian Reservation, he never started the plan, but the numbers we ran on the spreadsheet looked great and very profitable.
Even as a serial entrepreneur, I had never considered the fixed site truck wash business, as the mobile truck wash business seemed so much more efficient and so little over head; www.truckwashguy.com . So even with all this knowledge on the team we still did not enter that market. One of our competitors in the car washing industry bought up two truck washing chains for a total of fourteen truck washes and proclaimed it more profitable than his other car washes by 5 times as much money. They now own nearly 100 locations of truck and car washes nationwide. After looking into it some more a franchise buyer who owned Fuel MAN, an East coast Fuel Card for fleet owners approached us in South Carolina to use the Truck Wash Guys name and develop a truck wash mid state. At that point we decided to start working on the details. Then a franchisee in OH made a deal with a truck stop between Columbus OH and Pittsburgh, to operate a 24 hour truck wash and de-ice business. He thought how easy this is and now so we have made deal in WV at a truck wash as well. Our Ohio Franchisee at the time took on another partner in WV.
Still reluctant to fully dive into the subcategory of full service truck washes we found our Ohio Franchisee going full guns to put together a deal with Pilot Truck Stops. Pilot Truck Stop has the most Truck Stops on the Planet and sells 8% of all the diesel fuel in the United States. So we planned a pilot program at pilot. Our temporary set up is a trailer unit, which sits at the truck stops and washes made sense. We then worked on plans for a building to submit them to the Building dept. for approval, meanwhile the deals in OH and WV and SC were suddenly in the works. We figured if our deal with the truck stops worked well, the Truck Stops will get more traffic and fuel sales while we generate revenue and a percentage of the total take for the truck stop for the privilege of working there. We are so use to washing trucks and have on our team a gentleman who sells simonize truck wash and has been in the car washing and pressure washing equipment business for 20 years. By using the fuel man fuel cards as currency on the east coast and name recognition of Pilot we figured we could move into this industry and pick up the slack.
There is a shortage of truck washes across the country and also a shortage of oil change facilities for trucks. A franchisee could be trained by our truck wash prototypes and probably on the top performing franchisee in our mobile truck wash division; then quickly set up in their own markets. Pressure Washing companies which specialize in fleet truck washing should in fact consider this type of strategy for moving into the fixed site truck washing business.
If you study entrepreneurial companies you will in fact see that many companies fall into markets due to opportunities which present themselves, it is amazing the opportunities which exist out there and how fast companies can grow when they can handle the demand of those markets. Think on this.
"Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs
Becoming a contractor or sub-contractor for the U.S. government can... Read More
Back when I owned an inventory-based business, one of my... Read More
The Workers' Compensation situation in this country is unbelievable. Why,... Read More
If you're anything like me then you dislike with a... Read More
You only have so much time in a day right?So... Read More
A suggestion box is a really good idea for your... Read More
What was your aim when you went into business for... Read More
You see it often in large shopping complexes. Customers seem... Read More
Frankly, given the legal and regulatory requirements involved in attempting... Read More
If you are worried about how many different business cards... Read More
Here are seven ways for owners of small businesses to... Read More
We have all seen the mobile washing units cruising our... Read More
Are you tired yet of all the books out there... Read More
How a donation is different from a sponsorship and what... Read More
You know your prospects need what you sell. You know... Read More
There are both fixed and mobile detailers. Consumers often will... Read More
In franchising an individual desirous of their own business will... Read More
Who is responsible for maintaining the business relationship?Nurturing a business... Read More
Do you like animals? Would you like to work for... Read More
Business owners rarely go into business to deal with the... Read More
When pressure washing heavy equipment each piece of equipment has... Read More
If your home business is not performing the way you... Read More
It's just like a marriageTo expect a bank manager or... Read More
Introduction: This article is written as a general discussion on... Read More
KEEPING INTEREST HIGH: Supervision is key to the success of... Read More
Many small companies work very hard to get new accounts.... Read More
Part of the power plan is making sure you have... Read More
Deciding to start your own franchise is just one of... Read More
Each day we hear of companies entering the franchising industry.... Read More
Mr/Ms, 'not me' is often on holidays in your business.... Read More
One of the best ways to make money in the... Read More
You bet a name is important. Many small business owners... Read More
Writing a business plan for your Solo Entrepreneur business doesn't... Read More
You are selling your small business (business value under $1... Read More
A suggestion box is a really good idea for your... Read More
What is a Family Business? A family business is basically... Read More
Hogwash!That's what I say to people who tell me that... Read More
Have you been searching for the perfect home-based business? I... Read More
What types of companies do you want to align yourself... Read More
Concrete cleaning can be a lucrative business to start. Here... Read More
Someone new to business ownership recently told me, "Before I... Read More
On June 8, 2004, the world witnessed what no one... Read More
If an organization lacks a mission statement, it is worthwhile... Read More
Due to the over regulation in the Franchising Industry and... Read More
Experts urge small business owners to "brand" their business ?... Read More
Franchisors of home based and mobile businesses need to carefully... Read More
Business Process Automation or BPA for short. This was a... Read More
So you think you're not justified in taking time away... Read More
Most small businesses simply go about their daily business and... Read More
One of the most common issues that comes up for... Read More
Everything starts with a business plan: If you don't have... Read More
Many mobile pressure-washing companies turn to government contacts to make... Read More
If you are the boss and you think your job... Read More
What is the best time to expand a mobile car... Read More
The efficiency of debt collection is the difference between a... Read More
One of the biggest fears people have about starting a... Read More
Those who are in the pressure washer business should not... Read More
Tap these treasures of ideas. The best money you can... Read More
Discover How Specialized Cost Containment Creates A New Win-Win Position... Read More
Most folks in the pressure washing business are happier to... Read More
Why should you do informative talks to smaller groups?Informative talks... Read More
The American system of business management has been admired and... Read More
Should your business have a toll free number for customers... Read More
We were more than excited. Our women's doubles tennis team... Read More
In my 18 years of consulting I have heard it... Read More
One of the greatest pitfalls in e-commerce is Field of... Read More
Small Business |