With technology and the share economy on their side, these small businesses are marketing safety and peace of mind!
Morgan scrapped together $60,000 of her own funds to set up My Home Watch, a service that checks on properties using video streaming and instant alerts that can be sent to homeowners’ smart devices. It also has the staff to personally pick up mail, organise lawn-mowing and attend to pets.
My Home Watch has more than 120 franchises. Morgan is hoping to sell 20 of the 120 franchises she has by the end of the financial year. One has been sold in Adelaide, and three more are pending in Sydney, Queensland and Adelaide.
Morgan projects a turnover of $500,000 for her company’s first financial year this year.
Unlike house-sitting companies, Morgan’s company doesn’t employ staff to stay at a property.
“Not all people want to burden their family or friends with looking after their homes, or having to call in a house sitter who’s often a complete stranger,” she says.
“The business was launched due to the need for a professional service, someone who’s trained, who’s a professional, who will come in and take care of your things for you, look after things like your mail and your gardens and your lawns and your pool, because everything still happens when you’re away – your house just doesn’t stop functioning.
“A vacant home at any time is a vulnerable home. Thieves look for vulnerable homes that have overgrown gardens and lawns and mail and junk mail lying around, they look for when your bins aren’t put out and taken in, no lights on at night.”
http://www.smh.com.au/small-business/growing/threats-to-home-security-open-business-doors-20170616-gwsng8.html
Kate Jones Sydney Morning Herald
