franchise.co.nz – PUTTING PEOPLE IN BUSINESS
47
Opportunity: Home & Building
First time business owner finds
his new niche with Mizin cabin
hire franchise
LIVING
THE LIFE
Tim Robins has had an active career as a property manager, police officer
and rescue helicopter crewman. Then, in July this year, he found a new calling
as a first-time business owner and franchisee with Mizin, the portable room
hire business established in 2015 by Mary and Gordon Green to fill a large
gap in the affordable accommodation and temporary space sector.
It’s been an interesting journey. After university, Tim worked in property
management before joining the police. However, after graduating from Police
College, finding a job proved difficult. “Then someone suggested I apply to
stations in smaller population areas.”
For the change of lifestyle it offered, Greymouth on the West Coast appealed
to Tim and his wife Phaedra. In 2010 the couple relocated there from Brighton,
just south of Dunedin City.
Enjoying the great outdoors
“The West Coast is a wonderful place to
live, work and bring up children,” enthuses
Tim. “The great outdoors is real and easily
accessible. We bought a section, built a
home and added two more daughters to
our family. Dakota, our eldest, is in her first
year at university. Second daughter, Indi,
attends college and also runs a swim school.
A real child of the outdoors, Indi has already
competed in two Coast to Coast races. Our
youngest, Aalia now loves helping dad with
cabin deliveries and set up.”
After some years with the police in
Greymouth, Tim joined Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue as a crewman.
For the next eight years Tim thrived on the responsibility of winching
paramedics down to accident victims in some very precarious locations.
Even more challenging was winching up paramedics and injured patients
and manoeuvring them safely into the helicopter. But in August last year, Tim
came crashing down to earth when funding issues made him redundant. He
started to look for a business of his own.
A tailor-made business
“The award-winning Mizin business seemed tailor-made for me,” continues
Tim. “My first conversation was with Mary and Gordon’s daughter Whitney.
Whitney and her partner Cody McCallum own Mizin Cabin Hire franchise
territories in the South Island. Impressed, I moved on to due diligence. I
contacted two Mizin franchisees who were frank and honest. Next, I put
Mizin in front of a recommended accountant/business advisor who was also
impressed. Legal advice was also positive.
“In the meantime, after talking with Mary and Gordon I felt that rather than
just entering a business transaction, I would become part of a franchise
family. How right I was.”
To bolster finances while he got the business established, Tim rejoined
Greymouth Police as an authorised officer, a part-time civilian position.
However, with a number of cabins already out on long-term hire and several
on order to fulfil customer requests, Tim says it’s looking less likely that he’ll
need that financial backstop.
Comprehensive investment
“My accountant/business advisor was especially helpful in securing the
$300,000 Mizin franchise investment that comprehensively included a starter
pack of cabins; a custom-built, remote-controlled trailer that makes site
delivery, set up and pick-up easy; admin and accounting training; manuals for
proven processes and procedures; and on-going marketing and
business support.
“The quality of cabins is superb – manufactured to Mizin South Island
specifications with double glazing, insulated walls and floor cavity, thermal
carpet and curtains, a power lead and, for the popular Kauri Cabin, a deck.
“My territory on the West Coast is pretty vast, with a growing population to
provide plenty of new customers, and Kiwibank readily agreed to funding that
would let me proceed.”
Tim says that as Mizin’s latest franchisee,
he is delighted to continue his long
involvement with communities and
connection with people. “Mizin’s WINZ
approval status is important to me.
“For a full-time or part-time side hustle with
semi-passive recurring income, my advice is
to join the Mizin cabin hire franchise. We’ll
make you feel like family.”
Mizin
www.mizin.nz
Contact
Gordon Green
0274 373 441
gordon.green@mizin.nz
Advertiser Info
Tim Robins thrives
on responsibility
Mizin West Coast
franchisee Tim Robins
loves the great outdoors