2015 ECOMAIDS Franchise Opportunity by ECOMAIDS

ecomaids franchise opportunity â&#x201C;&#x2021;

Building Great Businesses

Thoughts Are Things Franchising, LLC

ÂŠ 2015 Thoughts Are Things Franchising, LLC - ECOMAIDS

contents

table of contents 1

A Note from Our President

Fragmented Competition

Featured in Entrepreneur Magazine: “How I Protect the Environment as a Green Cleaning Franchisee”

Manageable Investment

Featured in Sacramento Business Journal: “Cleaning Service Plans Sacramento Expansion”

ECOMAIDS Products

Featured in Siskiyou Daily News: “Eco-Friendly Cleaning Service Plans Expansion”

A Valued Brand

A Great System and Mission

A Business-Building Program

13 Plus Factors 15 Exclusive Territory 15

Partnership Pricing

16 Competitive Royalty Structure

23 Marketing and Advertising 25 ECOMAIDS.com and Online Marketing 26 Marketing Supplies and Programs 27 Pre-Opening Training 28 On-going Training 29 Operational Support 30 Technology Support 31

Books that we live by

32 Final Note

17 Repeat Business

Not an offer to sell a franchise. The offer or sale of a franchise can only be made by FDD prospectus.

Welcome to ECOMAIDS! Building a Business and Doing More A note from our President We are glad that you are interested in learning more about ECOMAIDS and how an ECOMAIDS business can make a difference in your life. I am sure that right now is an interesting time for you. You are evaluating your future, you are looking to build a business and, most important, you are looking for a franchise opportunity that will provide you and your family with an opportunity for real success. For the right individual and entrepreneur, ECOMAIDS represents an extremely unique opportunity. The residential cleaning industry is proven, continues to grow and offers compelling economic advantages in terms of readily accessible and identifiable target markets and recurring revenue streams. Within the cleaning industry itself, ECOMAIDS represents a compelling opportunity represented by our one-of-a-kind brand,cleaning products, and services that promote healthy living, in depth marketing systems, and a development strategy focused on providing our franchisees with prime geographic territories.

A NOTE FROM OUR PRESIDENT

“

TRULY Thoughts are things and powerful things at that.” --Napoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich

Within this guide, we hope to provide you with more information and detail about ECOMAIDS, our dedication to “purpose driven entrepreneurship” and why our brand and franchise system presents a very unique opportunity to build an enduring business. On behalf of the entire ECOMAIDS team we are proud to now make the ECOMAIDS franchise opportunity available to select franchisee partners as we look to strategically expand our one-of-a-kind ECOMAIDS brand and system. Wishing You the Best of Success,

Charles N. Internicola, President Thoughts Are Things Franchising, LLC Franchisor of the ECOMAIDS Franchise System

How I Protect the Environment as a Green Cleaning Franchisee NOVEMBER 24, 2014

IN THE NEWS

Lindsay Dellasega wanted to open a business that aligned with her core values, creating jobs for her community while protecting the environment. ECOMAIDS fit the bill perfectly. The eco-friendly cleaning service uses products free of toxins and allergens. Dellasega became the first area developer for the franchise, and now controls a territory that spans all of Oregon, Washington and Northern California. Here's what she has learned about combining environmental values with business. Why franchising? I have an entrepreneurial spirit, driven by risk and reward, but my experience is in utilizing available resources to develop and improve. I didn’t set out to start a franchised business, but when researching available business opportunities to better understand the eco-friendly market, I found ECOMAIDS compelling. I realized the benefit of buying into someone else's good idea, and bringing it to life. What were you doing before you became a franchise owner? I was vice president of operations at a construction firm. I started as a receptionist and throughout the nearly 10 years I was there, I proved my value in developing business systems to help the company grow from one location to five throughout Oregon. It was rewarding to learn, create and refine systems that could be repeated and managed centrally for controlled growth. © Thoughts Are Things Franchising, LLC - ECOMAIDS

Why did franchise?

you

choose

this

particular

The brand easily aligned with my core values. It was important for me to start a business that offered value, not only to me and my family, but the community by creating good jobs and leaving a positive impact. I was seeking my MBA with a focus on sustainable business and was committed to the authentic delivery of a good product that improved people’s lives and reduced our impact on the environment. What were the most unexpected challenges of opening your franchise? I feel I was ready for the unexpected, knowing I was creating this from the ground up and not expecting anything to be easy or “out of the box.” I continue to learn every day. I’m committed to improving and being proactive with my business rather than waiting for things to happen. What advice do you have for individuals who want to own their own franchise? Have a vision and goals to allow a forward focus and continue to refine the plan to stay on course with your vision. A franchise is not a short cut to success – the brand cannot hold up on its own – so be prepared to invest time, energy and money in it. It is extremely rewarding to build something you can be proud of. 4

Cleaning service plans Sacramento expansion NOVEMBER 11, 2014

Sonya Sorich, Sacramento Business Journal A national franchise that offers environmentally friendly cleaning services plans to open up to 10 locations in the Sacramento region. ECOMAIDS is looking for franchisees in the area, according to CEO Charles Internicola. The company, which has its headquarters in New York, has made Sacramento a priority in its effort to enter California. "Sacramento, like Portland, is one of the greenest cities in the country," Internicola said. The company has had success in the Portland area, he added. ECOMAIDS offers maid-cleaning services for residential and commercial locations. The company separates itself from its competition by focusing on environmentally friendly cleaning products, according to Internicola. "The added value is that we avoid the harmful toxins," he said. Internicola hopes to secure the first Sacramento location within six months, and open eight to 10 sites within three years. On average, each ECOMAIDS location has 10 employees and operates from an approximately 1,500-square-foot office space. The company has locations in six states.

IN THE NEWS

Eco-friendly cleaning service plans expansion NOVEMBER 17, 2014 The Siskiyou News

YREKA – A nontoxic, eco-friendly cleaning service company is eyeing California, and Siskiyou County could be the home of one of its franchises. The company, ECOMAIDS, announced Wednesday its plans to expand along the West Coast with Portland, Oregon franchise owner Lindsay Dellasega at the helm. Dellasega spoke to the Siskiyou Daily News on Wednesday, describing the business as having a focus on an eco-conscious lifestyle, utilizing biodegradable and nontoxic products to clean people’s homes. What that means, she said, is deep cleaning and removing allergens without adding toxins to the home with the use of more conventional cleaning products. According to Dellasega, services offered mostly targets homes and small businesses, and include everything from surface cleaning to vacuuming with high-level hypoallergenic filtration. With her success as a franchisee in Portland, Dellasega will now be overseeing the expansion of ECOMAIDS

franchises into California, and the company will be evaluating sites in Yreka, Mt. Shasta and Weed, as well as coastal cities. “I am very excited,” she said. “I’ve been a big supporter of this brand.” Dellasega said the business aligns with her own values and has provided her with a way to support her family. She added that she believes the company’s nontoxic and eco-friendly values will be a good fit for the new market. In a recent press release, Charles Internicola, whose company recently purchased ECOMAIDS, laid out his strategy for finding franchise owners in the new west coast push. “The reason why franchisees would buy into ECOMAIDS is because they want to be in business and stay true to the principles of a healthful lifestyle in all facets of the home, including a clean environment free from chemicals, toxins and allergens,” he said. “These entrepreneurs would not find ECOMAIDS because they’re looking for just any franchise; they would find the brand because they live their lives by these core principles.”

value

a valued brand

BRAND

A valued brand This once seemingly small company that was founded by a mom started it all. This mom challenged industry norms, rejected harmful cleaning products and with the simple thought and desire of doing more for her family, changed an industry. ECOMAIDS is the leading innovator of environmentally responsible, non-toxic residential cleaning services for families throughout the country. Unlike competitors that may have adopted “green” as a marketing add-on or buzz-word, our mission and the value we deliver is embedded in the core of everything we do: ECOMAIDS. ECOMAIDS is a registered trademark of the ECOMAIDS franchise system.

mission

one-of-a kind mission

MISSION

A Great System, Mission and Purpose Much more than just “a great cleaning service” - ECOMAIDS is an opportunity to do more for yourself, your family and your community. With our franchisee partners, at ECOMAIDS, we are a team dedicated to purpose driven entrepreneurship. All great businesses start with a great purpose and mission and our mission is built into our one-of-a-kind brand and the integrity of innovating and offering our customers non-toxic, allergen free and environmentally responsible cleaning services. Turns out that having a great purpose and mission also makes for a great business!

build

business-building

BUILD

A Business-Building Program Our marketing systems and business building programs are at the core of what we do and how we achieve our mission and purpose. Execution is always key. So, at ECOMAIDS our systems are focused on attracting our “perfect customers” and providing them with services that leave them as “raving fans”. The ECOMAIDS mission and brand affords ECOMAIDS franchisees with a compelling marketing message and a tremendous cross-referral opportunity with like-minded business owners and organizations in their communities.

plus factors

plus

The residential cleaning industry is a consistent performer. There are a rising number of dual-income families who do not have the time or the inclination to perform basic household chores. Time is at a premium, healthy lifestyle choices are important and more people are outsourcing their cleaning tasks to professionals. But they want more.

PLUS

Plus Factors Sure, the residential cleaning industry is solid with an opportunity to scale and develop repeat business, but ECOMAIDS offers even more. We believe in delivering extra value to our franchisee partners through these plus factors:

+ + + + +

The Brand: The ECOMAIDS brand, mission and USP (Unique Selling Proposition) is compelling and is unmatched in the marketplace. Consumers are drawn to us...for good reason. Real Territories: The scope and size of your territory matters! Why? Because you are either in it to build a “thriving business” or to just “replace a job”. We are looking for “business builders” and so our territories are some of the largest in the industry. Term Tested: Why build a business if it only lasts 10 years? We offer up to 4 renewal terms so the business that you build can remain protected for up to 50 years. Royalties that Reward: Our royalty structure is the most competitive in the industry. The better you do, the lower your royalty rate becomes. Partnership Pricing: We do not profit on the sale of ECOMAIDS products and supplies that we supply to our franchisees. Our franchisee pricing will never exceed our cost plus a 5% (maximum) administration fee.

Exclusive Territory ECOMAIDS franchise partners receive a defined geographic operating area with exclusive access to customers. You will never compete with other ECOMAIDS outlets in your operating territory. Each market contains a guaranteed minimum number of 80,000 qualified households meeting economic demographic criteria, so you will have a real market in which to build your ECOMAIDS business.

Partnership Pricing We do not profit from the sale of products sold to our franchisees. We sell at our cost plus a 5% administration fee. As our cost goes down, so does yours. Our mission is to build an enduring company that offers a compelling value for our customers. We can only do this through the dedicated efforts of our franchisees, so when we supply our franchisees with ECOMAIDS products and supplies, we charge our cost plus a 5% administration fee. As our prices go down, so do the prices charged to our franchisees.

PLUS

Competitive Royalty Structure Most competitive royalty structure in the industry. Our long-term strategy is all about win-win, so as your business grows, our royalty rates decline and margins grow.

Portion of Annualized Weekly Gross Sales

Royalty Fee Percentage Applicable to Weekly Gross Sales

Less than $500,000

5.75%

$500,000 to $999,999.99

5.25%

$1,000,000 to $1,499,999.99

4.50%

$1,500,000 to $1,999,999.99

3.95%

$2,000,000 and greater

3.50%

ÂŠ Thoughts Are Things Franchising, LLC - ECOMAIDS

Repeat Business One of the most attractive aspects of owning a residential cleaning service is that it generates repeat business with recurring appointments. Recurring accounts provide consistent income through monthly, bi-weekly, and weekly accounts. Since repeat business is critical, the ECOMAIDS customer retention programs are focused on relationship building.

Our relationships are built on doing more and adding value to our customers. We do this through our healthy living mission, products, and services.

PLUS

Fragmented Competition Most competitors are small, independent operators who lack the operating infrastructure necessary to compete with a professionally managed operation such as ECOMAIDS. Our franchise partners have the competitive advantage of our one-of-a-kind brand, sophisticated marketing sequences and programs and a mission that attracts customers. Our online presence is substantive and our comprehensive management software and operational support provide the backbone for a really great business.

While other maid services may claim to use eco-friendly products, none of them offer our proprietary high-performance green cleaning program designed to meet LEED® and Green Seal® standards.

investment

manageable investment

INVESTMENT

Manageable Investment Building a business requires the commitment of capital and time. Fortunately, establishing an ECOMAIDS business requires an extremely manageable investment. We donʼt play games with small territories and our estimated initial investment ranges from $125,000 to $185,800. Compare our estimates to competitors (even if they “seem” lower), compare our territory size and consider that our estimates include equipment, ECOMAIDS leased vehicle, $15,000 for your own initial marketing and your own reserves of $40,000 - $60,000.

*Please be sure to review the ECOMAIDS Franchise Disclosure Document to review, in detail, Item 7 estimated startup expenses.

products products

PRODUCTS

Supplies

Products and

Our cleaning products are amazing. They really are... and we challenge anyone to say otherwise. Our cleaning products are non-toxic, cost effective, and meet the highest green cleaning standards in the country. Most important though, our products work at cleaning and sanitizing homes. Additionally, we have developed consumer packaging that includes premium eco-friendly gift cards, gift boxes for special events and a tremendous selling and business development opportunity. Ordering is easy -- you can purchase directly from our web-based extranet.

ÂŠ Thoughts Are Things Franchising, LLC - ECOMAIDS

marketing

marketing and advertising

MARKETING

Marketing and Advertising Our marketing and advertising programs empower our franchisees with the tools and resources to effectively reach your market and drive repeat customers to your ECOMAIDS business. Great marketing starts within a great brand and the Unique Selling Proposition that ECOMAIDS offers. Marketing is a critical component of the ECOMAIDS franchise system and our marketing is based on: Establishing our franchisees as the local green cleaning expert; Utilizing direct mail and print media to establish a dialogue with your “perfect customer”; Maintaining a significant organic web-based presence fortified by social media, pay-per-click advertising and customer engagement; Cross-marketing to local businesses with like-minded customers, such as spa’s, physician offices (new moms, allergy suffers and even pet owners) and green based organizations; and Critical web-based CRM systems designed to follow up with customers and to ensure that new prospects don’t fall out of your “marketing funnel”.

.com and Online Marketing The ECOMAIDS.com website is one of the most powerful marketing tools available to you as a franchise partner. The ECOMAIDS brand and mission offers a compelling story and adds value to the overall dialogue about lifestyle, health and environment. So, our online presence is focused on engaging our perfect customers and communities in a valuable dialogue where ECOMAIDS stands for much more than a cleaning service. Our branded and supplemental products like premium gift cards, environmentally responsible seeded gift cards and supplemental products help to build enduring customer relationships and enhanced selling opportunities.

MARKETNG

Marketing Supplies and Programs Through our web-based extranet you can download the latest versions of advertising programs for creating customized print, direct mail, e-mail and other campaigns for your market. At ECOMAIDS we are focused on engaging the local communities of our franchisees. Our marketing sequences (direct mail, email, print and social media) can be customized to your market. Also, we offer support with the ECOMAIDS newsletter that you can utilize to engage your customers and build a relationship.

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Pre-Opening Training All franchise partners start off with an extensive training program, by our Franchisee Support team where youʼll gain experience in all aspects of operating an ECOMAIDS business, including green cleaning methods, customer and employee relations, and sales and estimating techniques. We combine classroom instruction on administration, marketing, time management, structuring your services, and analyzing your business with field-based training. You’ll leave this training session with the tools and knowledge to successfully start and grow your ECOMAIDS business.

TRAINING

Ongoing Training ECOMAIDS provides ongoing training to its franchise partners through various channels, including: Training content posted to our web-based extranet; Conference calls, webinars and newsletters; Networking opportunities and continuing education classes at our periodic meetings and seminars; Our annual conventions; and Development of direct mail campaigns, email campaigns and print advertising.

ÂŠ Thoughts Are Things Franchising, LLC - ECOMAIDS

Operational Support As an ECOMAIDS franchise partner, you始ll benefit from unlimited phone and email support from the corporate office.

support

Our experienced management team is always available to assist you with the operational aspects of your business, from customer support issues to sales, marketing and other issues that arise in the normal course of business.

SUPPORT

Technology Support We provide our franchise partners with phone and email based IT support. Our management team provides assistance with IT systems, and our technology partners and software providers provide additional support for the various applications you will use to manage your business.

ÂŠ Thoughts Are Things Franchising, LLC - ECOMAIDS

books that we live by As proponents of entrepreneurship, the team at Thoughts Are Things Franchising, LLC are big fans of the following books:

“Think & Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill Probably one of the most important books that you could ever read. This book is about business success and so much more.

“Raving Fans” by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles Read this book to understand that “having satisfied customers isn’t good enough... If you really want a booming business, you have to create Raving Fans.”

books

“The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Donʼt Work and What to Do About It” by Michael E. Gerber Read this book to understand and hopefully avoid the mistake that 99% of business owners make: They work “in” their business and not “on” their business.

BOOKS & FINAL NOTE

Your Home, Thoughtfully Clean

Final Note We are glad that you are interested in ECOMAIDS and considering what an ECOMAIDS business may mean for you and your family. Starting a new business, buying a franchise, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all an exciting process. But it is also an important one, so, take some time, consider what success means for you and seek out an opportunity that can make a difference in your life. We wish you the very best as an entrepreneur and look forward to learning more about you.

ÂŠ Thoughts Are Things Franchising, LLC - ECOMAIDS

Your Home, Thoughtfully Clean

Thoughts Are Things Franchising, LLC 1000 South Avenue, Suite 104, Staten Island, NY 10314 (718) 878-6437 franchiseinfo@ecomaids.com ecomaids.com