A business of your own is a dream of many Aussies. It can be very rewarding but also, very challenging. A franchise offers a greater opportunity for success than a sole proprietorship, factoring in training, support and assistance, brand recognition and lower costs. An Andersens franchise also offers a better lifestyle.
Aaron Ball and his wife Bianca operate the Andersens franchise in Tweed Heads. Aaron has been in the flooring industry for 16 years in another group, but has recently joined the Andersens group, seeking a friendlier, more supportive environment, a better lifestyle with more flexible hours, and greater opportunities. Aaron and Bianca are supported in Tweed Heads by Tracy in admin, Josiah in sales and Khyl, their lead installer.
Tweed Heads is a coastal town at the mouth of the Tweed River in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales. Tweed Heads is the northernmost town in New South Wales and is adjacent to its twin town of Coolangatta, just over the border in Queensland. Because New South Wales observes daylight saving whereas Queensland does not, in Tweed Heads it’s possible to celebrate New Year twice within an hour simply by crossing the street.
While many people in the Andersens group have many years’ experience in the flooring industry, Aaron believes this is not essential for success due to the depth of support available, not only from the group, but from other franchisees. Aaron believes a good work ethic is more important than prior knowledge. At Tweed Heads, Aaron and his small team benefit from the solid brand recognition that is Andersens, and also the work done by the previous owners Brian and Brenda Cooper. Brian is well-known in the Andersens group, serving as group CEO for many years.
Tweed Heads is a tourist town and most of Aaron’s work is residential, with some commercial projects such as supermarkets. They supply and install as far south as Byron Bay, once the hippie capital of Australia but now home to upscale wellness retreats, north to the Gold Coast and as far west as Crystal Creek. An interesting activity is fitting out mostly vinyl flooring in small motorhomes for people traveling around Australia. In the past it was the VW Combi-van, nowadays it’s likely to be a Mercedes Sprinter, Aaron and his team will tackle any job.
While Aaron admits the Tweed Heads store is much like all the other Andersens outlets, something Andersens customers can rely on, he says, “We try our best to do a great job and do the right thing for our customers. Quality starts at our first contact and goes right through to the finished job. We go out of our way to understand our customers lifestyle and budget and provide the best solution possible whether it’s a five-year plan or their forever home.”
The Andersens franchise gives Aaron and Bianca time to spend with their five children, often at the beach but mostly focused on family. The business sponsors the Burleigh Bears, the local rugby league club their eldest plays for. In fact, Tweed Heads is notable as home to dozens of well-known rugby league footballers and world champion surfers. Not well known about Tweed Heads is the fact that the person considered most likely to have shot down Manfred von Richthofen (The Red Baron) during World War I, Cedric Popkin, an anti-aircraft gunner, also lived there. The town was the location of the fictional Porpoise Spit in the 1994 movie Muriel’s Wedding.
Tweed Heads and surroundings are popular with tourists and people seeking an alternate lifestyle. The area abounds with National Parks; the weather and scenery are stunning and while population growth slowed in the years leading up until COVID, the area has again become extremely popular, especially as a retirement destination, with 14 separate retirement villages. Andersens group franchisees enjoy unique lifestyles and opportunities; living and working in such a fantastic location as Tweed Heads can only be described as a dream come true.
Flooring Magazine – Feb/Mar 24
