Adèle McLay Successful Entrepreneurs' Stories : Meet Phil Turner

Phil Turner
Electrician and former owner of a Fujitsu Heat Pump Franchise

I have known Phil Turner as the electrician for my property investment business in New Zealand for over 10 years. He and his team have always been excellent providers of service as electricians, totally focused on giving great customer service at fair prices. On the back of that, Phil built up a successful electrical contracting business.

While on holiday in 2007, Phil learnt about the international heat pump industry; at the time, The Netherlands was predicted to be the next big market for the industry. Phil returned to New Zealand, did his research, and decided to purchase a heat pump franchise through Fujitsu. Because most New Zealand homes are not centrally heated, the heat pumps are used in New Zealand to warm houses in winter and cool them in summer; the technology was moderately new to the country at the time. Phil had always wanted to own a product focused rather than service business, and felt that the heat pump industry was a natural progression from being an electrician, so took on the new business and industry with a business partner, Gareth.

Fujitsu New Zealand was impressed with Phil’s business plan, so embraced the new business supporting them with advertising investment. When they started, Phil and Gareth had budgeted to install four heat pumps per week; in fact, at times they were installing six per day and had a four week waiting list. Phil notes that they could have installed 10 units a day if they had had the staff to support them.

Initially Phil and Gareth used a home delivered magazine to advertise in, but eventually focused their marketing and advertising budget on Google AdWords, as it was the means by which they received most of their customer leads. Phil’s wife is an accountant, so supported the business with day to day accounting and administration.

Phil notes the business’s greatest achievement was being Fujitsu’s number one dealer in the country; something they achieved after two years, to the delight of Fujitsu, Phil and Gareth.

The industry got very competitive as more heat pump companies entered the market. And, as often happens when a new market matures, Phil’s business ended up competing with one-man-bands who operated out of home without the business overheads.

After five incredibly successful years, in 2013 Phil and Gareth decided to sell the business after being made an offer they couldn’t refuse. At the time of the interview, Phil was still coming to terms with not being in the business, noting he had just booked his first decent holiday in five years.

After taking a good holiday, and in light of enjoying the experience of selling a product, Phil is considering other product ideas that draw on his electrical contracting experiences. He is too young to retire, and besides, he loves the cut and thrust of being in business.

Adèle’s Note:
I had the pleasure of interviewing Phil Turner for my book: BIG Profits – 12 Strategies To Substantially Grow YOUR Business Profits, in which Phil features.

Phil and Gareth were really pleased with the way in which they ran their very successful business. If they had continued in it, in view of competition, they would have to have reviewed their business overheads in order to increase profits, but at the time they achieved the financial success they were seeking. Phil and Gareth should be an inspiration to anyone seeking to break out of a business they know into something new. If you apply your business knowledge to the new industry and are passionate about achieving success, you will do it. Then the rewards are there for reaping – great profits; selling out for an excellent price; lifestyle.

You can listen to the original Interview with Phil Turner here:

Adèle hosts an interview series entitled:

• Successful Entrepreneurs’ Stories : Adèle McLay Interviews…..
• Business Success Tips : Adèle McLay Interviews …..

…where she interviews successful entrepreneurs from around the world, asking them to share their entrepreneurial stories, and other business ‘subject matter experts’ who share business success tips. If you would like to be part of Adèle’s success community and receive the interviews and much more directly into your inbox, please click here.

Listen to more Successful Entrepreneurs and be inspired in the Successful Entrepreneurs’ Stories: Adèle McLay Interviews….. YouTube and Podcast series:

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Entrepreneurial Success without Fulfilment: Who Wants That?
Millionaire Mindset
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