Director Briefing with Natasha Morgan – Founder and Managing Director of My Home Watch
We spoke to Natasha Morgan, the Managing Director for the My Home Watch franchises. Natasha discusses her role in My Home Watch and how the company is growing in the travel and property sectors by establishing themselves as market leaders. Natasha also delves into what a franchisee can expect as they begin their journey with the company.
Eden Exchange: Hi Natasha, thank you for taking the time to talk with us today. First off, can you tell us about your professional background and experience in this industry?
Natasha Morgan: My passion for business and property began when I spent 10 years working for a high-profile business tycoon in Australia. Part of my role was to travel around nationally to care for their properties – I would manage well over 15 million homes by coordinating trades and services, the upkeep and sales management.
Eden Exchange: What was the idea that sparked you to create this business? What gap did you see missing in the market?
Natasha Morgan: My Home Watch was really born out of necessity. After eight years of being the go-to property expert, I met the love of my life and returned to my hometown of Adelaide in South Australia. We had our beautiful son and I helped my husband run his successful business.
When it was time for our first family holiday, I reluctantly called my mum to ask if she’d look after the house while we were away. I felt so guilty because she lived 40 minutes away – then it hit me: I was not the only one in Australia who has to make that call to ask Mum to look after the house. We all do it, because whether you’re away for business or on holidays, everyone needs that reassurance that their home is safe and secure.
There was a clear gap in the market where no one was offering an affordable service solution for home and pet owners, so that you didn’t have to have a house sitter or rely on friends, family or neighbours for favours.
Then that’s how My Home Watch was born. We created an affordable solution for every property and pet owner so they can sit back and relax, knowing what matters to them the most is in trusted hands.
Eden Exchange: What does My Home Watch do?
Natasha Morgan: We are not house sitters, we are home and pet owners’ new best friends. Our on-demand home service assists the travelling, Airbnb and real estate markets.
Eden Exchange: What makes My Home Watch unique in the market and why is it a good time to be servicing the property, pet and home care in this sector?
Natasha Morgan: We are the only franchise network that provides this type of service, it is one of a kind in the world. It is something we are very proud of as market leaders in the travel sector. Aside from offering unique home and pet services, we have also launched our AirbnbCare and Real Estate Assist service offerings in early 2019. Our franchisees now work for some of the biggest real estate and Airbnb property management companies in Australia. These industries are growing at a rapid rate. To take full advantage of this we have aligned ourselves with outstanding brands and companies that are only going to continue to grow in the years to come.
Eden Exchange: Your service caters to so many different types of customers nationwide. How does that work?
Natasha Morgan: Every homeowner has a different problem that they are trying to solve. We cater for all kinds of problems that homeowners face on a daily basis. Whether they are planning a holiday and are not sure what to do at home or with their pets, or they need help with the upkeep of their Airbnb, it sees us really cornering a broad market and our franchisees are benefiting from this.
Eden Exchange: Understanding you are currently franchising nationally, do you have plans to move internationally?
Natasha Morgan: We are currently working on our international growth, having gained strong interest from New Zealand, South Africa and the USA. At this stage, New Zealand and South Africa master franchise opportunities have already been released to the public. We plan to launch into the USA market in 2020.
Eden Exchange: Are businesses like My Home Watch in high demand around the world?
Natasha Morgan: I can only speak for our company: we have overseas enquiries for our franchise on a regular basis. So you could say demand is high. A well thought out and planned international expansion is key to growing into other countries – something we are developing to keep up with the demand.
Eden Exchange: What has been the main success so far and what are your plans for the future?
Natasha Morgan: Our main success has been launching a new brand and new service to market in Australia and it being welcomed with open arms. Sometimes, I still have to pinch myself and look back on what we have achieved in such a short amount of time. Then of course recruiting our great team of franchisees with values similar to ours. I get goosebumps when I speak to customers about how much they love our services, how it’s changed their lives for the better and how much they love our franchisees. Our customer service is exceptional, our franchisees are always going above and beyond for their customers, it’s a testament to them and our success ultimately lies with them and their businesses.
Eden Exchange: Where do you foresee the greatest development of your business? What are you most excited about in predicted technological advancements?
Natasha Morgan: A project we have been working tirelessly on for the past year has been the development of our own PropTech. We recently launched our very own app which cuts down the administration time and invoice procedures for our franchise partners, allowing them to spend time on growing their business and not bogged down in paperwork.
The app gives our customers total peace of mind, by sending them home and pet reports/updates that are time and date stamped as well as GPS logged. This is a real game changer for the company. Our backend reporting then enables us to work even more closely with our franchisees on achieving their goals and overall business performance.
Eden Exchange: What are the next steps in the development of your company and what are your goals as a director?
Natasha Morgan: Our next steps as a company are to continue to support and grow our current franchisees’ businesses. We also want to increase our growth strategies by inviting franchisees to join our My Home Watch family, so we can keep up with consumer demand and grow the brand.
As a director, I will be supporting our franchisees with their business goals and continue to develop our corporate partnerships, as these have helped to grow and increase our franchisees’ bottom line. The property industry is changing significantly and we will be taking advantage of these industry changes both in the property management markets and shared economy.
Eden Exchange: Can you tell us a bit more about some key achievements and challenges the company has encountered so far?
Natasha Morgan: Developing and creating a business model and brand from the ground up and then franchising it has been a mammoth task, but also a huge achievement. From very early on there was a challenge with growth where we haven’t been able to keep up with our consumer demand. Another challenge we have had to overcome is educating our customers and encouraging them to understand that home watching is new to Australians. We aren’t house sitters or security people, we are indeed a home service.
Eden Exchange: What’s the best thing about your job? What drives you to do what you do?
Natasha Morgan: The best thing is that it doesn’t feel like a job! I enjoy waking up each morning knowing that I’ve turned a passion that I’ve had for many years into my purpose. As a franchisor you wear many different hats, solving a problem for our customers is one of my main drives. Also, nothing is more satisfying than seeing a franchisee fall in love with the brand and what our brand delivers to people’s lives as they start developing their own business journey.
Eden Exchange: Finally, is there anything you wish to say to anyone interested in becoming a franchisee with My Home Watch?
Natasha Morgan: Get in quick before the territories are sold! We have had a few enquiries recently. People are interested in territory areas that are no longer available, leaving them feeling a little disappointed they didn’t get onto this new industry sooner.
So my advice is to get in contact with us today to secure your future.
EdenExchange: Thank you, Natasha for your time.
About the business:
My Home Watch is one of Australia’s fastest-growing, award-winning, on-demand property and pet care service franchise. This service assists, travellers, pet owners, real estate agencies and Airbnb property owners. Through providing home & boat check services, real estate services, Airbnb & holiday home care services and in-home pet visits.
They will help you every step of the way and reward you with repeat business, happy customers and an exciting place to work every day. The unique franchising model has outstanding global expansion potential with U.S expansion plans currently underway.
As a Franchise Partner, you will be supported by a dedicated team of professionals. Their systems and processes will help support you to achieve your business goals.
