After serving as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps for five years, Josh Emison returned from his deployment and ventured into the world of franchising. By Jessica Jones
Veterans Form Conglomerate to Invest in WaterStation Technology
After serving as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps for five years, Josh Emison returned from his deployment and ventured into the world of franchising.
“I truly believe entrepreneurship is a great path for veterans,” said Emison, a certified franchise consultant. “Owning a business requires you to be extremely disciplined. There’s no one enforcing the battle rhythm on a daily basis. That’s why there is a natural progression from a military career into business ownership.”
While researching franchise inventory for clients, Emison stumbled across the business model that is WaterStation Technology.
“I loved the idea,” he said. “The concept is completely passive, so if you’re still serving in the military it’s an ideal investment. And more people are turning to water vending now. It’s a healthy and environmentally friendly alternative to bottled products.”
Utilizing a specialized filtration system to purify and mineralize water on-demand, WaterStation Technology has been revolutionizing the way consumers purchase filtered water for the past eight years. The state-of-the-art vending machines, typically placed in participating grocery and convenience stores, allow shoppers to refill their containers and purchase alkaline water with the rest of their groceries. The model is attractive to investors, who receive a package of units that are dispersed in secured partner locations.
“I immediately called my old roommate at the Naval Academy and invited him to invest,” Emison said. “We networked and spoke with a few other veterans and decided to spread the cost and risk. Together we are putting together a conglomerate LLC to purchase WaterStation Technology units across the country.”
Dick Humphrey, WaterStation Technology’s vice president of business development, is a former Marine aviator. He said the company offers several benefits to veterans who sign on with WaterStation Technology.
“We offer veterans 5% more of the water revenue and allow the purchase of 35 units instead of the usual 50,” Humphrey said. “And if the machine is veteran-owned, we will display it as such. If I know there is a veteran-owned vending machine 40 miles across town, I will drive there to use it. That’s the type of brotherhood and respect we are promoting.”
For more information about investment opportunities, contact Dick Humphrey at dhumphrey@waterstationtechnology.com. Any veterans interested in Emison’s conglomerate should email josh@tracerfranchising.com.
– Jessica Jones