Mastertech Environmental began as a small, locally owned mold remediation company in South Jersey offering mold testing, mold removal, water restoration and bio-hazard cleanup services to local communities throughout the area. Tom Duff, Mastertech Founder and CEO, originally developed his marketing and sales skills at a medium-sized home services company whose services included pest control, general contracting, and eventually mold. As marketing and sales director, Tom was able to turn a small, single-office company into a multi-office conglomerate with a multi-million dollar revenue.
“I learned a lot about marketing to home and business owners in a hurry. I kind of had to in order to keep my job! Since I had no official training, and since the internet wasn’t the internet that it is today, I had to make things up as I went. And it worked!" Says Duff as he recalls how it all started.
By 2010, it became apparent to Tom that his interests and motivations were deeply rooted in mold services, the science behind mold growth & removal, and how to genuinely help people in need of mold-related services. In order to do mold inspection and mold remediation at the calibrator that he desired and provide the safest and most effective mold services possible, Duff knew he needed to build his own brand that focused primarily on mold. That same year, Tom left the home services company on good terms and started Mastertech Environmental.
What followed were several years of quick expansion as newly developed marketing campaigns, customer referrals and sound business principles began to pay off. Remarkably, in less than 3 years, Mastertech, went from a fledgling start-up with considerable debt to the premier mold remediation company in the state of New Jersey, grossing more than $1M in its second year.
With Mastertech's exponential growth, there was a growing need for more offices and more manpower to meet market demands in the local, tri-state area. Immediately, Duff knew that franchising would be the best direction to head towards in order to maintain the high level of training, support and client service that Mastertech provided.
The first Mastertech franchise opened in Philadelphia, which serviced all of Delaware Valley Pennsylvania-- including Philadelphia and its surrounding counties. They quickly tripled revenues year after year. With the rapid success of the Philadelphia franchise and the ongoing growth of Duff's own New Jersey office, Duff decided the only way to effectively meet growing demands was to open a franchise that strictly services Northern New Jersey, while he continued to operate out of the Southern New Jersey area. This is when he met Eric Green, who ultimately launched another New Jersey franchise location to offer mold removal services in North Jersey. The resources, training systems, branding and reputation allowed Mastertech of North Jersey to exceed their first year’s revenue goals within seven (7) months. In the years to come, the all of New Jersey territory becomes occupied with the later addition of Mastertech Environmental of Central Jersey, which provided mold remediation services in Ocean County NJ and Monmouth County NJ.
Wishing to expand this success beyond the local markets, Tom launched Mastertech Franchise Systems as the next step.
“I’m proud of where we are, but we’re just getting started! I’m more excited for my new franchisees than I am for myself. It’s an incredible feeling knowing that I’ve started something that not only helps our remediation clients, but it helps new franchisees and new entrepreneurs achieve business ownership and consistent growth and success.” -- Tom Duff, Mastertech Founder & CEO
