It has been four years almost to the day that a eighteen-wheeler pulled up to the front of my house and dropped off eleven Refreshment Centers from Antares. I can tell you now that as I was carting machine number six into my garage I was saying to myself "My God, what have I gotten into" and "I wish I could send these back." I sure am glad that I didn't. And I'm sure glad that I purchased eleven [Refreshment] Centers and not the three that I seriously considered.

Over the last couple of years, I have fielded numerous calls from prospective distributors that had just returned from an Antares seminar. I told everyone of them that if you only buy three [Refreshment] Centers, they should purchase a minimum of 1,000 mailers - you just don't get enough mailers from a three [Refreshment] Center purchase to get the job done. I have tried numerous tools over the years to place machines, but the mailers and subsequent follow-up from the Business Builder Department has proved to be the best tool to get my business off the ground.

Four years ago, I was a salesman for a distributor of artist supplies, selling to retail outlets and college bookstores in Pennsylvania and Maryland. I had a very insecure feeling about my job of twelve years. In the spring of 1999, the company was sold to a craft distributor who dismissed the sales force six months later. At the time, I had 20 [Refreshment] Centers in place and was working 12-hour days between my full-time job and filling 20 Refreshment Centers. Losing my job was well-timed. I got unemployment compensation for six months, and in that time I more than doubled my vending machine business to 50 [Refreshment] Centers.

Because of my sales background, I was quite good at making cold calls on businesses. I knew which businesses to call on and who to contact as I was a member of the local Chamber of Commerce. I also placed a Yellow Pages ad in the fall of 1999 that worked well. I have since pulled the ad as I do not want the business to grow any bigger as I would have to hire employees. I have found that most people in the vending machine business to be a bit crude. This makes it easier to compete. I once made a presentation to an account and was able to view a competitor give his presentation ahead of me. With a Yellow Pages ad, an account will interview more than one vendor. In this case, my competitor was sloppily dressed, had nothing to show the prospect, didn't even have a piece of paper to write on. He gave a verbal description of his equipment, and when asked what products would be in the machine replied "Whatever you want." I then gave my presentation in a business suit with a professional portfolio with pictures of all the machines I had available and a printout of all the products I had available for them to choose from - and no "I'll get back to you's". Guess who got the business.

I like to feel that I am a professional extension of the first class treatment that is afforded by the Antares Business Builders Department. I would also like to address the equipment that I use. Not all of my machines are Antares. For one reason or another, be it security or a high volume account or an account that wants sandwiches, I have had to add the large glass front machines and large soda machines to my arsenal. To date I have not had to repair one of my Antares machines except for the Coffee Inns bill changer. The other machines invariably break down. I've had to replace numerous computer boards at $300 a pop - had one that was back-ordered for two weeks - both snack and soda machine were out of order for two weeks.

I'm looking to retire in about two years. The mother of my little grandson that I am holding is going to take over my business at that time. She can then grow the business with my help if she wants to. Anyway, she will also provide me with a monthly check for the next ten years.

Thank you, Antares.

Regards,

John Weiss
PENNSYLVANIA

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