Jane Emma, Founder of The Goodfor Company
“I sell a water filtration solution, but I didn’t see my brand in the plumbing space.”
Jane Emma, who originally hails from San Diego, has always been business-oriented. Her yearbook quotes were all about entrepreneurship, even before the term became mainstream. While in high school, entrepreneurship was not as popular as it is today, but Jane knew that she wanted to venture into business herself. With her business “Goodfor,” Jane provided a fresh take on a very traditional industry, allowing her to reach her dream clients in a unique way.
Jane, how did you get started in the industry and what inspired you to start your own business?
I’m originally from San Diego, but I moved to Canada at some point to be with my husband. He had just started a contracting company which he ran as a sole contractor before and started to grow his business over time. While I was waiting for my documents, I couldn’t just sit there and do nothing, so I helped him to structure his business more efficiently. I kept seeing all these things that I could automate and make faster so that he could have more free time or focus on getting things done. Over time, we started working together naturally. It was not the plan long-term, but I didn’t want to feel useless, so I helped him out.
My support turned into us growing that business into a full-fledged Plumbing and Heating contracting company spanning three provinces in Canada, all in a matter of five years. Everything came very organically. We never sat down and had a conversation about this. We just went with the flow and figured that we work well together. It works so well for us because we give each other space and freedom to handle our own domains.
Photo Credit The Goodfor Company
"We live in a first-world country, and even though we understand the significance of clean water, we still see a need to promote it to keep the topic relevant."
Did your present business concept develop from the business you had with your husband?
Yeah. So, in this business, we did a lot of work for water filtration companies. Back in the States, we generally know to keep an eye on water quality. It’s mostly okay, but not really great. When I started learning about these systems and why everybody is getting one, I went down a rabbit hole that I have yet to come out of. The more I learned about the industry, the more I saw an opportunity to build something of my own. I didn’t like how the water filtration industry was run and treated. Everything was just very sales-oriented, which is important, but I thought there must have been a better way to serve the community while making money. But what I saw was very cutthroat. People sometimes didn’t even understand what was being installed, and I didn’t understand why it needed to be this way. So, I really wanted to focus on that. When we moved to Texas about five years ago, we sold our contracting business in Canada and took a chance to focus on water filtration.
You describe water filtration as a niche that´s not necessarily the sexiest. What are you doing differently to differentiate your brand from the ones that are already out there?
It all begins already with the name. Many water filtration companies use the word ‘Aqua’ in their brand name. If you take a closer look, you’ll notice that many of them offer similar products and promote them in the same way. It’s all very outdated and uninteresting. When I started this venture, I aimed to make water filtration exciting and appealing again. So, I started with the name. When I thought about what our product does, I considered the various water filtration systems available and how they benefit people. I wanted a name that would signify that our services and products are beneficial for you, your home, and the planet. That’s precisely the ethos we live by.
Photo Credit The Goodfor Company
"We were called out for our approach in a room full of Puronics dealers from around the country that have been around longer,
have bigger teams, and do bigger volumes.
Needless to say, it was a satisfying full-circle moment."
Photo Credit The Goodfor Company
How did you make your marketing more engaging and less mundane than your competitors?
Well, my thought was pretty simple. It was more of a realization. When I first came across water filtration, I was pregnant and trying to change my habits to accommodate this tiny human. Many household name brands were all harping on the same thing - hard water, the stains that it leaves behind, and how it impacts the pipes throughout your home. I agree, these are important things, but I realized that there was so much more to the health aspect than this. For example, many contaminants are known to be cancer-causing and aren’t even monitored. The more I learned, the more I was shocked that nobody was talking about this from a wellness standpoint. Also, questions like what happens to the chlorine in the water when you breathe it in, and how does your body respond to all of these things?
I sell a water filtration solution, but I didn’t see my brand in the plumbing space. Instead, I positioned myself in the health and wellness space where it deserves recognition and attention. Furthermore, we’re approaching our marketing from an educational standpoint. If our customers want stronger, better hair, they should start with not having chlorine in their water that dries it out and causes breakage. With clean water, all of the products will actually work 5 to 10 times better. Then, there are skincare products for people with ailments, or asthma. You shouldn’t be breathing in that chlorine from your shower because it will only make it worse.
Our approach and positioning were well thought through. I conducted extensive research but didn’t come across any company in the industry that focused on health and wellness. So, we decided to focus in that direction, as it made perfect sense to position here our USP. Although, I have observed that in the last couple of years, more brands are adopting this approach, but I believe we were the first ones to do so.
Who is customer and how involved are you today in reaching out? Are you still going door to door?
About 95% of our business comes from residential clients. We use a variety of marketing methods but canvassing remains effective, although I don’t personally knock on doors anymore. We take our Instagram account seriously and follow an educational approach to spread awareness about the importance of clean water. We don’t always focus on selling our product, instead, we aim to educate our followers. We live in a first-world country, and even though we understand the significance of clean water, we still see a need to promote it to keep the topic relevant. Our goal is to establish ourselves organically as much as we can, without relying too much on paid ads. So we focus on canvassing, growing our Google or Yelp ratings, and participating in lifestyle and wellness events, fitness expos, and home improvement industry events.
Photo Credit The Goodfor Company
Photo Credit The Goodfor Company
Photo Credit: KAILO
Are you also working with influencers and affiliates?
Yes, I have always believed in affiliate marketing, and we also collaborate with influencers from time to time. Fortunately, our reputation in the industry is good, and we often receive requests from notable people who want to work with us. However, it’s essential to keep in mind that not everyone can be marketed to in the same way. Since the majority of our customers are female, we rarely target our marketing towards men. We live in modern times, and in most households, women are responsible for buying groceries, washing produce, and preparing lunches and snacks for the family. Therefore, we focus on the head of the household who makes these decisions to convey the importance of our products.
How do you remember your first year in business?
When we first started with GoodFor, I had to step out of my comfort zone, but I was fine with it. I believe change is good for growth. I really enjoyed the fact that we could always test our new marketing ideas in front of real people to see if they would be interested in them. Through this process, we discovered that our customers were responding positively to our wellness approach. I enjoyed the fact that we could test any new marketing ideas with real people to see how they would respond. This process helped us discover that our customers were responding positively to the wellness approach. Initially, it was just my husband and me, and we had to go door to door using old-school canvassing marketing techniques. It was quite challenging for me, as I had to overcome my ego and deal with people who turned us away. However, there was no other way around it.
One day, we had a meeting with Puronics, which is the brand of water filtration that we carry. I was excited to share my ideas and wellness approach, explaining how my business would be different. However, during the meeting, they started to list all the reasons why I shouldn’t pursue this avenue and instead stick to industry standards. I remember them telling me that I didn’t need to reinvent the wheel and do what everyone else is doing. Despite their reservations, I politely disagreed, thinking “Let´s talk again in a couple of years!”.
Fast forward to this past May, we attended the Water Quality Association convention in Las Vegas and were surprised when our company, along with only one other, was recognized for outstanding marketing. We were called out for our approach in a room full of Puronics dealers from around the country that have been around longer, have bigger teams, and do bigger volumes. Needless to say, it was a satisfying full-circle moment.
That´s awesome! Is your husband still in business with you?
Yes. Since day one, my husband and I have been running this business together. While I am more of the brains behind the brand, my husband brings his technical expertise in Plumbing and Heating. We have been working together for a decade now, and our talents complement each other perfectly. To be honest, I know very little about plumbing.
Is it challenging to balance marriage, work, and business partnership? Do you bring work home?
You can’t take it apart but you can find a way to make it work. I read interviews where people advise setting aside time where it’s all about the relationship and family, but this is easier said than done when you’re running a business together. I actually had this conversation with my husband a couple of nights ago. It was 10:30 pm, and he started talking to me about something work-related. I looked at him and told him I needed a break from work because I was so tired. So it’s definitely a struggle and it´s a challenge to leave work-related things at the office. But I think it would be more of a struggle if we didn’t see eye to eye and respect each other’s values and strengths. Surprisingly enough, he and I do not argue and we don’t have big blowout arguments. That´s one of the nice things that I’ve taken from business into my relationship. You can’t have blowout arguments, you need to sit down and work it out. It has positively influenced our relationship because we look at problems objectively and always find a solution.
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Photo Credit The Goodfor Company