Hermin Thind was born and raised in Seattle, Washington. He attended ITT Technical Institute and graduated with an Associate’s Degree in Computer Science. He currently lives in Springdale, AR with his wife Gurpreet and their three children. He was first inspired to found Vapor Maven when he learned that vaping was allowing many people to quit smoking and better themselves. He noticed a vast deficit in the supply and demand of his community’s market, and he wanted to change that in order to make vaping available and affordable for everyone. Vapor Maven now boasts thirty-five locations in four states of the southeast United States, and Hermin could not be happier with the positive reception from the communities Vapor Maven serves.
1. Tell us about the Vapor Maven concept.
The whole concept behind Vapor Maven is adhering to the needs of our market, and our employees. We accomplish this by working with our customers and employees on a localized and personal level, to ensure we are providing them with a level of satisfaction which is unparalleled in this industry. We seek to better the lives of our customers by providing them a safer alternative to smoking, thereby improving the morale of our employees through the satisfaction of truly helping others.
2. How and when did you become involved with Vapor Maven?
I opened the first Vapor Maven in June of 2014, with the express interest of satisfying the needs of a neglected and abused market, those addicted to cigarettes and trapped in the Big Tobacco cycle. I owned a family hotel, directly adjacent to the location I felt would be most convenient for our market. Since then we have opened 31 locations in 4 states, and have never had a single closure.
3. What was your background prior to joining Vapor Maven?
Prior to opening the first Vapor Maven I had a history in retail, focusing primarily on my skills in customer service. I then became a business owner, with ample management experience. I feel that these key traits are the basis on which we have built the Vapor Maven name.
4. What are some of the advantages in being a Vapor Maven franchisee?
Being a Vapor Maven Franchisee involves several key benefits, firstly that our industry is quite young. This means that it is a profitable industry, with a reliable market. Vapor Maven is a company which aggressively implements the advancement of its employees, promoting from within and offering plentiful incentive opportunities to those who are driven and passionate.
5. Who is your ideal franchisee
An ideal Franchisee would hold the values of Vapor Maven to the highest esteem, striving to provide for the needs of our market. Vapor Maven started out as a family owned company, and we fully intend to keep our middle-class family mindset, by offering unparalleled customer service and employee relations, no matter how extensive the Vapor Maven family becomes. Vapor Maven stores have been designed with franchisees in mind, offering low-cost initiations, easily managed aesthetics, and above average annual returns. A new Franchisee can open a shop with under $100,000 in assets, and grow it as large as they like.
6. Tell us a little about the Vape Market?
The Vapor Maven industry consists of groundbreaking technologies created to improve the public health, being effectively provided to the public that so desperately needs it. Vaporizers and their various counterparts are an incredibly effective alternative to smoking, freeing consumers from their harmful addiction to tobacco products such as cigarettes. Our market consists primarily of those trying to quit smoking, bringing in a wide array clients of all ages.
7. What are some of the greatest lessons you’ve learned in growing this franchise?
In growing this business I have found that the most simple lessons are the most important. Narratives consisting of merely caring for others, meeting their needs, and setting a good example by communicating effectively appear the most worthwhile to me in this industry.
8. Do you have a mentor and is their someone you use for inspiration?
I have never had the pleasure of meeting him, but I would say that my mentor is Dan Price, owner and founder of Gravity Payments. We are similar in that we both believe that you should run your business based on integrity. We agree that staying true to your values is imperative in business, and I have tirelessly worked to instill that concept within our Vapor Maven family.
9. What advice do you have for someone looking to acquire a Franchise?
If you are looking to acquire a franchise, give us a call. We are happy to answer any of your questions, and you will be ushered into our family with open arms. We are experts in this industry, and we believe you can become an expert as well. Taking that next step into starting a franchise is what sets you apart, don’t think we won’t take notice.
10. In your opinion, why do you think that Vapor Maven would be a great opportunity for someone?
Vapor Maven franchising is a great opportunity because we offer extremely high quality products, prices, and service. On top of that, we make it no secret that we are a large company, striving to maintain our small business values. This includes caring for our employees just as well as we cater to our customers, because without our dedicated employees there would be no one to care for such deserving customers.
