Thirty-two years ago Snap-on Tools was already a legendary name in the world of mechanics. It was famed for its premium quality products, had pioneered a system to help send astronauts to the moon, and provided tools that helped build Concorde, the passenger plane that broke the sound barrier.

The US brand founded in 1920 was not just synonymous with innovation and prestige, it was available for everyday mechanics to use. 

And that’s how John Sinclair discovered the brand.

“I was a motor mechanic by trade, and I started using Snap-on tools. I realised quite quickly that there was a good opportunity to get in at ground level of this business,” John says. “It was a fairly new brand in Australia, so I thought, ‘let’s have a crack at it’.”

From authorised dealer to franchisee

So in 1992 John signed up as an authorised dealer, and he’s been with the brand (bar one year) ever since.

John’s investment gave him access to a geographical territory to operate within and although he loved Snap-on from the start, he admits running the business was at first overwhelming.

“You learn a whole new trade, a whole new lifestyle. All of a sudden I had to drive a truck, become a salesman, order taker, stock controller, finance controller and marketing team. I was 22, it was quite a challenge.

“I always had a sink or swim mentality, and I’m a swimmer, so I followed the Snap-on program. At that time we were still introducing the brand to the Australian market. While some people were familiar with it, many mechanics only knew of it as an almost mythical brand available in the US,” John says. 

When Snap-on switched from a direct selling model to a franchise, John bought a second territory which he sold a few years later as a profitable business. 

Following the program

“When I was an authorised dealer I owned nothing, so had nothing to sell. That all changed with the franchise model,” he says.

“Now we have support and training for new franchises and successful programs to help multi-franchisees scale their business.”

John says he loved being out on the road in his striking white-and-red branded truck, and hands-on in his business. 

“You build incredible relationship with regular customers you see every week; you build a rapport. Even today, now I’m in a corporate role, I keep in contact with senior people I dealt with as a franchisee – we’ve all progressed in life, and it’s nice to keep in touch.”

John spent 32 years as a franchisee and it was only when asked by a Snap-on employee if he would sell his business, that he considered moving on.

“I figured it was a good time. When opportunity presents itself, there’s a reason,” he says.

John sold his business in early 2023, and implemented his plans for a passive income, buying and renting out machinery. 

Franchisee skills a bonus for Snap-on training role

Less than a year later he was back with Snap-on, first as a sales development manager to help support franchisees and now as regional training manager across Australia and New Zealand.

“I’m heading up franchisee training and working with the latest program from the US. It is a refined version of what Snap-on already had, but it’s more focused on the selling aspect,” he explains.

“Franchisees deal with different customers and different scenarios everyday. We’ve taken apart the process, and pinpointed the successful techniques.

“Our training means anyone can come on board and be a franchisee, you don’t need to be a mechanic,” John says.

“We say in the first six months it’s like drinking from a fire hose, there is so much happening,” he says. “So after six months in their business, franchisees come in for a business breakdown.” 

Franchisees attend a two-day business analysis session that provides insights into ways they can adjust to improve their performance.

Innovation and product range

An experienced Snap-on franchisee can attend an annual training event to discover the best way to scale their business.

“My job is to train the basics of how to sell, and how to run a business. Snap-on provides the capacity to run a much larger business now because of innovative and high tech products , and a more comprehensive training program.

“Snap-on keeps changing and innovating. We are always showing customers new products. When I started we sold sockets, spanners and screwdrivers. Now we have diagnostic equipment, even hoists – we can set up an entire workshop!”

Snap-on franchisees service all sectors that need mechanical repairs, from cars, trains and planes, to the marine or mining sector,

“Plant equipment like forklift trucks need mechanical repairs. We stock a range of tools of all sizes, and the enormous and unusual is brought in to order from the US,” John explains. 

The simple snap-on-handle tool concept that gives the brand its name proves just as relevant today as it did 30, 50, 100 years ago.

In this heritage business, John is not alone in his commitment to the striking brand, joining CEO Ajit Ponnambalam and other executives and franchisees who have clocked up decades with the business.

“I love the place, I bleed Snap-on red,” he says. “The company has a lot of people who have been here long term; it is a company that thrives on its people thriving.”