JASON GANIS: SMARTPRINT

SINCE founding Smartprint Fleet Management and ifish Finance in 2005, Jason Ganis has expanded his business profile to include four companies servicing different sub-sectors of the managed print services (MPS) industry.

SERIAL entrepreneur Jason Ganis champions the vertical integration concept.

The big news in the Ganis printing empire is his latest venture Print Security, after signing a 10-year exclusive Australia/New Zealand licence with a US copier security company.

While remaining tight lipped about the deal, the software and hardware security product is the only type in the world that completely wipes data from the memory banks and hard drives of digital printers and copiers.

Ganis says in 24 minutes the security product erases stored data that otherwise could be recovered and decrypted by using free software from the internet.

“People know that computers need to be completely wiped of all data before being recycled to domestic or overseas markets, but much the business community isn’t even aware of the potential security risk of recycling old printers and copiers,” he says.

“On my most recent trip to, we picked out a random copier that was flagged to be shipped overseas. We unwrapped it and, after pressing a couple of buttons, out printed someone’s medical form complete with a social security number and other sensitive personal details.

“Initially there will be a massive shock to the market and then we believe the demand for the security product will be extreme as this cannot be provided by any one manufacturer. At the end of the day no-one is offering this service.”

Introduced into the Australian market late last month, already the product and the security risk it eliminates have generated significant mainstream media attention.

While buzz surrounds the new venture, Smartprint Fleet Management remains the largest of the Ganis-founded entities and has grown from a $200,000 a year company into a $6.5 million a year company in just four years.

With negotiations in place to be the MPS provider for a major print dealer chain in the US that comprises 600 outlets, Ganis expects Smartprint to continue growing at an exceptional rate and even triple revenues by 2012.

“As the largest independent and fastest-growing MPS company in the country, Smartprint is a big ship to steer,” says Ganis, a former Ricoh sales executive.

“We entered a market where it’s unknown as to what it will cost you to purchase a business printer. The big manufacturers don’t have a standardised pricing structure and not one customer would have paid the same as the next.

“Our aim has been to get rid of that and crystallise the printing sector; to be transparent about the costs and ongoing management charges so that we can offer our clients the best value package.”

Smartprint’s clients include Toys R Us, Omniwealth, Hilton Hotels and Howard’s Storage World. In an Australian first and to further Ganis’ vision, Smartprint offshoot Laser Printers Direct provides an online store for consumers to browse printing products complete with pricing.

The opportunity to not only sell and manage his clients printing needs, but also provide market-leading finance options saw Ganis launch ifish Finance alongside Smartprint Fleet Management.

“A few years ago we were offering all types of finance – home loans, car loans, personal loans and so on,” says Ganis.

“But we’ve cut that right back and are now really focusing on providing specialist finance for the printing industry. We provide a solution for clients who want an alternative to dealing direct with banks.”

As a multi-company entrepreneur Ganis highlights the importance of seizing the opportunity to diversify while being savvy enough to stick within your expertise.

While the Print Security development is likely the biggest in his business career to date, he is already hinting at expanding after investing into R&D for a cellular-based asset management tool in the print industry.

Young Entrepreneur Profile

Jason Ganis
Smartprint Fleet Management/ ifish Finance/ Print Security/ Laser Printers Direct
MANAGED PRINT SERVICES
Age: 35
Business Est: 2005
Staff: 17
Growth: 155 per cent
Turnover: $7 million