BusinessTN

Michael Jackson, president and CEO of Greeneville-based EcoQuest International, is in business to help people go into business, all the while building his own corporate empire.

Described as a healthy living technologies company, EcoQuest has carved its niche in the oft-criticized world of home-based, or home-managed, businesses, using a multi-level marketing strategy with an underlying, non-denominational Christian mission.

With about 85,000 active dealers globally, it’s the world’s largest distributor of ion- and ozone-based indoor air and water purification systems with 700 employees at its Greeneville facility.

Jackson’s first prerogative is the dealer network. With promises of financial freedom and success to the motivated, EcoQuest sells prospects on a charmed life with a healthy balance between work and family and performance-based incentives like bonuses, trips and cars.

“Our flagship business is putting people into business,” where families work together and kids are welcomed, Jackson says.

You won’t find EcoQuest among the late-night barrage of TV infomercials. The company leaves that to the dealers who place their own ads to sell products and, of course, attract new recruits.

Jackson is his own best testimonial. The former Minnesota-based city bus driver tried the home-managed business approach in 1979, and in one year, multiplied his income five-fold.

He was later recruited by William J. Converse, owner of air purifier manufacturer Alpine Industries, to head marketing and sales. The pair moved Alpine down South, and after implementing a marketing strategy based on his own experience, Jackson grew company sales from $7 million to $200 million over six years.

His road to success wasn’t without controversy.

In 1995, Alpine, Converse and Jackson came under fire from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and were slapped with a lawsuit, charged with falsely advertising the effectiveness of its air purification system. The company skirted the violation by altering its verbiage, but was found in contempt by the FTC in January 2000.

Sales were plummeting, but Jackson felt the company was worth saving. That same year, he split from Alpine, buying out the dealer network and manufacturing rights, and created EcoQuest, while retaining the Alpine brand.

“Since that time, Mike has stopped the free-fall and turned it around,” says Tom Ferguson with Ferguson Development Network in Greeneville, who was instrumental in Alpine’s relocation.

Jackson has steered clear of any FTC charges since 2000.

Today, he owns 75% of the privately held conglomerate that consists of about a dozen companies under the EcoQuest umbrella.

“We’ve done over $1 billion in sales and funded all of it with profits. What a novel idea,” Jackson says.

And the company continues to grow. EcoQuest has added a variety of air and water purifier models, herbal remedies and skin care products. Its sales for 2005 are already up 65% over last year, he says. In 2006, the company will launch an environmentally friendly washing machine accessory that cleans clothes without detergent. And EcoQuest’s international offices continue to crop up, most recently in Asia-Pacific and in the United Kingdom. A Japanese office is slated to open next year.

Jackson’s success also bodes well locally. EcoQuest attracts about 12,000 prospects to Greeneville each year for training, each seminar infusing about $1.7 million into the region. During the three-day events, people hear the sales pitch, tour the 143,500-square-foot manufacturing facility and are even invited to attend an EcoQuest-sponsored worship service.

“They see that this is a real business. It gives them confidence as they are hooking their wagon to EcoQuest,” Jackson says.