How many times have you pulled up to an ATM machine and thought to yourself, “If only I had a piece of THIS pie…”? What if I told you that it’s not as hard, or expensive, as you may think? Everyday people, just like you and me, can build an ATM chain business without any fancy degrees, attorneys, or thousands of dollars in capital.
In 2022, we’ve far from reached the peak of our increasing dependence and reliance on convenience and accessibility — especially in regards to banking. If COVID-19 has taught us anything, it’s that IF there is a will to make something work remotely, there IS a way.
ATM chain ownership is a business trend that can gradually lead you to wealth and legacy building. There’s plenty of opportunity for you to be as creative and flexible as you want with the services you offer, especially when coupled with the businesses and locations you choose to do business with or in. With so many options for how you can operate, you can create financial freedom for yourself by staying in complete control of how your business is run, structured, and eventually scaled.
Let’s get into it.
What is an ATM Chain?
Now that you understand that owning and operating an ATM chain is possible with little to no education, background, or money, it’s time to determine if this is the right business for you.
Owning an ATM Chain means you are the supplier of cash machines at public locations that you have placed there. Simply put, you make money every time someone withdraws their own money from that machine, at your ATM rates. Boom!
There’s a great article that I read in Forbes Magazine , that describes the three roles involved in a traditional ATM business: You, the owner of the ATM, the business owner where you will place the machine(s), and the processor who handles the maintenance and paperwork associated with your machines in order to keep them in servicing condition. All three of these parties share in the fees associated with processing each transaction.
For example, the owner of the business where you have placed your ATM typically gets pennies on the dollar for each transaction — no more than $0.75 in most cases although the national average is $0.50. The ATM processor will have network fees that vary from processor to processor and can range from $1.50 – $3.00 per transaction.
You, as the business owner, can charge anywhere from $1-$8 (by law) per transaction. So let’s do some quick math…
You decide you want to place an ATM machine in or by my salon, Stewart Beauty & Barber Boutique. Your ATM fee is $5.00 per transaction because my shop is in a very high traffic area in Gahanna, Ohio. I’ve negotiated $0.75 as my venue fee, and the ATM processor charges $1.90 per transaction.
$5.00 (transaction fee) – $0.75 (venue fee) – $1.90 (ATM processor fee) = $2.35 pure profit for you for each transaction. The average ATM processes approximately 180 transactions each month. Using this estimate, you would have $423 in profit from your one ATM machine.
Is that going to make you rich overnight? No.
Can this type of passive income, over time, put you in a position to offer a better life for your family? Absolutely.
Can you then pass those ATM machines down from generation to generation? That’s the whole point! In fact, we’ll meet a father who did just that a bit later in the article.
Now that you get the idea, let’s move on to talk about trends in the industry that can make it much easier for you to get started and stay competitive.
2022 ATM Industry Trends
Technology is constantly changing the way we do the simplest of tasks. According to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s Global ATM Market Report for 2021, there are many trends and technological factors that affect how the ATM industry will look even 5 years from now. Older ATMs have given way to newer models with far reaching technological capabilities to appeal to a younger generation. Mobile pre-staging, video banking features, contactless transactions and wires, all from a touchscreen, will continue to gain traction throughout 2022.
More technology means more control and personalization that you, as the ATM owner, can offer. Sending personalized messages on the screen display during the holidays to increase business at your machine’s location or offering discounts for using the machine are a few examples of what you can do. Read the script below to see an example that could help to increase sales and ATM use.
“Thanks for using the ATM located in Stewart Boutique. Please visit the front desk to get an immediate 10% off your next visit.”
What if you had a fleet of ATMs able to dispense foreign AND domestic currency, accept bill and car note payments, and yes, even allow customers to open a bank account, right from your machine?
Imagine offering this to a business as a way to “one up” their competition who don’t have this type of technology? Guess who is going to call you when they find out the ‘Jones’’ have one down the street?
Furthermore, ATM machines will eventually be wireless or solar-powered allowing them to be placed in locations that they once were not able to go.
Also, it’s important to make sure that you research each type of ATM that you may want to deploy and to find out if they can ever be upgraded.
Legacy Mindset
Making plans for the future is important, but let’s not forget that ideas need to become action. As I researched ways to leave my granddaughter something she could be proud of, I came across an article about Florida-native William Moxley — a man who gifted his children an ATM business. Mr. Moxley is the epitome of a legacy mindset.
What do I mean? Having a legacy mindset is not about how much money or property you plan to accumulate. It’s about being cognizant of all of the opportunities and resources you have available, and the responsibility you have to both lead and serve others, in order to serve your own ascension.
Whew! Deep right?
I know some of you might be saying to yourself, “I’m just a single mom trying to make it”, or “I’m just a regular guy.” While that may be true, you are also so much more. Legacy often signifies the end of something, when in reality it is the beginning of the next phase.
So let’s get to the good part. The profits.
Where the Money Resides
As I mentioned in the last section, the legacy mindset is about recognizing opportunity. While some of you may be discouraged by the immediate ROI (Return on Investment) with ATM chains, think of the bigger picture. Being able to build an ATM chain with hundreds of machines across your state and pass it down generation upon generation, along with the tools it takes to do even more, is what it’s all about.
Let’s talk about how much ATMs cost and, most importantly, where the money is going to come from to load it.
Depending on if you buy the machine new or used and what features you want to start out with, you can get an ATM machine for somewhere between $1,000 and $10,000. It all depends on how much money you have to invest and how fancy you want to be out the gate.
Keep in mind, if you don’t load your machine enough then people will stop using it. However, if you put too much money in your machine and nobody uses it, then you run the risk of tying up capital that can be used elsewhere.
Here’s a little industry secret I learned along the way. You do not have to use your own cash to load the machine!
There’s a practice called ATM vaulting. However, the thing to keep in mind is that there is a cost associated with this. For a fee, there are companies who will load their money into your machine, monitor it to make sure it never stays too full or too low, secure transportation of your money, and allow you to focus on running your business.
Start Up Checklist to ATM Profits
Are you excited yet? I know it only took me a few days of research to realize this was a great opportunity that would allow me to serve my family, while serving others. Legacy mindset!
Here is a 7-step quick start-up checklist. This is not all-inclusive. Each of these can be researched individually on your own, but this gives you an idea of what to research and where to start.
Step 1: Decide your business type
Step 2: Get an EIN
Step 3: Create a name for your business, check availability & register it
Step 4: Determine your location(s)
Step 5: Get your permit and licenses
Step 6: Find a Vaulter
Step 7: Open a business bank account
You are also going to need to obtain insurance, create a marketing plan, reach out to businesses, and more.
I’ve given you a LOT of information to consider and do further investigation on. Below I’ve given you some homework that we will discuss in my Legacy Builder group on Clubhouse. It’s a support network of individuals all across the country.
Homework
- Choose a business name
- Determine how many machines you can afford to start out with
- Research different ATM machines and how they function
- Be sure to join me on Clubhouse @advanceskindiva. The 3rd Wednesday of the month we discuss these legacy topics, resources, homework and provide a safe place of support and encouragement.
An ATM chain is a passive income business opportunity, but there is still hard work involved. Still, it’s not very time consuming, especially if you outsource the loading of the machine. This is an extremely low-stress business that even, as Mr. Moxley proved, a kid can run. You can even operate an ATM business while working your regular “9 to 5” job.
As long as you are willing to be flexible, you can make it happen. You can expect to earn approximately $150 to $500 per month, per machine. Take that and triple it across town and you’ll be well on your way to building wealth with profits from your ATM chain.
Good luck!
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