Remarkable Regional Businesses – Episode 26

Guest: Shannon Lemanski Business Name: Aqua Ubique Website: https://aquaubique.com.au/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-lemanski/

Topics Covered

/ Turning Air into Water: The Aqua Ubique Story

Shannon introduces the core concept behind Aqua Ubique: a water cooler that doesn’t require plumbing or bottles, but instead generates clean, mineral-rich drinking water from air. He explains the proprietary filtration and mineralisation process, and how it delivers premium water without harmful chemicals or microplastics.

/ From Army Officer to Startup Founder

A deeply personal origin story traces back to Shannon’s time in the Australian Army. His experience managing drinking water logistics during overseas deployments — and witnessing local communities scavenging plastic bottles for clean water — planted the seeds for a socially driven enterprise.

/ Tackling Australia’s Hidden Water Crisis

Shannon sheds light on the staggering reality that over 8% of Australians, especially in remote or Indigenous communities, lack access to safe drinking water. He shares shocking examples from places like Cherbourg, where children drink cola instead of formula due to water mistrust.

/ Engineering with Empathy: The Product Design

The machines are designed to operate reliably in diverse Australian climates, from humid offices to drier regions like Bendigo. Shannon emphasises user-friendliness, minimal maintenance and data transparency as key differentiators from offshore alternatives.

/ A Social Enterprise Model That Scales

Aqua Ubique operates on a “buy five, give one” model: for every five office units sold, one machine is deployed to a remote community. This approach solves both a commercial and social problem, making every customer part of the impact story.

/ Positioning for Purpose and Profit

Shannon explains why social good isn’t enough — products must also be more affordable, more effective and deliver better value. His pricing model saves businesses money while cutting plastic waste and emissions.

/ Strategic Thinking: Military Roots, Business Execution

Using military planning tools like SMEAC and mission appreciation, Shannon approached the startup like a tactical operation. His first business plan was literally sketched using army formats to map competitors, allies and customer segments.

/ Winning Without Paid Marketing

Despite zero marketing spend, Shannon has achieved rapid sales growth through highly targeted outreach, local networking and word-of-mouth. He pinpoints small to mid-sized businesses with high bottled water usage and services them within 90 minutes to ensure quality support.

/ Offers So Good They Convert Themselves

Shannon describes the slam-dunk offer inspired by Alex Hormozi: 90-day risk-free trial, full refund plus $100 for wasted time. The results? Zero returns and sky-high conversion rates.

/ Leadership, Legacy and Staying Values-Driven

As a father and former officer, Shannon reflects on humility, servant leadership, and building a business that aligns with deeply held values. He rejects commodification in favour of relational business that customers are proud to support.

/ Vision for the Future

With strong early traction and national banks courting Aqua Ubique to support ESG goals, Shannon aims to scale nationwide, and ultimately, globally. His mission is clear: deliver 1 million litres of clean water into communities by 2030.

References

Alex Hormozi – How to Turn Trash into Cash https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaiLcj6tzBQ

Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council Water Crisis – https://nit.com.au/08-10-2024/14116/queesland-government-announce-26million-to-tackle-cherbourgs-long-running-water-crisis

Silicon Coast – Sunshine Coast innovation ecosystem https://www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/business/regional-innovation/the-ecosystem