Navigating the choppy waters of business ownership, Mark Pearson of ARB Capalaba not only charted a course for success but also steered his store to the prestigious 'Store of the Year’ title in Queensland. It's a tale of transformation and tenacity, akin to maneuvering a nimble speedboat through a sea of icebergs, where adaptability isn't just a strategy—it's survival. With a crew of dedicated professionals and a cargo hold of dreams, Mark's voyage from manager to owner is a masterclass in seizing the helm with purpose and passion.
Embark on an exploration of the delicate balance between long-term vision and the agility to tackle immediate challenges, such as those thrown our way by the pandemic. This episode isn't just about steering through fiscal storms; it's about the joys of discovery, the ties that bind us to our customers, and the shared elation of bringing a project full circle.
Mark shares his vision of nurturing a thriving business culture and the deep satisfaction that comes with guiding the next generation through the intricacies of commerce and life. Each story shared is a beacon for those navigating the waters of business and personal growth, a reminder that the journey is just as significant as the destination. Join us, set sail, and let's uncover the treasures of true leadership and unwavering ambition.
We're on a mission to elevate the professionalism of the residential construction industry, and help everyone enjoy building and renovating homes.
Easy to use Quoting software for Builders. Produce professional and accurate proposals. Quickly and accurately measure and markup plans in minutes. Win more jobs and track costs. 21 Day Free Trial.
check out more podcasts here...
https://levelupwithduaynepearce.buzzsprout.com
Navigating the choppy waters of business ownership, Mark Pearson of ARB Capalaba not only charted a course for success but also steered his store to the prestigious 'Store of the Year’ title in Queensland. It's a tale of transformation and tenacity, akin to maneuvering a nimble speedboat through a sea of icebergs, where adaptability isn't just a strategy—it's survival. With a crew of dedicated professionals and a cargo hold of dreams, Mark's voyage from manager to owner is a masterclass in seizing the helm with purpose and passion.
Embark on an exploration of the delicate balance between long-term vision and the agility to tackle immediate challenges, such as those thrown our way by the pandemic. This episode isn't just about steering through fiscal storms; it's about the joys of discovery, the ties that bind us to our customers, and the shared elation of bringing a project full circle.
Mark shares his vision of nurturing a thriving business culture and the deep satisfaction that comes with guiding the next generation through the intricacies of commerce and life. Each story shared is a beacon for those navigating the waters of business and personal growth, a reminder that the journey is just as significant as the destination. Join us, set sail, and let's uncover the treasures of true leadership and unwavering ambition.
We're on a mission to elevate the professionalism of the residential construction industry, and help everyone enjoy building and renovating homes.
Easy to use Quoting software for Builders. Produce professional and accurate proposals. Quickly and accurately measure and markup plans in minutes. Win more jobs and track costs. 21 Day Free Trial.
check out more podcasts here...
https://levelupwithduaynepearce.buzzsprout.com
And I'll say to the team over and over again guys, we're not the Titanic, we're a speedboat. We be the Titanic. We're gonna hit the iceberg, we're gonna sink. We've gotta have the ability to adapt and I think anyone in business now will know that. ["side.
Speaker 2:Story of the Titanic"]. G'day guys. Welcome back to another episode of Level Up. We are back in the shed this afternoon for another cracking episode.
Speaker 2:I'm actually gonna give you a little bit of a backstory about the guests we've got on today, because I'm super excited. The energy that this guy brings is insane. It's probably one of the things that made me connect with him from the beginning. So today we've got Mark Pearson from ARB at Capellibar with us. But to give you a little bit of a background of, I guess, how we met and why I've brought him on today to have this conversation.
Speaker 2:So I was just talking to Mark that it's actually been over 12 years now Like it's absolutely flown since we became mates. And how we actually met were Camille and I were looking around for a new car. At the time Mark was managing one of the ARB stores up here in Brisbane and Camille and I were looking at a 200 series cruise that they had for sale. And the reason I always remember it is because Camille and I went and looked at the car, met Mark for the first time on the way down to the Gold Coast for a holiday and that night I asked Camille to marry me. Yeah, mate, it's always easy to remember when we first met.
Speaker 1:Yeah absolutely Absolutely.
Speaker 2:How are you mate?
Speaker 1:Mate, really good, really good, and thanks so much for the opportunities to talk with you. It's so good to catch up and, mate, I really appreciate the calm words that it's gone very quick, that's for sure. Very, very quick.
Speaker 2:Yeah well, mate, like I said, you were right from when we first met, like your energy's just infectious and obviously we became mates. We've renovated a house for you and now you've purchased another house that we're looking at Like, yeah, we bought and sold parts from ARB and all sorts of things, but you're just, you're incredibly passionate and the reason I wanted to get you on well, there's a couple of reasons. You very rarely see a builder or a tradie without a full drive or some sort of ARB accessory on their car. Yes, but also, like you've had a mission and a dream and I don't know why we connected so well but like we seem to talk business quite quickly when you and I first met and it's just been incredible seeing you tickle your goals off in the time that I've known you. So you've gone from in 12 years being a branch manager to now you've just recently been awarded what was it? Store of the Year, store of the Year Act for.
Speaker 1:Queensland. What was the other?
Speaker 1:thing Marketing innovation and best presented store with our new flagship store. We rolled out. So you must be over the moon, mate. We've.
Speaker 1:It's been a massive couple of years and if we talk about that and I think the journey to get there, you're right it all starts with a goal. I'm extremely driven in what I wanted to achieve with the brand. I love the brand, I really do. I love my camping, I love my off-roading and, most importantly, I love helping people. I love it's very diverse our business, from a small build to a large build, but the customer relationship build, the friendships you build with that are amazing and I've met some amazing people over the years and been a part of several builds for their vehicles and I think to tie all that into something you love, to take the risk to do something to yourself and definitely have a go and then have the vision there to roll out and tackle the new stool. It's been a massive couple of years and, mate, I've loved every bit of it.
Speaker 1:It's been hard, I'll point so it's been a walk in the park. It's definitely been. You know we COVID and everything in there. Of what's going on now with the economy yeah, definitely challenging, 100%, but and would I do it again, 100%, absolutely, from what I've learnt from it, and I think that's been the beauty of it. There's times there where you feel like you might be in a bit of quicksand going oh my God, what have I done? This is full on, but you find a way and I think that vision there of what I wanted to achieve and the ultimate roll out and I think then to win those awards this year and be recognised from ARB with that, that just topped it off. For me, that was really the icing on the cake, and for the staff, because they've just done an amazing job.
Speaker 2:Well, I want to get on the staff in the conversation because I know you're really big on your culture and your team and stuff. But I'd imagine, like what you do like I love building because we get to take someone's like where they spend their time with their family and like turn a house into their home. But you're doing that Like these days, with so many people touring and travelling Australia and those sorts of things like you're getting to build them a vehicle to do that Like enjoy their holidays, enjoy their family time together. So like it must be pretty cool when someone comes into your store and they want to build a vehicle to tour with their partner, with their family, and you're able to help them do that.
Speaker 1:Oh, 100%, 100% and just to sit there and obviously learn their story about what they want to do, where they want to go and I think, when it all comes together, of the build because some of the builds we will take and we will work with a client for many, many months before we start work and then it might be many years before we build that vehicle out that they can get to that ultimate dream trip they want to do. So that itself is amazing, because you're working and you really start to form a relationship and I think then to go and then see them experience it and do it with a family or as a couple and then come back and share that, that's rewarding. That really, really is.
Speaker 2:So, like what drives you? Like what's? Because I think it doesn't matter what business or industry you're in. Like I'm a big believer that you've got to have a goal.
Speaker 1:Like you've got to have something that you're aiming for 100% and I probably now, as I have achieved so much over the last eight years with the business, it's re-evaluating that now and going. You've got to be able to write what's next and I'm always a big believer and you know that you've got to have that goal. I don't want to get complacent. I'm a big believer that once we start to get complacent and settle down, things change very, very quickly. You can't tell if you're going backwards, don't you? Absolutely, you just can't. You've just got to stay on it and there is a balance with that of going okay, still fitting in your family time and the balance of your own health and everything.
Speaker 1:I think I really think, when you have a love for something and you set those goals and you want to break boundaries and I just want to keep challenging myself, mate I really just want to be able to go. Is that achievable? Yes, it is. I'm going to go for it. You know what I mean and I look at it. I'm quite open to if I make a mistake, I'm happy to put my hand up, I'm happy to own that, but also then want to look at it and go okay, I'm going to learn from that. Let's go again.
Speaker 2:So do you break your goals down into smaller chunks, so it doesn't get overwhelming.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I have. I think I've had some long-term ones and obviously the business with the long-term goal of going into that business, building that business and then obviously trying to execute the build, the rollout. That was definitely long term because I knew that was going to be some time to get in work. It really hard. Learn the business, learn all about cash flow and all the things that go with it. Yeah, building that good team around me to help me achieve that. But yeah, you've definitely got to have some of those short-term ones because that's what keeps you focused. I think if we just sit there and go, I want to achieve X, y and Z. That's awesome, that's great. But along the way there's so many and you know yourself in your own business. There's a lot of changes with it.
Speaker 2:It's like driving a boat, isn't it? Oh, absolutely, with current and everything, you can't just point a boat in one direction, like you've got to keep adjusting.
Speaker 1:You've probably heard me say it and I'll say to the team over and over again guys, we're not the Titanic, we're a speedboat. We be the Titanic, we're going to hit the iceberg, we're going to sink. We've got to have the ability to adapt, and I think anyone in business now will know that from and we talked about COVID there earlier but all of those things that we learned from that are closed downs, opens ups, different procedures, different rollouts, all of that. So that's really important. I've got to be able to adapt really quickly and the market changes.
Speaker 2:Well, yourself and like ARB did that, didn't they? Cause I remember when COVID hit, you and I were having a conversation, like I was freaking out about sites being shut down and you were freaking out about no one traveling and, like ARB, were obviously worried about the whole network of stores and what was going to happen. But, and look, obviously it could have gone either way, but, like you, guys obviously managed to pivot and now, like it's been a blessing because so many people now are staying within Australia.
Speaker 1:And why?
Speaker 2:wouldn't you with this country we live in?
Speaker 1:Oh, mate, and look I look at it, with everything sort of going around the world now, but the and I think what we've seen is and what I've loved most we've actually seen clients that probably would have never thought about traveling in Australia, or or maybe thought we'll do it at a later time of our stage of our life To now going. Hey, mark, we bought a van or we got a camper and we got out there and you know yourself in your own remote travels, mate, once you're out there, it is just an amazing country. There is just so much to see and do. So I think that's been exceptionally rewarding for everyone, not just our business, but people in remote communities that are relied on that income coming in and just the experiences people have had and hearing and talking to some of those people that probably would have never have got it when we're all traveling overseas have gone, mark, this is awesome and you go absolutely. You know what I mean and I think that just that brings joy to me as well hearing about them.
Speaker 2:We live in an incredible like I haven't I've only just touched the edges, like I've got so much more to see, but like the variety of just beaches and bush and gorges, and like just we have so much to you could, the colors and the flowers and the wildlife, like it's just insane. The history absolutely so like I must say I'm a little bit jealous, mate.
Speaker 2:Like, I love that sort of stuff and you sell the stuff that I ask people to get out there and do that safely, to get out there and enjoy it, yeah absolutely.
Speaker 1:It's also about trying to book some time that I can experience it, but that's important in itself. You know, we did a big trip there. That was a beautiful trip. I think I told you a bit about it with Earlaroo. We, just before we were going to roll out the building, we knew we were sort of going to really the next couple of years of building the shop, opening the shop, launching all the marketing and things. We were going to be flat out.
Speaker 1:So we put together a trip, obviously with the family. I said, guys, I really want to get to Earlaroo, I just want to. I've always wanted to say it, let's do it. And that was a funny lead-in, because that's then one of my neighbors found out that where are you going, earlaroo, mark, we've always wanted to do it and the next minute they go, can we come? Then they told another very close friend.
Speaker 1:So in the end I had four families that we took away. Yeah, amazing. So we've prepared an itinerary for her. We put it all. We all had barbecues once a month and just so that they could understand one, the remoteness to where we're going to, guys, the travel that we're going to be doing, the case per day, just so everyone was really organized and they could plan, because a lot of these people had never done camping at all. I can tell you now, hands down, that was honestly one of my best troops to date. The kids loved it, the things we experienced, the areas, the communities. I can see why people just want to pack up and keep going full-time.
Speaker 2:It's unbelievable, isn't it, when you get out there, and especially when you do it with a great bunch of people. Yeah, and it is incredible for the kids Like I love that we're able to give our kids that opportunity to get out there and swim in creeks and swing off ropes on trees and just explore, go back to the basics, the things that we all probably miss now because we're so busy.
Speaker 1:Well, nothing's real basic anymore mate.
Speaker 2:It's not the old get-of-bag-ice-put-in-an-escue. Yeah, no, you definitely know the other way.
Speaker 1:There's some good positives that have come with it. But, mate, no, you're totally right, and my kids love it. And look, we would love to get away every weekend and we can't, obviously at this stage of the business. But when we do get that family time together and get that experience, we really make sure that we cherish that and that can be from a weekend trip, a three days camp, a stand thought, which we love. We love that granite belt country down through there. It could be, hikes, it could be, you know. So there really is, and I think what I love so much about Queensland is that we are so central to so much. We've got the islands that you can experience. We've got a couple of hours out of Brisbane that you could be into really remote parts of some beautiful country and there's just so much to see and do and even if you just want to do a day trip, it's awesome.
Speaker 2:We're pretty blessed. Within two hours we got just so much variety Absolutely.
Speaker 1:Two to three hours.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's unbelievable. And so, like your family obviously love all this and through work, so does ARB do trips no.
Speaker 1:No, so ARB itself. So we've done over the years within training programs and things like that for our staff, where we've gone to a specific site and gone through the product and things like that. We don't really promote it as in, because it's quite a bit to put together. You know what I mean if you were running a trip away once a month and things like that, insurances, all of that sort of thing. But I think for the kids and Kate, they love it. I've got girls as well. You know we take half the house when we go, so that's been interesting. But, mate, I think, look, definitely we really concentrate it with our staff for trying to do some weekends away and I think whether that's even a talk product or even just get away and just switch off and have a break from it all. It's just amazing and that's something that we try to work really hard to try and book in, because you know yourself you can keep working you can keep pushing.
Speaker 2:You've got to have things scheduled in. So, mate with your again. I think so much of what you do relates to building, so you're definitely a salesman. You're very good at it. Like, how do you connect with clients? Like, if a client approaches you, especially now with so many other varieties and brands and that on the market, like, are you a big believer in what you have to find what separates you to the full drive centre down the road and connect with it like other people? Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:I think so, definitely I think so. I think it's about that. We're all working hard. There's a lot of competition, but 100%, I think what is your point of difference? And that's where your passion comes into it, that's where it's belief in the product, after-sales service and generally wanting to help that customer achieve their goal, whether it's a big build or where it's a little build, we make that difference and that's something that for me is very important in the team that it can't be just me, it has to be the whole team achieving that goal for what that customer wants. But I think when you love it and I really mean this I think when you really love what you do, that person picks up that energy very quickly.
Speaker 2:You know what I mean. That's how we connect to that. Absolutely. Your energy is just infectious.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, thank you, and that means a lot. I do. I get tired, I'm hyperactive, I've got to slow down, but I think for me, I want to create an experience for the person that when they come in and I want to wear, did they walk out and go wow, that was pretty amazing. You know what I mean, that they're not going to get that somewhere else and if they are, well, we've got to do it better again. But it is, people work hard for they buy the full drive, they want our accessories, they're spending a lot of money. So I respect that, that they've got to get that whole experience, and I think I would like to think I'm like that, just not in work anyway, but even in around my friends and helping friends and mate. Life's short. I just I get one crack at it.
Speaker 1:And I really want to write a book and you know and do well with it. I've got my beautiful family now I want the kids to see that that you've got to work hard for things in life.
Speaker 2:It's not going to come to you yeah, it's not just you either Like, I think, like your wife, Kate, like she's very successful. She's got a the kids clothing brand, Yep. So I love seeing families that just do well. Like you and Kate got your thing going on. You're being very successful and I take my hat off to you. It's fantastic to see your. None of us do it on our own, do we?
Speaker 1:So you're massive on team and culture, 100% and and and even just on that, there where you talk about Kate and her achievements and you know yourself how important it is, it's you've got to communicate it. It's hard. There's times where we're passing each other in the hallway and I think we see the good things and I know, I think there's there's times there's stressors. There's no doubt. You're running a big business. You're running, you know, 12, 13 staff. So you know there's times where you're doing a lot in the back end that people don't see, and so it's really getting that balance right that we still have time for each other as well. But culture, that's everything We've got to build, that. We've got to work hard on that.
Speaker 2:And that's all done. How do you, how have you done that in your business? I?
Speaker 1:think.
Speaker 2:I think Because you've done it very quickly Like your culture, like when you come to your store you can see how much your team respect you, and like even just the posts you do on socials. Like I just think it's unreal.
Speaker 1:But you've done that.
Speaker 2:Some businesses never achieve that, and like you've. So what's it? Has? It been eight years since you left?
Speaker 1:Yeah, it has been. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Yeah eight years. Yeah, you're going to nine.
Speaker 2:yeah, nine next year, so in eight years you've managed to like, you've purchased a franchise and then you've built that up. And then what? Is it two years how long since you built the new store.
Speaker 1:Two years that we're in that now.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so like there's a lot going on there so, and you've managed to do it really well and you've got an incredible culture. So what's behind that?
Speaker 1:I think the big thing is, I think, treating people how you want to be treated. So we all know, we all want people to treat us with respect and love, and I think for me is they are. So they are really the backbone. They really are, they are the front of the business. So I'm just we talked about the speedboat. I'm trying to steer that. You know what I mean. They're the navies.
Speaker 2:They're looking out and going to turn there.
Speaker 1:So it's a credit to them. So with that and that culture's got to be. Well, how do I challenge them? How can I grow them to keep them motivated within the role? How do I reward that? Because it's not always just about and I think in business people think we've got to reward financially. It's not always about that. It's little things of birthdays, it's little things of doing a round of coffees. I reckon I spend that much on coffees, but they love that you know what I?
Speaker 1:mean, we do cakes. I sort of bring cakes in regularly on the Fridays, and it's just got to be that. I understand for them too, that it is a demanding role, that your servicing not just one client at a time. We might have 20 or 30 clients walk in during your day that we're quoting, and that scope of quoting will vary dramatically. So each one of those individuals is different. So it's a big load for them, it's a big responsibility to them to go. Well, guys, this is my expectation of the service who deliver the expectation of getting back to them time efficiently, meeting their needs, adjusting their needs and probably similar to you with quoting that quote can change multiple times before you even get to. It's funny.
Speaker 2:Again, it's very relatable. You've got a front end of the business and a back end of the business. You've got the admin side at the front where you're face-to-face with the clients and doing all the quoting and all those types of things, but then you've got the team out in the back that's actually building the vehicles, putting them in the accessories.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I call that the magic happening out in the back and that's a credit. And those guys, they are so gifted and we've got a beautiful team that way and that skill set and they all bring something different. But that's the key thing and that's what I say to the guys with communication Guys, if we don't get this part right at the front of the house, we get it wrong at the back and that's when it goes wrong and we can't blame them because we've got to communicate it. So that's critical, but I think the culture's about, it's just communicating with them and they're all different, they've all got their own challenges and that's me understanding and staying connected with that Connection's a big like connection's huge, isn't it?
Speaker 1:It's everything.
Speaker 2:Everyone's very different, got their own personalities, their own opinions, their own beliefs, all those things. So like taking the time to connect individually with staff members is huge, isn't it?
Speaker 1:And I think you've seen a lot of businesses where the business run and the business does really really well, but people just don't know their staff real well. And I think that, to me, is really important, because they're not just a number, they are a person, they really really are. And I think, if we can, I understand what's going on with them and if that means giving them a little bit of time off, if they've got something going, they need to be there for a school event or family or whatever those little differences. That's the difference in culture, what makes it in their business. Because I'm very open on that, I'm veryif they've got a problem, it's my job to find a solution and work with them on that.
Speaker 1:And people go Mark, you take on too much, you know, doesn't that drive you insane? Well, no, because they're great people and I want to grow those people. And then people said to me in business but, mark, aren't you worried that you're going to grow them so much that they'll move on? Okay, well, then I've achieved something. Hopefully I've played a part, that I can grow them and challenge them, that they run their own business or they might go and work for someone else and be very successful in that, and that's rewarding.
Speaker 2:I mean, I only change my mindset on this, I don't know, maybe the last three to five years or something, because it is hard. You do think like you put all this time and energy into staff to get them to a level that hopefully gives you a bit of freedom.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. But then they move on, and then you start over again. You start again, yeah.
Speaker 2:I'm exactly the same now. I put as much time and energy into my staff as I can and if, yeah, if I build them up and they decide to go and like I'm a big believer now that everybody deserves every opportunity they can. So if my business can't can only give them so much variety or so many skills and they want to have a go somewhere else, I love it. Go and do it. If you never burn bridges, if you want to come back here in the future, it's always open. But then also, if you want to go and start your own business, like, all right, let's talk. Like, how can I help you out? What advice do you want? Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:This is where I went wrong. Don't make these mistakes. Yeah, get these set up, and you know what I mean and that helps them, and I think that's really, really important and things like. We try and break it up so we do our weekends away. We've done an ice bath breathing exercise, which that was great. You know what I mean. That was a really interesting one and I found that fascinating. I had to get all your staff to do that.
Speaker 1:Well it was. We were all nervous, Don't get me wrong. We were super nervous. Each time we don't like the cold. We're in Queensland, we love the heat, so I ended up doing it. I actually met another gentleman at one of the gyms and I ended up doing it with him and I went wow, this is pretty powerful. It's only real mate.
Speaker 1:I learned a lot from it and each time I do it I still get nervous on it, you know, and prepare yourself for it. And I went, I said to him. I said, Mel, I'd love to book you, I'd love to get you in, I'd love to do this for the guys. I really think they can get out of something out of it and, regardless of that issues or not, just to learn to breathe and work through and just that whole relaxation and then adding to that whole part of it with the cold therapy of getting in an ice bath at zero degrees.
Speaker 1:It's not easy, it's a psychological thing of you know what I mean. And they said, oh boss, I don't know about this. And, to their credit, they all showed up and they nailed it, absolutely nailed it, and I was that was that was rewarding to see that and go, guys, well done. You know what I mean. So it's just trying to find things that just that we can break it up, because I do want them to stay, I want them to be a part of the family and if we can all learn a little bit from just those little exercises, it just makes us a better person and I think it's like anything. It's just opening yourself up to new things, isn't it?
Speaker 2:So you know, getting out of the comfort zone? Yeah, definitely getting out of your comfort zone, but it is. I'm addicted to the cold, the ice baths and the breathing and stuff. I need to do more of it, but it's just a. It amazes me how such simple things can have just enormous benefits. Yep, like just the ice and I did it. So obviously I can't do the ice bath every day, so I just do the cold showers, but just makes you feel so alive and makes you think.
Speaker 2:Absolutely, and I think the biggest thing the cold showers and the ice baths have done for me is it makes you realise how long a couple of minutes is Absolutely, and when you think how long a couple of minutes is and then you reflect on how many minutes you waste, it really prioritises you how you spend your time, your whole time management.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, absolutely. And I think also that when you learn to work through that being uncomfortable because that's what the ice bath is at first the whole shock and I lose my breath and how do I control that? And I think the important thing for me with that, with teaching the staff that, or Merle's teaching the staff that, was that when we get under pressure and we've got multiple phones ringing and people coming in and there might be a job that's missing parts or not running to time, or how we work through that, or customer ringing, guys where's my car, I've got to pick the kids up, or something like that and how do we just, okay, slow it all down, let's breathe, let's work through it. Can we put the customer in a courtesy car? Can we keep it overnight? Can we take some pressure off? We want this job right, let's not rush it. Oh, mark, if you can get me a customer car, that'd be great, beautiful problem solved.
Speaker 1:So it's just it was that was important to learn a skill that maybe helps them at a point in their day to day operation that they go. Okay, I can reflect back to that.
Speaker 2:Turning everything into a solution instead of a problem.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. You know what I mean. Again, something that could take with it, whether it's now with me or wherever they are in their life and even outside of it. You know what I mean. It doesn't stop outside of it. You still got your challenges and things, and lots of challenges, mate is full on.
Speaker 2:Just going back to what we were talking about before, about training your staff up and like being in that mindset of like putting all that time and energy into them and then them leaving. Like, do you think it holds? Like, I believe now knowing what I know like it, those sorts of people get held back because of that mindset, like when the more you give in any way, whether it's to charity, whether it's giving to your team and training and building them up, whatever way it is but the more you give, the more comes back. Yeah, definitely, and so, yes, it can be a bit painful when you build up a good team member and they choose to leave, but it opens the doors for more people like them.
Speaker 1:Absolutely, and I think we could. Probably every business owner that relates to this would go. It was Dermagloon when that person come in and said, look, I'm leaving, and you go. Oh my God, you know whether it's a key mechanic, key builder, admin. But then someone else comes into the business and it's a completely different energy and then you start learning from that individual as well.
Speaker 1:So change is good. Sometimes we do need change. It's very easy to get into a routine of doing the same thing over and over again and when things are going well and we talked about complacency and I think that's where we get into that danger zone when it's running, it's running well we pull back a little bit. We might have a bit of a break and sort of concentrate on our own health and go righty, I'm going to have a break here. But I think there's nothing wrong with if they want to move on and have a new list of life and challenge themselves. But that next person coming in also brings a different energy that lifts and grows and can have a different input, a new set of eyes and look in the business. Hey, duane, why don't you do it this way, mp? Why are you doing it this way?
Speaker 2:What are you thinking? It's nine times out of ten. It could be a completely different situation and something that you might have been overlooking all of a sudden is highlighted. You just got to be open to everything, don't you Absolutely.
Speaker 1:Yep. The next big thing for me working on that within that business and I've said it to the staff as well actually taking some time to come out and look at the business from the back end the helicopter view.
Speaker 1:So it's great being in it and the front line and working with the teens and rubby shoulders, but it's also being able to look at it from the back end and going okay, we are lacking a bit there, or, guys, we need to change that around a bit and freshen that up and make that look good. That's a really important.
Speaker 2:I think it's a talent, it's a really important talent to have to stand back and look at things, because it's so easy to get caught in the weeds, isn't it, and just be putting out fires here and everywhere and thinking that you're doing the right thing because you're getting involved with everything. But you really do need to regularly. Absolutely.
Speaker 1:You need to stay back, do the helicopter view and look at it, because you look at it. Now we're five weeks out of Christmas. We all sit there and go where's this year gone? We really do. It's crazy Every year, absolutely insane. My kids are finishing grade eight, going into year nine. When they're born, people said, mark, enjoy the journey because it goes so quickly. And I went oh, yeah, yeah, yeah and my God and I think, year nine, they're going into year nine. So it's very easy If you're in that day-to-day grind and going, okay, well, and it's working, and we're getting caught up in the basic stuff of the operation of the business, which is normal.
Speaker 1:But okay, I've got to boot myself out one day a week and go how can I improve it? Because if I'm improving it, not only for myself and my customers' experience, it's going to benefit the staff. And that's where it comes into working on a little bit of going with that culture. Okay, we need to do this, we need to look at that. How about we just do a dinner out, guys? And it doesn't always have to be something like an ice bath or something like that. That's just fun to break it up and challenge us. But I think it's really taking that time to maybe go. You know what, if we look at the year, how can I plan? And I might go right. We've got three weekends that we want to plan to get away as a group. Now if we look at and if I said that you at the start of the year you'd probably go, that's more than doable. But with everything else going into life, family, kids, sport, work, business it's actually starts to become a real chore to lock in those dates. It's not much left, absolutely.
Speaker 2:We just did this. I'm a massive fan of this. We've actually just been doing this over the last month, Camille and I, and then caught up with a couple of business partners last week. So next year's done Every Zoom call, every for the Live Luck build. Every holiday Camille and me and the kids want to have, every long weekend we want to have. And yeah, when you sit down and plan everything, get out Like I'm a big structure person, Like I need to be able to look at. Well, I don't need to, but I just find I get so much more focus when things are laid out Absolutely. It's like when we build a house, like we have a schedule for the house.
Speaker 1:So I treat my life no differently. So it should be yeah, exactly, yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 2:And it's an incredible exercise to do because, like so, camille and I literally in the last couple of weeks, like we had this, I know like six foot by four foot like yearly calendar, so she put all her family and holidays on there, I put all mine on there, we put all the kids, school holidays like everything on there, and then, yeah, like, put all the Zoom calls you want to have in there and all the live events we want to have, and it's just when you can visually see that, that's when you really start to value your time. Yeah, and if you just say, oh, yeah, we'll catch up, it never happens, it never happens.
Speaker 1:We always something gets in the way and it's not intentional. You know, if it makes this whole love to catch up, you'd love to, but it's just, it's a lot. If it's sport, or you double book something or you forget, or Kate rings, have you? Are you ready for that sport? Yeah, I'll be there. I forgot to put in the calendar. But and you nailed it structure and I'm probably very similar in that. And do you know what's interesting? Because as I learned more about myself, I've found a more that way where if you probably went back years ago, I probably wasn't, I probably I think you get through.
Speaker 1:That might be a little bit of talent and your things are going well, but then once you start to achieve that, and then you start going right, I want to go to the next step and whatever that's going to be. That's when you start to go. Okay, I can't just rely on a bit of good luck or I'm good at what I do in this industry, so that'll, that'll pay off. It's the structure and I've started to even do that now with some of my exercise to book out time just to go. I've got to make it a priority. You know what I mean. I'm not getting any younger. I want mobility, I want to be able to be in this role and do things and, with my kids and if I've got to get out the back and help and lift, be able to achieve those things.
Speaker 1:So yeah, and we just recently did a challenge and it's funny. I said, okay, you come off that six week challenge and you go, okay, what's next? So I actually missed the structure because you've got that accountability. So I can relate to what you're saying. When you've got it all there, it's locked in. We are set. That's accountability. We're going to be four. We'll nail these jobs.
Speaker 2:And it just well, it just makes you so much that you can. You can see where you can fit things in. Yep, but I love how you just said you found it more about yourself Like I'm a massive believer now that so many people just go their entire life without finding who they truly are and it's that's based off the way they're brought up family beliefs, religion, whatever it may be Like no one actually takes the time to figure out who they really are. Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 1:And I think, as I said earlier there, with the talent and there's some people that are very good at what they do and they might be in a very successful business. But I think it's those times where you know whether a business struggles or whether they want to grow again, or it's opening multiple businesses, or they might be working on their self and their marriage, but you know, challenging that of going okay, well, who am I and what can I improve in? And, and I think for me, when you talk about culture earlier there, I think if you're going to lead people, I think that's a question we've got to ask. And I'm not saying I'm perfect, I'm very far from it. I think I'm learning.
Speaker 1:I know that there'll be times in a meeting where I might be delivering something and I'm a bit stressed because something isn't going right and I think my delivery is not right and I've got to pull myself up and go sorry, guys, I've got a bid on, okay, this is what I want to achieve, this is where we've got to be to get this goal, to make that work, and I actually walk away thinking, okay, well, at least I can acknowledge where I've gone wrong and how I can improve on that, that I'm not repeating that mistake again.
Speaker 2:You know what I mean If you don't know any homework or reading on, like personas and stuff. Like you know, like I'm an indigay, like yeah, right, okay. Like that was huge for me, like figuring out not just figuring out who I am and the type of persona that I am, but also learning what other people are so that I can interact with them in a way that we connect. Yep, yeah, if you haven't done anything, I highly recommend it.
Speaker 2:There's a good what's the name of that book? Shay. I think his name's Peter Sage, behind Prison Bars or behind Shay can look it up, but that was a really good one to read. He was one of Tony Robbins' coaches that ended up getting put in jail for something that wasn't like was all screwed up the wrong way and he really shouldn't have been in there. But he's written this book about. He's all about personas and things, and but one of the things he talks about in the book is like looking at the bars of the prison cell, like most people just stare at the mud on the ground and get all down the dumps, whereas he says, like do you see mud or do you see stars? And so he always saw stars and so he used his time in prison to just help the prisoners and like he wrote books in there and all sorts of things.
Speaker 2:It's a lot about persona and so when you find out you're persona like, it really teaches you a lot. And, like I said, I'm an indigo, so basically I'm the person that if I was to go and get tested and diagnosed like I'd have AHD and I'd have dyslexia and all those types of things, but rather than I use it as super power, yeah, it's really interesting. If you're interested in self improvement and learning about yourself, I would recommend it to everyone. Like find out what sort of persona you are, what I believe most people in the building industry are indigas.
Speaker 1:We all have similar traits, is it?
Speaker 2:the inside track. Yeah, the inside track.
Speaker 1:Yeah, okay, is it Peter Sage? Peter Sage, yeah, peter Sage, the inside track, peter.
Speaker 2:Sage. It's an awesome book but, mate, I love it. Like you've come so far, you're doing really well. You're kicking goals Like winning those awards is frigging insane, yes, especially when you've only been like you've had your franchise for eight years. So what's next? Like where to.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's interesting, I think. Definitely, look, I want to. I will look at another business. I definitely want to look at something to challenge myself again and I think I don't know what that is yet. I've just I've been throwing a few things through my head of you know, what else is my passion and what else I love and how I can bring that in and share that energy with other people.
Speaker 1:But I think at the moment, because it's just been so, so exciting with this rollout and the new store and just the just being able to give that experience to the customers there with the new store, you've seen what we were the smaller shop and yeah, it was frustrating when we were there because we we did very well and we made it work, but we just couldn't.
Speaker 1:I couldn't give the experience that I wanted to give. And you know whether that's another store, I don't know, maybe what's this base, but yeah, I'm definitely running and role-playing a few things of going, you know, and I think, as I said, the last two years have been so full on. It's sort of been right let's get this going well and then let's do the helicopter view and then look and go, sort of, what can we do so. I just want I definitely want that goal to keep challenging myself, because I think it's very easy to get comfortable and I think I know myself I work better when I'm under that huge pressure. Sometimes I think to myself what have I got myself into, why have I done this? And I always tend to put that huge amount of pressure on myself. And even when I say sometimes, mark, just breathe you know what I mean.
Speaker 1:Get in the ice bar, you go, you, you, you and I think, I think I don't know, that's just something I've had in me. I've just always wanted to do well and I just, you know, it's just not always financially driven.
Speaker 2:I just, I mean so where do you go if you? This interests me because I think I'm very similar looks, but so I know where I go, like. So, if you don't have that stress and the pressure to keep moving forward, what happens? Um?
Speaker 1:I probably get a bit grumpy.
Speaker 2:I probably get Anxiety like you, lose focus oh.
Speaker 1:I probably yeah, I probably start to lose a little bit of focus. I get a little bit comfortable and I then, you know, if it doesn't run the way I want, then I get a little bit annoyed. So then I go no, okay, I've got to challenge it and I think what I've learned is when you're at high octane and you're ready to go, you bring people with that and people work best under that. Like this is exciting. Sometimes it's too much for some people. They go. My God, this guy's off the radar.
Speaker 2:We just got to pull this back.
Speaker 1:And I deeply respect that. There is some there that just want to do that, totally get that sort of problem, but I think definitely for me, I need that challenge to keep going to. I don't know if it's rewarding myself of okay, I can do it, biting off a cherry that I think, oh, the average person isn't going to give that a go. I'm going to give this a go and just trying to go for it and making it work and learning that along the way. I think you know I didn't do that right. That didn't go right. Gee, I'm losing money there. This is a worry. But then so you're just searching for going. Okay, well, how can I improve it? How can I do it better?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think I'm the same. Like I need that challenge or that goal to, like I said, it's like a target, like you've got to, I've got to have something to aim for, otherwise you just drift along, basically, don't you?
Speaker 1:Absolutely, and you nailed it earlier when you said you've done the calendar for a year. So people look at you and go Dwayne, you guys, I just can't believe what you achieved in a year. We can, because it's right there, it's got that structure, you're writing it out and you're planning it and you're working towards it. So it's all there and you're either letting yourself down, your clients down or your staff down. If you're not, you know you're not ticking those boxes. So I think that's really important to be able to go okay.
Speaker 1:Well, the business is good, but how do we better it? And there's always room for improvement. I don't ever want to get complacent where we just go along and we rely on a good brand and a good and a bit of growth. In an industry it needs to be more than that because it can change very quickly. But we've always got you people coming into our business as well and I want them to experience that they go wow and it is that drive of going. Can I do it better than everyone? And I want to really work hard to make sure I'm doing it better than everyone, and I'm not scared to say that I love the competition and if those guys are doing it really well and, kmp, you've got to step up, get your game together, and that's when I start to go and I'll probably. That's probably what fuels me and you can probably start to see me get a bit high-rated now.
Speaker 2:Because I do. I start to get motivated.
Speaker 1:Then I do. I really. If someone says that can't be done, that there fuels me. If you say that it can't be done, np, that's unachievable. Or you know, if someone tells me you know, I think you just got to calm down and just you go with it. Well, why, yeah, why can't I just keep trying to do it a little bit better?
Speaker 2:I did a post yesterday. It was just a still image, but it said I had a caption on it just saying like don't let failure I think it was don't let failure hold you back. Like so many people are afraid of failure and it ruins their dreams. I mean they never have a true crack at things Because they're worried of what could possibly happen. Yep, when and this was a huge turning point for me as well when reality is, everybody fails, but even the most successful people in the world, like everybody fails, and and I think a good thing to point out is the most successful people in the world actually fail the most.
Speaker 1:Yep, it's just they take every failure and turn it into a fuel, yep, okay, whenever I go wrong, I won't make that mistake again. Let's go again, and and they're prepared to try again. And and you, you nailed it. That's totally true. And I and I think you know, and I and I get it. I understand there's financial risk in everyone when you lose everything. But if you've got your family, you've got your health, you got each other, okay, no one, no one, wants to lose at home or lose a business from a, from failure Definitely not. But for whatever happens, if that happens, you then got to be able to go. Okay, well, I've got that, have you time to grieve and what goes wrong, and then go right. I've got to now regroup, I've got to go again. And I think for me, and you'll probably relate to it, you've got a family, you've got staff, so my job is not to get to that point.
Speaker 1:I've got to look after them. They've got families to feed and I take that really seriously. That's important to me because you know they're renting. They've got to have that. So that responsibility, that wage bill each week, it's got to be met. Yeah, and that's with any business.
Speaker 2:So yeah, so it's taking risks but it's also calculating that risk. So you don't have a big enough fail that you let everybody down, but everybody has to fail a little bit to just keep that growth.
Speaker 1:Absolutely Like just keep. And I think, look if I get at the end of it and, when we talked about it, if I do what I do next and I'd love to do a bit of mentoring and help people. So I think it's important now I learn so much in that business that I can share those experiences of what went right, what didn't go right. I think the kids see that as well. They see the times there when it's going good. They see the times there where it's stressed or if something isn't working well, and they're understanding and seeing that. Okay, well, mum and dad are going into business and Do you talk to your kids about business?
Speaker 1:Pardon, do you talk?
Speaker 2:to your kids about business.
Speaker 1:Oh, absolutely, yeah, yeah, they love it, it's it's. They love hearing about it. I it'll be interesting as they grow which way they go, because and again, it's not for everyone, you know. But I think I think the moment you want to really do it because you love it and want it to grow, that success will come. You know, obviously people go, mark, I want to make money along the way, but that can't be the big motivator because it's such a rocky road, as you know, getting there. But I think it's that real drive within of going. I can take something from that and build it into that. That whole experience, that shop, that place that I want staff to pull up and go. This is beautiful. I'd love to love to work here.
Speaker 1:How do I get involved? Ah, come this way, let's talk. Yeah, do you know what I mean? So that that's really important. So that's that's the biggest drive for me and I want the kids to see that that you know like, don't be scared, and I say that to them all the time. It's the same with their schooling Try your hardest. All I want you to do is try your hardest. I don't expect it to be A grade students, it is what it is. You be kind, you be honest, you be loyal, and my big thing with them is they're going to be prepared to work harder than the next person. Yeah, that's something they'll always hear me say. Yeah, we tell the girls the same thing.
Speaker 2:It's funny like we, our girls are 10 and 13 now and you're like one, like just always ask questions. Yeah, like always is curious about why Mum and Dad are doing this, or, like it's funny. The two favorite shows on TV at the moment are undercover boss and Shark Tank. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:I just love Shark Tank, but I think it's. I feel like I have a responsibility to like. We don't push anything on them. It's up to them. They ask questions, we answer them, but because we have to tell them about business, because school doesn't, I don't know, I just it's the life skills, the basic life skills that they miss.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and this could be a separate podcast on a time because, we could go all night on this. Yeah, I really mean that because I totally get it. It's some of the most basic things that I feel they miss and not saying the edges, case and system. There's areas that are net adjusting, but I think definitely that what they see there, or Mum and Dad trying to structure and plan and cash flow and all of that, that's that there for them to experience that and see that and understand.
Speaker 2:and you know, once they go out and they start working and go right, there's my pay and then okay, well, okay, well, these hard, I've got to pay rent, I'm paying a car and, well, there's not much left and okay, so I'll see why Mum and Dad work so hard, or you know we're huge on it because I know how it's affected me, like I grew up and we had cash, yep, and so you're always in your mind, you're always sort of knew what was in your wallet and all I know I can't get that because I'm going to be short for that, whereas these days it's just tap, tap, tap, tap, yeah.
Speaker 1:So yeah, it's funny you say that because my I look at Miller and I remember when she first started seeing and we'd pay for something via F-force or credit card and she goes oh Dad, can I get a card so I can just go shopping and tap. And I said, oh, it doesn't work like that. We've got to have money in there, but that's how we pay. And this is where I think one of the big things now I see with this generation where they're probably losing that part because you got your pay packet, so did I, and you knew, okay, that's the bills and that's got to last us through next week, whereas at the moment now there's sort of no value on that. It's just tap and go and go and go and go. So or after paying, all these sort of things which are benefit to companies, don't get me wrong, but I think sometimes we miss that basic of where those kids correct.
Speaker 1:They're thinking it's just coming in and so we're starting to say to them now, so they're starting to do some work with me on the weekends and I'll go, I'll pay you, and oh, can we get that? You can't. That's what we've got to do, that's your wage and I can't take some tax out of that. It's got to come out and oh really, you've got to pay tax. So it's great, I love seeing you learn that, but that's important and I'd love to see that more kids getting taught that.
Speaker 2:People have. Probably a lot of people take this the wrong way. So our kids have got the general tools that they do. Our kids don't get pocket money there's empty the dishwasher, clean their rooms, there's maybe a dozen things that we can do on. I feel that's just their job. But then we have a list of things that and we put dollar values beside them and they help with all sorts of things washing the cars, mowing the lawns. They got a horse now, so there's some chores they have to do for that.
Speaker 2:But I don't know, maybe in the last six, 12 months we make like they have to write their jobs down so they don't get paid unless they. They basically give us an invoice, yeah, okay. So in their diaries or whatever, every week they have to write down the jobs they've completed. They bring it to Camille or I and they like we tick it off, tick it off, yeah. And then, so they've brought their jobs down, they put the dollar value beside it and Camille pays them. And there's been a few times where they haven't given us their list and then they've got the shits, because it's like Short paid.
Speaker 1:Yeah, what do we get paid Dad?
Speaker 2:where is it? And we're like well, no, you, you know the rules. Like if you want to get paid, you got to submit your your listed jobs. Like and look, I don't know if we're hard or not, but I believe I'm teaching them real life skills, they're values, they're their real life.
Speaker 1:And look, I'm all for advancement and technology is growing and all of that. There's huge benefits we've all got from it. But I still think sometimes we can't miss those basics. And if we get that right and I still think that relates to everything how you are as a person, how you are to your family, you're in your business and how you're all those little basics of what you're teaching now that will go with them, that when they work for someone else or whether they go into their own business, they remember that and you share that. You know what I mean. And I've got some young ones in our business now and it's great. They bring a different dynamic and energy and they're all over the social media side and they know it well.
Speaker 2:I can't, I don't know, but we had a wee log out of that.
Speaker 1:So I'm learning all that myself and getting better at it. So you never stop learning. You never stop learning and I think if we can share and you know yourself now, you probably look back at where you were and the mistakes and you share that with your kids. Now you just want the best for them and just hope that that's gonna then go on to.
Speaker 2:I'm just trying to give them little skills that I've seen. Like I know I struggle with so many things in business and, look, I'm addicted to it now I think you'll never know anything. Like every day you're learning something. But like I know the amount of people we've employed over the years and like pay run, like people don't think much of pay run, but like use my business example like our accounts manager works two days a week. We pay every fortnight and that's on a Thursday. So our pay fortnight of finishes on a Monday. They have to have their time sheets in by five o'clock on the Tuesday. And that is because our process is that when Sharon comes in on a Thursday, that is the first task that she does on a Thursday. So no one thinks about what's happening behind the scenes.
Speaker 2:But the amount of people that got pissed off over the years because they haven't been paid and so they'll get a phone call or a shitty email. Well, sharon and I will get a phone call or a shitty email. We don't anymore. But we used to Saying, oh, I haven't been paid. Well, you know the rules. Like, you had to have it in by five o'clock on Friday and you didn't. And Sharon's done the pay run, but, oh, but she's in the office now. Can't she just pay it? And look, we've always paid it? Yeah, definitely, but you're trying to create a structure that they all do.
Speaker 1:Well, you're trying to create a structure, look.
Speaker 2:And for me, look, we're pretty lucky now that we've set expectations and the people that we attract to our business are in line with our values.
Speaker 2:But it just to me, when I look back now and I think of those situations, that is just a true reflection of what is happening in the rest of that person's life. If they can't even like for a start, they want the money because they've got to pay bills or whatever, because most people live week to week but in their mind they don't even have enough structure or I don't know if it's belief in themselves or whatever to think all right, it's Monday afternoon tonight I need to take 10, 15 minutes away from my social media, away from TV, fill out my time sheet and submit my pay. Yep, Like, it's not hard. So, instead of taking ownership of it, they put the blame on the person that hasn't paid them. But the person that hasn't paid them hasn't paid them because there's a system and a process and you didn't have in any time so that when the payroll's done, you didn't get paid Like, so, yeah, that's what we think about by getting the girls to put their little.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, so that once they are employed and they ask and no problems at all, done this before yeah, it's easy.
Speaker 2:It's just sort of simple life skills that I don't know flow on to other things.
Speaker 1:Absolutely yeah, and, like you said, it goes back to being comfortable. You get complacent and oh, it'll sort out, I'll do it tomorrow or whatever, and tomorrow goes or something pops up. So yeah, but I think that's what makes a world too. That's why you're where you're at now and what you achieve that you've really worked hard over those years to go. I want to grow a very successful business You're attracting. Look at the caliber of the guys you're getting now, which is awesome, because if you speak to a lot of people in a lot of industry, it's hard to get good skilled labour.
Speaker 1:Oh, mate, don't get me wrong it's definitely hard, yeah, yeah, but you're doing everything you can to better that and better those people, and that's a quality. So, again, it's Mate as much, as obviously he's here to talk to you about what we've achieved, it's a credit to you as well. You know You've done so much and Cheers, mate, yeah, you know for the industry as well.
Speaker 2:So so, which is really good, mate, I appreciate that definitely. But again back to like. We clicked pretty quickly and like I think it was only Was it 12 months, 80 months after we met and I was at your house doing yeah, absolutely, I don't know, actually I might not have been that long, but yeah, I think it was.
Speaker 1:Yeah, probably, yeah, it might have been around that time it's. I just think, Well, it's trust, isn't it? You? Just, you hit it off and you just get a feeling with someone you meet and go this person's really genuine. And then, obviously, I met Carl as well, and then Carl went mate, he's doing some building work. This guy's great and and you know, and so it all sort of went to and I went, ok, let's engage him. And it was just, the whole process was easy then, and you think how much you've refined that now.
Speaker 2:But even then oh, yeah, like yeah.
Speaker 1:For people like me that don't know building or renovation, it's Because it can be overwhelming. But you took that pressure off and that's awesome. And we say to people this day, everywhere we go you want the best in the business. This is the guy You've got to. You know what I mean.
Speaker 1:You've probably got too much work on the ground, I haven't paid for that no, but I honestly mean that you really we won't, we won't look at anyone else, I think, when we look at it and go right, if we want to do this next home, absolutely, you know, and that's the trust.
Speaker 2:For builders out there or traders out there that are approaching people for work Yepbecause again, I think it's very similar to people coming to you for a full, dry product. Yep. Presentation and passion, I think, is the most important part 100% You're passionate about everything.
Speaker 1:From that moment you engage and meet that person, they're either going to love you or and you look at it. You said earlier there about that story, about you can look at the model, you can look at the stars. Mate, life shouldn't be that difficult. You know what I mean. You can look at what we've got around us. Yeah, there's times that things don't go right, but we've got to look at it and go okay, I've got full-time employment, I'm quite in this job, I've got an opportunity to win this, but I think with that passion. But then it then goes on to the organisational structure to go with that, because there's so much more than just the passion. There's the other parts of the tools that have got to go with it, of meeting the scope of work or what they want to achieve, understanding their expectations and going okay, well, look, this is where we need to be to make this work.
Speaker 1:And that might vary on the scope of the house you're building and where it is, or someone coming in going I want a $3 million renovation, but you know what I mean, it's actually going to be a $10 million because we're on the side of a cliff, and just that structure. So I think, from what I've learnt in meeting you and the experience we had in your processes, when it's easy, that takes a huge amount of pressure off people. So if you look at it, the two biggest purchases we make is a home, followed by a car. So in my business, similar to yours, they're spending a lot of money on building a car because they love it, they want to get out and they want to use it. So if I don't tick that box, or our staff doesn't tick that box in really qualifying what they want and whether that is trying to build that in stages similar to you, in a build we might start and stay one over another, stage two, stage three, and then the car is no different.
Speaker 1:Some will come to you and go I want the whole house fully renovated. Here's my plans. Or can you engage an architect, get it all done for me and there'll be others that'll work with it. So I think for builders listening to this, from my experience of when I met you and you talk about how our friendship's formed and it's the whole trust and your passion of what, not only what you're wanting to do. But I look at that Renault you did for us, and it's you're really engaged when we put the doors on, and you know those.
Speaker 2:It was a challenging little job. Kate had found all this Architectural doors, metal doors, and we did all those off form concrete, retaining all this yeah, it come up unbelievable. You're a backyard.
Speaker 1:Amazing and I just absolutely loved that. But you know I still laugh there with Brad and then Kate was pregnant at the time, so it was like, okay, we want the harbour up here and then down and up and pull Brad. But there, you know what I mean. That for us is a beautiful memory and we're so grateful to have you do that.
Speaker 2:You know that this has been awesome for us, so yeah, no, you've definitely kicked some goals since then, but because we almost come back for around two renovations, but instead went in another direction.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I think, yeah, we went through a lot there and I think it's and look at it be exciting if we do this other one, that over the ultimate goal, because I think that'd be really really good, like even that.
Speaker 2:I think a lot of people would have approached that very differently. Like you come back to myself and we got Aaron from Green Coast in Zion designs involved and like learning what you guys wanted, we were able to sort of guide you and help you and look, we did ourselves out of that job because you're not going to have with a full renovation but like that's led to you've purchased a new house and there's possibly going to be other work there. But I think a lot of I'm sure it's no different in your industry Like I think a lot of people are scared to speak the truth because they are worried about they're going to lose something Like but again, just like we talked about with training your staff up and like being good to them opens the doors for other things.
Speaker 2:Just being honest with clients and tell them how it is and give them the good like. Don't give them good advice. Give them the right advice.
Speaker 1:Opens up the doors 100% because they will, like you said, they might not go ahead with that job at the time and you might think, oh my God, I've lost that job and I needed that job, but it does go for 180. It doesn't seem at a time but it does, and I'm a big believer if you are very good at what you do and you back yourself, it will go around. It will come back around. It definitely will help you and people respect that. And I think now in the world we're in is people want, honestly, they really do. Some don't in certain industries and don't want to hear it, but I think in others, in something like that, that you're open and upfront and sometimes you've got to learn in business as well of when to say no and not take that job, because and you can probably relate to this, because sometimes you might stretch it to think, yep, I need it, I'm going to help that client. I probably shouldn't be doing it because it's just changing and changing and changing, and we've only gotten to here.
Speaker 1:Did you get the exact same thing with some cars? Absolutely, that quote might change. Honestly, it might change 16 or 17 times and that's a word of a lie. So it's really then be able to get that person back and go right. We need to go through this again. We've covered a lot of work here. We've made a lot of changes. Let's make sure that we're on the same page, because there's something worse than when we get that vehicle or you do a Renault and start that Renault and we were thinking, hey on, but that's what you want to back in quote one, but we're now quote 16. So communication, communication is going to be the key on that. That really is.
Speaker 2:Now, well, mate, look, I absolutely appreciate your time this afternoon coming in and telling you, telling a bit of your story. I didn't actually get into it, you got into the industry, but we'll save that for another time. Yeah, sure, keep kicking goals. Absolutely love you, seeing you successful and can't wait to see what the next experience is.
Speaker 1:I'm really really grateful that you're now really made that and thank you. And yeah, we'll catch up on what we covered in and yeah, when we started the journey originally, so that'd be good Cheers, mate, awesome. Thank you very much. Are you ready to build smarter, live better and enjoy life? Then head over to livelikebuildcom forward, slash, elevate to get started.
Speaker 2:Everything discussed during the level up podcast with me, dwayne Pierce, is based solely on my own personal experiences and those experiences of my guests. The information, opinions and recommendations presented in this podcast are for general information only, and any reliance on the information provided in this podcast is done at your own risk. We recommend that you attain your own professional advice in respect to the topics discussed during this podcast.