The New Dreaming Podcast
The New Dreaming is more than just a podcast - it’s a truth-telling movement. A space for real, meaningful conversations that empower, challenge and inspire. Through the voices of those who have broken barriers, found their purpose and reclaimed their stories, - we uncover the truths that shape who we are.
For those ready to listen, learn and be part of something bigger - each episode is a step towards truth, healing and collective empowerment.
The New Dreaming Podcast
Behind Every Strong Business: A Family Story
Luke, welcome to the podcast.
Speaker 2:Thank you.
Speaker 1:Now, how far away are you from? We are currently in North Brizzy, North Mianjin. Where are you based?
Speaker 2:We're based out of Farnvale, about an hour and a half hour 45 from here. Just moved there earlier this year actually.
Speaker 1:Now let's just start. Full name Mob, where you grew up, where you're from.
Speaker 2:Yeah, luke's stand stuff. Beripi Taree area is where my mob's from. I grew up in Gladstone, born and bred there for about 12 years and then moved to Brizzy and yeah, the rest is history. Yeah, pretty much.
Speaker 1:And when you first moved to Brizzy, you mentioned Wynnum, correct?
Speaker 2:Yeah, went to Wynnum first. Our dad wanted a career change and we'd gone from a small town, so something a bit big like Brisbane was a bit of a change for us. It was exciting as a 12-year-old 13, you know so yeah, now let's talk about those first few years.
Speaker 1:Let's go the move, maybe starting a new school at 13, and then right up until, let's say, when you left school. Let's just talk about you as a young fella, maybe some fond memories.
Speaker 2:Oh, I know I moved to Brisbane. I was pretty shit scared, to be honest, with you, gone from a small country town to a bigger city, didn't really know anyone so it was all starting fresh. My parents were religious, so like we obviously met people through there and an interesting time of life where trying to find myself again, because growing up in a hometown, you like, knew everyone so I was just trying to find my place when I got to Brisbane, sort of thing.
Speaker 1:And siblings.
Speaker 2:I've got two sisters, uh, both older. Um, yeah, one I have connections with the other. Yeah, that's a bit of a touching one.
Speaker 1:But yeah, that's family, right.
Speaker 2:Everyone goes through those things I guess, yeah, we grow and hope that we all end up doing better in life.
Speaker 1:That's right. Everyone has their own sort of journeys. Yeah, you sort of go on through life, and especially when you become a father, yeah, and the kids are your focus. Yeah, now tell me about we've obviously had a chat, a bit of a yarn, before this, so just to give context for the audience watching. So you're now in Brisbane, you're a young man let's talk about maybe when you first became a father.
Speaker 2:That's all been recently, in the last like seven, eight years, like I met my now wife in 2016. We, like, after I went through a bit of exploring of my own journey and then met up with her, um, within nine months we were married. Everyone thought we were pretty crazy. We've been. We're coming up to our ninth wedding anniversary in February. She had two kids previously, but I've taken them on as my own Fathers aren't really around, which is good for me, because then we can just focus on us.
Speaker 1:That's right.
Speaker 2:Then I had my little girl in 2018. My little girl in 2018. So yeah, now just kind of bonded our family together. So yeah, it's been. She's my rock, like my wife. She's there every step of the way, like couldn't ask for a better message.
Speaker 1:to tell the truth, Always supporting me and always pushing me to be better too. So, yeah, now, family man, um, you're a businessman as well, so let's talk about maybe some of the work you might have done as a young man. And then where was the evolution to starting a business?
Speaker 2:yeah. So I dropped out of school, year 10, and then trying to get apprenticeships and all that sort of thing but never quite got it because I wasn't a year 12, like someone that passed year 12, should I say. And then one of my mates him and his dad ran a plastering business. I was just doing labour and work and he gave me a call up if I wanted to be a plasterer. I was like, yeah, why not?
Speaker 1:That's good.
Speaker 2:And then worked for him for a year. Graham put me through my apprenticeship when I was about 19, 20. So I was a bit of a late bloomer. Went to TAFE at Yeronga. So I was a bit of a late bloomer. Went to TAFE at Yeronga and they ended up nominating me in my third year for Apprentice of the Year. Went to the Sheridan it used to be called Sovertel. Yep Did our little makeshift bus shelter, plastered it all up and yeah, we got runners up me and this bloke that I didn't know. We just had to team up together and put it out there and we got runners up. So yeah, it was pretty cool.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so that must've been a good feeling.
Speaker 2:It was a good achievement. When I'm you know, school didn't really achieve for me, I wasn't that way inclined but getting in there doing the work my old man always taught me you know, work hard, you'll succeed. He always wanted to be up there, so gave me the drive, I guess.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so, yeah, so you've got this feeling you've just sort of got runner up for this massive set of apprentice of the year award you must've set your sights really high then and just went hey, if I can do this, then what else can I achieve? Well, yeah, I did. Um, I did. Then, once I finished my apprenticeship, had a bit of a, went off the rails a little bit. Had a bit of a went off the rails a little bit. Lost a friend close to me.
Speaker 2:So, went through a bit of a I don't know exploring period of my life and then me dad wanted to start the business.
Speaker 2:He took a risk, left his business where he was working, we bought a franchise, um, and then, because we didn't really have the basis of it all, so it was just a kickstart to get us a bit like confident, I guess you could say we got some tools, you know, got like a bit of business meetings and stuff like that on how to run your business, what you can do. Here's some tools that you can use, like your high pages and stuff like that where you can source work from where's best options and areas to go, like real estates and all that sort of thing. So, yeah, we took it on board, went through that for five years, like it was a slow sort of going and like we finally got out of that. We started getting a bit of a name up, but like it just never quite kicked off as much, of course. And then that's when the IBA come in for me, because we were going through name change, all that. So we were running, you know, business cards, nothing fancy.
Speaker 1:But you said, took that risk to get the tools, to buy a franchise, to start learning business. Yeah, getting the tools, the skills, you survive past the three-year mark, which a lot of businesses don't do. As any business owner will know, you can not make money for years, that's business, definitely Trust me. We all it is part of it, I think of surviving, and then you've, you've kept going, and then you've kind of get oh iba. What's this about? And then, what sort of happened from there?
Speaker 2:your first experience, when you so I was talking to a lady called adele wedlock through iba lovely lady, like I'm not very good on paperwork, business management plans, anything like that, like it's not me, like, like I said, I wasn't good at school um talked me through everything we worked through it all, gave me ideas on better ways to set up my business.
Speaker 2:Like because I wanted a business car, I wanted to rebrand, I wanted to have our name sign writing and uniforms and all that sort of thing, just so we look like a company, not just the average Joe just walking around trying to just find work. I wanted to make it look like we were established. We were there, you know, we were professional, everything Taken seriously, is it? Yeah? Yeah, because I felt once that happened like we were, you know, like we had everyone looking at oh yeah, they've got the trailers, they've got the cars, uniforms. You know you felt more professional in your job. So it was a big step for us. And the trailers and all that they um like we end up getting into insurance building, like all the repairs for them, so which has gone a long way in our business.
Speaker 1:So yeah, so when you spoke to IBA and you talked about better ways to structure things, what was the next step? Did you access a particular service through them, and what was that process then?
Speaker 2:It was more for the business loan application on, like how, because you've got to set up when you come with the business plan, you got to set up how you're going to spend your money and all that sort of thing. So like it was cars and like better tools to be able to expand. So then we had two of things like so one can run one trailer and one can run the other. Like so then we got we can turn over more work. It wasn't secluded to one, one car, one trailer. Everyone had to be on the one job. Like we could start tackling more work and bringing in so-called more income yeah, yeah, more stress too.
Speaker 2:That's the one people like oh, you're killing.
Speaker 2:You're like, oh yeah, we're killing ourselves, but we're having a crack, yeah, so you wanted to take your business to the next level yeah, and that was just one of the ways I could think of making it happen like was to put ourselves out there and then, once we got insurance, builders and all that on side. Now we're kind of at the stage where I can't accommodate everyone. So we've built up a name over the last few years. I got my wife on board and dad, but he's nearly at retirement. So trying to find the next step of the next level for our business is a challenge that we're faced with at the moment.
Speaker 1:But just like last time, you you's got through it. You already had the vision of hey, this is where I want to go and be perceived. Were you nervous when you first made that call to IBA? This is where I want to go and be perceived.
Speaker 2:Were you nervous when you first made that call to IBA? Yeah, I was. It was. We're already waiting on invoices and all this sort of thing, like the money management and like am I getting paid this week? Like because everyone's got their own payment terms so you can have your own, but for people that you're working with may have you've got to wait a month to get paid. You've got to wait two weeks, but you've got to fund all this stuff in between to make sure you can make it to that payment.
Speaker 2:That's right, and even when we first started up, you do a job to pay for the tools to do that job or the next job, like, and it was just the buildup was slow and hard. It is very hard.
Speaker 1:It's not easy.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I wish it was what everyone says it is. It's like oh, you work for yourself, sweet, it's not. It's definitely not.
Speaker 1:And you've got that strong home support network, and dad sounds like someone who's instilled some great work ethic in you as well yeah now, when you got that uh loan through IBA, how was the support after that?
Speaker 2:they were great, like Adele, like she was awesome, like anything I needed or asked or questioned had the answers, had whatever I needed to get through it. You know what I mean. Like um, paperwork wasn't quite to where it should be okay, maybe if you structure it this way, then all your business, because we had some business adjusting to do to meet requirements, but it was all visible and well explained, so like it was really easy to move forward with it all.
Speaker 2:Really good process so yeah, yeah, she made it a really easy process for me.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Like from where we were at that stage. So yeah, everything takes time to go through and get the plan right, but in the end it worked out really well for us, but there's that support there to get you through the process.
Speaker 1:Yeah, definitely Help your business or start a new business.
Speaker 2:Yeah, anything that we asked, she was there to have the answers as well as she was doing other projects, projects. She still gave us the time a day, so important isn't it to get through it, like we weren't waiting weeks upon end to get an answer or anything like that. It was just like conversating near daily just on what needs to be done next, how to like set up things to move forward, and all that. We got supported very well in that.
Speaker 1:Now you've got this next phase. There's uniforms out there, there's new vehicles, what was maybe a milestone moving forward, so take yourself back to that phase. Is there a milestone that happened Once we'd done that?
Speaker 2:we know I think it was near doubled our revenue and everything like that, um, to have my accountancy, our business and being like whoa, whoa, what a change. Like he was in shock, so that made me feel even better, like he was even surprised on how far the business had come in the next year, because it had, yeah, doubled, if not a little bit more so, and every year, since it's just constantly growing, we've, just as long as we're, even if it's 5%, even whatever it's growth, yep.
Speaker 1:And that's how I see it Sustainable and it's growing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so it's not going backwards, which is always a good thing for me, like I always push to like just even a little bit, it's just still going forward. Yep, it's not plateauing, it's going forward.
Speaker 1:Yeah, like life right. Yeah, as long as there's progression. Yeah, you're not staying still. Yeah, that's, that's what we need accomplishment and moving forward and it just gives you that motivation to keep going.
Speaker 2:You know, like I know, when we bought our house this year it was we went through a struggle Like business got a little bit dry like a few months, so I started using up profits and stuff like that. It was lucky we had them there, otherwise it would have been really hard. But yeah, sometimes you go through that really dull period and then it come back even stronger and we still got to get make five percent for the year. I thought we were going backwards and starting to get a little disheartened this year but once I saw the final of the year I was like, oh, we're still there, we still got it, we're still going forward. So it was still motivation enough for me, even though the struggle, I can still see the light like and just keep pushing to go forward.
Speaker 1:That's really good advice for business owners out there, because business rough couple of weeks, rough couple of months you can be like oof oof, yeah, and it can hit hard like really hard. But you've just got to stay grounded in the work and believe in what you're doing. Just keep rocking up every day.
Speaker 2:Yes, Rock up every day and hope that. You know, you feel every day that with work it'll come good eventually. Like it will Maybe stressful as hell, but you'll get there.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's how I feel and and you've got a strong support network now. You've talked about challenges in work and you've talked about exploring I like how you use that word exploring twice.
Speaker 1:Yeah, now, life in general, as we know um, has its ups and downs. Are there any particular stories that you could share about maybe some of your more mild exploring and maybe just for anyone out there that, let's say, someone's 25, they want to start a business but maybe they have suffered a loss. You know ways to get through that. Things that you found helped you through that process.
Speaker 2:Having that support network. Like just going, if that one person believes in you, take it like who cares if there's a hundred saying you can't. That one person believes in you, take that and just run with it. Like because with my wife, like every step, no matter right or wrong, she's there. You got this, you'll get it done. You know what I mean. And if I didn't have that like, there'd be days where I would just I'll stay home, stuff it Like. But no matter what, like even coming here today, I'm nervous as hell and she's like I nearly wasn't going to do it and she's like you've got this. You tell your kids all the time, like every opportunity, take it. Like you never know where it can be. That's what you say. Like take your own advice. So here I am today.
Speaker 1:Well done.
Speaker 2:Thanks for coming. So you know, like, because I always try to support them, and opportunities as well. Like you don't get them all the time, so when it falls in your lap, go for it that that's.
Speaker 1:Another huge lesson is you're being a role model for your kids yeah.
Speaker 2:So you gotta give them the right way. Hey, I'd rather teach them and have someone else show them something. The wrong way.
Speaker 1:Yes, yeah, I think that's really powerful because, um, you said there's that one person, and I know when, when sometimes things get hard, people say you need a strong support network, but sometimes it's just one person or one thing to believe in, or believe in you and the power of something that simple and take whatever opportunity is given to you.
Speaker 2:Like with dad when he quit his job was like, let's start a business. It was just like I don't want to let him down, I want to make this happen. So, yeah, it's just, I don't know, don't forget where you come from, either, like, and what opportunities got given to you, don't go. Oh well, it wasn't a good enough opportunity.
Speaker 1:Every opportunity is a good opportunity yeah, now we're going to take this little opportunity for you to say the name of your business and tell us where you're located first and foremost because I forgot to say the name of your business.
Speaker 2:So we're lhs, plastering and handyman. Um, we're based out of fernvale now we were based near beanley but um, yeah, now we moved out there. So, yeah, but apparently we're plasters that will go anywhere. That's what the um apprenticeship uh guy said to my missus because she's like, oh, as we're going through when she wants to catch up for meetings, we're like we're down the gold coast, we're on the north side, we're everywhere.
Speaker 1:So yeah, we just do what needs to be done to get the work like so southeast queensland sort of brizzy goldie, yeah I'll travel wherever if the money's there absolutely pays the bills pays bills, absolutely survival, yeah, business survival is everything I don't just stick to my area, otherwise you limit yourself yeah, now you've been operating for a number of years and then you know iba, and then we got the, the uniforms and the new trucks. Uh, what's next? Um, what's the next?
Speaker 2:let's just say three to five years, look like in a business sense, and then maybe any personal goals or family goals that you've got oh, my personal goals for the business would be like being able to hire a good crew and to be able to do a bit more running jobs instead of doing jobs. I guess you could say that would be the like bit of ultimate. So I've got more time with my kids because obviously there's got to be a bit of give and take in places and sometimes they lose out a little bit because obviously longer days, all that and it's me and the wife a lot of the time. So it is leaving at 6 in the morning, getting home at 6 at night, dinner at the table together.
Speaker 2:That's our main thing. Like just to reunite as a family, even if it's only for half an hour. It's something Catch up on their day or make their sporting on Saturday, always there for netball, like just making those moments. But yeah, ultimate would be to get some guys working for me and have the missus just doing the books and I running the jobs and all that sort of thing. Because, as I said, dad's just about retired, so by the end of next year he's full in retirement, so it's a lot more focused on us too and where we can take it right now. Um, so yeah, that'd be my ultimate goal for now that's the perfect goal.
Speaker 1:It's all about balance, right? Yeah, because the sacrifice is real when you're trying to build something, ultimately for your family. Yeah, yeah, you're making those sacrifices and doing extra work, willing to go wherever it takes to get the job done, but that means getting home and having to dinner, catch up, be present.
Speaker 2:Be present for that little bit.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, all over again. Yeah, that's why we're putting the mistress through an apprenticeship. Even so, then she knows the trade, she knows what she can do. Then I'd like to get her to help with quoting. Like she goes, does all the customer face-to-face, all that like run through the job? She knows exactly what she's up against, she's done the work, she's everything through the job. She knows exactly what she's up against, she's done the work, she's everything. So then she can just do a bit more.
Speaker 2:You know cruisier stuff than, of course, plasterboard and all that sort of stuff yeah slowly getting an idea of how to go with it, but just to do the change over and have the people there that you can rely on, which is a thing that I'm finding really hard. That's my hardest transition for me at the moment, yep.
Speaker 1:Reliable people that uphold your quality of work as well.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and have the time to manage them as well as doing other jobs, managing the books, managing everything else they like. That's where I'm kind of I guess you could say stuck.
Speaker 1:But yeah, working out. This is just another process that you work through, because you seem to be working through everything that you accomplish and even though you mentioned there was two wandering phases, you're still here now running this business. You've still gotten through everything. So there must be a determination that lives within you to not let people down, or knowing what you're worth and knowing that you're going places.
Speaker 2:Just more probably trying to prove to myself that I'm worth it and passing that on. Yeah, and show my kids that you can do anything if you try hard enough. There's no limit to what you can do.
Speaker 1:Just work hard at it and you'll get it Like you said rock up every day, yeah.
Speaker 2:Rock up every day, no matter if it's a bad day, a good day. Just be there for that day.
Speaker 1:Even if you're late with the Brisbane traffic at the moment. Yeah definitely when you've got some time let's say, kids with grandparents or being looked after by family what do you like to do? What do you and the missus like to do to take a break? I know you run your own family business, so there's not really a break. When you do have a pocket of time, what do you like to do?
Speaker 2:We used to ultimately like to go camping. Camping was our, that was our time, because for me, I'd pick a spot where I didn't have phone reception, just chuck the phone in the car and didn't worry about it for four days, just like it was just peaceful, where you could switch off because there's nothing you can do, there's no phone reception, there's nothing the break from society sort of thing in your own head and just have your ultimate time with your kids, family, all that sort of thing. That's what we're used to doing. It's been a couple of years since, since we have just working through everything, um, but yeah, we're going camping soon, in september, so it'd be really good to catch up with him again, like in that time that's awesome that we have so.
Speaker 2:So, yeah, that's our main goal, to do those sort of things.
Speaker 1:That's perfect. It's pretty much. I've had another guest who said the same thing. They like to go where there's no phone reception and you just disconnect from the fact that they've made us rely on our devices. The banking used to have to go to the bank, Now it's all this and paying bills.
Speaker 2:Yeah, like I can't sit there without checking emails or making sure everything's still running, how it's going to run for the next few days, or just constantly. Your mental state is just business, business, business. And to get that break it's got to be forced, sort of. So, yeah, that's why I choose that way.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's business is tough. Now there's someone out there watching that wants to make a million dollars overnight.
Speaker 2:It ain't going to happen, and if it is, come see me and tell me that's right.
Speaker 1:What advice would you give someone that wants to start a business Young mob out there? They have to be mobbed. Just someone. They could be 20, they could be 30, they could be 40. Believe in yourself.
Speaker 2:Believe that you can do it. Just keep yeah, just keep trying. That'd be my biggest advice, because you just got to keep trying. Like we've had our highs, our lows, our days of sitting at home wondering if I'm going to the next job, like how do we get the next job, all that sort of thing. It's like you just got to keep trying. You'll find a way If you really want it. You'll keep searching for different ways, whether it be through job networking, like your high pages and stuff like that, or your real estates or your whatever. You've just got to find what niches with your work Like with us we had, because we had a handyman side as well.
Speaker 2:So we did childcare centers, we did real estates, we did high pages to find our work and then just word of mouth, treat every customer like they're gold, because you don't know who they know, you don't know who they can tell you look after. When we first started our business, they mentioned you never know who that little old lady is. She could have a network of properties that you can't even fathom.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:And I tell you what I've met some of those people along the way Like, and it can take your business to the next level Just one contract can change it all. Like you can go from wondering, like, even with insurance builders those contracts are now I've got four or five different insurance builders, so I don't just lock into one. I've then grown into having other ones. So then I'm not just reliant on one customer, because otherwise what happens when they dry up? You need backup. Like I've got builders that I follow behind. I've got real estates I still have on board, because you just never know. Yeah, so just always have backings.
Speaker 2:Don't just forget a customer as soon as you've done them. Like I still get phone calls from customers six years ago that we've done a little job for, and they're like oh yeah, got a mate that needs a hand. Yeah, no, worries, head out there. And I found saving certain people's numbers and customers over time. When they give you a call, oh hi, mate, knew their name straight away. They're like oh, you remember me. Okay, like that importance. You know they weren't just nobody, they were someone that you remembered, you had the time yeah, was that always something?
Speaker 1:you had that sort of connection with people to remember the importance even before you were working as a friend? No, it was a learning curve. Hey, Learning curve.
Speaker 2:I had no idea on how to run a business to start with, like my old man had run businesses like multimillion dollar companies um, like multi-million dollar companies. But it was a difference like from construction to he was in labor hire, but it was just a different way of dealing with things. I found like he was very book orientated because he was dealing with bigger companies and all that sort of thing where we found more like get to know him on a personal level and care and take notice of you know, like, oh, that's a nice house, you've got all this sort of thing Like take in to what they've put out, that's right. Yeah, just become someone trustworthy and friendly and always oh, if this time doesn't work for you, I can help you.
Speaker 2:This time, and I always did face-to-face as well. It was never quoting over phones, it was always going out to meet them. Even if it was something I could quote on the phone, I'd rather go out and meet him because I think I could sell our business as a person and what we could bring to the table as something than just a tick and flick. Here's your price. There you go.
Speaker 1:It feels like you just care more.
Speaker 2:Yeah, just try to go a bit above and beyond, be different to your competitor and hopefully it works.
Speaker 1:It's the third time I've said it. Just keep rocking up.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:That's massive advice. It's so simple Anyone, whether it's health, whether it's relationship or just showing up.
Speaker 2:And upskilling your business too. If there's somewhere where you can find showing up and upskilling your business too, like if there's somewhere where you can find something that can make it better. Like we've just upskilled as painters so now I've gone through all my like certifications as a painter, so now I can plaster and paint, so now we're licensed in both, so now we bring more to the table. So I'm constantly looking for ways to upskill to make it a stronger company and not just have. So you've got more places to look for work as well. If we can't find any plaster, then we can find painting. If we can't find that we, then we can find painting. If we can't find that, we've got handymen, you know.
Speaker 1:So it's like I don't want to give this company a shout out, but we all know the company that started just mowing lawns and then they've grown into yeah, you know, yeah, you gotta like just constantly upskilling your business to make it better. I think, like and try different ways so kind of growth, just continual growth as a person and reflecting in a business, because it's a family owned business yeah, it's like another child of mine, like really it's saying you gotta nurture and go through all the paces with just like your kid.
Speaker 2:Some days you don't like it, some days you do yeah it's tough. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:It's hard, and anyone that says that business is not hard is either in a position where their business has gone through the 10, 20-year phase or they were handed a business that was already hugely successful. It's extremely difficult and balancing it with families and the fact that it's a family business and we all live together in the same property, same everything.
Speaker 2:I've got my parents in the granny flat. I've got like say, we're all in each other's pocket all the time, as well as working with each other. So I try to really make it hard yeah, why not?
Speaker 1:why not?
Speaker 2:right, let's just make it harder.
Speaker 1:But you said. You said you used you're a strong unit. Yeah and um, when you grew up, did you have a strong unit?
Speaker 2:you know through your teenage years what was that like like mom and dad have always been there to support us, like no matter what, like so I was pretty lucky that way. Um, you know, even if you messed up whatever, like as long as you went to look for to go forward, they were there to support you, no matter what. So I was very lucky in that aspect, like because, at the end of the day, everyone screws up. Like because, at the end of the day, everyone screws up, so no point just kicking them to the curb. How they're going to learn? Like try and be that supportive. Like yeah, I understand we did this, but let's move forward now. Let's. Okay, we messed up, there's an, there's always tomorrow, yeah, it's it's just a lesson yeah, it's a lesson.
Speaker 2:We we all go through it. We all learn life, live life. As long as you're there supporting each other, it's good.
Speaker 1:Now we talked about sort of three to five-year goals with the business. Is there anything outside of the business that you're aspiring to do or be? Is there say hey, some people want to run this any any personal goals outside of the business for yourself?
Speaker 2:So not at this stage, unfortunately. It's just business like just making sure. Yeah, unfortunately, yeah, I do focus a lot on my business. My business, um, because that's what feeds my family at the end of the day, so I I'm not really phased about the background noise of everything like and uh, yeah, then hopefully one day I get to that like I can relax a little bit and get a hobby or whatever. And obviously I just bought a new house, so I suppose doing that up, having time, because I've got the skills to be able to put some time into my own house.
Speaker 1:So yeah, I didn't ask that because I'm the same as you. I actually don't have personal goals because I'm so invested in what I do.
Speaker 2:It's part of who I am.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's probably a better way to look at it yeah, I generally love what I do and what I'm building, and yeah the goals are in and around bringing people into building something bigger than myself. So yeah, in and around bringing people into building something bigger than myself. Yeah, it's hard to explain when you're in it, because it seems like you're in it right now. I'm currently in it as well.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, everything just sort of evolves around it because it's what you want to grow and it's like the excitement of it growing and like when you get those little milestones, like you know, like whether it be you want to reach a certain point revenue for the year, like like I've got my, my revenues set that up, like that's my next goals and stuff like that, like whether it be a bit of a stretch, but you gotta push, yeah. So like it's not millions, but you know it's it's my own personal goals for for a small family business. So like at the end of the day, that's where that's I just put my goals into that. Unfortunately, it's good, but it's you know.
Speaker 1:I honestly am in a similar boat and everyone's different and everyone has their own journeys and personal goals. I think, yeah, if people have them, I'd love to hear what they are. But I'm like you, I'm focused on building my ecosystem.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And that's really important right now, because bigger things, as you said um, you mentioned creating the ability to delegate more. Yeah, so you're less hands-on, which ultimately leads to the balance which can create those branches of personal goals, yeah, yeah, that's exactly right.
Speaker 2:Getting to that level where you can have comfortability and trusting that it's getting handled. You're still around it, you're still, you know, handling everything to be up to where your standards are and all that sort of thing. But you just have that little bit more time to, you know, maybe drop the kids off at school every day and pick them up or take them to the park on an afternoon, like just simple things that you don't get to achieve, and I don't think anyone out there is ever going to complain about your goals.
Speaker 1:Just having more time with family yeah, because that's the most important thing.
Speaker 2:Well, it is to me, Like you know, I've had friends come and go, I've had all that sort of thing in life, and they're the ones you're with all the time like why not have them as the most important thing?
Speaker 2:agreed like, including you taking their um kids to netball yeah, like today, like I hate it if I've got to work a saturday and I miss it, because that's I love it. I love seeing them succeed in their sport and play awesome games and you know they win, they, lose, they, you're there for every moment, their highs and their little lows and stuff like that. So that's magic to me, right I don't know.
Speaker 1:As a kid I remember going to football, playing sport. Now, looking back at it, my parents taking me there was a lot of work in them, taking me to practice and all those things. I only see it now. I was like, wow, they, that was a lot of driving, that was a lot of, because I know I'm just of, because I know.
Speaker 2:I'm just tired.
Speaker 1:Yeah, just want to sleep, but the game starts at this time. So they were making those sacrifices. So you're looking back and seeing what your family has done for you, it's kind of almost you're obliged to start giving back. Yeah, definitely Now. Plastering physical job Very. What are some of the things people don't know about handyman work? What are some of the insights to the typical day?
Speaker 2:For plastering, getting covered in dust all day long, then having mud plaster all over you just being one of probably the messiest trades, like pulling down old ceilings and dust and finding snake skins and all the rest that you might find up in a ceiling that you're not ready for. Um, so yeah, snake skins yeah, we found quite a few big snake skins like, and they just kind of pop out of nowhere and they're jumping off your ladder because it's like there.
Speaker 1:So anyone out there that you know received a quote and they think it's easy snakeskins, spiders, dust mess, yeah, just lots of mess, lots of cleaning, like could be professional cleaners instead.
Speaker 2:Like, by the end of it, um, yeah, it's just real dusty work and just, unfortunately, trying to contain it all. So sorry to anyone that's ever had dust from it all, yeah, no, um, but it's satisfying work at the same time, because giving back a finished product that looks good and makes up, yeah, the final product is always the like, the enjoyment of it, I guess. And seeing someone walk into their new room or they're having their new, yeah, room painted, plastered, everything like that, and they're just ready to move in, like, yeah, oh yeah, clean lines.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's art almost yeah, it takes a lot of work, um, to make everything look good. Like you get just bare frames and all that and you just gotta make the product look good for the customer at the end. And whether or not, um, they see the process of it all and how much actually goes into it, um is a different story. But yeah, like it's not just one day's work or anything like that. Like a lot of people are surprised by a three-coat system or you know, they think it's just you patch it once and it's done. It's not, and that's what you've got to explain when you're quoting as well, because they all think, well, how does it take you that long? So yeah, there's a lot more to it, but yeah, no, I completely understand that.
Speaker 1:Even just my business is different, but video production is editing not fun, shooting fun Editing not fun. And anyone who's edited a long project or a series of projects doesn't know the work or prep revisions involved. And it's just time. Yeah, it's just man hours, it's just time. Now, in terms of we've talked about those goals. Is there any pieces of content you're absorbing? Music, podcasts, do you read any books? Anything that is just as a consumer, that you're listening to, that sort of fills your cup or gives you value, or just the old playlist on the way to work.
Speaker 1:Yeah, just the old playlist. Really A little bit of.
Speaker 2:Jelly Roll, yeah, jelly Roll. Playlists. Really A little bit of Jelly Roll.
Speaker 1:Yeah, Jelly Roll, yeah. But see, that's plenty Music, it's everything.
Speaker 2:Like just connection and like knowing that you're not the only one going on a hard road.
Speaker 1:I guess, do you bust out the old pipes in the car, or is?
Speaker 2:Yeah, he's all over it. Yeah, don't mind having a single one why? Not yeah, let it loose a little bit.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, yeah, bit of exploring in the car.
Speaker 2:Yeah, nah, it's all right, get to go see him soon actually.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Amazing. Yeah, I mean the miss is going to go see him down in sydney in november, so yeah, he's incredible yeah yeah so he's a good storyteller. Yeah, yeah, so that's what I like being through the hard stuff dealt with. It still can't, still going, you know. So I sort of see a little bit of his music with how I you resonate yeah, so it works with my life, sort of thing. Yeah, little bit of his music with how I you resonate with it yeah, so it works with my life, sort of thing.
Speaker 1:Yeah, for sure, yeah, so Now we're going to finish with a bit of a. We sort of gave some advice to people earlier about starting showing up. Is there anything that you want to talk about? Leave a message. Hey, we're going to be here. This is our website, or where can you find us? Anything that you want to share? The stage is yours right now.
Speaker 2:Oh well, you can find us on Facebook. I don't keep it that updated, but you can. That's another project that we've got to work on, um media. It's takes its toll like trying to keep up with all that sort of stuff. But yeah, we've got our own facebook page. Lhs plushing and handyman um oh yeah, message me whenever. Um always happy, uh, to help, like if you need a hand with a job or whatever we can definitely help out.
Speaker 1:Someone find some old snake skins up there?
Speaker 2:Yeah, you might hear a bit of a squeal, but we'll get it done. What?
Speaker 1:was that lady screaming?
Speaker 2:No, it was just me, just me, yeah, just me.
Speaker 1:Brother, appreciate you making the time to come and see us. No worries, thanks for sharing. Thanks for inviting. Saying, brother, appreciate you making the time to come and see us. No worries, thanks for sharing. Thanks for inviting me. No, it was good, brother, and I think the kids will love seeing you have a chat. And yeah, thanks again.