Trent Brisset: From Rock Bottom to 300% Growth

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You ready? Okay, cool. All right, so I just um done I think podcast eight or nine. Um just had Trent Brisset in from Auslink WA.

Um known him for about 6 years. Intro by another very close long-term friend of mine, Null Brennan, which he's on next. Um Trent, he's had an up and down roller coaster life, all rigs. Um went away on a little holiday.

I talk about that more in there. He's very vulnerable, very accountable. And um I spoke to him yesterday. He was very, very nervous.

Um but um after a couple of minutes getting into it, we had a wicked chat. It just flowed. Bought his old man's business off him about 5 years ago. Um gone up to 300%.

He's family man. Goes through the normal struggles we all do. Go and watch it. Epic.

There wasn't any technology in the business whatsoever. Um, and I guess kind of this is how I haven't actually talked to him about it, but this is how I kind of perceive it is that when you go through and okay, how we're going to pay this bill and that bill and the staff taking risk financially with it could be software program or an investment with a truck or more staff. I guess they just don't have that same appetite, you know. Um, so understandably too, right?

Different generation, different they don't understand. For starters, they won't take anything on board. They don't understand and most of that generation don't understand like the tech and you know the things you can do different and the return on it you know because it takes time. Always like to chat a bit before uh I'm going to throw one thing in here and it'll be up to you whether I use it or not but uh this guy yesterday uh Trent was starting to freak out even though he's a bit cocky about a month ago about doing this podcast and uh he text me yesterday and goes I'm \ nervous.

What what did it say? Oh, I haven't got your phone. And um it's pretty common. It's pretty common to happen coming up to the podcast, which is um which is cool.

And I'm like I rang Trent, he r back in the afternoon and he's like I'm nervous. So I'm like, "Dude, just just go with it. You'll love it. It's good." And um and automatically we got in a bit of a chat about um the journey and why it's where we got where we have.

He goes, "Yeah, um you don't really think about that too much." I think even the wife says to me like stop for a moment and realize where you're at and like reflect on what's going on. But it is see I think some people like yourself definitely more comfortable with sharing it and being in you know well the amount of times you post but I like and I'm only doing 10% of what's going to happen but anyway. Yeah. Well but uh but yeah like I never post nothing on socials.

Yeah. Hate just hate it. Don't want people knowing what I'm up to. Yeah.

So just really struggle with that. So, like we haven't officially started, but this is really cool that Trent's doing this. So, for me, it's a lot of trust and um obviously it means a bit in the relationship that he's getting on here between me and him. I've promised if it doesn't work out or he doesn't feel comfortable by the end that we won't do it and that's cool.

Um but my gut feel is once we get chatting, don't don't worry about the cameras and the lights and all that. You'll actually love it. It's pretty cool going back over it. So, appreciate you doing it, man.

No, thank you. Thank you for um asking me. Yeah, man. I think Null Dog Jin, didn't he on Facebook?

Yeah, he did. Yeah, he's next, mate. He hasn't responded to my You're next. You know what?

You just got a rock up there, eh? I think so. Take it there. Yeah, I'm going to be mentioning him a lot actually today.

So, he's my inspiration. Yeah, that's good. We'll go do it in the Battery World Shop. That'd be pretty cool to get down there and do it.

Yeah, he's got his bike there. Yeah. Cars. Yep.

Loves it. Yeah. Actually, you should host it there. That's a good idea.

There's a couple of remote ones. There's a barley one. There's a Marget River one. A couple over east.

I'm gonna do me and Jackson. Hopefully I'm gonna get him on shortly, but then when I go over east, I'm gonna do it on the golf course with him because he loves golf. Not that I'm much golfer. Just to make sure you get those extra tax deductions, eh?

Yeah. Just this guy, he's learned heaps. Um, all right. So, worked out about six years that you've been on board with Connect.

Um, which is really cool. Really appreciate that. Uh, it's been a bit of a journey. I think why you really click with me when null mentioned it and I got a whole list of like set clients.

you're already on it. And then Null's like, "Get Trent on." I'm like, "I don't know if Trent will come on." I thought exactly what you've been thinking. But I think the great thing with you is I've seen from when we've met, I've seen when you what you just asked when you didn't own the business and then you know your dad run it. He's had it for how many years your dad have the business?

31 years. Yeah. Yeah. 31 years.

Until you got it. Yeah. So, well, it started off he was in a partnership with somebody. Yep.

Uh, and then I think 10 years before I got it, he uh, yeah, he bought his partner out. Yeah. Yep. Yeah.

Well, okay. So, 10 so about 20 years and then and then 10 years before you got it on his own. Yeah. He's on his own.

Yeah. And then you're already in the business for how long? Not long really. So, um, I think I was in the business for three years prior to actually buying it.

Yeah. Started in the warehouse. Just uh just a warehouse picker. Then did you think you were going to do it?

Did you think you were going to buy it at the beginning when you started working in the business? I did. Yeah, I did. Yeah.

So, I'd been working away offshore, you know, it wasn't getting me anywhere. Um, you know, had talked to my dad about it. You know, had let my dad down a few times in the past. So, y uh yeah, he gave me a good opportunity and I just thought, you know what, I'm just not going to let him down this time.

So, well, well done. Yeah. So, I'm going to I'm going to we're going to go back over stuff. If you don't want to mention it, then that's cool.

So, how old? How old are you now? I'm just turned 40. You just turned 40.

Yeah. Cool. So, you've had the business what? Four years.

Uh, I think this is four. Yeah. Coming to my fifth. Yep.

Okay. So, about 35 and then go go back. Let's let's go back like tell me something I don't know. Go back a few years before working away, all that kind of stuff.

Yeah. Okay. So, so you worked offshore for eight years. Where where were you born?

Let's start there. Yeah. So, born here in Perth. You were here in Perth.

Yeah. Born here in What area did you live in? Uh Ferndale. Yeah.

Okay. And that's always been your kind of area. Yeah, it was. Yeah.

So you grew up here, you know, WA well. Really well. And then um out of high school. Yep.

So out of high school I was working on the Rottness fairies. Oh yeah. Um yeah. And then like so the natural progression for a deck hand um used to go work on the white boats like in Fort Lauderdale or uh somewhere like that.

Oh cool. Um just so it's like a party holiday. Um Oh yeah. 18, 17, 18, 19.

Yeah, I think I was like 18. Y um then I ended up getting a gig on Reg Grandy's Private Mod. Oh, nice. Um how was that?

Uh so I thought it was going to be good. It was called Bodisia. Y um I think it was like seven seven levels, but ultimately it was far too big. It was about 30 crew on board.

Yep. Um so you couldn't do you couldn't do any of the cool. You know, you couldn't drive the jet skis because uh somebody crashed them when they were drunk. Um you couldn't go Yeah.

You couldn't smoke on the boat. you couldn't drink because people trashed it, you know. So, um to be honest, it was a lot like the army. Uh there was cameras everywhere.

Um people watching you got a radio. So, where was that based? Um so, that travels worldwide, but at the time I jumped on it was in Cans. Yeah.

Just just throwing out. So, just on that then? So, you would have been what 18? Yeah.

Yeah. So what what made you take that jump like moving away from the family? And a few of the older deck hands um had told us stories that you know they'd worked on these white boats in in like Fort Lauderdale um with like these massive Russian older guarts getting tipped 10 grand at a time and you know it's just a big party. Yeah, like the fairy tale.

So I was like \ yeah that sounds like my type of um yeah my type of vibe. So, so I was like, "Yeah, all cool." And then uh yeah, one of the deck hands got a job on Reg Grandy's um Yep. uh yacht. Um but and uh yeah, and he got me on board, but yeah, it was it was the total opposite.

It was just like a grind. How long were you there for, you reckon? I was only there for like 3 months. I got really homesick.

Hey, did you? Yeah. Yeah. Cool.

So, this is this is this is the bit we want to get into, right? So, I'm trying to what I worked out in most most of the podcasts I've done so far and even just chatting with um people in general is there's always reasons we do stuff, right? So, you've like going to, you know, go chase this boat thing. Didn't work out.

So, two months in, I'm guessing you started to feel I'm homesick. I'm not comfortable. I'm out of my comfort zone. It's not what I thought.

Oh, it was a total opposite. What was the thoughts when that went through your head at 18, 19 years old and you're up in canes or out in this boat? Uh, it was pretty bad. Like I think I think the final um the final day was we'll all like you don't even get to come to shore every day you know so so when you come to shore it's a bit of a party um so we'd come to shore where we were all at the pub and then like my first like my manager above me he's drunk just being been being an to me something like that you know uh we got in a fight and then I was just like this I'm out I'm out you know you weren't happy through the whole thing so there would have been tension and wouldn't have took much for that to happen eh No, like even the living quarters like you know these shows like below deck and all that kind of stuff.

They don't do it justice. Like your bed is literally half the size of a jailbed. You know the boat's luxurious, but where all the the crew live is just tiny little \ box. Sounds like me being on the Navy ship had a better bed than you did.

Yeah, you probably would have honestly. They are pretty small. Yeah. Yeah.

So being at sea for a few months at a time and and what what I learned back then I I didn't do a lot of travel but we done a refit on a ship. So then you go to you go to sea and do all the exercises and all the hard stuff right and then you're out there and you you don't hardly come in for a few months Christmas island whatever but your morale goes down like because you you're not really doing much. There's no purpose. you're not fighting anyone or doing anything and then you're just out there doing exercises and um well we had a lot of fun and stuff but but then yeah morale goes down so then they might spin to Singapore or something like that just to you know pep it up or you'll get off on land at Christmas Island exactly what you said you go on land and you on the piss basically and um I remember one time we got on the piss and they're like don't drink before 12 they let us off at 9 or something on the ribs and then I reckon by 11 the siren went off cuz there was a container ship sinking and then We're all blind.

So, we all got back on the rib, come back to the ship and we're all lined up like just a boat, a tender to take us into into shore. And then we're back on the ship by like 11 11:30. We weren't even meant to drink till 12 and um we're all drunk and they started breath us and they're like, "Oh, go to bed." And the rest of the ship had to like we had to go like support this big container ship that was sinking. Yep.

Pumps and \ all that kind of stuff. Yeah. That's what it remind me of. Yeah.

It's similar when you say it's disheartening. Like so most of the time uh he wasn't even on the boat. There was nobody on the boat. And so you'd get up, you'd have like a deck that you got to clean.

You clean the same deck. Yesterday it's not even dirty. And all you're doing is just cleaning the deck to I think there was like 15 15 deck hands. Yeah.

And then there was like about 15 hostesses. Oh yeah. So quite a large group. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. Well, a lot of money's worth in it. Oh.

So after that you got back from that. Got back from that. Uh what happened there? Would you uh then I was just uh with like a job recruitment company just doing bits and pieces here and there.

Yep. And then uh got a gig forklift driving at Hallebertton. Oh yeah. At Hallebertton.

And uh what do they do again? What's Hbert do? Hallebertton's like one of the largest uh oil company service providers. Yep.

Um so yeah, massive juggernaut company. Yep. And how long did you stay there for? About six years.

Oh yeah. Yeah. It's a decent stint there. Yeah.

Yeah. So just started forklift driving then I got like a training ship as a offshore um deep water cement. Yep. And then uh yeah it was just good timing like it was just before the boom so uh yeah broke me out early became a supervisor at 22.

Yep. Nice. Um made plenty of plenty of mistakes. Got run off a few rigs but but yeah it was What was a couple of mistakes that come to mind that probably taught you a few things these days?

Oh man, it was like the very first job. So, you know, I was doing I was doing cement jobs with uh under a supervisor. Yeah. Um then the first time on my own, um there was just like it's it's okay when everything's going right, but then as soon as there's there's issues and there was like a valve left open and and Yeah.

So anyway, the cement job wasn't to wait and there's some serious consequences like um we're talking like big, you know, million dollar jobs which is going to, you know, it's it's huge impact. Yes. Impacts the well and the safety of the well and everything. So straight away, boom.

Uh only lasts like two days run off that rig, you know. Um which is pretty embarrassing because when they run you off a rig, they they actually call out a chopper. Yep. You know, and uh and it just like it goes around the rig like y, oh, they run this person.

So yeah, I remember Yeah, I remember calling my dad. I was devastated just trying like been run already, dad. Blah blah blah. Y and then got on another rig and you know, but you're young then, right?

And I suppose we talk about like in the journey we talk about the the roadblocks the risks you take and the resilience you build today like all them little things whether it was right or wrong you know you're young you'reing 22 what that would build for you today running a business and the reflection you have on it now and even sitting here talking about it which I don't believe you've probably done in a very long time. No I haven't actually no too sure well even like I remember prior to breaking out as a supervisor was like my last month and so a supervisor above me had to sign off. we had this disagreement and he just flipped out and just started strangling me like just like literally I thought I was going to die. Yeah.

Um and then so I've gone and like reported it and and they were like well it's up to you mate you know like you can wash it you know you can under the carpet or Wow. And so then like I was like okay well I guess I want this supervisor gig. Yep. So then it was you know and I had to live in the same room with him work with him every single day.

Hey, this bloke that just tried to kill me pretty much. Y um and what's that 18 19 years years ago, right? Yeah. Yeah.

So, times have changed a bit, haven't they? But like even even in the Navy and that things were different 20 oh 30 years ago like you hear the old school stories um even workplaces, you know, they've changed a lot and I think you probably know that yourself these days employing people and how different it is, right? I think me and you have had plenty of chats about like even what you got to do with performance management and HR and yes, the days have changed, right? And it's funny how now no more strangling people.

No. No. That's right. Well, me and you were only talking about this what probably five months ago, four months ago about the whole HR piece and uh now you're sitting there saying like how it was when you were 21, 22 and it's likeing different ball game, right?

It totally is. And um you wouldn't wish that upon anyone though. Um but I suppose back then it was probably a bit more common or go back maybe to our parents uh era it was probably even more common. You know it's like schools have changed, workplaces have changed, homes are changed.

Yeah. I think I caught just the end of it. Yeah. And I And I'm I'm actually really appreciative for it because I think Yeah.

builds like a resist resilience and Yeah. You're just not so sensitive after that. Not much can um you know, really beat Yeah. Yeah.

That's right. Yeah. So, so after 22 um off the rig, what when did you come back to Perth? When did you come back?

So, um worked on the rigs for Yeah. I think I was Yeah. Till I was about 25. Yep.

Um yeah, then ended up I ended up losing my job there just as I made it to um like a supervisor position in town. Yep. Your \ up. Yeah, my up.

Yeah, definitely. It's good that you're being vulnerable about this. That's a big piece. Hey, that's really hard.

Yeah, definitely didn't appreciate what I had. I was just young, you know, just thought that these kind of jobs and these kind of companies around all the time. What do you think? What do you think gave you that attitude or entitlement deep down if you know what I'm asking?

Yeah, I think it was because I was reasonably good at at my job. Y and so yeah, so I thought, well, you know, as long as I'm performing, I can just get away with making my own rules up. Yeah. Uh you know, but um now I know looking back like now I know now it's like, you know, performances and everything.

Sometimes it's just about how easy someone is to manage. Yep. And consistency. Oh man, I would have hate to have managed me.

Yep. Yeah. Like just trying to Yeah. I was pretty wild back then.

Yep. Yeah. So, uh it's good you to reflect on it now, especially when you're employing other people now. And Yeah.

And your ass is on the line, you know, looking after other people, putting food on other people's table. Like sometimes you like you just don't want the hassle. You just someone that rocks up, just gets on with it. You think there's a little bit of karma in there?

I think there is. Yeah, I definitely do. I definitely do, you know. Um so yeah, after that then I went So it's a pretty like a niche kind of um industry and and especially cementing.

So then I went and worked for the opposition uh slumberj, another massive worldwide company. Uh and then that up too. Yeah. Yep.

Wow. Yeah. Within like about six months. \ that one.

Y um and that was a really good gig. That was uh how'd you go about that? Was the same thing just cockiness entitlement young 20s. Yep.

On the pier just breaking all the rules, taking the company car, got caught drink driving two towns away, you know. Um just being reckless. Yeah. You know, and and you're not you're not unique to that, right?

A lot of people do. I think the biggest piece is where do you come out of it later? When do you learn? Yeah.

Like like now you you probably haven't really spoke about to many people. Um and now you're like that's where my learnings are. Like and you could have went one way or the other, right? You might not be buying your dad's company off him five years ago and you might not be employing people now and putting your hand up and going there a bit of karma or you know the chats we've had about like what the we do here.

Like we all got the same problems in business. You could have went the other way, keep the attitude, but obviously at some point along the journey, you've had this big shift kicking and you're like, and I think one of the biggest is letting your dad down. You mentioned that at the start. Yep.

Yep. I definitely did. Um yeah, I won't go into details there, but definitely he gave me opportunity after opportunity with you know um you know close friends of yours and peers and things like that and I would let him down and embarrass him or you know uh so do you talk do you talk to him about that now or have you in the last coming years? think I have.

I definitely said to him that, you know, you know, I just appreciate him giving me the opportunity, you know, because uh like everyone was kind of ready to write me off. Um cuz after I lost that job there, Slumber J, I kind of just bummed around for like I think the next four years. Um yeah, just ended up going to jail. Yep.

Um and and that teacher Oh, so much. Did it really? Oh, it's like it was the best thing for me. Was it 100%.

That could like correct me if I'm wrong, I got family members in jail actually one now and my dad and all that's been in there like but it can go one way or the other. Yeah, totally. Is that right? Yeah.

100%. Firstand year. So yeah. Yeah.

You know, you either you either use it and you think, "Oh my god, this is this is not where I belong." Yeah. I'm not coming back. You know, I don't want to come back here ever again. Um you know, uh and then there's the other side where Yeah, they continue on.

But mind you, um I am really lucky that I had a lot of support. Yeah. Right. So some people don't have support.

Yeah. Some people don't have those kind of skills or you know that. Yeah. So your yours yours by the sounds of it like correct me if I'm wrong here.

The bit you're missing is the maturity bit. Oh 100%. Get rid of the entitlement. Don't be you be grateful for what you got and what you had.

And it just took that maturity ask you can do because you had the skill. You're good at whatever you touch and do. Um, you switched on, you know, it shows now, right? And you had great support.

You just needed to feel that. And it was all up to you. I think no one else. I was so immature.

I didn't even mature. I don't think I really matured till till you're 40, actually. Yeah. I think so.

Well, I don't know. I was going to say 30. Oh, I was going to say 30, but uh but then I still Yeah, I I think I'm not far off and I talk about it a bit. I'm like, I don't think us guys really kick into we're 40.

I don't I'm only 42. Yeah. Yeah. I just think guys mature late, you know?

Um, don't tell anyone, but I think when they say the the females and women mature a lot a lot quicker and a lot more advanced than the guys, I think there's a lot of truth in that. There is 100%. Totally. Yeah.

Totally. I can see it in my kids in the boy, son and daughter. Like just how much switched on the daughter is compared to the boy. We're just knuckleheads honestly.

Yeah, I know. I know. But uh we just love life. We enjoy it.

Y um and and I think and you you'd be similar. When I was younger, I used to say, "Oh, it um you only live once." And I think that gets you in trouble a bit because when you get away with a few things or you get on the piss and you go to work late or you do something, you get away with it. You're like, "Well, I've done it before. I do it again." And that get you in trouble so much over the years, especially your 20s and 30s.

I thought I was invincible. I really did. You know, like out of my group of friends, I had I thought I had, you know, the best job going. I was a supervisor at the age of 22 for a massive worldwide company.

Um Yeah, that's true. you know, and I was just like, "Look at me. I can I can go be a goose and then come back and still, you know, so yeah, you know, just Yeah. So, just go back to the whole, you know, being in the clink kind of thing." Yeah.

So, what were the what were the two or three things you really learned out of that? And like, can I ask when you when you got out and what the shift was when you from then on? Yeah. So, I had a plan when I got out.

So, because you do think about Yeah. Well, you do courses in there. Yeah. No, no, it's a good joke.

It's a good joke. No, so you do courses and this is another thing. You got to do courses to get your parole and so but there will be people doing those courses like I don't even want to be sitting here. Um where I was like, okay, well, you know, I'm going to use it to to improve myself.

I took it on board and uh and I actioned it when I when I got out. You know, I didn't hang around the same uh group of friends, you know, the old act belong commit, joined a sports club, stayed with my parents. Yeah. looked after my son, went to work every day.

Um, yeah. So, just it's really just basic things, but just kind of follow through with it. So, set push you put put you back to basics. Yeah.

And, um, I suppose that probably would have got rid of that entitlement piece, the reality piece. Jail definitely gets rid of that. Trust me. Yeah.

But look, even leading up to it, I'd really hit rock bottom. So, yeah. Yeah. So, that whole, oh, I'm I'm better than everyone, you know, that was gone.

Trust me. Even when you went in. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. Prior to going in. Yeah. Y because you you must have been starting to lose every name.

100%. Yep. So I' lost, you know, my family, you know, I just let them down that much. So, you know, really lost the respect for them.

Um the people you're hanging around. I think I think uh you know growing up um I had a fair bit of discipline but I think one thing you learn when you have kids is and and even talking to you now and listening is the whole unconditional love from parents like if you look back you're like and even me and some say your parents should write you off your parent you know but that you learn when you have kids and that hey that you really need your parents there and there's this unconditional love and I think now we've got kids you start to feel that no matter what also It shifts you, I think, doesn't it? It does. If it was up to my mom and my sister, probably they probably would have written me off, but uh luckily my dad's a bit of a pushover and he's a nice guy, you know, with a good heart and uh he believed in you.

He did. He seen all the potential. Yeah. Yeah.

Under all. Yep. And and definitely um you know, everyone at the company wasn't keen on me coming into it at all. And uh but did you take that on board that you've driven that 100%.

Yeah. Yeah. That's so cool that you say that. Yeah.

Yep. Yep. So, you know, just wanted to Yeah. I just didn't want to let him down, you know.

I just wanted to to make sure that uh that, you know, he Yeah. that I didn't let him down for because everyone was telling don't bring him back in, you know, never rock up and you know, all those things. Yeah. So, which you know, you you're self-inflicted and created, but then the the biggest thing is a is a comeback, right?

People love it. I think it's better than someone that's always really good, you know, like when you come back, you reflect, you learn. Um I think you would have been pretty hard on yourself when you got out like trying your hardest to prove a point that you're not going to be old Trent. Yep.

100%. Yeah. Felt definitely felt like there was um there was people kind of wanted me to fail. Yeah, of course.

You know, and that and so I definitely um Yeah. I didn't go into it like thinking, oh well, it's my dad's company. I can do it I want. Let tell you something.

You can go and up and do all that stuff or you can be really good. People still want you to fail. So them all anyway. Yeah.

Yeah, I end up firing them all anyway. I got rid of all the haters, you know, but um yeah, there was quite a few. Yeah, you know, and you know, they probably probably deserve to have that opinion, but really, who gives a anyway? You know where you were heading.

Yeah, your dad obviously did did right. He seen through all the he really believed in you and and you're really lucky that he did. Yeah. Um, but you've also like put all the all this negative not negative but you know your your challenges and your roadblocks aside like let's talk about the exciting bit.

So you come back talk to me about it. Yeah. So then the good thing was that uh you know I didn't just start at the top. It was like I was just a warehouse picker unloading containers doing that for a while.

Yep. Then uh run the warehouse uh delivery driver in the trucks. Um moved across to one of his other businesses doing merchandising. Y um a bit of sales rep, administration.

So I'd kind of done every role. That's so good that So you started back at the foundation. You go in there cocky. I'm the sun.

I'm going to do this. I'm going to do You went back and you started from scratch. Yeah. And I worked cuz cuz I actually hadn't worked in the business properly at all.

Oh, had you? Yeah. So I didn't know the business one bit. Y So um so I had to learn it.

Yeah. Um and along the way, um Yeah. Yeah. I learned it and uh and there was Yeah.

Yeah, like my dad's a really trusting guy, but there was a lot of people taking the definitely, you know. So, um, along the way, we, you know, got rid of people in the warehouse and improved that and then just slowly. Yeah. So, once I but once I actually understood every process and every kind of role, um, then you can kind of weigh in on on problem solving a lot more.

You're you're probably me and you a bit similar as in we don't mind saying what we think. So, I'm guessing you probably stepped on some toes probably quicker than you needed to, but that's your personality, too. And you would have been invested when you come back cuz you're a different person and you probably um you're a bit more probably grateful for what you had. So you would have been pretty passionate about it I reckon just knowing you.

Yay and nay. I think I'm pretty fair, you know. Um but yeah, there was just uh I wouldn't ask I definitely kind of like lead by example, you know, make sure I'm the hardest working one. I'll unload the container.

I'll empty the bin, you know. So what I meant by that is probably like there's a bit of personal emotion there. Your dad's just backed your 20 years, right? You come into the business, then you see someone taking the like I don't doubt for a sec.

You'd be like, "That's not \ happening." No. Well, actually, yeah, you are. Yeah, you nailed it right there. I felt like far out.

Look at all these people taking advantage of my father right now. And you've done it. Excuse my uh comment, but you've done it and you're like, "It's not happening. My dad's back me 20 years." Yeah.

And I'm like, now it's my time, you know, like Yeah. Yeah. to have his back and yeah and that was tough to have those conversations with him. Um, and so and no doubt you would have got fobbed off in the beginning cuz he's like, "Man, I've been doing this for 20 years, 25 years.

It works." You know what I mean? And then you got this like me and you were similar, different generation. You come, you look at things different and and we'll get to that where you're in the business and your dad probably would have fed you off a bit at the beginning because you probably don't have any credibility, you know what I mean? Like you've just come in and that would have kicked a bit because you're like, "No, Dad, I'm telling the truth this time." Like, you know?

Yep. Yep. Totally. Yeah.

And um and you know there was that purple circle where you look they they were all kind of getting in my dad's ear to try and say that you know you know whatever my ideas were and and my perspective wasn't right and uh you know you know anyway but uh look also but you know even my dad he never really laid off any staff so you know really we should have just performance managed you know a few people out. Yeah. But instead you know we did the right you know paid redundancies like big redundancies. Y um which again my dad was like you know you cost me money you know how much this has cost me so there was like there was some real weight there um there's a I think there's a bit of a personal thing with that stuff though like even and I learned a bit of this myself over the business over the years is like there's a bit of inside here when you do that then just people off because they got families even though they're probably you in the background I suppose is a bad intent or as a business owner have you allowed it to happen your dad allowed it to happen so there's a big piece in that I think and a lot of business owners aren't like that.

It's a blame game. But hey, I hired the people. I've let them do it for 10 years. I've Do you know what I mean?

Totally agree. Does it is it? Yeah. 100%.

So yeah, when I'm when I'm someone's not performing or someone's, you know, up continuously, I think, have I toled them up properly? Have I trained them? Am I giving them everything that so that they can at least perform their job? I kind of look back at myself first.

Y if I haven't, I can't really come down on them. Yeah. Um, so you got to give them every opportunity and then you can make Yeah, that's right. You got to give them every opportunity to succeed.

And so if if you know there's like part of that's missing, yeah, you can't you can't come down on them. So do you think that let's go back a step now, right? And this is what I love doing just here in the start of your stuff like being on the rigs getting treated probably not not fairly, right? So you're not many I can tell you now not many business owners always think like me and you were just talking about, right?

Like that's that's really good leadership, right? and putting your hand up first in accountability because then you know you're doing the right thing by the people that work for you and obviously there's a line in the sand somewhere right but you going back to not being treated fairly whether it was self-inflicted by cockiness and entitlement or not y like you're these days you don't want to be that person as much as it's hard work HR and all the right but I I can see in you that you don't want to be that person that you got treated like back in back in the day right yeah every opportunity to succeed well there was polar opposites back then I mean back in the all day. There was no management courses or this and that. It was you're good at doing your job.

Okay, now we're going to make you a manager or a supervisor. Now, that person may be an absolute and not know how to manage people and and you've just got to work under him. But then on the other hand, you get that person that's just amazing, fair skills. Yeah.

You know what I mean? He's a born leader. And so there was like very contrasting people in, you know, in my kind of upbringing. Y and I I just knew which one, you know, I wanted to be like.

Yeah. Yeah. It's not that guy strangling me. Yeah.

You know, that's what I picturing me. No. So, as much as you feel like doing that sometimes, but it's like Yeah. Cuz because in the end, it's all about dollars on paper, right?

Really, like business. So, it's like whether it's here or here, it's like you want to have fun at work, you want to have a good culture, and you want people to work for you. Y and like and productivity and all that kind of stuff. So, if you lead from the top, but I always talk about an upside down org chart.

like we go to work to support our people. Y um and I think when you think like that and yeah, people make mistakes and it's hard and all that kind of stuff, but if you support them, you get through most stuff as well, you know. Totally agree. Totally agree.

Yeah. I I mean I say like people say to me, "Oh, it must be cool to be the boss." But to be honest, the way I look at it is I feel like I have like 30 bosses. Y that I have to rock up and perform for each and every one. Yeah.

You know, I I definitely don't feel like, well, I'm the boss. So I just get to do whatever I want. No, no. It's like I, you know, they're working for my company.

If I expect, you know, them to do all these things and care, well, well, you know, I have to lead, you know, and I have to be there for them. So, yeah, it's uh I think going back to what you said earlier about going starting off in the business, forklift, stores, you know, all that. That's a big piece. And I say it all the time as well.

There's not much in there's nearly nothing in the business I'll ask to do that I can't do. Yeah, you know, maybe I can't do it as good as my people these days because, you know, that's why you have them because they're great at their job. Yeah. But there's nothing you ever ask to get done or do that you can't do yourself.

And I think you do that by starting from scratch because you know your business, right? 100%. It definitely helps. Yeah.

Yeah. And then you Yeah. And like then you can, you know, then you can really weigh in on um complex issues and and add real insight to it. Y so then people people respect your um your decisions then because they know that you you know uh you live that role or you know what's your youngest employee at the moment?

Youngest would be my son and his mates sometimes in school holidays 14. Yeah. They come in under containers. Um but other than that I think it is yeah maybe 18 19.

Yep. Yep. So, how do you how do you see him or her like like you know go back years of when you went and started off a role? It's um I reckon it's pretty cool when I used to run workshops for my father-in-law.

I I used to love like the appren like talking to the apprentices and they come up with like let's say silly ideas but they don't really you know what I mean like whether it was an apprentice to a qualified I always love having these combos because it's like a fresh mind that doesn't know your space there's no such thing as a silly question and I think there's a lot of truth behind that and you go back to the 18-year-old or whatever and you you know and they're just learning they're asking the yeah they are I don't get to be I got a warehouse manager and ops manager now y so I don't really get to be involved um daytoday um which yeah I would I'd love to um but yeah definitely I remember when I was running the warehouse and kind of being closer to those young employees yeah I love that you know and you're giving someone else that opportunity right to go through their 20s and you know if it if it works for sure so the business and you don't have to talk numbers but maybe just percentages and that you took it over five years ago what's the what's the things you done different and what's the wins and what's the things where The old man was on the money. My dad did the hard yards definitely like well and truly. Uh he he never had any training or skills. Yep.

Um they started from scratch. You were saying earlier 31 years he had it. Yeah. You know, and um and then he fell out with his partner and he had to get get it up to his eyeballs to buy his partner out.

Um they bought a a commercial property, Canning. Yep. I mean, yeah. Like, you know, he had many sleepless nights.

Credit to him, mate. Big time. 100%. you know, um, and and they weren't all for you.

Sleepless nights for the business. Yeah, there was plenty. Was it the business more or you sleepless nights? Yeah, not sure which one.

Probably me, but uh but yeah, like pretty much just selftaught, you know, feeling his way through it. Yeah, he took risk and uh he had another company on the side as well that uh someone was managing. Yep. I guess what he always did, he's always a nice guy, you know, and he always had the best intention.

So, he had a pretty good name within the industry. Yeah. Awesome. there wasn't any technology in the business whatsoever.

Um, and I guess kind of this is how I haven't actually talked to him about it, but this is how I kind of perceive it. Yeah. Is that when you go through years and years of okay, how are we going to pay this bill and that bill and the staff? Yeah.

Um, taking risk financially with it could be software program or an investment with a truck or more staff. Um, I guess they just don't have that same appetite, you know. Yeah. Um so understandably too right different generation different they don't understand for starters they won't take anything on board they don't understand y and most of that generation don't understand like the tech and you know the things you can do different and the return on it you know because it takes time and I guess I'm naive because I haven't I haven't you know had those those moments where you know \ with strap for cash I don't think I'm going to be able to pay my staff or anything like that so yeah straight away it was kind of more about bringing technology in y um because it was literally just an an accounting package and we're using that to run the whole business.

So there was um yeah only I think it was about seven years ago they were still faxing in orders the the sales reps. Yeah. Wow. Uh yeah like old school as um only seven years ago.

Yeah. Yeah. So maybe maybe just just tell us a little just so we understand that the Auslink itself like what do you guys do? We represent uh brands food brands.

Yep. Um, and we sell their product into the independent supermarkets in Western Australia. Yep. Not Coohl's, Woolworth or Audi.

Um, because say for instance, you're a brand, uh, you got a product that you sell into Wworth. Yep. They say, "Okay, no dramas. We're going to put it in these 700 stores." It goes in all 700 stores in the exact same spot.

Boom. Done. Easy. And just deliver it to their distribution center.

Y when you got all the independent supermarkets like Spud Shed, IGA, Farmer Jacks, each one can take a product and not take a product. So you need to have a saleserson actually go in say, "Hey, I've got this new tea. You know, this is why you need it." You know, um you know, do you want to purchase product or Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. We'll cut it in for you. That's when you actually need a sales team um going around and actually selling them the product. Yeah.

Yep. So there's about 300 independent supermarkets in Western Australia. Yep. And uh we've got a large sales team that go around and visit all of them and uh we we have uh about 40 brands that that I was going to ask you that.

How many products? It's about 800 is it out of 40 brands? Yeah. Yeah.

Wow. Yep. And uh always changing, you know. Yeah.

Manufacturing brands, you know, they always deleting products, bringing on new stuff, but Yep. But yeah, so the sales reps go around and they actually physically take the order at store level. Y so it's not like oh hey to the manager do you want to just buy this new product they're actually walking the shelves looking at all the ranging of our own products and then taking their order on the iPad and then that gets sent back to our DC where we hold stock and then our team picks it and then our trucks deliver it. Yeah.

Wow. So your DC distribution center must be like pretty full on. Hey uh it's starting to get that way. Yeah.

Yep. It's it's starting to get that way. Yeah. Um, I was I was just working there the other day actually and it was like uh Yeah, it's cool.

It's cool when you see it just cranking, you know. Um, I remember when I was down there at one stage it was just me, one other guy and one truck driver. Yep. Uh, yeah.

And I think I think now they got like 14 down there. So, uh, is it a big competitive market? Like how many of you like your competitors? Is there a couple?

Is there 20? Is there like Yeah. Or are you all a bit different? We're all a bit different.

Y um but I think there yeah there's a couple national companies um which are definitely a level above us and look there's some pros and cons um you know some brands don't want to work with national companies because they're just too monopoly and the rest of it exactly you know yeah they want to have a bit more flexibility um so I guess we're at the kind of um the top level for uh you know a family-owned business if that makes sense. We've still got the same sales team size as those big companies. Um but we'd like to say that we're easier to work with, more flexible, more nimble. Exactly.

Yep. And uh and we've got probably probably better trusted, you know, to our customers as well. Is it a bit more personal? Probably.

Yeah. Yeah. I think that's like any business, right? Like even us as a small brokerage connect, it's like you just you get on like even this morning, late last night, 10 o'clock talking to a client, they've text me.

Yeah. Yeah. And then you talk to them or early this morning and it's like you just got that personable feel when you go a bit bigger. Like that doesn't happen as much.

And I think that's across most industries. And it's like I think it's when you grow enough and you start to lose that or you don't lose that for whatever reason like that's where your point of difference is the big bigger companies. But I think back to your question like looking if I was compare it to like I don't know like concretters or this and that there's I guess there'd only be maybe 20 20 or 30 competitors there. Yep.

Yeah. And and you know some might be you know they might specialize in confect or you know um international products or you know dairy. Yeah. Um must be it must be relationship driven a lot like the owners of IGS or the far you must have a relationship with and keeps them coming back.

Yeah. It is. Yeah. It's I don't know.

I've done I've done negotiation training where they say never say it's it's about relationships. Y um but it really is about relationships. Yeah. I think all businesses in the in the I think so because it's trust, right?

Yeah. Trust is you want to do business with people you like. Yep. Yep.

That's right. Um so what's the number one product sold? What's the most you sell of toilet paper? Co Yeah, we we do sell to Yeah, we sell equipment and toilet paper and uh and I just put Yeah, I just bought the business um just before co so it was like yeah, bring it on another lockdown, you know.

Uh yeah, co was so good for us. It was I think I remember talking to you. I come out and walked around the warehouse with you. Yeah.

And um and we'll chat and and I think Yeah. I was asking him about that. It's always the toilet paper off the shelves. I'm guessing you guys were okay at home.

Uh yeah, we were. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. We were. Yeah. No, I loved it.

But uh Yeah. Well, CO was good for all the IG. Co was good for a lot of of WA business really besides restaurants and gyms and restaurants. Yeah, that's right.

Yeah. Yeah. It's not a funny matter, but I think I think out of that like once again adversity. I think it shook a lot up.

Um it shook up the property market. It shook up, you know, the commercial lease. But I think everyone come out of it because it made everyone learn not to be entitled not to just get comfort like, you know what I mean? There was a lot of cash injected to businesses.

Yeah. Heaps. By the government. Yeah.

Like everybody was cashed up. Y um even if you weren't struggling. Yeah. you know, so what you did with that cash um you know, so you either buy yourself a personal car or you reinvest it.

Reinvest it. Yeah. Yeah. I don't know if that happens much, but um so when you so you took the business over say 5 years ago.

Yeah. Right. Just just before co or just as it hit I think it was, wasn't it? Uh yes.

So I would say look the there's a transition period. There's a transition period and that was really important. So two years before I bought it. Yep.

Um we ended up my dad sent me to go do some a business course. Yep. Just a very basic one. Um but still help you know um a lot.

But um at his business course you know bringing in the figures and everything like that. Yep. And look love my dad but he's not just really the best um with all the finances. His partner always handled that.

He he was in charge of all the sales. Yep. and uh had a had a bad accountant and uh you know what he thought the business was turning over. I've taken you know in my my P&L and my balance sheet in to the business course and they're like maybe we should just have a chat you know after class you know and uh yeah so the business you know wasn't actually doing what he thought it was which is a really hard conversation to actually have to have with my dad but lucky that you went on that course.

Yeah that's true that for a reason right that's true and so uh then they recommended a business coach. Y um which was the best thing ever. Like a real strong personality. Yep.

Um guy, Mike Shriek. Um yeah, and uh so he came between us cuz you know there's there's my dad, you know, um Yeah. You know, think there's some tension there. Anyway, being your dad, the personal relationship and obviously the work relationship, right?

Correct. Yeah. And I'm pretty gunho. I just want to change everything and and stuff like that.

So, you know, at times it's good just to have a referee. Yeah. and great intentions, but that can't just happen either because you know the business got to keep running the way it is and and I suppose change change is really important change management and doing it with the right foundation which I think you've done now correct yeah to be honest it was you know the business was growing so what I like you know whether it was me or whatever but uh look the business was growing and and the sales were picking up so it definitely made it a lot easier but I do think \ imagine if you you know, the business wasn't growing and or it was going backwards like I could imagine that would be huge pressure. Yeah.

Yeah. So, so your biggest roadblock probably coming in was probably your relationship with your dad and I suppose navigating that and then at days you would have took some risks and all the staff all the staff were just like uh they were just like happy like you know yep we're just doing the bare min. Yeah. must had some oh \ moments there because like obviously you can go in gunho right and you can go this is black and white correct but still you dealing with people people don't like change especially when your dad's a set way for so long like there must have been some moments there where you're like up should I push this should I not like and then people leave and then you feel like when people leave you feel bad whether it's right or wrong so you would have had no doubt someone leave or you've got rid of someone and it's impacted the business and you're like am I making the right decision.

Dad's done this for 30 years. Yeah. Yeah. There was like Yeah.

And I'm just glad I'm I'm really naive. Like so the first uh sales software we brought on board, you know, I've kind of mentioned it to, you know, the few managers and and they're like, "No, no, blah, blah, blah. What about this?" You know, just all negative stuff. Y I'm like, "No, no, they've assured me it's going to be all good." So we go live and far out like it almost blew up the company.

Everyone's just hating on me like nothing's worked out, you know? Yeah. Um I so naive just what you do dig your heels in. Yeah.

Yug back yourself. Yeah. Just dug in. And uh what made just just on that what made you do that?

You reckon you because you knew it can't stay the way it is? If you stay the way it is, nothing will ever change. And then you're like your intention is obviously the right intention. You weren't, you know, coming in to make it worse.

So I I suppose is that a bit of a formula to go \ it. And then also I'm not going to get beaten here cuz well well our competitors at the time were using um iPads or devices and things like that. We're walking around with with pen and paper. Uh yeah, you know, it's like I just looked at the competitors, you know, you just look at who's doing it good.

Yeah. Don't reinvent the wheel. Exactly. Yeah.

Yep. Yep. So I just knew that far out. There was so many things that we needed to get better at.

Yeah. But like that that was just one of many. So yeah, everyone was hating on me for a good good week or or more probably, you know, after that and then that just kept happening. So then it was like a warehouse management software that was even worse.

Yep. That I think that created about 100 hours of credits having to be to be done by a um bookkeeping team. Yeah. So So they hated me.

Well, let's fast forward a few years. Like where where's all that now? Where's all the tech now? That's been probably one of your biggest shifts, right?

biggest roadblocks, biggest risks you took, and like where's it got you now and where's how efficient the business and where's the biggest wins. I guess it's all combined. So really the warehouse management software, what that was probably the major one because it's uh is that is that track and stock? That's in and out.

That's tracking stock in out. Yep. And then and then we did stage two, which is mobile scanners. So um ultimately we're just picking off like a pixel, but the volume was that much that you're going to get mistakes.

And so the amount of credits and mistakes that was happening, it just started making us look bad. Um and to the stage where I remember one of the drivers saying, "Oh, there's a sign at, you know, on the back of this saying, make sure you double check um you know, our company's stock." You know, that's enough chicken, isn't it? It is. It really is.

So um so then anyway we brought on these uh yeah spent about 100 grand transforming the warehouse y and and that was um is the sign taken down? Yeah 100% yeah 100% awesome and like great software buting hell the support man from these software companies it's like can be really bad. Yep. So so now you go in the like what's the process now?

What happens? So you order on the iPad from the IG or wherever. Yeah. So we like we've updated the sales softwares three times.

So now we're on to like a very very niche Australian company. Yep. That's all about uh it's a sales software just for independent um sales teams in Australia or merchandisers. All the reports that we ever wanted to do that we would have to you know do free Excel spreadsheets all these little you know we're just kind of like making these little reports you know work together.

They're all on there. Yeah. So we now have like I would say the best sales software. Y um it's just all inhouse.

I'm talking GPS tracking rosters. Um yeah, even like uh you don't even, you know, it's got billboards, so you don't even have to send emails to them. It's all just done on the app. It's a one-stop shop.

Well, I I think like it's like any business or or manufacturing or anything. I think you don't Sorry, I just cancelled that. Um I think your biggest thing would be like being more efficient with product and not getting egg on face by a client. sign on the door or, you know, missing product or giving away too much product by human error, right?

Correct. Yep. Yeah. Like, well, how do I put this in a good way?

like you, you know, people if if your KPIs are um you know, to to have a clean car, um y and that's the only thing you get measured on um then all the other things that you know you're supposed to be doing, um people are going to start just y flowing towards just make sure their car's clean just because that's the only thing they're getting measured on. Yeah. You know, and so to measure, you know, have a lot of KPIs, you need the data and the reporting. Yep.

And you can't just be pumping out Excel spreadsheets all the time. Y um spend more time on that. Oh my god, that's right. And even just the reports that do get automatically like um pumped out, you still got to go through it and make sure that data is correct.

So for us, it's about all the KPIs that we want for for a good salesperson to make sure that they're actually serving servicing the customer properly. Yep. I think it's really important to have it all in one place. Yep.

Yep. And make it just efficient to where they're sales people. They're not administration people. So you got to make it as easy as possible for them.

Yeah. So there's no excuses. Yep. So what um and and go back into the office, your procurement side of things in accounts.

Yeah. Like it must make that easier. You must have that must have changed. Oh yeah.

Like ordering stock now for me is just um like I remember when my dad would order stock, he would literally just grab the stock on hand, no sales history, and just kind of go through and go, "Oh yeah, get another p of that." You know, but now um yeah, we've got you know what you're ordering every month, what you've sold, what you got left over, what you ran out early. Yep. How much is on hold, how much got sent yesterday, trends. Yeah.

It generates um you know, proposed order for you. Y did your dad come and have a look at this stuff now? Oh, just go. Yeah.

Yeah. But he still comes in. He he'll go down the warehouse and Cool. He He'll um you know, pick orders or sweep the floor or Y.

Yeah. He's He's a champ. I was going to ask you this earlier and you said you don't haven't talked much about it, but I I don't doubt for a second deep down he's pretty proud man. Oh yeah.

\ Yeah. No. No. He lets me know.

He does. Oh, good. Yeah. He's really good like that.

He them old school guys, they're hard asses sometimes and they they they I think they struggle with that bit. But um that's that's great if he does because uh to my face to my face he's always still challenging me you know but to others he yeah he definitely uh he definitely praises me up which uh you know I really appreciate and I bet you he um even even yourself you know or him he's like thank I stuck in there and backed you know backed you because you know when everyone else is against Yeah. Yeah. And and I'm so glad it was that company and not uh another company that his merchandising company.

Yeah. Because that wasn't really a legacy company. He kind of he just owned the state. Mhm.

But to actually drive something that my dad's started from scratch and then to grow it like another two 300%. That's unreal. So that's what you've grown over the last few years. Eh.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's awesome.

Yeah. What's what's happening moving forward link? Yeah. Moving forward to be honest.

So we've made all these massive investments. Yep. Across everything. So I'm talking from infrastructure to software to this.

So it's it's all the investments have been made even staff. But now we just need to go through and actually get the best out of those investments. Make sure that we understand you know and we're actually using these software programs to its fullest capabilities. Y um then or you know when we bring on a software that it's freed up somebody and that person is now training you know our staff better you know um sweating all the improvements evolving improving constantly we build a new um confectionary warehouse are we are we doing third party logistics now for confectionary y uh so so yeah it's kind of just more about um I guess I guess really just getting the most out of all these investments yeah yeah because it takes time to get your return on the back and it's not just the money outlay, it's the time and like you said the everyone pushes back so it upsets productivity and you know all that kind of stuff and redeem and all that.

Yeah. And like uh we only had a couple of good managers at the time. Yep. And they just they're just so overworked and uh we try and get them we try and get them help hiring getting the right person.

Yeah. You know sometimes it takes years and years of trying. Um, so like as example, my sales manager, like she's just been so bogged down, like literally just, you know, thank God she's still there. Yep.

Yeah. Like um credit, but you know, for the last four years, we try to get her like a sales administration support and and every time we get someone, it just doesn't work out. Creates more work for her. Y which ultimately stops her from um doing her real job, which is training the sales team and pulling these reports and holding them accountable.

Yeah. Um but instead she's just doing administration. But finally now we've got it sorted. Yeah.

What um if you don't mind um how how'd you go with the family over the last few years with all this implementation, the the stresses, the sleepless nights, no doubt that you had because um you know obviously grabbing this business then probably going I'm going to make it happen and then realizing you don't know what you don't know, right? Yeah. So, uh, you got a beautiful wife, three kids between you. Yeah, got a beautiful wife and, uh, you know what?

Um, right back at the start, she she would jump in. Y, um, you know, and definitely, yeah, I remember like, you know, like we fired the the administration person, the main one, and, uh, I had someone lined up to to come step in and there no show and my wife's just working there full time, just for herself. Yeah. Life got busy real quick, hey, with the kids, you know, as soon as they start doing sport, um, and all the schools.

And so it took it took us a little bit to realize that we're kind of stretching ourselves thin. Hey, so what was your what's your main sport? Uh, baseball. Baseball.

Yeah, baseball. Yeah. Yeah. And and tell us a little bit about that over the years when you played it.

I was never any any good, but yeah, I just played it growing up. So So I still know the community. I I remember that because I don't know many people play baseball, but I remember when we first met. And then I think you got your kids into it, haven't you?

I I have. Yeah. Yeah. My boy likes footy more.

Oh, does he? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

But uh but back to back to the family thing. Uh then my wife was like just working part-time as a sales rep. Yep. Loved it.

But then we realized, you know what? Like it's it's just making home life so tense because we're just so uh underresourced at home and you need them there. They're your rock, right? And we're like, well, you know what?

We don't need the money. Y um so, you know, why don't you just become a full-time stay at home mom? Y um happiness. I think it was tough for her, you know, cuz Yeah, she she uh she really likes, you know, um feeling like she's got some input and purpose.

Yeah. Purpose. Exactly. See, this is what And look, it happened with my ex as well.

They they don't realize like you that you you need it's a huge job at home and I probably realize it even more after splitting. Like it's like the kids getting all the stuff right, you know, taking the weight off you because when they go and work, what happens? You get more weight, but then you're like your mind is present and on one focus. It's putting food on the table and succeeding and building, you know, whatever it is, right?

And they don't realize how important their job is and they think we undervalue it. I think they undervalue themselves. They judge themselves. I definitely undervalued it.

You did? 100%. Yep. I'm like, you just take the kids to school and that's it.

you know, uh, but you don't realize about all these things I got organized in the background. Um, yeah. So, I definitely did undervalue it. Um, and when you look look back at it, you're like, you don't you don't want them to be under the pump like you are.

That's why you're doing what you're doing. You know what I mean? Yes. You you want them to like be present and focused with the kids cuz we sacrificed that a lot.

Yeah. I believe right. I know I did. And I probably didn't reflect in that till after I split.

And it's like you don't realize be that your driver to put food on the table, be successful, and be better than what you know you were when you were younger or better than your parents or whatever it is. You don't realize that that ends up coming first and being as present as maybe you could be. I look back now and go, I probably could have been more present. Maybe didn't run to the office every time.

Yep. Definitely. Same. So, you need the wife there to they're that rock for them as well as they are for you.

Totally agree. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

I'm that person, too. I'm like uh I guess you know when when I'm not really feeling the best about myself I'll just like just throw myself more into the business want to achieve more and you know and I think that's by way of like um oh look at me I'm doing fine look you know but really that's the same that's me on uh as I'm as I'm becoming unhealthy ultimately I I resonate with you heaps man and um and that's when you're like sitting here actually this is why we you know sit here and peel the layers back. It's like when you sit here and actually think about it, you're like that's why we probably do underestimate what they do and you know keep keep the wheels moving at home, right? Totally.

Cuz home is your safe spot. Yeah. And we probably take that for granted a bit because we end up I think work ends up being our safe spot because we feel like we're achieving all the purpose. Yes.

But really the women don't want the money. They don't want all that. They actually just want you there in the end as well. I know.

And that's the bit that because you can't buy that, you know. It's Yeah. You know, and I think that's a good though that Well, it's good. It's good that they just want you there.

Like my M is the same. She couldn't get stuff about the money. Y she just wants me there at home with her and the kids making memories. I reckon there's a balance, right?

It's like I think about it heaps now, right? And it's like Yeah. But if you want to live very comfortable and flexible, but I like am I going to work like this to 60? No.

Yep. It's not about the white picket fence anymore and the old school way of doing it. I think it's like enjoy life. But you got to do that sacrifice too though.

Like you can't just be cruisy, not have that driven driver and all that kind of stuff and then have flexibility. There's just balance, right? It's just catch. Yeah.

And we never really discuss like, okay, what does it look like? What are the No one does. No one does, you know. So, and there was times where I'd be like just And like you said, like, you know, my safe place was at work.

You know, I've hired all the staff, so they're you know, I obviously like them. Um, and you make great friends. So, you know, even on the weekend, I'll be like, "Oh, yeah, that's broken down." I'll go in and help him fix that. Do I really need to?

No. Should I really be spending time with the fam? Yes. What am I doing at work with the, you know, with a few of the other staff and uh and you're telling yourself, you know, you're not doing anything wrong.

You know, you you're providing, but really, you are, you know, neglecting your family. I I I always say it and uh I should have went and probably took a day off a week three years ago and spent it with my wife. Maybe marriage would have broke down. You know what I mean?

Like but you don't you don't get that ask until later. Um because you're trying to do you think you're doing the right thing putting food on the table and you know building building building. And uh the other the other thing is I was talking to a mate the other day. We're at the beach.

I was with his family and kids and we learned that we're talking about letting go of the ladder rung and delegating or going home early or doing something and you get that guilt guilty feeling when you're a business owner. Tell me about it. Now I'm probably a bit past that now cuz I'm like it if I want to do something I'll do it because I've just worked you knowing 10 15 years wet my off but to get to that point is hard like and I was talking to age about it and he and I'm like you should be able to like I think he was taking his mom for tests and it's like you should be able to do that without feeling guilty. That's why you got people in the business but but we get this feeling and it's like am I doing something wrong like you know.

Yeah I agree. No so this is something that me and my wife Yeah. like she she tries to drill into me all the time. Yeah.

Um but you got to realize that that's the thing. You can never be told. Yeah. But I just feel like look, I expect my staff to rock up and I expect them to turn up every day and give their all.

So I need to be there doing the same. But then once you start getting some good managers underneath you that can that can kind of like keep control of that culture. Y then it's starting to become easier now. And and but my dad like like I would get to work at like 9:00 and my dad would ring me and go I went past work today 7 o'clock.

You weren't even there. Yeah. And I used to get in at 6:00, you know. Well, that's where it comes from.

Yeah. So it's like, you know, that's the culture. Yeah. Or he would drive past my house and and he see my car there.

Oh, not at work again today, are you? Oh, okay. Yeah. Not a bad life for some.

Yeah. You know, and it's like, but that's that survival mode, right? That's that different generation. Like I the other piece is the more we allow and let go of the latter rung, someone else can come up.

So if we don't challenge our feeling because of our parents and our gener older generations, we don't allow the manager to actually do the job either because you don't need to be there and like when the owner's present, people know, right? And yeah, it's good to lead by example, but I think there's a balance there. You don't hire you don't get a dog to bark for it, right? No, I don't have problems with delegating at all.

like um yeah, I'm cool with delegating, you know, to to the point of I think one of my my behavioral profiles said I'm a great delegator to the point of being lazy. Yeah. You know what I mean? But hey, well, a lot of people say now like try and be lazy because you you become better at the delegation, right?

Yeah. And and you think different than trying to do the work for the people. Yeah. Um and that's where a lot of business owners struggle.

But but even just running to work, like that feeling of sitting at home and you should be at work, like should you? There's no rule book. Yeah. I think it's just important with the culture piece like to just to be there to help work through issues to you know um like I'm big on like there's no shouting and carrying on when mistakes happen and my work is like okay well how yeah how are we going to get through this you know you know I'm not I'm not barking orders at anyone I'm not stressed out so why are you guys you know uh I'm not breathing down your necks let's just work through this that's so good let's just come up with a solution so it doesn't happen again yep and and let's just move on Yeah.

Um, and just have a laugh about it. So, you're giving that safe space for them to think about it, not be under pressure, which obviously that'll be different in generations as well. Probably, you know, we we probably grew up, you know, working. Yep.

For sure. Oh, my dad, man. Far out. Paul.

Oh, he just flippy. Hey. Yeah. Yeah.

Like nice guy, but yeah. G flippy \ sometimes. So, yep. You can't do that these days, but No, you can't.

All right. Um, what else? What haven't we covered? Tell me something.

No, nothing. Sorry. um one bit about you, what's with the uh so what's the purpose of this this podcast and what's uh well motivation like so and so going over the last like even knowing you for the last six years right what we end up talking about when we catch up is how's life how's the family how's the business what's going on what are the struggles we haven't really we don't talk insurance much we don't talk you know that happens never and you know what it actually happens with all clients all friends family all that kind of stuff and I've been want to do it for about 3 years and and it's exactly like now like why because I want to provide the value get to know people more and we've all got we've all got the same challenges right and I was part of the CEO institute a while ago as well and what I what I worked out sitting in a room of 14 people whether you're concrete whether you're digital whether you're insurance whatever we've all got the same issues whether it's HR employment revenue profit you know all the all the fundamentals of business and then I think one of the biggest pieces I learned these days probably a while ago but there's no 9 to5 now and there's no you as a business owner personal life comes in just as much and like yeah my biggest chicken now is probably separating with my wife right like um happy now and I think she's happy too but the reflection out of that and the accountability and the holding the hand up personally is huge and um and if a little bit we talk about today resonates with someone and helps because Because a lot of people are too scared to talk about this stuff or they won't open up and I I'm I'm pretty I think one of my strengths is getting people to open up because I'm vulnerable. So if I am other people are like you you probably wouldn't be jumping jumping on a podcast, right?

And you've been pretty relaxed all day like I said you would be and it's been really cool to chat. Yeah. Well to be honest I hate people that aren't vulnerable, you know. Y I can't stand people that it's just a facade the whole time, you know, because that's not real world.

Y real world is we're at home fighting with our misses. We're punching our kids this and that. We've got you know um you know got issues with staff um you know drinking too much whatever it is but that's what really that's real life. That's the reality and we're all actually trying to better ourselves.

There's not many people I know whether whether it's for people that are really bad or what but there's not not many people on earth I don't think that aren't trying or want to better themselves even 1% a day like there there isn't and it all comes back to this same stuff yes but we're just all different points no better no worse it's just our I'll go back to your question the journey is all about our own book and we've all got one each eight billion people in the world we've all got a book we've all got set chapters y and understanding what's a chapter and open close one chapter out to the next. That's a big thing I've learned from the separation and and business and people in business as well last couple of years, few years. Um we've all got our own book and chapters and um and our own journey. And I think the biggest thing is grasping it, grabbing it.

And I spoke about this last night is getting hold of it and learning from it and taking the positive like glass half full out of most things like and like talking to you today going back over and I didn't know how much you're going to open up. Obviously, I know a little bit personally, but going back over this and how you've grabbed hold of it and then reflecting on it, why you are where you are today is aing huge piece of where your resilience at, why we're having this chat about business. Yeah. Why you've finally proven to your dad that you're not going to up and you're going to prove him right and like, "Thanks, Dad." Like, that's pretty cool.

Yeah. To be honest, this is like the first time I've ever like this with anyone. Um, but a dollar for every time someone's sat there and said that now. Yeah.

Um and this is the reason if that answers your question. Yeah. The journey. The journey.

Yeah. Yep. Yeah. For sure.

And that's what um Yeah. And so it's good it's good to reflect back on it but but still so you know your key motivator is it just to is it to help other people or is it to Yep. other people any financial? No financial mate.

Like indirectly I think relationships content all that kind of stuff. Nothing financial. Does it tie in with some other business? No, it like it will.

It'll my personal brand. One of the biggest things I'm working on this year is connect strategy like branding and all that. I've had a pretty big bushfire last 12 months with connect uh structure change being in the background talking about um not being on the front end. Um so that's getting done.

My personal brand, I love talking business, love doing this stuff and the journey and and that all ties in. There's no there's no money behind it. I think providing value is a big piece. Like I I go to dinner with a heap of lads once a month.

Um you're not talking business, personal, we all got the same things. Yeah. Um friends, family, it's all pretty much everything's pretty similar, right? We're all ups.

Yeah. Yeah. Well, it is. It is, man.

And like up all the time and and that whole vulnerability and accountability piece is is huge. Mitch actually we done a few little bit of bits of content on it before we kicked this off. And I think that's what this keeps coming back to because if you weren't vulnerable and accountable right now, our chat wouldn't have ran as smooth as it did. There is no way in the world because you can tell instantly, right?

And usually and even you were a little bit people don't realize it is there a little bit protection at the beginning and nearly every podcast is, but then when we get chatting, it's kind of what I told you last night. It's like when we get into it, you'll forget about all. Yeah. And it'll be like, "Hey man, so yeah, next." And then you start peeling it back and then we'll bounce back to where you were like on the rigs or whatever guy strangling you and then you because what happens I think you probably don't go to work and think about that stuff and piece it together.

Now we've just sat here and it's like it all kind of connects. Even me I've changed three four industries from working on farms when I was young to Tasmania to Navy to here to mining to insurance to marketing to sitting here doing a podcast with you. My biggest thing is all the people I met along the way and the learnings. Yeah.

And like you love that piece love it. And I'm just crossing the starting line. Like I got asked to get bought out the other day like my insurance business, right? By a bigger broker.

And I'm like, is the insurance fun? Does it? Yeah. I love it.

Is it? Yeah. I love it. It's good because because of this reason, not the policy bit.

Yeah. But the the problem solving, the people, the building rapport. Like when I get a win on the board for you, like no one everyone hates insurance. No one understands it.

But like getting a run on the board for you or a client like I've got two workers. What does a win on the board for me look like with insurance? Well, probably insuring your buildings when you didn't have an insurer to give you peace of mind moving forward. You don't have any major claims.

You've been really good uh as a program. So, it's about keeping it down every renewal. That's the that's the most with you. But if something happens if something happens to you, touchwood, we don't want to talk about it much, right?

Yeah. It could be pretty significant because you need product to earn revenue. Yep. Yeah.

Y now you're not a transport company where or a crane where you're out there earning revenue. So if something happened to your warehouse, you still earn revenue. You on the other hand. Yes.

Correct. That's what I need. So you need that peace of mind, right? And you need to go if something happens, what the is going to happen next.

Y now we don't want nothing to happen with you because it's a pretty significant impact. Um because it's all about your DC and all that, right? Y which is what we spoke about before. Yep.

just just on insurance is it when there's something significant happens and the way that you kind of support your client that that's when it really you get to shine. Yeah. You know because you know up until now touchwood like I haven't had any major insurance. So I'm thinking I'd love every client but yeah I'm like I'm like just kicking back you know just yeah like what is a good it's it's like when people say why are my premiums this when I haven't had a claim in 20 years.

Well if you had a claim your premiums would be higher. Yes. It's the same thing like you I don't you don't want to hear from me and I don't want to hear from you because besides it's having a beer or a coffee or getting on a podcast right I like yesterday I uh I was a bit croo in the morning I never went to a couple of meetings but I had three meetings online hour each and I had about four workers comp calls and two of them are pretty like yeah strategic I got you that had to escalate to work cover had to escalate to a state manager of one of the insurers y I don't want to be doing that but that is where the relationship comes in still on the phone till I think 6:00 last night on the way to dinner like I had a text late last night 9:00 whatever which is cool I I love that and what I found even one of the clients yesterday um one of them is a long-term client I put my business hat on most of the time because I I come from the operation side and not just broking and I love business you'll find that I'll talk to a lot of business owners about business and like the HR p the same me and you talk about same thing we spoke about in this podcast. I actually do that with most clients.

I always say I'm the broker with no tie. So I I'll talk like these guys hear me heaps. I reckon 60 70% of the time it's not about insurance policy because that kind of runs. There's a there's a process and a workflow and a you know all that stuff but um like you might ring me man I got to get rid of this personally.

How's that impacting insurance? But then we start talking about it. It's like how'd you go about it? And I'll be like hey I use this or we do this.

Yeah. And that happens at least half the time. It's not just it's the business hat, the friend hat. Offline they'll be like, "Hey, Paul, what would you do here because I always give my opinion, right?

Like go to another brokerage." They might not. They might be really clinical and strict. My personality is different. Hence why I'm doing the journey.

It all relates. Yeah. And I've changed so many industries and stuff, but when you go over my my road map, it actually all links to risk in the end. you know, being on my site, signing risk assessments, moving 700 ton diggers, like it was all risk, right?

Go back to the Navy, you know, I I learned a lot through that journey. Yeah. Taking the jump, moving away from home. Yep.

You know, all that kind of stuff. Yep. And so, yeah. Okay, I'll get you now.

Yeah. See, I'm thinking insurance. I'm thinking about motor vehicle claims and all these little stuff, you know, but you know, it goes far beyond that. It does.

Start workers compensation and Definitely. Yeah. And the more you employ, the more pressure you get, the more you grow. you know, you've grown two 300%.

So that there's a higher risk of a claim happening. So when we go back to renewal, it's like, well, how come he's grown 200%? How come there's an extra 20 p? You know, whatever it is, right?

Yeah. So we got to justify that. That's our job in the background that you don't see because we don't need to, you know, always come back to you. Um, and if there's nothing and there's no no event or you know, anything like that, it's a good thing.

Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Okay.

Tell me what you got out of today. Yeah. I got out. Um, it's like got to be vulnerable, you know.

Yeah. Cool. And it's really cool. Yeah.

And uh, you know, just to be just to be okay. None of us are perfect. Yeah. Um, but it's and we're alling human.

Yeah. That's exactly right. That's exactly right. Yeah.

And I I I got one more question for you and I think I know what your answer's going to be, but just before that, you being vulnerable today and I I didn't know how much you were going to be, right? Like you didn't want to get on here. You never post. You never do anything.

totally opposite. So, I really appreciate that. Mitch does a wicked job. We try not to cut too many podcasts, but we got to do all that stuff.

So, if there's anything in there that's not I don't think there was much today. You didn't turn around and go, "Hey, don't don't put that up." It was actually really wicked podcast. Um, it was good to get to know you better. Um, but I just love how vulnerable you are when I actually thought after yesterday you wouldn't be.

I thought you'd have more walls up, but I think I can tell by the way you sit, you relax. The way you spoke, it was it flowed. Yeah. Well, look, I just I don't know about you, but all these kind of uh business advisers and you go to all these places and seminars, I just hate when they're just perfect, cookie cutter, non-relatable, you know, life's perfect, everything's all, you know, um no issues.

I just don't find that relatable, you know. So, I like to talk to people that, you know, are being honest um and can just say it how it is. Anyone can win. It's the hard times and the and the and the challenges that \ bust everyone, right?

Yeah. And and and no one's ever turned around and askked me a couple of questions. So, it's pretty cool. So, now last question.

Um nominate someone to get on here. Shout out. Yeah. It's 100% it's got to be No, honestly.

Um I went I think I went past Did you drop in there and see him at Battery World? Only the other day. Yeah. Yeah.

Gotcha. Honestly, cuz uh I've been in there before. Yeah. But I I called him the other day.

He wasn't there. You know what? Cuz he's got some goods about staff and and uh he's got a good journey, you know, lived in Singapore, loves motorbikes and um I met him when he worked for Boom Logistics and I was with BHP. That's how we met originally.

You know what? So, um, yeah, Null, he he's like the the best uncle I never had growing up. Um, he was just that cool guy. Yeah.

But, uh, I actually don't know his journey really, you know, like what was he doing in We're going to find out, you know, I went there on holiday, stayed at his house, but I didn't understand what he was doing. Um, you know, cuz I was quite young then. So, and and he's another one that backed you in your corner. I remember when he first said, "Hey, meet Trent." He's like, he's gone through a bit of a rough try.

Didn't tell me much obviously. Yeah. And then me and you just clicked anyway. Um, and you were pretty open, but um, yeah, he he's the reason he's the reason that you're sitting here today.

Yeah. Yep. No, thanks. Thank you, bro.

Thank you, mate. Thank you for having us. It was good. Yeah.

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