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Adam Satherley and Troy Morgan from Your Solutions started their construction, project management and joinery business from a small Napier office in January 2011. To cope with rapid expansion, six months later they joined forces with former colleague Craig Russell to set up a joinery division. Now, a little more than a year since start-up, the company employs 10 staff, in a fully equipped 300 sq/m building in Onekawa.

Ask Adam Satherley why Your Solutions has grown so fast, so quickly, and the 28 year old keeps coming back to a passion for outstanding customer service, honesty and responsibility. Combine this with a versatility that has seen them work on jobs scaling the heights of Ruapehu, to completing projects for jewellery giant Pandora, and it’s easy to see why this young team are on their way to becoming one of Hawke’s Bay’s SME success stories.

Trades qualified Adam, Troy and Craig are former FPG (Future Products Group) employees, and have been involved in large scale projects, both in New Zealand and Australia. Adam headed one of the teams to fit out the Coles service station chain across the Tasman. The work has given them an appreciation for the demands of bigger customers, needing turn-key results. However their attention to detail as craftsmen means they have the precision and skills to manage niche jobs, from fitting a small shop, building and renovating a home, fitting out a restaurant, retail store, domestic kitchen or designing and building a fence.

When Jetts Fitness provided an opportunity to fit out the Napier site, Adam jumped at the chance, completing the turn-key job in four weeks - half the allocated timeframe.

“They were so impressed with the work and our attention to detail, they asked us to project manage, build and fit out 17 Jetts locations around the country.”

Big Save are another key client. A recent project involved the design and build of “pods” ready for use in the Big Save stores, as instant finance stations. The design room allows customers to view the finished product, as well as looking at designs before they go into production.

The business has moved ahead at such a pace, it’s not surprising Adam and Troy identified a need for advice, managing their business systems.

They applied for help through the New Zealand Trade and Enterprise business assistance voucher programme.

Regional Business Partner specialist Karen Cooper met with the team last year and says the business was the ideal candidate for the scheme.

“SME’s often need help to grow their business and develop management skills, and that’s where we come in,” Karen says.

“Businesses might have several capability gaps and we can assist them with a range of support services such as marketing, finance, HR, business planning and lean business practice.

An introduction was made to John Hutchinson from Plan A Consulting, and under the NZTE voucher system, half the costs were covered for the business planning assistance.

Adam admits managing the back end of the business is not his area of expertise.

“We needed the guidance to point us in the right direction.”

With the business benefitting from the advice, Adam and Troy have taken John on as a business mentor.

 New systems have been put in place, including live running hours for monitoring productivity and an effective process for work on new projects.

“We all have our individual roles now and the business is working so efficiently that if I’m not here, things keep running smoothly.”

Although turnover has doubled in the first year, and the forecast remains positive for the next five years, Adam is cautious about over capitalising.

“We want to take it in our stride – we’re here for the long term.”

THE NZTE VOUCHER PROGRAMME IS HERE TO HELP YOUR BUSINESS:

• Business Planning
• Marketing
• Business Systems
• Business Sustainability
• Capital Raising
• Export
• Finance
• Governance
• Managing Resources
• Lean Manufacturing/Business Operations

For more details contact Karen Cooper, NZTE, [email protected]