When Kelly and Alex Hyland took over Steve Wolter Plumbing to establish Alex Hyland Plumbing, they inherited a solid customer base, skilled kaimahi, and a well-respected business. Like many new business owners, they were quickly met with the demands of running a business with long hours, competing priorities, and limited time to plan for growth.
“We were working ridiculous hours,” says Kelly. “Alex was up at 4am, with both of us working late into the night and on weekends. We knew it couldn’t continue like that and that we needed support to grow the business sustainably.”
They turned to the business growth team at the Trust, which delivers the government’s RBP programme in the region. They participated in an initial discovery session with one of the growth advisors, providing an opportunity to reflect on business challenges, identify goals, and develop a tailored support plan. From there, they worked together to build an action plan centred on sustainable growth, efficient systems, and a stronger team culture.
The Trust provided a subsidy for Kelly and Alex to connect and work with Ian Parker of IP Business Consulting, one of several approved providers for the RBP programme in the region.
“Alex was already well-versed in plumbing, drainlaying, and gasfitting. My role was to come alongside them and assist them in developing skills to manage and own a business,” says Ian.
“They were in a space similar to many small business owners, wearing many different hats and struggling to work on the business, not just in it,” says the Trust’s business growth and innovation manager, Joe Williams. “With the right plan and support, they began building the business they wanted, not just reacting to things as they happen.”
Improving their financial understanding, engaging their team and developing clear systems for sustainable growth were some of the first challenges that Ian helped Alex and Kelly tackle through the RBP programme.
With his guidance, they expanded the team from six to fifteen staff and introduced new practices to boost team engagement, productivity and performance. Newly implemented staff-led Monday meetings gave kaimahi a space to share ideas and feel heard, while regular project debriefs allowed the team to reflect on what worked and what didn’t, helping avoid repeat mistakes. They also introduced a four-and-a-half-day work week to support better work-life balance, while still meeting productivity goals and delivering high-quality results.
“With Ian’s support and local knowledge of Gisborne’s market, we built better systems, gained clearer financial insight and created a team culture where people felt valued and motivated to come to work every day.
“Reaching out to the Trust’s business growth team early gave us the tools, guidance and confidence to grow a business we’re proud of that works for us, our team and our customers.
“I’d definitely recommend the RBP programme to other business owners. Having that support early on made a huge difference for us,” says Kelly.
For Ian, the RBP programme is about meeting people where they’re at. “You don’t have to be in trouble to ask for help. Come early. The earlier you connect with the Trust’s business growth team and the RBP programme, the more impact it can have. I can’t understate the value of the RBP and what it can unlock,” says Ian.
Read more from our 2024/25 Annual Report
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