Smart50 rank: 25
Revenue: $5,387,499
Growth: 51%
Founder: Brett Saunders, 29
Head Office: Queensland
Employees: 38
Industry: Other
Website: www.hiflow.com.au
Like any small business owner, Brett Saunders had trouble finding clients for Hiflow Industries in the early days – potential clients would dismiss the company as simply too small to work with.
But Saunders refused to give in. Instead, he simply attempted to make the business appear bigger than it was to give the impression clients were dealing with a well-established company.
"We were too small to get noticed. So I just marketed the business differently. I didn't sell myself as a director, I sold myself as a sales guy."
"People would assume there were higher ups than me, and even though the final decision came back with me I would often say I would have to check with my other managers to finalise the decision. I just made the whole business appear bigger."
The firm, which turns over more than $5 million a year and is growing at about 51%, offers air conditiong maintenance and mechanical services to industrial and commercial buildings, including large retailres like shopping centres.
But projecting a confident image isn't enough to gain clients on their own. Saunders invested time and effort into the company's qualifications, allowing it to service a number of clients some of its rivals could not.
"We had to have a point of difference which we could demonstrate to potential clients to show them the value we could bring to their business. The key lesson learnt is that persistence and backing yourself with what you believe can go a long way."
"We are one of only a couple of companies nationally that maintain government laboratories to PC4 standard and have been notably contributing in reducing the operational energy consumption of the mechanical services assets of our clients with our HVAC energy audits and site reports submitted to our contracted clients."
However, the company still faces challenges, including a more competitive market with falling prices due to rivals sourcing materials from overseas.
Moving forward, the company hopes to open a new branch in Melbourne during 2012, and the business is gearing up for that now.
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