Established in 1983, Simon and Sally have taken over the reins of the family business and are continuing to value family and quality over everything else. In recent years, Simon’s brother has also joined the team.
What values guide your family business?
Being in a small local family business has meant that family is always at the forefront of our minds. That means prioritising personal relationships, the quality of our work, and valuing time with those we love over profit and growth.
Our attention to detail in everything we do is important to us, from the work itself to the way we present ourselves and communicate with clients.
How does your family maintain a healthy work-life balance?
Being a business owner means that work-life balance is a massive juggle. We take the time to think about how the business impacts our whole family. We’ve been together since we were teenagers, well before we had careers or owned businesses, which has meant that we’ve grown up together and influenced each other’s priorities. Now that we have young children, it’s clarified that for us, the purpose of owning a business is to help us enjoy life, create flexibility where we can, and enjoy our time together. Being the boss, there is always more work to do; you have to know when to switch off so that you can enjoy a weekend together.
How does your family business contribute to the local community?
We support Canberra locals wherever we can, whether that be selecting local suppliers for material or frequenting a local coffee shop for morning tea.
Over the years, we have always donated to what we think matters to us, Lifeline and Canberra Rotary – Kids Circus is always something we love to do.
What roles do different family members play in the business?
Simon is the big boss and licensed plumber. He runs the business, organises work, manages staff and their workloads.
Sally keeps the business running by handling the financials and social media, uploading new content and making sure the boys on site are getting great photos.
Mark works part-time tending to some of his favourite long-term clients and jobs he enjoys doing.
Daniel has quickly learned what it means to be part of this dynamic and is pushing himself to learn more of the family business whilst perfecting his trade skills to become a licensed plumber.
What advice would you give other families looking to start a business?
Getting into business with family can be great, just remember to prioritise the things that are important (your relationships) and always be honest with each other. You may not always see eye to eye and that’s ok, clear communication with each other is the best thing!
Contact details
Call Simon directly on 0438 630 508 or check out our website!
W: www.actionplumbing.net.au
