In this episode I chat to Mark Denning, owner and managing director of Fallon Solutions about risks he’s taken over the years, investing in training for staff and networking throughout Australia and across the pond in the US.
Brisbane-based Fallon Solutions provides B2C and B2B trade services to customers in South East Queensland, including electrical, plumbing, air conditioning, carpentry and all that comes with it.
The company employs more than 170 permanent staff, has 100 service vehicles and a pool of talent ready to jump in to help continue its reputation of being the most responsive business in their field.
Since buying the business in 2005, Mark, who has run businesses of $40m through to $150m, has made changes to the business structure that has resulted in an impressive 1500% increase in revenue.
Episode Highlights:
- Mark’s professional responsibilities - owner and MD of Fallon Solutions, providing trade services in B2C and B2B sectors
- How Mark came to be a business owner
- The scope of Fallon Solutions - 170-strong team and turning over $30m a year
- Marketing and Psychology at University, along with an E-Commerce degree
- Born in Germany, completed schooling in Brisbane, and worked as a tax accountant
- Working in the UK and moving back to Brisbane
- Key milestones in the growth of Fallon Solutions
- Mark’s realisation that the company wasn’t making money
- Travelling to speak with competitors in Sydney and US
- Carving out a niche in the business world - best price, most responsive or best quality
- Fallon Solutions’ catchcry - ‘We can be there today’ and trying to retain that whilst doubling business
- Raising the price to become the best value for money
- Business doubled within two years - adding another 50 vehicles and employing a whole new range of different tradies
- Taking a risk in a price-driven market
- Adding value for customers - offering a complimentary home inspection
- Giving his staff extra training to build up their skill set so Fallon Solutions could offer more to its customers
- Evaluating the business culture and addressing the problems
- Moving from West End to Mansfield
- How Mark has stayed inspired and grown as a leader
- Networking with other organisations across Australia and the Service Nation Alliance and CEO Warrior in the US to share ideas
- Differences between Fallon Solutions and US organisations in the same industry
- Mark’s vision for the future - stabilise the business, strengthen the management team and look at the possibility of building their own IT
- The battle of changing IT systems - investing in SEO
- How home intelligence will change the future of the industry
- Teaching Fallon Solutions’ staff to learn with their hands - a lot of tradies are kinesthetic learning
- What Mark does in his spare time - travelling, time with family and exercising
“We’re part of the Service Nation Alliance and CEO Warrior in the US to share ideas and share training. The real learning comes from meeting people over there and asking to visit their shop and see how they do things.” - Mark Denning
