Defining Success: Rhys from Upfront Builders
We spoke recently with Rhys of Upfront Builders in Rotorua, one of our wonderful clients who builds incredible high-end homes with his team. His journey as a business owner is inspiring, as are his sporting achievements! A few fun facts about Rhys to set the scene: he won the Tarawera Ultra Marathon in 2021, and has represented NZ and won multiple NZ titles in various high-level yachting events.
Rhys took us through his business ownership journey—the highs, the lows, and a complete relocation, plus his thoughts on outsourcing admin to Released! It’s been a pleasure and a privilege to work alongside the Upfront team.
Background to Upfront: tale of a Kiwi trades business
Rhys took up building as a trade at 16 to fund his pursuit of success in the yachting world. Eventually, his focus shifted and in 2013 Upfront Builders was born: a new dream to work for himself. Originally based on Auckland’s North Shore, it quickly grew to run two crews.
About seven years ago, Rhys and his family made the decision to move out of Auckland for lifestyle reasons. The effort to “work less, live more” included downsizing Upfront to two employees in addition to himself—a set-up which has proved very satisfactory! With some administrative support from Released, everything’s ticking along nicely.
Hurdles and hat-juggling
Any small business owner will know about wearing multiple hats. Being on the tools is often a tradie’s first love, but there are other tasks to take on: bookkeeping, planning and strategy, leadership, policy… the list goes on!
Rhys shared some of the challenges he encountered along his journey with Upfront:
Finding the clientele that fit his work.
Establishing a reputation.
Keeping cash flowing as he built up the business.
Sleep deprivation as a new business owner, on top of raising a young family.
““I kinda got through those first two years on V… that’s a past life, I don’t drink V anymore!””
One particular mistake that Rhys has learnt from is overloading himself. He found himself wanting to wear every single hat, but unable to do them all justice. The solution was to seek help from the experts!
The power of outsourcing
Rhys initially sought help from FreeUp to find and implement software systems that would have his business running more smoothly and free up some time. This was a fantastic foundation, and he named this as his advice to other business owners: find an app that works well for you, links with your accounting software, and use it to make life easier.
A referral to Released meant that Rhys could hang up a few of his hats. Outsourcing to the experts, he says, allows him to put his focus where it needs to be—and also contributes to his “work less, live more” goal.
““You start out with this passion and love for your business… the sky’s the limit, but you can’t get there on your own.””
Trust, Rhys admits, can be the most difficult part of outsourcing crucial business tasks. Letting an outsider have access to financial information, especially in a small business where everything feels more personal, is not easy. Kellie, Released’s founder and director, put him at ease and he soon became comfortable with his assigned VA and team.
Rhys said that he would definitely recommend outsourcing administration or marketing to any business owner feeling overwhelmed by the daily grind. It’s often a hard step to take, but worth it when business systems become more efficient and time is freed up for life, leadership, and more.
Benefits of working with Released
We asked Rhys which specific pain points were resolved when he took advantage of Released’s VA services. The first, of course, was something we hear over and over: “my inbox!”
Having someone to triage and deal to his emails was a weight off his shoulders. He has also found that his VA, in addition to the right software systems, has created and implemented systems that allow everything to run smoothly. He can track materials, back cost jobs, and keep on top of timesheets much more easily.
Rhys mentioned that the flexible, scalable nature of Released’ services meant it wasn’t a huge investment to get started—and once he had, he could pay for and get what he needed.
What’s next for Upfront Builders?
Big financial goals are in the past for Rhys! As mentioned, he left Auckland and downsized the business with the intention of working less, living more—and that’s a business objective we can get behind. He has, he says, “been there with the big goals.” Now, his aim is to keep the company ticking along successfully, enjoy his family and hobbies, and build quality homes.
It’s the nature of a tradie to want to be on the tools. The current size of his business and a bit of administrative help allows Rhys to be hands-on and creative.
We wish Rhys and the Upfront Builders team the very best! Head on over to their brand-new website to find out more about what they do and check out some of the beautiful homes they have built!
