Ballarat locals Adrian Willingham and Brenton Simpson both have backgrounds in the construction industry, and they are long term friends.

While on one hand this makes them a great fit for Hotondo Homes, which sees franchisees build homes of varying shapes and sizes, on acreage blocks through to beachside locations, it also raises the question: should franchisees invest with a friend?

A PARTNERSHIP BASED ON RESPECT

Adrian and Brenton, who both have more than 20 years of industry experience, immediately realised the business would perform at its best if they were to work together to achieve a common goal.

“We each have our own area of expertise and we respect each other’s skill set, so we don’t step on each other’s toes,” said Adrian.

“We also forget quickly. If we have an argument, we just resolve it and move on. At the end of the day, we both want the same thing.”

Brenton added they trust one another. “It’s comforting to know that if I take a day off, that I can leave Adrian in charge and know that things are being taken care of, and vice versa.”

A SIMILAR WORK ETHIC

Aside from respecting one another’s skill set, it also helps that Adrian and Brenton’s attitude towards the business is similar – they are equally passionate about it.

“We’re both really driven guys, so if it’s not right, it’s not right, and if it’s not good enough, it’s not good enough,” said Adrian.

The pair are constantly working on ways to improve the business, whether it be through the implementation of new workflows or strategies to boost employee morale.

“We’re always striving to challenge ourselves all the time. We talk as a team about ways we can improve the business and how we can motivate our staff. We have a shared passion and that definitely keeps us on the front foot,” Adrian explained.

“We don’t stop thinking about how to better the business,” added Brenton. “And if we come up with a more efficient way to do something, we implement it.”

THE SAME MOTIVATIONS

Adrian and Brenton, along with their wives Amira and Lisa, sought out the brand for the same reason – to support their families.

“We joined Hotondo Homes to give our children the best possible life we can,” said Lisa. “In terms of juggling work and family life, it has been tough, but things have definitely improved.”

“We work hard at managing the demands of the business and family life, but work isn’t a chore.”

“We definitely don’t wake up not wanting to go to work or dreading the thought. Brenton and I certainly spend a lot of time talking about building homes – so it’s definitely a passion. It has to be,” she added.

“We had to put in hard work and it’s finally paying off,” said Adrian.

“We no longer have to work weekends. We have hired a fantastic team that we feel confident about leaving in charge, so this has allowed us to spend some quality time with our kids.”

The Hotondo Homes Ballarat team, from left to right: Brenton Simpson, Amira Willingham, Adrian Willingham, Lisa Simpson, Adam Stainer, Alannah Simmons and Brett Simpson. 

THE SUPPORT NETWORK  

The backing and support of the Hotondo Homes brand has helped to ensure the smooth running of the business, from the initial stages right through to the present.

Adrian and Brenton were assigned a sales and operations manager when they joined the business two years ago, who along with the company’s national sales manager helped them with a recent move.

“[They] gave us a lot of good advice when we were choosing the ideal location for both our display and shop front.

“Obviously they’ve had a lot of experience in knowing where the best sites are in order to get the most traffic, so it’s always good to get their input,” the pair said.

Brenton praised the business model, a reflection of the brand’s set of tried and tested systems and procedures. “The Hotondo Homes business model makes it easy.

“It’s all set out for you, so instead of winging it, which is what we had a habit of in the past, there is a process that we follow,” he added.

Hotondo also takes care of national marketing, which includes radio, press and television advertising, enabling them to focus on running the business.

“We continue to be impressed by what the marketing team present, and not having to worry about it is an added bonus,” they said.

FRIENDS FOR THE LONG RUN

It seems friendship paired with business works well for Adrian and Brenton, who are pleased with how the business is tracking and are optimistic about the future.

“Last year and this year have been awesome,” Adrian said.

“Last financial year we reported 30 jobs, we have moved to a new shop front and opened a new display home. Two years ago if we were told that we would be running these kinds of numbers, we wouldn’t have believed it.”

They have established firm goals for the business over the next five years, Adrian explained. “Now we have set the eventual goal to comfortably build 50-60 homes a year. Ultimately we would also like to have more free time, but we’re confident we can make it happen.”