Meet Mary Baird & Braeden Singleton, the small business owners of Singo’s Yard Maintenance business in Kununurra, Western Australia
Mary and Braeden are running their own business of yard maintenance, and cleaning services in Kununurra, WA since the last 1.5 years.
“We feel grateful to our business coach, Sarah Mitchell from Many Rivers because she is a great mentor with extensive experience in the business world. Meeting with Sarah every week is a great reassurance for us. She keeps a close eye on our business key performance indicators (KPIs) and offers valuable ideas and tips to attract more clients. Sarah goes beyond mentoring by assisting us in developing our business plan and creating a cashflow spreadsheet.”
Read more about Mary & Braeden’s business journey so far:
Mary & Braden’s Business
We’re in the business of yard maintenance, and we’ve recently expanded into cleaning services too. We officially started our business about 15-18 months ago.
As of now, we have 50 regular clients. Our clients, are mainly in aged care or those with busy schedules, benefit from our roster system. Some prefer services every two weeks or once a month. As part of our commitment to community support, we waive the $150 waste fee for single mothers or those facing financial challenges. We understand the challenges that people face and want to be there to assist them as much as we can by taking care of their yard maintenance and cleaning needs. Moreover, our business extends to Wyndham as well, where we serve 10 clients, while the majority, 40 clients, are based here in Kununurra.
Through our business, we try to actively give back to the community and we are also planning to dedicate a day for a community clean-up event, accompanied by a live barbecue.
What were you doing before you made contact with Many Rivers? What was your previous work experience?
Before reaching out to Many Rivers, we were originally based in Queensland. When we relocated to Kununurra, WA, we noticed a significant demand for yard maintenance in this area. Initially, we began with just five clients, but as we settled in, it became clear that there was a growing need for our services. Recognizing this opportunity, we decided to focus on yard maintenance full-time and identified a demand for cleaning services in the region as well.
During the initial eight months, we operated independently. It was during this time that we learned about Many Rivers’ small business support program and decided to reach out for assistance.
Working with Many Rivers
We were already aware of Many Rivers through some acquaintances, and we knew about Kris Young as well that he is a business coach based in Broome.
“We got support from Many Rivers through business coaching provided by Sarah Mitchell. She’s a fantastic mentor with extensive experience in the business world. Meeting with Sarah every week is a great reassurance for us. She keeps a close eye on our business key performance indicators (KPIs) and offers valuable ideas and tips to attract more clients. Sarah goes beyond mentoring by assisting us in developing our business plan and creating a cashflow spreadsheet.”
In addition to answering our questions, Sarah’s exceptional networking skills have connected us with other small businesses and key stakeholders in the community. We’re grateful for the guidance and connections she has provided, contributing significantly to the growth of our business.
Did you get a loan from MR? How did you use the loan?
No, not yet.
Do you have any current employees? If so, how many employees? Are they full-time or part-time?
Its just the two of us and a casual employee who works for us on part-time basis.
Biggest Challenge
The biggest challenge for us has been managing the accounting side of our business. When we started our business, we had no idea how important it is to open a separate bank account for the business along with registering for an ABN. But we are thankful to Sarah for guiding us about all these important steps which are absolutely necessary for operating a business. She advised us to always have a safety net for ourselves to manage the ups and downs.
Biggest Success
I believe our nomination for the “East Kimberley Achievement Award 2023” in Kununurra is a noteworthy accomplishment. The recognition and acknowledgment we’ve received are truly gratifying. We will feel proud that we been nominated for the “Aboriginal Business Enterprise Business of the Year Award” as well.
Biggest Change
We were used to the 9-5 working hours culture and now thanks to our business, our lifestyle is really flexible. We have tailor made our work life as per our family lifestyle.
Future Goals
Our primary objective is to establish sustainability within the community. Moreover, we aspire to impart our strong work ethics to the younger generation. Our vision is for our staff to not only excel in their roles but also contribute to the growth of our business through their expertise in yard maintenance and cleaning services.
Thank you, Mary and Braeden, for sharing your business journey with us. We wish you the best of luck with your future endeavours and business success.
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