Meet Tori Merrin
Meet Tori, part of the leadership team at Recon Services, a family owned Indigenous business delivering labour hire, fleet, and project management services across Australia. Founded in regional Victoria, Recon Services has grown from its early roots in the power industry to become a trusted provider in construction and renewable energy. With strong family foundations and a clear focus on community and sustainable growth, Tori and her team continue to build a business that creates opportunity both on and off Country.
“Anthony, our business coach from Many Rivers has been an incredible support. For me, he is almost like a mentor, someone who helps bring ideas together and turn them into structured plans and clear actions.” – Tori Merrin
Read more about Tori’s business journey so far:
Starting the business
Recon Services was founded in 2003 in the Latrobe Valley in regional Victoria. We originally focused heavily on the power industry in the region, supporting large scale projects and building strong industry relationships.
In 2015, we expanded into construction and labour hire services, which marked a major step in our growth journey. Today, we provide labour hire, fleet, and project management services, particularly within the construction and renewable energy sectors.
We now operate across Australia, which is something we are incredibly proud of as a family owned business.
Working with Many Rivers
Our business is family owned and was founded by my dad, with my auntie also sitting on the board. In the early stages, it was my family who were running the business and who first connected with Many Rivers.
They were attending a Deadly Businesses event in Gippsland and engaging with the local community when they were introduced to the Many Rivers Small Business Development program. That initial connection really set the foundation for where we are today.
I have personally only been involved in the business for about the last year, joining after the family had already established that relationship. For us, the motivation to work with Many Rivers was not only about growing the business, but also about being more involved in the community beyond our day to day operations.
Anthony has been an incredible support. For me, he is almost like a mentor, someone who helps bring ideas together and turn them into structured plans and clear actions. You can have plenty of ideas, but it is not always easy to work out how to make them happen, and that is where his guidance has been invaluable.
Achieving Growth Goals
The Small Business Development program has helped us take real steps toward our growth goals. We currently have several new projects in early development stages. While they are not fully underway yet, the support we have received has helped us get those opportunities moving.
Just as importantly, the program has helped us maximise our existing clients and projects. Instead of simply maintaining what we already have, we are now looking at how to expand within current projects, for example increasing the number of workers on site or diversifying the services we provide.
Even before bringing on new clients, this shift in thinking has allowed us to grow more sustainably.
Impact of the Small Business Development Program
The planning workshops and business tools have been extremely valuable for us. We have had several planning sessions focused on getting the right processes in place and identifying the actions needed to execute our ideas effectively.
One of our directors attended an in person planning session, someone who normally does not enjoy long planning meetings, and not only got through the entire day but genuinely enjoyed it. That really highlighted how well the sessions are facilitated. They are structured and practical, while still feeling personal and relevant.
Another major benefit has been having an external perspective. Having someone outside the business who is not emotionally attached and can offer unbiased advice has helped us make clearer, more confident decisions.
Challenges and Future Goals
Our industry is highly competitive, with many labour hire companies operating in the same space. One of our biggest ongoing challenges is clearly defining what makes us different and communicating that value to potential clients.
We have also had to manage the pressures that come with being a family run business. When it is your own money and livelihood on the line, the stress can feel constant, especially during quieter months. Working with Anthony on financial forecasting and long term planning has helped put things into perspective and reduce that pressure.
Looking ahead, our long term goals include expanding into new services and offering more to our clients on a larger scale. Strengthening our community involvement is also a key focus. It is incredibly rewarding to create jobs within our community, but we are also exploring how we can give back in other meaningful ways.
Employment Growth
As a labour hire business, we have increased the number of workers engaged on projects as demand has grown. However, we have not expanded our internal team yet.
We have found that operating with a smaller, project based internal structure allows us to scale more effectively without large overheads like office costs. This approach gives us flexibility and allows us to create greater impact with a lean, skilled team.
Recommendations to other Indigenous Business Owners
For any Indigenous business owner who is hesitating or considering the Small Business Development program, I would absolutely recommend saying yes without thinking twice.
Every business is different, so the outcomes may look different for everyone, but the support is always incredibly valuable. Having someone to bounce ideas off, provide guidance, and offer a second opinion makes a huge difference, especially when you cannot be an expert in every area of business.
I am extremely grateful for the support we have received, and I genuinely believe this is an amazing initiative for Indigenous businesses to access.
Thank you Tori for sharing your business journey with us. We wish you the best of luck with future endeavours and business success.
If you would like to stay updated with Tori’s small business, follow “Recon Services” through the following links:
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