Three years ago, when Brooke Woods joined her husband in his one-man building inspections business, her mission was to grow the business – and Fresh has helped her to exceed even her biggest dreams. Today the business has eight inspectors (and is training two more), a full time office manager, plus Brooke as operations manager.
Building Inspections – an essential service
‘We offer building inspections to people who are buying a residential property’, explains Brooke. ‘Buying a home is a massive investment and people need to understand exactly what they’re getting for their money. The information we give them enables them to make an informed decision – either to go ahead and buy with confidence, to negotiate on price because there is work to be done, or in some cases, to walk away. Whatever they decide, the information from our inspections is invaluable.’
The importance of referral partners
When Brooke left her previous job to help grow 8 Point Building Inspections, she knew that building a strong network of referral partners was important. ‘The property sector is all based on relationships’, she says, ‘and through Fresh I have met buyers’ advocates, mortgage brokers and conveyancers, all of whom are great referral partners for inspections. We get direct referrals from other hub members too. As people in the Fresh network have got to know me, and trust that we will be responsive and do a great job, the referrals keep on coming.
Giving back
‘I’m very conscious of also wanting to give as well as receive’, says Brooke. ‘Most of the referrals I am able to give tend to be for builders, plumbers and electricians, to carry out work that an inspection has identified. That really enhances our service too – we can tell a client what needs to be done on the property and recommend someone to do the work.’
Fresh has helped Brooke to find expert support as the business has grown; ‘I’ve used the Fresh network to find an HR consultant to help us with employment contracts, and I’m also working with a marketing expert that I met when he was a guest at Fresh.’
Fresh’s role in 8 Point Building Inspections’ success – the evidence
Brooke tracks the source of every single lead that comes into the business, so she knows without a doubt how big a part Fresh has played in 8 Point Inspection’s growth. ‘Right from the first year of joining Fresh, we’ve had more enquiries and have been growing our pool of subcontractors to meet the increased demand’, she explains. ‘Now we’ve taken on a full time office manager as well. She answers all enquiries, manages quotes and schedules the inspections, freeing me up to focus on business operations and marketing.’
‘When I joined Fresh, I made the effort to get round to every single hub, so have been able to build a big network of great connections, and it’s really paying off. We have referrals coming in from right around the network, not just my own hub in Mordialloc. One week, we had referrals from eight different hubs, two guests and two past members. Fresh has really played a big part in the success of 8 Point building inspections.’