“Designs and installs home entertainment systems and data and WiFi systems. Also hires audio gear.”

Barry Wakelin Installations

Established: 2008

Location: Wellington

Website: barrywakelininstallations.co.nz

Business mission: “To bring technology into peoples home in an easy to use way that makes them happy.“

Vote

Experience, patience and an ability to teach people how to use technology.

N/A

The company I used to work for was going broke so I decided to make a go of it myself.

Getting word out on a limited budget that I was in business and ready to help people.

Banks.

Cashflow

Making the decision to cease working for a big client who was poor at paying their bills on time and looking for a more efficient paying client.

Perseverance has been necessary to learn new technologies and teach myself how to work with them and make my clients comfortable with them.

My biggest success is that I have been able to look after my family for over a decade. I have also completed a number of challenging large-scale projects and also helped many older people with their new TV’s.

The number of clients who call me on a weekly basis to do some more work for them.

2

Electricians.
Electronics repair agents.
Sheet metal workers.
Audio engineers.

Half and full day courses provided by my suppliers.

Admission to trade shows.

Quite a number on No Cowboys

The ability to give back to the community.

The ability to take time off to do things with the family in the school holidays.

Admiration from others who haven’t done it themselves.

Miramar Bowling Club receives many hours of my time and plenty of second-hand equipment to make the club rooms a more enjoyable place to be for both club members and the wider community who use our facilities.

I also support the Special Children’s Christmas Party every year.

Lots of free advice about technology to clubs and individuals. Discount rates for religious groups for labour and materials as well as audio hire costs.

Ten years ago I thought that being in business for myself was going to be about making money for myself.

I have since realised that it is much more.

The knowledge that I am responsible for my employees rent payments was a bit of a revelation and made me work harder to make sure that his wages happened every week.

Time has also taught me that a thank you from a club at its AGM is worth as much or more than the money that would have been realised by charging them for my services.

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