Dan Wood, Dan Wood Electrical

I’ve just celebrated my first year in business which I am pretty proud about. I do about 50 to 55 hours of electrical work a week, plus about 10 hours office work on top. My partner Bailee helps in the business and we hope to employ an apprentice at the end of this year.In terms of motivation, we are expecting our first baby at the end of this month so that definitely helps and one day we’d like to own our own house. The goal of running a successful business and remaining self-employed is what keeps me going!

Overall, going into business for myself was a good move but there are pros and cons. It has been a lot of work and very challenging. You don’t have the luxury of being able to switch off at 5 o’clock after an eight hour day. But in saying that, it’s awesome being my own boss, and I get out of it what I put in.

My biggest challenge was realising that the physical work is the easiest part. It’s the paper work and behind-the-scenes stuff which is the challenge! I’ve learnt about the importance of cash flow.

I grew up in Warkworth so it’s been good to already know other businesses and the community. I also joined Warkworth BNI six months ago which has been a great help through the support and knowledge I have gained from other members.

Advice: Don’t under estimate the challenge. Remember your overheads can add up pretty quickly and it takes motivation and self discipline to work efficiently and keep it all running smoothly.