Graeme Castlehow
Graeme Castlehow is the owner and director of J & S Castlehow Electrical Services, a business he has been involved in for over 40 years. It is today the only electrical business in the state that can do everything from construction, installation, underground drilling and switchboard manufacturing inhouse.
Frida Andersson met up with Graeme one afternoon to talk about his career and, perhaps, be the one this time receiving business advice.
How did it all start?
My dad started J & S Castlehow Electrical Services in 1948 after the War. My brother started working for him but I was not interested. Growing up in the 70’s, I had long hair and spent my time surfing.
I left school early and started shearing. I have always loved working with my hands and really enjoyed it but had to stop due to an accident. I came back to the family business since I needed money and started an apprenticeship as an electrician. I worked with my dad until he got ill and left the business to myself and my brother.
Did you have a vision of where you wanted the business to go?
No, I only wanted to work to get by. We started making our own switchboards as I was sick of relying on other people so decided one day to learn how to do them myself. That then meant we moved to Minna Street since we needed more space and it grew from there.
So you had no vision, what motivates you?
My wife tells me I’m a typical Aries, bossy and competitive (laugh). I always wanted to be the team captain and the best in everything.
Who do (or did you) look to as a role model?
I admire people who start from nothing and are not arrogant or brash. Local people like “Old” George Walmsley and John “Spanner” Manley. On a national level I really like John Howard’s leadership style.
What traits do you believe are important to have as a business owner?
Treat your staff as well as you can and lead by example so you gain their respect
Give your team responsibility and respect and they will grow an extra leg
Always fine tune yourself and your team. “Don’t rest on your laurels” (this is when I needed the Aussie slang dictionary).
Do not rely on subbies, do as much as you can in-house
Do not burn yourself out, only work 38 hours per week (but when you are at work make sure the hours you are there count)
Tell me about your “tool box” and the mantras you live by
Whatever you do, do it 100% since yesterday is gone, tomorrow is not here yet – now is all that matters!
Don’t have a “too hard basket”. Deal with the issue now, as many times it is these issues that you learn from.
There is no such thing as a ”free lunch”. I don’t know anyone who has made money that hasn’t (at some part in their life) worked hard.
Frida: No matter how much we love our jobs at some point we will all start thinking of retirement. The thought of not having to put the alarm clock on in the morning and be able to go to the beach whenever we want may seem tempting but I have my suspicions that Graeme wouldn’t be able to enjoy the “relaxing lifestyle” for long, so I ask him ...
Is retirement on the horizon?
If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it. At the moment I enjoy the mental stimulation of my work.
I’m also proud of being part of a business. I believe private enterprises are undervalued by the community. Here, all our employees are part of a team. There are many people in Albany living by themselves and if they didn’t have a job there might be days they wouldn’t see anyone. We take on apprentices that are at an age where it can be hard to find a job. Here, they will get skills that they then can take with them if they want to work somewhere else. But often they keep working here and I get to see them buy their first house and start their own family. You see them grow as tradesman but also as a person.
So for anyone who is out there and want to start their own business, what would you advice be the first things they should do?
First you have to be interested in what you are doing. Do your research and focus on efficiency and planning. Don’t focus on the $$$, if you can work efficiently the money will come.
You can do an apprenticeship to get a trade but you also need to do an apprenticeship as a business owner. Something I had to learn was to not react spontaneously, to take a step back and consider the outcome I want to achieve and then plan for that outcome. You learn to be a bit street smart.
There are so many things to know about running a business that you can’t learn from a book. But it is so rewarding, even during the tough times – it’s the tough times that make you a better person.
Visit
J & S Castlehow Electrical Services
25 Minna St
6330 Albany
Western Australia
Phone 9841 4888
