Tell us about your business.
Founded in 2004, DECO began as a startup introducing innovative European technology to the Australian architectural building industry. Over the years, we have evolved into a thriving business employing over 100 people and are now in the process of transitioning to our second generation of family leadership. Our success is anchored in a commitment to delivering high-value architectural products while fostering a tight-knit family culture.
What truly sets us apart is our dedication to quality and a customer-first approach, guided by our “best person for the job” philosophy. This alignment between our family values and business strategy, along with active involvement from family members, gives us a competitive edge and helps us balance both family and business goals.
In the past six years, DECO has nearly tripled in size, driven by our belief that customers don’t complain about price; if they are complaining about price they are really complaining about value. This motivates us to work diligently every day to create exceptional value for our customers.
Why did you join FBA?
We joined FBA to deepen our understanding of how family businesses operate and to broaden our expertise. The insights are eye-opening, especially the exposure to how to navigate family dynamics and what can impact family businesses that is different to other private businesses. Exposure to concepts and processes such as succession planning and family charters we wouldn't have come across otherwise, and the knowledge gained helps to minimise potential risks to the business and its operations. Most of the family have a Forum Group. The forum groups have been great support networks for us. They assist us to navigate difficult situations and give fantastic advice from their own similar experiences, but they have also been great supporters of our business.
Congratulations on your recent Family Business Award, how does it feel to be recognised for your achievements?
We were all so proud to be recognised for all our hard work and persistence that we have put in over the years. Like many, we do not stop to celebrate the successes often enough, so to see the acknowledgement of its success in this wonderful community of family business peers has been heartwarming.
What advice would you give to other family businesses?
It took us a couple of years to realise that we had to control our own destiny. When we switched from a finishes-only model business, to producing our own range of products that we could sell directly to customers, we started to realise that the more control of what we sold and how we sold it changed the direction of the business. Secondly, “Never Give Up”. The image of a frog trying to escape the grasp of a pelican’s beak is one we've lived buy helping to spur on our motivation. The saying has become somewhat of a family motto as we’ve had to deal with some tough times.
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