Monsoon Solutions Ltd is a leading Auckland based Waterproofing Solutions company, founded by brothers Richard and Christopher Glover. Richard honed his skills in commercial waterproofing with one of New Zealand’s leading companies. Co-Founder Christopher has a degree in International Business from Massey University and uses his skills and knowledge to help grow and guide Monsoon Solutions from the back end. Monsoon Solutions are committed to making water proofing project management smooth and easy, as well as operating as more than just applicators, handling specifications and project management too. Richard’s industry connections and expertise also ensures he can deliver site specific and quality bespoke solutions.
Over the years, the brothers have grown Monsoon Solutions by tackling complex water proofing projects and simpler applications alike, thanks to his fully certified team. What also differentiated Monsoon Solutions is the level of planning they had. Many business owners don’t have a plan, but Richard and Christopher had a comprehensive business plan which clearly set out what he wanted to achieve and how.
As a result, in this last financial year Monsoon Solutions has grown sales by 55% and have accepted work internationally in Tonga. This financial year, Monsoon’s goals are to grow sales by 25% which will be achieved by investing in their marketing and by hiring a new Quantity Surveyor, enabling them to tender for bigger commercial jobs.
‘Our biggest obstacle has been debt collecting. We’ve become the “squeaky wheel” to ensure customers know when payments are due, following up persistently – daily if necessary – until we are paid. This is essential’, says Richard.
‘Mike and the SBA team have also been instrumental in our growth. They have been great at answering any tax and business questions we may have especially around international tax. SBA has become an asset to our business, providing essential support with tax obligations, setting up the Xero system for efficient financial management and offering responsive assistance to any inquiries we have. With their expertise, they are helping streamline our business operations, ensuring compliance and providing guidance every step of the way’
Monsoon Solutions also looked at what else they can do to improve their business model. So, they joined relevant industry bodies to help them target customers like Profitable Tradie and the RANZ, along with achieving Site Wise Gold for their site safety practices. They also implement annual business planning sessions, with monthly tasks shared out to achieve their goals.
For Richard and Christopher, people are also at the heart of their success. They have built a company with family values and seeing people as part of the team rather than staff. Richard and Christopher try to be a leader more than a boss. They are also very open to change and learning from the people who are experts in their fields, e.g. accounting and marketing.
Monsoon Solutions is a great example of how someone with the passion for their trade, a clear vision and strong business planning can grow their business in only 3 years. It’s why they were chosen as the 2024 SBA Small Business of the Year.
Well done Richard, Christopher and their team at Monsoon Solutions.
