Grant Chugg Plumbing: From 1-Person Plumbing Business in 1994 to $9M in Sales, 37 Team Members & 14.7% Growth | Scaling a Plumbing Business, Financial Literacy, Hiring, Culture & Exceeding Customer Expectations. (Episode 797 - Grant Chugg)

In this episode of the Grow A Small Business Podcast, host Troy Trewin interviews Grant Chugg, founder of Grant Chugg Plumbing in Launceston, Tasmania. Grant shares how he grew from a one-person plumbing business started in 1994 to a team of 37, generating more than $9 million in annual sales and achieving 14.7% growth in the latest financial year.

Grant discusses the realities of growing a small business without formal business training, from working until 2 or 3 in the morning and struggling with the numbers to learning how to delegate, build a management team and understand the financial drivers of the business. He explains how bringing in a business manager helped the team grow from 6 to 12 people in just 6 months, and why financial literacy and business coaching became critical to his success. Beyond financial success, Grant believes business should create an impact. As Chair of Villages of Life, he is helping pursue an ambitious goal of building 20 schools in Africa in 10 years, using business success as a vehicle to create opportunities and leave a lasting legacy. Why would you wait any longer to start living the lifestyle you signed up for? Balance your health, wealth, relationships and business growth. And focus your time and energy and make the most of this year. Let's get into it by clicking here.

Troy delves into Grant's 32-year business journey, the challenges of rapid growth, understanding the numbers, hiring and developing the right people, building a strong culture and creating a business that no longer depends entirely on its owner. They also explore Grant's approach to customer service, business coaching, work-life balance and using business success to make a meaningful difference beyond the bottom line. And a snapshot of the final five Grow A Small Business Questions:

1. What do you think is the hardest thing in growing a small business? For Grant, the hardest part was the cost of growth in terms of time. Looking back over 32 years in business, he wishes he had created more balance earlier rather than allowing the business to consume so much of his time.

2. What's your favorite business book that has helped you the most?Grant recommends Someone Has to Be the Most Expensive, Why Not Make It You? by Andrew Griffiths. After reading many traditional books about sales and marketing, Grant found this book different and particularly relevant to the stage he had reached in his business journey.

1. Are there any great podcasts or online learning resources you'd recommend to help grow a small business? Grant doesn't regularly listen to podcasts or consume a lot of online learning content. Instead, he values quiet time to think, often choosing not to fill that space with music or information. That's an interesting lesson in itself for time-poor business owners: ongoing learning matters, but so does creating space to think, reflect and make better decisions.

2. What tool or resource would you recommend to grow a small business? Grant's answer was refreshingly simple: "Understand your numbers." He recommends getting a good accountant and developing a genuine understanding of your business finances. This reflects one of the biggest changes in Grant's own journey. Earlier in business, he effectively abdicated responsibility for the numbers. Later, financial literacy became a major part of building a stronger and more profitable business.

1. What advice would you give yourself on day one of starting out in business? After 32 years in business, Grant would tell his younger self: "It's going to be a hell of a ride. But stay true to yourself, and you'll create something pretty special."

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Quotable quotes from our special Grow A Small Business podcast guest:

"You're not going to grow if you just dish up shit service all the time. You just got to exceed expectations." - Grant Chugg

"Understand your numbers." - Grant Chugg

"It's going to be a hell of a ride. But stay true to yourself, and you'll create something pretty special." - Grant Chugg