In October 2023, Justin Longbottom launched his dream start-up, Longy’s Homes & Gardens – a home maintenance and handyman business. With aspirations to build a dependable and community-recognised service, Justin turned to Scalewise for comprehensive support and guidance. Scalewise’s experience in helping small businesses lay strong foundations allowed Justin to transform his vision into a well-structured, operational start-up in just a few months.
Scalewise worked with Justin to develop a business name to resonate with the local community and then a branding strategy, ensuring the name and logo reflected the service that Justin aspired to provide. From here, we provided guidance through company registration and formalities, ensuring compliance and alignment with the long-term business vision.
To ensure Justin could make informed financial decisions, we helped him calculate equipment and overhead costs, giving him a clear understanding of the necessary start-up and operational expenses. This allowed Justin to create an effective budget and forecast, preparing him to manage cash flow efficiently and avoid potential financial pitfalls.
A detailed financial forecast and budget were developed to guide the business through its first year of operations covering everything from quoting services to creating a streamlined budgeting model. The allowed Justin to maximise profit and maintain stability as he established the business.
Scalewise crafted a strategic communications plan to connect Longy’s Home & Gardens with the local community including digital marketing tactics and advertising strategies that aligned with Justin’s mission to be the go-to local handyman.
Through its partnership network, Scalewise introduced Justin to Guard Insurance, ensuring he had comprehensive coverage, including equipment, liability, and income protection. We connected him with Arrowpoint Bookkeeping to manage accounting requirements including comprehensive training on Xero (invoicing, receipting, and expense tracking) which allowed him to independently manage financial records with confidence.
Scalewise also arranged for Mercury Financial to provide tax compliance and financial planning advice ensuring Longy’s Home & Gardens adhered to tax regulations and aligned Justin’s business structure with his personal financial needs. This collaboration minimised tax burdens and positioned the business to take advantage of potential savings and financial strategies.
Thanks to Scalewise’s support, Longy’s Home & Gardens launched in December 2023, a mere two months after the initial planning phase began. Within 10 months, Justin’s business was thriving, having established a strong reputation in the community.
Scalewise provides ongoing support to ensure that Justin has access to reliable advice and experts at critical junctures in his business journey. Scalewise’s role in supporting Longy’s Home & Gardens exemplifies its commitment to empowering small business owners through structured planning, tailored support, and expert advice.
