From baked beans and toast to………

What are the chances of landing your dream job or a successful start-up business? Well no matter the odds, Orange local Ben Hinchcliff is here to prove it can be done and it can be done well.  

When Ben left school, he became an apprentice plumber, since then he has been plumbing ever since. “I went to the Gold Coast for about two years, working on the high-rise buildings. Family and friends brought us back to Orange, I stayed in the trade when I came back, and I just kept moving forward with it.”

“Our first little boy was born seven years ago and that was the drive for me to create my own business. He was three months old when I left my fulltime position (brave I know) and began what Hinchcliff Plumbing is today, well, kind of. I started out as a small office underneath my house, doing a few jobs though nothing major.”

After 12 months Ben put on his first apprentice. “At the time I was rolling with the punches as to what would happen, I always stayed positive though, we just got busier and busier. We focused on a lot of maintenance work then, not long after we moved into a larger shed in town and it really just grew from there.”

Now working all over the Central West Ben assures us he focuses on constant growth and the mindset of always wanting to achieve better. “You have to see the positive in everything, if you fail, look for your best outcome and move forward knowing what you’ll do next time. It’s about constant improvement and working on knowing what you are good at and bettering that, also creating really good communication and client service.”

“I’m happy with the growth we have made and all of our accomplishments. I also have a really great team, I’m really proud of them, the team is what makes up a really great business, especially in the service industry, we have a great mix and we all love to have a bit of fun.”

“We have now gained momentum and are growing our business and our family rapidly,” Ben laughed, “With four kids my time out of work is basically day-care, though I do love to get out on the motorbike and also water skiing.”

“If I had my time over I wouldn’t do anything differently, I probably wouldn’t be where I am now if I did things differently, I’m happy with the growth we have made and all of our accomplishments. I mean, when we first decided to grow the business my wife and I were living on baked beans and toast every night,” Ben laughed.

“I think for those thinking of starting their own business the trick is…Relax and don’t take things too seriously. Obviously, business is serious, though I think if you have fun in the process and trust the process, it all works out. If you are consistent and you stick with your goals and ideas and what you really want to do, you’ll do well.”