In the Game Chris Skinner’s 40 years in supplying fitness equipment
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hris Skinner of HF Industries has recently passed 40 years of supplying equipment to the fitness industry and, while looking back at his many achievements and innovations, he is also looking forward playing an ongoing role in the future of the industry. Over those four decades he has seen many come and many go, and a few come back again. For him, its about building a business on layers, over time moving to the next plateau. Having seen many explode onto the marketplace with quick growth and decline even quicker, he explains “at HF we work on a seven-year program, looking to reach the next comfortable level, sustain that for a period and then start work on elevating to the next. “If that produces two good years of growth and five years of maintaining that level, then we will prosper in our business.” He has never looked for the business to be number one in the industry, commenting “two and a half, one out one back suits us well. “We came into this industry with long term goals. To be successful in our region you need a good team, good products, good support and lots of luck. “Australia being the size it is with the population it has you have to keep turning up in all areas of your business, continually offering something new, something different that will enhance your clients’ business and help them prosper … and if there is nothing new, create something.” 36 Australasian Leisure Management Issue 138
Balanced Body’s Exochair (top) and Chris Skinner at HF Industries’ Sydney base.
He looks at business as simply a game of rugby league, advising “we turn up to play the game, as do the competition. We have our front row, midfields and backs already for the whistle. On the sideline is the support crew, the stands are full of our potential client and above them in the viewing box are the owners and our suppliers all wanting us to push forward and score. “There’s no half time or oranges, the coach watches the game yelling out instruction, changing the game plan and this is where the day is won or lost.” Skinner says one of HF Industries’ advantages has always been to be able to instantly change direction when needed but stresses “when the whistle blows at full time the game is over for the day. “Where you come on the ladder is irrelevant it is only how you played the game. Never burn bridges and remember that the name HF stands for ‘Have Fun’. “In life the past is the key to the future and business is no
