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MEMBER STORY
NextGen Automotive
OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS FOR NEXTGEN It may have always been on the cards for former MTA apprentice Shaun Donoghue, but earlier this year the planets aligned for him to take the leap into owning his own workshop – helping another automotive stalwart close the door on a stellar career in the process… well, let’s just say the door’s ajar. “I found out about Ken’s situation, him looking to retire soon, so I started popping in regularly and forming a relationship with him, meeting his clients and as we drew closer to end of financial year it all started to get a bit more serious and I eventually took over in July,” said Shaun of NextGen Automotive. “Ken wanted to retire by 75 and he’s just turned 74, so when the opportunity came up he grabbed it and now if you see him, he’s got a massive weight lifted off his shoulders.” Ken Baines, who has solely operated Ken Baines Automotive in one form or another for decades up until the recent acquisition of the St Agnes location by Shaun in July, knows what it takes to build a successful business grounded in trust and quality workmanship.
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Many clients still feel comfortable enough to call past for a chat or to book in their next service, creating a real sense of community – and more work for Shaun who has to explain the recent takeover each time! “I’ve got nearly 400 customers, so it would have been really unfair to just sell the plant, shut the doors and walk away – I just wouldn’t do it. 90% of them are friends, so it would have been really hard had I not been organised with a plan in place,” said Ken. Ken hits the nail on the head when discussing succession planning, something we unfortunately see all too often fall to the wayside in member businesses – establishing a smooth transition takes time and setting expectations from an early stage is critical in ensuring both parties benefit, one into the future and the other for their years of hard work. “The timing for him to take over couldn’t be better – I’ve still got time on my side to do things in life and I’m only local, so if he gets into trouble needing two people for a job I can help him,” said Ken.
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