LIFESTYLE TRADIE

Lifestyle Tradie Member Profile - JDY Electrical

JACK & STACEY YEADON

JDY ELECTRICAL VIP DIAMOND MEMBERS

1. Tell us a about your business, life and family.

Jack started his career as an electrician working for a solar company on the Central Coast. After some time, Jack returned to his hometown Goulburn and was offered an apprenticeship with a local electrical company. In both roles, he was working long hours and often weekends, which took its toll. So, after 13 years, he had enough and decided to go out on his own. As a result, JDY Electrical was born! Jack was a one-man gig working from our garage and home office. Sadly, owning his own business didn’t solve the issues he faced in the previous roles of long hours and constant weekend work. It was not the result we had hoped for. As the business grew, we hired an apprentice in 2016 and sought the help of a business education. Jack and I went to a Lifestyle Tradie live event. We loved Andy & Angela’s story and what Lifestyle Tradie offered and joined on the spot! Our first BIG decision after joining was moving the office from our home to a warehouse. In 2018, Jack became so stressed I thought he was going to have a heart attack! I [Stacey], left my teaching job of 12 years to help. Now just a few years later in 2021, JDY Electrical is an award-winning business run by Jack and myself. What a change! We have three employees, a thriving business and a shop front — A big change from our humble garage beginnings! At JDY Electrical, we pride ourselves on being well known for our excellent customer service and our willingness to help the elderly and the outlying rural communities. We are also very heavily involved in the local soccer association, which showcases our strong community involvement, and the values of our business. We are one of very few in the area who specialise in industrial instrumentation and have an awesome customer base in this field. Having a niece in the market has given us a great competitive edge, and allowed us to grow as a business. Jack and I have been together since we were very young and married for 16 years! We have always shared very similar life goals and interests. We have two beautiful kiddos Evelyn, 14 and Bradley, 9. Our kids are our world and they keep us busy with soccer and mountain biking! We love to explore the snowy mountain region and new places during the holidays and love the outdoors in the warmer months. Goulburn is not known for its outdoorsy weather in winter, so it’s snuggles, movies and books after soccer through winter.

Jack and I both attend the gym three days a week with a PT to keep our body’s and our mind fit. Jack loves mountain biking and I have recently taken up pole dancing. It’s great to try new hobbies to keep life interesting, so you’re not all work and no play!

2. What do you love most about what you do?

The freedom to be able to be present in our kids’ lives! Previously, when we were both ‘working for the man’ we would miss important events like the athletics carnivals or school assemblies. It was heartbreaking to hear from the kids that they had won a race or got an award and we missed it. Both kids were brought up by a nanny or their grandparents and we missed a lot of the younger years. Now we have the freedom to do the things we could not before running our own business and the change in our lives is priceless.

3. Tell us a little about your life before joining Lifestyle Tradie? (What wasn’t working, what was holding you back or was in your way?)

Before joining Lifestyle Tradie, Jack was a one-man show, he was working till 6pm then coming home and working till midnight in our home office. He was stressed and cranky. Jack was working from home, so we had tools and equipment everywhere which made me cranky because our youngest was only three and loved daddy’s tools. We would end up with rolls of cable, screws and bits and pieces spread from one end of the house to the other. It was a nightmare!

4. What specific results have you achieved since joining Lifestyle Tradie?

One of our biggest achievements was we moved out of home to a warehouse/office complex. Plus, we tripled our turnover within the first 2 years, this was a massive WIN for us and our family. And we know our numbers!

5. Where do you see your business in five years?

We would like to have a team of six with Jack only working part-time. • Two tradies • Two apprentices • Two office staff • Three vehicles • and turning over $3 Million (bit ambitious

I know, but everyone needs Goals to strive towards!)

6. What are the top three things you have learnt about business that you would recommend to other tradies and why?

Tip 1. Know your numbers!!!! Tip 2. Make time for yourself, if you are not working properly nothing will work properly. Tip 3. Do not waste time dwelling on mistakes, learn from them and move on.

7. Tell us something quirky about yourself that your buddies don’t know?

I own race horses, and Jack is a sponsored mountain bike rider.

8. If we were sitting here one year from now celebrating what a great year it’s been, what have you achieved (together)? (business/life).

We have seriously been looking at our investments. So far, we have bought a new truck and are in the process of buying a new house. We are also looking into taking the business in a new direction, focusing on mainly industrial works and looking at hiring a new licensed tradie.