9 Hunter Mason

Sydney-based construction management firm Hunter Mason has once again made it into the top cohort of Australia’s fastest growing SMEs, having taken out first position on the Smart50 list in 2015.

Last year Hunter Mason topped the Smart50 with an impressive three-year growth rate of 1740%. While the business did not grow as fast in the last financial year, founder Matthew Callender and his team have continued to work hard at expanding the growing construction business.

Callender founded Hunter Mason as a challenge, wanting to start and run a successful business by himself.

Four years on, and Callender has continued to head up the business himself, citing his “personal drive” as the reason.

Hunter Mason specialises in providing interior fit-outs and refurbishment services to corporate clients across New South Wales. Among the company’s past clients is one of the very first winners of a Smart50 award – Atlassian.

Despite the business’ success so far, Callender admits he regrets not hiring more senior staff earlier on, listing that as one of his greatest challenges in starting Hunter Mason.

He eventually recruited a “proven resource” from his personal network, but says it is essential to “hire smart people early, as soon as you can afford it”.

Hunter Mason has 13 current employees, five of who came onboard in the last year, and Callender hopes to keep this recruitment activity up, with a goal to grow the business to 25 people in the next two years.

Marketing is also something Callender hopes to focus on, telling SmartCompany one of his current priorities is “recruiting a marketing and sales director” to drive the future growth of the company.

Callender says it can be hard to compete in this sphere, as other larger construction companies have more cash to splash at marketing opportunities.

“Larger companies have the financial capacity to invest in their marketing collateral which can be very hard to compete with,” he says.

But Callender is not resting on his laurels; he seeks out business inspiration from a variety of places, nominating his staff, social media and the work of inspiring entrepreneurs like Jack Delosa and Gary Veynerchuck as just some of the sources of new business ideas for his company.