41 MBS Services Australia

MBS Services Australia, which specialises in providing professional services for local government throughout Victoria, was the brain-child of Terry Baker and Wayne Wilkie.

“We identified a need within the community and industry, and a niche market that had not yet been fully explored,” says Baker.

“By providing professional staff to councils, on a contract basis, they are able to meet requirements without the pressure of hiring, training and retaining staff at a time when workloads are fluctuating, qualified professionals are scarce, and professionals are choosing to move into private sector for more enticing financial benefits.”

The company had an exceptionally strong 12 months in 2012-13, more than doubling its revenue from $700,000 to over $1.4 million, and has continued its growth trajectory in 2014.

Baker says learning all of the associated parts of the business, such as legislation, payroll and taxation, alongside the emotional roller-coaster of losing contracts and staff, were the business’ biggest challenges.

“We learnt not to take losses personally. We try and find a lesson in every negative outcome, and try and turn it into positive outcomes for the future.”

He says the company also learnt the importance of allocating sufficient time and resource to areas such as payroll and administration to help the business run smoothly and efficiently.

“Especially during times of rapid change and growth, and for the accurate processing of payroll which affects our most valuable assets, our staff.”

MBS has started to branch into the areas of planning, health and assets and infrastructure, and Baker says the business hopes to be able to attract contracts in those areas over the coming year.

“Then our next big move will be to branch into regional areas in other states.”