34. Hunter Mason

Revenue: $31.4 million
Growth: 113.8%
Founder: Matthew Callender (32)
Head Office: Sydney, NSW
Employees: 23
Industry: Construction
Website: huntermason.com.au

Construction management consultancy Hunter Mason is no stranger to the Smart50 Awards, taking home the number one spot in 2015, and featuring every year since.

This year, Hunter Mason’s 36th-place showing on the Smart50 list is coupled with a 62nd-place showing for founder Matthew Callender in the 2018 Young Rich List, with a personal wealth of $40 million.

This impressive wealth is likely aided by the young company’s continually strong revenue, growing 113% over the past three years and posting a revenue of $31.4 million last year, despite being just six years old.

But growing to these impressive heights was no cakewalk for Callender, and the founder tells SmartCompany he struggled with a number of things in the business’ early days, including cashflow problems and building a strong brand.

“[We struggled with] staffing and human resource issues. It’s the one thing I hear time and time again. We are people at the end of the day, and having to stay abreast of all of our staff’s happiness and wellness is key,” Callender says.

Overcoming these struggles has involved Callender going with “his gut”, saying you can’t rely on “detailed due diligence” before you make decisions in business.

Looking to the future, Callender says he’s keen to grow out Hunter Mason’s 23-strong team of employees to further kickstart the business’ growth and create a strong and strategic workforce that will “sit at the foundation of the business”.

Additionally, the business is looking to develop new business streams within the company to further diversify its offerings. In advice to other founders, Callender says the most important thing you can be in business is true to yourself.

“Yes, everyone is growing, yes, the market, the industry, the economy is growing — but be true to yourself. You need to determine what success looks like to the individual and then make it happen,” he says.

“Don’t compare yourself to others — compare yourself to your plan and what you plan to achieve.”