Built to Last
How All States Trailer Spares is Leading with Purpose
Interview with Genette Gregson, CEO, All States Trailer Spares, Australia
Peter Hilton didn’t set out to build one of Australia’s premier trailer supply businesses, but that’s precisely what he did. Before he launched All States Trailer Spares in 1997, he was a minister looking to make extra money to help pay for his wife’s medical care.
So, he began outfitting trailers to rent, soon realising there was a gap in the market in the region. While there was a desperate need for spare parts for trailers, there were no consistent local suppliers.
Nearly 23 years later, All States Trailer Spares is one of the industry leaders as a distributor of spare parts for trailers to the automotive, industrial and OEM markets in Australia and New Zealand. Headquartered in Wyong in New South Wales, the business boasts the widest range of product in the marketplace, with more than 5,000 SKUs available.
Peter has since taken a step back from the day-to-day running of the company, with his two daughters, Genette Gregson and Sheree Robartson, now leading All States Trailer Spares as the second generation. Genette was named CEO in 2017, and Sheree works alongside her as part of the leadership, having been a director for the past 20 years.
The sisters came into the business on a permanent basis after establishing successful careers elsewhere. Sheree is an accomplished graphic designer, while Genette worked in an operational management role in the construction industry. Both credit their experiences outside the family business with helping them in the transition to leading in a male-dominated industry where they were initially regarded only as the “boss’s daughters.”
We sat down with Genette Gregson to discuss her journey back to the family business, navigating the transition to CEO and proactively bracing the business for the impact of COVID-19.
How different is working in the family business to what you thought it would be?
I was quite naive about what it takes to run a business because I always worked for someone and had a specific role within a company. But that is so different to running your own business, for which you literally have to do everything. There is a steep learning curve in dealing with new business issues and employees. It was overwhelming at first and took a while to get used to.
Even now, I’m still learning. I see it as a never-ending journey, one that is continually evolving. Just when you think you’ve got a handle on something, things change, and you have to adapt quickly and efficiently.
I believe that, as a family business, we can evolve quicker than a non-family run business, which has a lot more hoops to jump through to implement changes. I can just say “yes, let's do that, off we go,” – and then you get things done and move on.
The All States Trailer Spares team in the warehouse; image courtesy of All States Trailer Spares
The All States Trailer Spares team in the warehouse; image courtesy of All States Trailer Spares
Genette and Peter sourcing products; image courtesy of All States Trailer Spares
Genette and Peter sourcing products; image courtesy of All States Trailer Spares
Even now, I’m still learning. I see it as a never-ending journey, one that is continually evolving. Just when you think you’ve got a handle on something, things change, and you have to adapt quickly and efficiently.
All States Trailer Spares in-store retail display; image courtesy of All States Trailer Spares
All States Trailer Spares in-store retail display; image courtesy of All States Trailer Spares
All States Trailer Spares retail setup at an agricultural show; image courtesy of All States Trailer Spares
All States Trailer Spares retail setup at an agricultural show; image courtesy of All States Trailer Spares
What are some of the changes that you and your sister have brought to the business?
One significant change involved implementing structure, processes and procedures, all of which are still continuing to evolve. When we came in, there was none of that – just stock paper everywhere.
We quickly discovered that the staff didn't even know who to report to, so putting structure in place has been game-changing for us as a business.
How did you prepare for the transition to taking over as CEO?
We had an external consultant who suggested we needed a clear head of the entire operation. However, he advised against appointing our father because he had already begun to transition out of the business.
For years, my father said, “Genette can run this business” – and I think he had been prepping me to do so. However, although I am CEO from a structural perspective, I get a lot of help from my sister. We lean on each other all the time to make sure the business is as successful as possible.
My father loves to work and has that old-school way of thinking that he'll never stop, so he’s still involved in the business – but he’s taken a huge step back since my sister and I assumed our leadership roles.
We want to corner the market and emerge as the number one trailer supplier of choice with a trusted technical background. Therefore, our current focus is on establishing factories and supply chains in every state in Australia.
Do you feel the culture in the company is going to change now that you are CEO?
There is no question that our focus is changing. We're constantly building our community and our culture. One of our goals is to instill a culture where talented people want to come to work – we want them to love being there and to enjoy it instead of being ruled by a constant fear of the iron fist.
When you and your sister talk about the future of the business, do you focus on the long-term or more immediate picture?
Recently, it has definitely shifted more towards the long term. Our children are young, so they’re years away from being in a position to take over as the next generation. Therefore, our conversations tend to be about growing the business for when they’re ready to join.
However, while we’d love our children to come into the business in the future, we would never put any pressure on them to do so. Anyone who does want to join has to emulate our work ethic. Nobody gets a free ride just because they're the boss’s child – you still have to prove your worth and earn your position.
Expansion is in our long-term picture. Currently, All States Trailer Spares is national, but we want to corner the market and emerge as the number one trailer supplier of choice with a trusted technical background. Therefore, our current focus is on establishing factories and supply chains in every state in Australia.
Custom axels made by All States Trailer Spares; image courtesy of All States Trailer Spares
Custom axels made by All States Trailer Spares; image courtesy of All States Trailer Spares
Sheree and Genette from All States Trailer Spares; image courtesy of All States Trailer Spares
Sheree and Genette from All States Trailer Spares; image courtesy of All States Trailer Spares
When were you and your sister first aware that COVID-19 was going to have a serious impact on your business?
In the early part of the year, my sister and I went to a conference in Sydney where they were talking about how the COVID-19 situation was going to become serious quickly. I came out of that conference determined to buy every webcam I could to ensure we would be ready to work remotely when the pandemic really took hold.
Most of what we do involves on-premise fabrication, so it was not possible for everyone to work remotely. Fortunately, however, we were able to space everybody out in the office, so we quickly developed a four-phase plan with built-in contingencies along the way. We had everything ready to go within two weeks.
COVID-19 forced us to pull the business right back, and we saw just how far we could go and still survive.
Do you have any advice for family businesses faced with a transition similar to what you have gone through?
The only way that my father, my sister and I have been able to work together and still get on well is by doing a lot of coaching and self-development as a family to ensure that we’re open and communicative.
We learned to talk about issues immediately rather than letting them fester. If we were unable to communicate openly, I don't think we’d survive as a family business.
Due to our mother’s illness when my sister and I were growing up, we became extremely close with my father as well as each other, and we all continually adapted to what she needed. We've always maintained that closeness and teamwork.
Now, my sister and I work together and support each other – if one of us is struggling, the other just naturally intervenes and takes on some of that burden. For example, I went through a separation recently, and Sheree stepped up and allowed me to have the breathing room that I needed.
I think that being a strong unit aligned to the same purpose has given All States Trailer Spares a huge advantage. We found that it has been particularly helpful in providing a united front to our staff – once they see we are closely knit, they respect us as a family unit and want to come along on the journey with us. I think that's critically important in a family business.
Built with Shorthand