Two years ago, Goldfields Security Services (GSS) was born...
We bootstrapped our business from the ground up with a crystal-clear vision: to
create a better future for security by setting new standards, providing training
opportunities for locals, and promoting a positive work environment for the next
generation of security professionals.
From our extensive experience in the industry, we noticed a lack of culture,
guidance, and support, and knew we had to do something about it, go out on our
own and be the change we wanted to see.
Our goal was to build a company that sets best practices for the industry, fills the skill
gaps by investing in education and training for staff, and provides a holistic approach
to safety.
As we celebrate our second business anniversary this May, we thought it was a
great opportunity to take a moment to reflect on our incredible journey so far and
what we’ve done to put our vision into practice.
First: Let’s break down some of the stats. Since launching our local Kalgoorlie
business, we’ve had the privilege of working with:
5 mine sites
2 Transport companies
9 Function Events
3 Government - affiliated contracts
5 not - for - profit companies
We’ve accelerated at warp speed from a team of two to having 15+ staff on our
books, all of whom have been trained and upskilled to offer a high-quality assured
service to our clients.
Our highest accreditation is a advanced Diploma in Governance, risk and Compliance , and one of our advisors also has experience in counterterrorism and security operations,
with a Diploma in Security and Risk Management and background running security
operations worldwide.
It is a privilege to be able to connect local businesses in the Goldfields region with
experienced, committed security professionals that will best protect your people,
property, assets and equipment.
Quality means everything to us, and when you work with us, you know your business
is in safe hands.
Milestone moments
Next up, we thought we’d take you through some of our company highlights over the
last few years.
There have been many – it was hard to handpick which ones to share with you all,
but here are a few.
We’ll begin with some feedback we recently received from one of our government
affiliated contractors.
We were told by the team that their workers always feel safe with the GSS guards on
site, and that we de-escalate situations very well and work effectively with the
consumers in their services.
De-escalating situations is one of our core areas of interest here at GSS and of
critical importance.
You see, security guards are often the first point of contact for people entering a
building or facility or the first to arrive on scene to diffuse or mitigate a potentially
dangerous situation or calm down emotional individuals who are angry, frustrated,
hostile or struggling with their mental health.
By using de-escalation and mental health first-aid techniques, we can help prevent a
situation from spiralling out of control and becoming a more serious threat to the
safety and security of those involved.
In addition, we have also had some positive feedback from one of the supermarkets
we work with in the Goldfields. It is a name you all will be familiar with, and we’re
sure you’ve seen our team donning our Goldfields Security Services unforms.
At this premises, a few situations have come up that could have escalated fast.
However, the supermarket said our staff displayed excellent restraint in a number of
situations, remaining level headed and calm when patrons were angry and yelling,
and resolved the situation peacefully showing respect and integrity to all involved.
We were also told by one of the transport companies we work with that our team are
very approachable, and they appreciated our can-do attitude to any changes that
arise during the contract.
Feedback like this is why we do what we do. We take great pride in our client
satisfaction and doing our part to protect our Goldfields region.
Challenges we’ve faced
Of course, starting any new business isn’t without its challenges.
As a local Kalgoorlie business, we’d like to be transparent and share some of the
hard parts of our journey in an attempt to keep things real and help other new
businesses in their infancy.
While we had an extensive background in security and knew the industry very well,
when we started GSS, we had no prior official business experience.
This meant the administrative side of running a business was a massive learning
curve, particularly as fast as our business grew, which meant we needed to lean on
professional providers to support the back end of our business.
One of our standout suppliers is Cherry Black Business Builders who have been
absolutely amazing helping us map out where we are going and how we are getting
there.
They have been helpful with taxes and cash flow management, teaching us the
basics of depreciating assets and how to identify what is a good asset to buy.
We came into this business with no loans or overdrafts and managed to get this
running from day 1 by working in the company ourselves and getting good guards to
help us at the start with complex contracts.
Looking back, we have reflected that a business loan would have made this a lot
easier. We understand now you can claim any interest you pay on loans as well as
depreciating any assets you buy. You can also free up your cash flow and make it
easier to find funds to expand or to acquire new products for your sites.
Having a loan would have also helped with cashflow too. As any business owner
would know, when contracts aren’t paid on time, it can put pressure on employee
wages and entitlements.
But with perseverance, we’ve pushed through the initial teething issues of launching
a business without any financial support, the big leap of hiring our first team member
and continuing to expand, recruiting and training new staff and openening up our
books to new contracts.
Goals for the year ahead
We are certainly not done yet – this is just the beginning of our journey here at GSS.
Over the next six months, we have some exciting new contracts in the works and
aim to employ 20 plus staff by the end of the calendar year.
In addition, we’re also in the final stages of launching a new fully-fledged training
organisation to support career growth for young adults in the Goldfields region.
When we launch our training organisation, we’ll be in a position to offer direct training
for locals to work in the area they know and love (and understand a lot better than
fly-in-fly-out workers).
Our ultimate goal is to link locals to local jobs, rather than sourcing security talent
from Perth and other WA regional hubs.
Local staff are the best people to protect the community and businesses.
They know the people, the history of the town, the culture. They also know more
people in town which makes it easier to diffuse situations by having those personal
relationships.
Advice for those new to business
We’d like to finish this blog by sharing to you all that we are proof if you have a
vision, there is a gap in the market for your services, and you have the dedication –
anything is possible.
If you have always wanted to open a new business in the Goldfields – we think you
should go for it! It is the best decision we have made and we are loving every
minute.
We know from experience, you can learn along the way, and seek out professional
advice to support you in your launch.
One thing we do suggest before you start is look into the legal, tax and bookkeeping
requirements and obligations, particularly if you feel that you cannot fulfil these
yourself.
Outsourcing the important parts of business – tax, books, and legal will give you the
peace of mind, education and assurance everything has been set up and managed
correctly.
There is also plenty of free training, resources, videos and webinars online available
to small business owners starting out. Here are some links to free resources that you
may find helpful:
Thank you for your support
A special thank you to everyone who has supported us in our business journey to
date – our amazing team, customers, business suppliers, industry peers and our
local Goldfields community.
We wouldn’t be where we are today without your support!
If you have any questions or would like to discuss this further or book a meeting to
discuss your upcoming contract, we’d love to hear from you.
Call us on 0404 449 326 or email info@goldfieldssecurityservices.com.au.
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