Soon to be married and with a baby on the way, Joachim Noble’s life was already quite complicated. So naturally, he began a small business in the middle of the pandemic.
Never one to shy from a challenge, Joachim made the jump to being a small business owner establishing Noble Electrical & Lighting west of Auckland after ten years in the electrical sector.
“Working for someone else was something I was not keen on. I love the challenge of running a business and being my own boss,” he says.
The tools of the trade for small businesses
While he already had experience working across residential and commercial properties, Joachim quickly learned about the many essential things you need to run a small business.
After getting an accountant and social media done, people started telling him about sorting out his business insurance*.
“I looked at a few insurance companies and my heart skipped a beat – the quotes were through the roof,” he says. “But after a couple of recommendations and an ad or two, I looked at BizCover and sorted it out in no time.”
After discussing his options with BizCover’s customer service team, Joachim went with a Public Liability policy.
“It’s there to cover my ass if I’m having a bad day and make a mistake. You never know what’s going to happen, and for the cost of what it is compared to what could come about you’d be silly not to protect yourself from these risks.”
Why running a small business is rewarding
Despite balancing a challenging schedule at home and work, Joachim says he’s never been happier and enjoys his job since starting his business.
“When I do go to work for clients now it feels different than when I was working for someone,” he says. “Before I just clocked on and off but now, I lay all the groundwork and build a relationship with the clients so the pay off is a lot more rewarding.”
“It’s allowed me to appreciate and enjoy what I do and to have greater control over my work-life balance.”
While the day-in-the-life of a sparky is unique to the profession, Joachim says the lessons he’s learned can be applied to all small businesses and indeed, life outside of work.
“Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and ask for help if you get stuck or you’re not an expert in something,” he says. “Put in the hard work, back yourself in and good things will come… and don’t trust an electrician without any eyebrows.”
Running a customer-facing business with a pregnant wife at home, the pandemic had also put things in perspective for Joachim.
“Your business is on you. It’s your responsibility to do everything in your power to reduce the chance of something bad happening or at least be prepared if you can’t eliminate the risk.”
“For me that means wearing PPE and following all the right safety protocols so I can safely come home to my family at the end of the day. It also means getting the right insurance, so I don’t have to worry about a mistake at work affecting my home life.”
To find out more about Joachim’s small business Noble Electrical and Lighting visit:
https://www.facebook.com/noble.electrical.lighting/
https://www.nobleelectricalandlighting.co.nz/
*This information is general only and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. It should not be relied upon as advice. As with any insurance, cover will be subject to the terms, conditions and exclusions contained in the policy wording.
BizCover Limited is owned by BizCover Pty Ltd (ABN 68 127 707 975)
