By CASEY NEILL
ROB Mackie could be the handiest man in Cranbourne.
The Maryknoll resident won Hire a Hubby’s Victorian award for New Franchisee of the Year.
Mr Mackie bought the Cranbourne area franchise 18 months ago.
“I came out of the last 15 years working in the corporate world, managing a large corporate business with a lot of staff and a lot of headaches,” he said.
“I got sick of all the pressure and frustration.”
So he took control of his destiny, looked into starting his own business and ended up at a Hire a Hubby information night.
The Cranbourne franchise was up for sale and Mr Mackie knew the owner.
Since 1 April last year he’s been hanging pictures, fixing doorknobs, patching holes in walls, cleaning gutters, putting together furniture, repairing bathrooms, renovating kitchens and changing light globes, among other things.
“I look after all the little jobs no one’s got time to do,” he said.
He said many clients were seniors who couldn’t climb a ladder and single mums without the tools for the job.
Mr Mackie also looks after such places as Cranbourne Shopping Centre, childcare centres, Stockdale and Leggo properties and medical centres.
“I enjoy the variety. Every day is different,” he said.
“I meet lots of new people every day.”
He’d always renovated his own properties and built furniture.
“I came into the business with a pretty good skill set,” he said.
But he also completed a Hire a Hubby training course in Sydney, learns on the job every day and calls on other hubbies for help when he needs it.
He employs two part-time workers and calls on licensed tradesmen when he needs to.
“Being a Hubby is hard work but it’s very rewarding,” he said.
Mr Mackie was “pretty shocked” to take home an award for “just getting on and doing what I do”.
“It was nice to be recognised for the hard work that I’ve put in over the past 18 months,” he said.
He put the nod down to coming into the business with a clear plan and his volunteer work.
Mr Mackie has been a fire-fighter for 32 years and now volunteers at the Maryknoll brigade.
“There was a lot of good customer feedback, too,” he said.
His customers said they felt safe and comfortable to welcome him into their homes.
“It’s about treating people like you want to be treated and building repeat customers,” he said.
“It really annoys me when I read about pensioners getting ripped off by tradies.
“I treat people like I’d want someone to treat my parents.”
Mr Mackie said his next step was completing a certificate three in carpentry and applying for a limited builder’s licence.
