A refrigeration and air conditioning mechanic running his first business in regional New South Wales. Growing fast, fumbling through the finances, and falling behind on the business side of things. Within 7 months of joining Aureus, he fixed his pricing, understood his numbers, and stopped avoiding the one tab in Xero he used to dread opening.
Mathew Tait
THE ENCOUNTER
Mathew Tait runs a refrigeration and air conditioning business in Central New South Wales. Remote location, broad range of work, beer systems as his one true niche. The trade side of things was never the problem. The business side was.
“It’s the first business I’ve ever owned,” Mathew said. “I’m just fumbling my way through things.”
He had tried other training programs. They all felt the same. Generic weekly modules, topics handed out on a schedule regardless of where the business actually was. Do this week. Do that next week. None of it felt connected to his situation.
“I sort of knew things were getting out of hand,” he said. “I wasn’t getting anywhere. Something had to change.”
What drew him to Aureus was the onboarding process. It wasn’t another one-size-fits-all program. “It felt more aimed at where I am as a business and what I need to focus on, rather than having the steps already laid out for a whole group of people.” That was enough. He signed on.
SIMPLIFYING BUSINESS AND FINANCE
Progress started with the fundamentals. Pricing and cash flow. Mathew worked through his numbers with the Aureus coaches and came face to face with something most trade business owners avoid. He wasn’t charging enough. “We need to charge X amount of dollars to just cover where we’re at,” he said. That realisation alone changed how he approached every job.
Going deeper into the numbers gave him something more valuable than better margins. It gave him understanding. “From somebody who had little to no understanding pre this service, yeah, it’s been a really big help.” He had been told what to do in previous programs. The difference with Aureus was the why. “Having the time to actually understand why I’m doing it, and the communication around why we do it, helps me make decisions.”
The pace was slower than he expected at first. He doesn’t see that as a negative. “That allowed me to learn a bit more about what I need to do, rather than jumping in and not fully understanding what I’m doing.”
TURNING YOUR BUSINESS PROFITS TO PERSONAL WEALTH
The shift for Mathew wasn’t just financial. It was personal. He used to open Xero and immediately close it. “I’d think, I won’t open that tab. I don’t know what this means, so I just won’t look at it.”
That changed. “Now I open it up and go, right, it might be bad, but I need to do it.”
That is what confidence looks like for a first-time business owner who taught himself the trade but never had anyone teach him the business. Mathew is only partway through the Aureus program. The foundation is solid. The work ahead is clear. “I’m really looking forward to getting further into the program and seeing what that does for us.”
THE 3 BIGGEST BENEFITS
- Pricing Clarity
- Financial Understanding
- Confidence as a Business Owner
SO, WHAT DID THE PROGRAM DO TO THEIR BUSINESS?
Aureus took a first-time business owner who was growing fast with no financial footing and gave him the tools to understand what was actually happening in his business. The immediate win was pricing. Mathew now knows what he needs to charge to cover costs, protect margin, and move forward with confidence.
Beyond the numbers, the program gave him something no previous training had. Context. He understands why the numbers matter, not just what they are. That understanding has changed how he operates day to day and how he makes decisions under pressure.
He is still partway through the program. The foundation is built. The next phase is already in motion.
WHAT CAN MATHEW SAY TO OTHER BUSINESS OWNERS OUT THERE ABOUT WHETHER THEY SHOULD WORK WITH US?
“It’s been incredibly helpful for me. I would have no hesitation in saying it’s worth it.”
“Having the time to actually understand why I’m doing things, and the communication around why, helps me make the decisions.”
“I no longer open Xero and think, I won’t go there. I open it up and go, right, it might be bad, but I need to do it.”
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