November 2, 2023 • 51 mins
When Greg and Dansy Coppell purchased their sheep and beef farm near Nelson they needed to do 30km of fencing on a shoestring budget – recycled vineyard posts were the ideal solution.
Soon, neighbouring farmers were asking how they could get their hands on the cheap but perfectly functional posts, and Repost was born.
Repost takes what was previously a waste product, posts ripped out of vineyards at harvest and left in piles, and repurposes them as a key on-farm input, at a fraction of the cost of a new post. A win for your back pocket, and a win for the environment.
Website: Repost || Recycled and Repurposed Fence Posts www.repost.co.nzFacebook: Repost Fence Posts @repostnz Repost Fence Posts | FacebookInstagram: @repostnz Repost (@repostnz) | Instagram
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Episode Transcript
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(00:08):
Welcome to down to Earth, broughtto you by a Young Country. This
is the podcast for the go getters, the big dreamers, the innovators of
the primary sector. I'm your host, Rebecca Greeves, and we're taking a
closer look at young people in theprimary industries who have dared to think big,
pushed the limits and give it ago in business. We'll be asking
(00:30):
how they got to where they arenow, and what they've learned along the
way, and what their advice isto other aspiring every innovators. Sir,
settle in and listener as we serveyou a healthy dose of inspiration, motivation,
and maybe even challenge your thinking.A little repost are saving the world,
(00:56):
one recycled post at a time.This is an affordable, sustainable fencing
option, so what is not tolike. I'm really stoked to be joined
today on the From the ground Uppodcast by Greg Copple and his wife Danniel,
although I think Danniel might just bekind of sitting in, but you
may hear her from time to time. Thanks for joining us, guys,
(01:19):
Thank you for having us. Firstof all, Greg, can you just
tell me what is repost or reposts? Is? Am I guess all of
this is a processing system. SoMarlborough during the mechanical harvesting, they break
(01:40):
roughly between sending on a good yearand a bed year, probably between half
a million and a million posts they'reduring the halvest thing. So there's nothing
wrong with these posts. I've justtaken a bit of a bit of a
swipe by the harvesting machine or oror the likes. But so what we
do is we go through and wegrade them. We pull the nails is
about a dozen falling nails and clipsper side. We dock them and we
(02:04):
can point them, but we bundlethem up and and just seeing all over
the country. Really so nothing toocomplicated about it. But it's going really
good and it's getting the metal endfills and and a real cheap product into
the market. Yeah, I meanyet, like you say, it's nothing
too crazy out there. It's it'squite a simple idea but obviously no one
(02:29):
had necessarily thought of it before,and to me it's just absolutely genius.
It's like a win win. Justto be clear, you're talking about harvest
you're talking about posts from vineyards,right, yeah, one hundred scents so
yeah, so the ones that arejust holding the chalices up and that the
vine's up and in the rows,if that makes sense to everybody, and
(02:50):
you're just sourcing them from Marlborough.Is that where you're based at this stage.
But there's some other stuff in thepipeline regarding Hawk's Bay and with the
s and some of the recovery ofthe damaged vineyards and orchards up there.
Just working through that now, butyeah, I think we're going to be
involved in one way or another.It's just trying to just just a bit
(03:14):
of time to get that organized.Obviously there's material that can be recycled after
the cyclone, but there's also aheck of a lot of fencing that needs
to be done, so yeah,both. So that's the reason we're so
excited about it is because you know, the real sector needs needs any bit
of helping hand they can up there, and if we do process up there,
(03:34):
it takes a massive freight component outof it. So those guys are
looking at even in cheaper posts toget a hell of a lot done.
So Hawkbake Regional Council. You know, we've been up there a few times
now and they can rarely see thepositives from all round. So it's just
a matter of getting some things intoplace and making some decisions regarding that but
(03:59):
in the coming months. But yeah, we hope to be, you know,
helping both sectors out pretty as quicklyas we can actually, because everyone
needs to keep moving forward for sure, for sure. Okay, so if
we just go back a little bit, can you tell me a bit about
yourself and your background your farming.Oh yeah, So I was born in
Takia, that's the top of theSouth and Golden Bay. We were four
(04:21):
generation over there farming dairy farming,and probably got a little bit small from
the old man. So he hehe sold up the family farm and bought
a place in Murchison. We're probablyroughly about three or four hundred cows.
It was pretty tough going because itwas a newly converted properly from sheeting beef
(04:45):
into daring, but so batter allthat out of that for a while and
sort of developed that the best hecould with the means he had, and
then he sold that and went toa sheep station at Ward that's in Marlborough,
and we're there for about fifteen yearsor so. That's sort of where
the start of this posting you knowwhen I was a kid there, that
(05:08):
was what the old man was doing. He was down there scrambling for everything
he could to try and do whathe could on a pretty marginal block.
Really, it's pretty yeah going.So we you know, we always knew
that, and the old man knewthat resource was there and he did what
he could on you know, I'mvery little. Yeah, she was pretty
(05:30):
tough, tough farming through that period. So yeah. So then any who,
during that I was planning on goingback to that that family farm in
Marlborough. But so I went awayand did a building apprenticeship. But during
that period, I the old manrode his bike and got bit smashed up,
and Mum had a few I was, she had a bit of some
(05:53):
health is used and stuff along theway. So and I'm growing up and
seeing the struggles from the parents.You know that it was pretty hard to
to make it work really, SoI wasn't in a hurry to go back
to the farm because I part againin my apprenticeship was to be able to
(06:15):
work off farm and get some incomeback when I you know, if I
was working there but with the oldman rolling his bike and get a bit
smashed up as a family, wedecided, and it needs no money in
it, so we decided that we'dlet it go. So I carried on
building and put of traveling in theUK and that sort of stuff, and
(06:40):
so building has been pretty good tome, and so we traveled and met
my wife in the UK while Iwas there, did a few we did
up a few houses in London andFrance and some pieces, and then decided
to come home. So with theChristis Quat we went down there and had
a few credit that were rebuilt.We had probably fifteen odd staff there for
(07:04):
all bit. But it was apretty tough you know, Cross which was
pretty tough as well. It wasstart off as the world west and really
and there was sort of you know, it was just all him, and
you know, I think you werestarting to you know, some of a
lot of your friends are still infarming, and we go visit them and
(07:24):
it kind of got you, youknow, reinvigorated to get back into the
world. You always had that youand to go back farm. I don't
know why we do. It's likeif you feel like a bit of a
sucker for punishment, it's the lifestyle. Great, we will love it,
but you know, you had alot of emotions around it, and some
days you're asking yourself what all theway up to? But on a good
(07:45):
day, you know, it's justyou just I don't know. You do
it. You pay for the privilege, but it's it's a pretty pretty great
privilege, to be honest. Soso yeah, so we moved back to
Nelson and started our family and farmhere while I was developing here and doing
doing speaks and some other development stuff. And you see, the building was
pretty good and put us in areasonable position to go, and timing was
(08:09):
really good. Laying process was stillreasonably well. At the time, we
thought that outrageous, but we tookthe leap of faith and I think I've
put made off without Dandy seeing it. And there was a little bit of
hell to pay, and then allyou were trying to get the money to
get to make it think but tomake it work. And I mean it
(08:30):
was really nice the people that ownedit prior to us. You know,
they had offers from forestry units,from other people, but they really believed
in us and what we wanted todo with the farm, and they really
wanted you know, with the conversationsGreg had had about how he wants to
develop it and improve pasture and whatstock. They kind of got really excited
about our vision and they visited usquite a few times over the years and
(08:52):
they're just really proud because that's stillcoming. We're young and we've had the
energy to really get the farm tothe next level. So, you know,
we offered it one of the lowestfigures, but they took our offer
and that they said, they're reallyproud to have seen where we've taken Springer's
Block, And I mean Springer's Blockis how Reposter has come about because without
it, you know, we reallyneeded to fence or thirty kilometers of property
(09:16):
to get it where it needed tobe. And that's kind of the seed
that created Reposts because we were allsitting having smoker and we were like,
how are we going to do this? Because I'd got quotes from you know,
all the merchants, and we're like, this is just gonna, you
know, put us in debt,really financial debt for this to come.
So Greg's dad Pop said, well, why didn't you do what you've we
did for you know, in yourchildhood, and let's go to Marlborough with
(09:39):
your truck and you know, let'slet's get into some posts. So you
know, there was some mountains ofposts and Greg. Greg went through them
and brought them back to the farmand we had the when all the nails
were on. So sometimes it's quitetricky to you know, put the fen
the wires to it and the Yeah, but Greg, we we kind of
got to it as a fan.And you know, it was during COVID,
(10:01):
so my sister was with us andwe were fencing like crazy. So
yeah, it was keeping us busy. And that's when Greg and Pot went,
right, we need to get anail puller in play. We need
to work out how we can makewas more like do we have to do?
But they need to just got bolliedinto it. We always say Pot
was an engineer in another life becausehe can make anything in his workshop.
(10:22):
But I think his generation were likethat, you know, they had to
fix everything on site and do theirbest. So the first nail puller was
born and we got to it,and you know, quite quickly all the
neighboring farms were like, can wehave some posts? Greg, So you
know, the business was really createdorganically, and I think that's you know,
(10:43):
the story at the beginning is whyit's been a success because you know,
at the very beginning Greg was deliveringto all the farmers, having yarns
and smipos with them afterwards, sometimeshelping out with fencing their properties with them,
and you know it kind of grewfrom that and word of mouth,
and when Stue came on board beinga viticulturist, he helped us dramatically bring
it to the next level by youknow, having the contacts in the wine
(11:07):
just just Marria all together and gettingyou need to hear buy and from from
both ends, I guess, andhe had that. Yeah, he just
keeps all together. What's Stew's rolein the business now, could you just
explain it? Well, Stew's abit of a mad dog really, he's
got things going on e real,so he's filling in a bit about him
(11:28):
as well. He's he started off. He's got the cultures for the year
in Mulborough I think Old Times fiftyand he's pretty well known in Marlborough.
He owns a wine called the mulberWrist and he roll runs a consultation company,
you know, doing a lot ofthe wineries over there, maintaining them
and stuff. So he's got amanagement company. They run about must have
(11:52):
about six or seven tricks and peoplerunning around here. But he's flying here,
there and everywhere around the country toa lot of wine. And then
a sideline is sending emails at nightbet Repost and chasing up things. And
yeah, he's a work horse,that's for sure. So his main role
in Repost is he helps us getthe new wineries on board. I mean,
(12:15):
we're really grateful now because a lotof wineries are coming to us.
But at the very beginning, youknow, we were an unknawmed company and
people didn't really know what to makeof us. So Stu is there knocking
on doors, making the contacts,having people take chances on us, like
Yelan's, who are one of ourfirst and you know, quite quickly people
cluede onto you know, this isa solution that's never been brought to us,
(12:37):
and you know that this isn't anythingnew. There's been a massive waste
issue in the viticultural industry for along time and they've always it's come,
you know, to the table everyyear and they've gone, how do we
this and nothing's majors happened. SoI think once we got a first few
contacts. You know, it hada role on effect. Theo's problem's been
around for a long time, sothey've they've talked about proless Ellis's plants and
(13:01):
stuff and mulboro so that they weregoing to burn them at high temperatures,
but that sort of fell over andthen they just put it back to the
too hard basket again. And soI've been reading in the paper and that
about the options for twenty fifteen yearsor whatever it is, and so nothing
really changed. But this I don'tthink there's much for need, don't We
(13:24):
still send at current levels. Westill send about from what posts we're receiving
about twenty five percent to landfill,but we're working on ways to be able
to even cut that back even further. So they just posts that are too
far gone to actually recycle. Yeah, so we are dealing with you know,
we are only taking out, weare only processing posts that are reasonably
(13:48):
have just been broken and pulled out. There's quite a stockpile of older posts
out there, so they'll have todeal with that how they or will be
involved somehow trying to work out whatto do with those posts. But we
make sure they are all graded andthey tested to make sure that they're up
to a brand new industry standard ofa H four, So they're not actually
(14:09):
secondhand. They're equivalent to a brandnew post and they expected to handle fifty
years minimum. So if you putone of these posts in just for farmers
out there who are listening, it'snot like you're using a second hand product.
As such, they can stand outto the riggers of you know,
wear and tear on the normal fence. Yeah, one hundred percent of the
season they locked season, so they'vegot silver off. But I've never been
(14:33):
in the ground and they test tobe up to a brand new industry standard,
so yeah, so you're not you'retaking a brand new product out of
the market and replacing with something thatalready exists. So yeah, it's it's
very much like. The only differenceis it might not look quite so shiny
and new, but essentially it isdoing the exact same job. It's dry
(14:56):
and it's season and it's seasoned.So yeah, it there's a little bit
harder to drive your staple islands,but at the end of the day,
it's cheaper on freight costs because it'slighter and as for on the body too.
You know, if you can't andpost over bage line or something like
that, you know you'll put suchon your shoulder rather than too, you
know. Yeah, and I thinkas well, you know, we know
when a lot of we know,with the wineries we've worked with when they
(15:18):
actually did the development work, soa lot of the posts we can actually
go back to when they were installed. So a lot of them are only
fifteen years old. So that's whyon our warranty online we back them for
thirty five years. And that's aconservative figure. As Greg said, we
know they're going to last longer.And you know, we've had a few
people that are a bit of oldergoing, oh, don't worry, we
(15:41):
won't be here thirty five years fromnow anyway. We just want to get
you know, paddots done. Soyou've really got to look at, you
know, your bank balance and gowhat's cost effective to get you know,
our pastor where it needs to be. And I think that's where we've been
really lucky in the rural sector.A lot of people going, you know,
for the price that they are,you know, starting at three dollars
twenty, we're actually really improving ourproperty being able to do our shelter belots
(16:03):
being able to do our wetlands fora fraction at the price, so you
know, there's there's there's so manybenefits to it. So yeah, that's
that's kind of been how the company'sgrowing. So just to talk about the
financial side of it, you've justmentioned the price of a repost post.
What I'm I should know what theprice of a new post is, but
(16:25):
what's the comparison between a like apost that you would go and buy from
the you know, from the suppliesto the merchant. There's always there's always
a few variables there. But Isort of yeah, you in New Zealand,
I'm signed for sale and the normalthe chip's prices on trade me so
I always start about there to tryand work out where the prices are at,
(16:45):
but it sort of varies between aboutfor a new post that varies between
about twelve dollars in probably about seventeenplus GST. So huge and yeah,
yeah, yeah, well it's massive. Yes, there is a freight component
of their so all our prices areex Marlborough. But we do that because
(17:08):
we just don't want to put ablanket price on it. Because if you
love and Canterbury. You know,why should you as much as let's stay
on myself and something like that,you know what I mean. So that's
just what it does. It's justPinson volume and it's still still bloody chap
and I think that's why we're reallyexcited to have a second base up in
hawks Bay. You know, weneeded a couple of years to really establish
(17:30):
ourselves and you know, work outthe issues that could arise with our business,
and I feel we're in a placenow where we're really comfortable and ready
to grow. So we're excited togo up to hawks Bay just to you
know, help reduce the freight coursereally for everyone and make it more easy
for the North Island and Northland toyou know, get the same benefits that
(17:52):
people in the South Island are getting. So yeah, obviously we wish it
was under better circumstances, but yeah, it is what it is. It
is. I'm just for me withthe phone calls of people I've had today,
it's just going to be great tofinally be able to say, you
know, the freight components dramatically reducedand it's just enabled them to improve their
farms without you know, the financialhardship that comes with unfortunately buying brand new
(18:18):
or rebuild their fans. Is thecase may be for somebody you mentioned.
I'd love to just go back abit. You mentioned the original nail polo,
So did you guys actually design thatyourself or your pop dead something and
there's nothing out there in the marketthat was similar or I could do the
job. So it started off withI don't know what components we had.
(18:44):
We had an old ram off,an old I think it was a compactor,
garbage compactor actually, and chainsaw bar. It was a part of the
solid wagon anyway, it was alreadyugly. And then the tracted the engine.
I had an I was sixty tenJohn Deer that was running the pumps.
(19:07):
Oh, I was ugly, butthis was on farm. I didn't
quite take that managed to a'll makemyself take that down to the yards health
and safety. We tested it andit worked, So I guess that was
the first stage. This is likethe classic example of the number you know,
keeping number of wire situation, isn'tit? Yeah? It is?
(19:29):
It didn't It didn't last like butit gave us. Yeah, but were
you if you've actually seen some photosof that first quollow because well, I
don't know. I wanted to leavethem because I was scared of the repercussions.
But why we were out now isincredible and just yeah the speed,
well not the speed as much's justjust efficient. Just the efficiency when we're
(19:49):
around running around motors and fuel andand his urban moments of using them,
not using his body so much.Yeah, And I think the key for
us and we work pretty quickly fromtalking to Stu, was you know,
us being a portable service was goingto be the game changer for many yards
because you know, their stock carsare quite hidden and for us to be
(20:10):
able to come on site, process, bundle up and sell them on without
them really having to do anything,was you know a real benefit for people.
And I think to this day that'sprobably been the crux at what's got
repost, you know driving forward soquickly was knowing that we wouldn't have to
have people with their trucks or trailershaving to bring all the first load up
(20:33):
all their posts and then bring themto our site like us being portable for
a lot of wineries have said that'syou know what's enabled them to go yes
straight away and split handling in atleast struts on their own pretty much.
And from I know this is allnew to a lot of people talking about
this stuff, but really us havingto work out with carbon emissions and everything.
You know, freight is a hugecomponent when with this sort of business,
(20:56):
So us allowing other businesses to youknow, add that to their sustainability
work plan really benefited them. That'sinteresting. I imagined you guys having some
big yard with this with your processingfor something and everything coming to it.
So what you're actually saying is thatyou go to the vineyards. That logistically
must be quite a massive coordination effortthough, because if you've got all different
(21:18):
vineyards and then you're sending posts outto people like how do you it's all
right when you're processing you know,forty odd thousand or something like we do
on some of the big sites tothen go and doing a thousand yere and
a thousand and the year. Butwe're just working on around that. It
has been really ugly at times,I'll be honest, explain the convoy when
(21:42):
you guys are one sight to another, because we do get a few beeping
horns of cars waving and smiling anda few giggles it's been a year.
Back when we had a twenty footcontainer with a nail pull on it contractor
caravan for Smoko, we'd be doinga shifting at night, that's for sure.
But yeah, that does. Butit's so much better now, like
(22:03):
a very slow leaps like us forward. But and I think we're pretty much
the en now. But I thinkthe key is, you know, like
you said, we've got the fortythousand site stockpiles with some sites, but
some of the smaller wineries that areboutique, you know, we can just
bring our trailer for a day ortwo and get processing. We don't always
(22:26):
need the big gear. It's moreand we've got the massive bundles that we
need to bring all the gear,and you know, as time goes on.
You know, originally we just broughtone of our tractors down from the
farm, whereas now we've worked outa small teley handler does the same job
without you know, the same siterequired space. So yeah, yeah,
but you're right. Logistically going fromone site to another, we try and
(22:49):
save it for every two to threemonths because there is cost involved and that
you know, we're getting better atall that. So finally tuning the machine
year resources. Financially, that haslimited us, but it's probably been quite
a good handbreak at the same time, because it just slows you down and
actually instead a because I honestly comeup with these crazy ideas that if I
(23:14):
had the money, I would havegone out and just bought something and it
probably wouldn't have worked out. Soyou'd better off to scrounch the little bit
and make work. And then that'swhy my frain's pulling back a bit.
Actually see it, actually see it, stand back and see what's going on,
rather than just bowling a head.Yeah, okay, I think that's
a good a good message. Numberwise, what are we talking here,
(23:36):
Like, when did you actually startthis as a business, and how many
thousands of posts have you managed tosave from waste? I suppose you'd say,
well, probably first year we probablydid about sixty thousand. That was
to end a year entering twenty one? Is it twenty one? Yeah?
And it was slowly then were aboutone thirty the next year, and about
(23:56):
one hundred and fifty oar the nextyear. Way that we're going this year,
we'll probably I am anger out toour thousand posts. Wow, But
if we take on a Hawkspy aswell. We're probably not going to bit
four thousand and posts probably in thenext twelve month period. Yeah, dramatically.
And I think, you know,we've just gone from one nail puller
(24:18):
to now we're getting our third nailpullar built so that we can have three
teams. Each team has three processinglaborers. And thank God for our teams
because they're pretty amazing guys. AndI think that's us just working the balance
of how many staff we need tohow many nail pullars. Yeah, and
it's just growing, guys, reallygrowing, And I think that's thanks to
(24:38):
the real re sector, Like peoplehave really got on board and for Greg
to have that feedback at events wego to. We're going to be in
Hamilton in a couple of weeks aswell at field days there, and it's
just been really good to get thefeedback and people just come over for a
yarn because they say, guys,this is such a simple idea, why
don't we think of it? Andjust yeah, I think people are really
(25:00):
moving into you know, trying tobe more sustainable, trying to use recycle
products, and it goes back tothe price point that we've talked about earlier.
Price Elseley's supposed to be honest,it's you know, anybody you talked
to for thinking and knowing what theyneed to get done and trying to make
a dollar. It comes down aprice, and it's the best way to
achieve it. It's price, Butthen it's also so good environmentally, So
(25:23):
why wouldn't you. I mean,like I said already, I just think
it's such a win win. AndI obviously saw you guys at CD earlier
this year. I just trying thatI was gonna say last year, but
no, it was earlier this year. And then we came and saw you
at Southern Field Days and I'll seeyou in Hamilton maybe because I'll be there.
But yeah, I just exactly amwhat you've just said. I just
(25:45):
thought, Wow, what a greatidea. So simple, but yet it's
so effective, and it is athing that in general, I think people
are more aware of the environment andtrying to have more sustainable businesses, and
it's something that farmers are not immunefrom. We need to get on board
with these sort of things. Butas you say, the end of the
(26:07):
day, it comes back to price. But it's both so great a most
farmers have been though, like withoutthe spotlight, and they've been they will
always been the most resourceful and peopleout there and industry out there, just
yeah, it just blows my mindhow help how they make how they make
it work with very little, andyou know, they definitely don't throw money
(26:30):
around them quite well known for beingtired at us as so you know,
nothing goes on the ground or oron farm without a very justified reason,
you know. And I think forus, you know, this is a
new us moving into a more ofa business. Someding understanding has taken us
a while and we've still got alot of learning to do. But for
(26:51):
us, the bottom line has alwaysbeen can we keep the prices as low
as we can make to still makea business you know, working as well.
We've had many people go, oh, you should increase your prices,
but you know, our points arewhat I think has allowed the rural sector
to get on board and buy them, and I think if we increase them
too much, we might lose alot of people. So I think for
(27:14):
Greg it's been a really rewarding businessto be a part of. And as
a farmers ourselves, we just wantto help people out there who are in
a situation like we were at thevery beginning. So yeah, it's been
really cool to be part of alot of people's stories and the feedback that
we get. It's just been reallyrewarding about that. Like we probably should
increase the price and stuff like that, but this bugg to be honest,
(27:37):
and I'm just speaking honestly, it'snot a huge amount of money in it.
Like we yeah, we've injected ahell a lot of money and we're
trying. We just generally want totry and it work well, especially from
the route from the agriculture. Wegenerally want to help and I just think
that they accept the needs anything theycan get at the moment. So we're
(28:02):
just yeah, we're just doing thebest we care And I just feel now
we're three years in that we're juststarting to feel the facts of all the
hard work. You know, Greg'smissed out on a lot of family time
and stuff like that. So it'sjust been really good. Sorry to see.
I was just about to say,you know, amazing story that you
(28:23):
told earlier about how you guys gotinto the farm and that you hit this
couple that were willing to because theycould see your vision. Also, you've
obviously got a young family. Therewas a wee baby here just before we
started recording, and other children understand, And obviously you've got your own farm
as well, so that's a hugecommitment in juggle for you guys, how
(28:47):
do you make it all work?Oh? Oh yeah, my old man,
I suppose she's on the preck uptoo. We learned pretty quickly with
this business that getting the right peoplearound you with the right skill sets was
what was going to make it asuccess. So we've had amazing people join
(29:10):
in along the way that has reallyhelped the business, you know, come
to the next level. From youknow Ed Massey over at Sustainable Wine Growers
to like Alistair Scorn who works forMarlborough Business of Commerce. You know,
it's really finding the right people thatcan help your business grow. And then
from a family perspective, you know, family, we've had a lot of
(29:32):
people, you know help with thefarm and yeah that's cool. Yeah,
I can relate. I can relateto what you guys are saying. We
kind of had a similar situation withbuying our farm when we got a shot
with an older couple that we're exitting, and we're very grateful and we've probably
got on. As you say,we thought the prices were like crazy at
the time, but then yeah,we wouldn't be able to do it now,
(29:56):
so we obviously don't get in atthe right time. But you know,
I just think, well, hatsoff to you guys. What an
amazing story and such a great thingthat you're doing for the industry, which
is why I kept coming back toyou and pushing about thing on the podcast
and doing various things, because Ireally do believe that it's such a great
story and anything I can do tohelp spread the word, obviously, I'm
(30:17):
all for it. Yeah, Ijust think incredible. And you guys picked
up an award recently too. Canyou tell me about that? Oh?
Yeah, so we I was actuallydancing. She entered us in the Courtorn
Awards in Marlborough and we won there. So that was quite cool. Like
I was in the Yeah, Iwasn't down for it at all, but
(30:38):
it was it was nice to geta bet on the back and to be
there with the you know, generallythe Ballfoot was a group of people who
are actually just out there trying todo something. You know, I think
you went down for it. Ithink I just needed to explain what it
was and Greg was a bit.Greg's been very Card's just just apprehensive about
(30:59):
people are coming on site and seeingwhat the business is about. And I
think once you got unders have abetter understanding of you know, the people
that were there that actually ended uphelping us, because you know, they
sat on site and they said,oh you could do this with the machine
or have you thought about this withthe business and the feedback we've been given
from the judges behind the course orwas they really believed in reposts? And
(31:22):
they've been helping us to no end. So they've given us some really good
contacts and feedback that yet again hashelped us grow the business. So I
think that's what's been really cool forus is the business has very organically occurred
and along the way people have comeon board that have helped us bring it
to the lex level and continued todo so. And you know, it's
made all the hot work, hardwork worthwhile, hasn't it. Yeah?
(31:45):
Yeah, but it was so meand Stu Stu and I sorry, we
we tore it away for early monthson our own, like without hit the
kids and risk the stuff going on, and it was we didn't. We
didn't put our stay out there atall. We sort of just chipped away
on our iron and keep their headsdown. And it was bloody, lonely,
(32:05):
really like it was a real struggle. We had staffing issues. We
couldn't we every avenue we tried toget, you know, we tried to
get emir at work as we triedto It's just the whole area was there
was every turn, every corner weturned. We just just felt like we're
heading a brick wall. But untilDansey came on and actually put us out
(32:27):
there, and there's a lot ofpeople willing to help, especially when it's
a good, a good thing we'redoing. I guess I actually think that
was a really good lessons learned,Greg, because you know, those those
first years a where you really establishedthe company and worked out and all the
things that were going wrong, andI think you'll feel a lot better and
used to come looking back going youknow, you guys did that all by
(32:50):
yourself. You grew it, youmade the contacts, you open the doors,
and look where we are now.And I think, you know,
for people setting up businesses, welearned a lot in that time frame.
And you know, those first yearsare actually the hardest. You know,
you're putting in endless hours. You'regetting a lot of people not understanding the
business and saying, oh, notright now, maybe in the future,
(33:13):
and you know that's the time whereyou really, you know, keep your
head down and work hard. Andit's been really rewarding for us. And
now in year three, coming nearlyfour, having people finally really understand and
get what we're doing and wanting toget behind us and get on board,
and you know, we're really startingto reap the rewards of all that hard
work that you did in those firstfew years. So I think from me
(33:35):
looking on the sidelines in i'd sayfor those new businesses, you know,
keep your heads down and don't takeno for an answer necessarily and keep working
because you know it will. Itwill come back around. And you know
that's what's happened with us. Thatis a bit persistence. You just keep
it is tuning up, just keepturning it up, and just having a
passion like Greg is so passionate aboutrepost and so you know a lot of
(33:59):
the time it's not work for him, it's actually passion and that's driving it.
And you know it's exciting for himand for us and for all the
people that have you know, beenthere along the way helping us drive forward
to you know, start to seeyou know, the cogs turning more now
and people going, yeah, no, this is this is good. This
does make sense. This. Youknow, we can throw words that people
(34:20):
use like circular economy and you know, sustainability factor for the winery sectors and
stuff like that, but you know, it's more than that. It's you
know that this is a waste issuethat we've solved in the viticulture industry and
helping them, you know, reducetheir landfall dramatically, and you know,
the landfall cost is spiking, andso you know, to be a part
(34:43):
of that is really rewarding. Thiswhat we're doing now with Repost is going
to be the you know, theone really good thing that I think I'll
do in my life. So Ijust pretty pretty proud at you. Yeah,
I was just going to say,you guys should be proud, and
yeah, I can say that it'sobviously a bit of emotional and makes me
feel a bit emotional. Watch isprobably the sign of a great story.
(35:08):
Blood Do you think, well,you have got a new baby, are
you probably not getting much sleep.Ever, do you think there was a
turning point or can you pinpoint whenyou kind of felt like, yes,
we're turning, we've turned the corner, or we're really gaining the momentum with
it, or was it just aslow burn that it just started to pick
(35:29):
up, it took off and likewe're talking small scale but enough to think,
oh yeah, this works and thenreally just plat hod and with staffing
issues and we're just a whole heavyheadaches everything. Like I said, everything,
every turn of the corner we turned, it just seemed to head a
brick whell started this year, Iwould say, well, I think ever
(35:50):
since Dancy's come on board, andit's just it's just the time thing.
A lot of work goes on,and you know, in the office and
you know, just Danzy's her fatherwas an absolute demon at sales and in
gamling as well. But it sortof worked really well, and it's just
not taking no for an answer andpersisting, persisting, persisting. But I
(36:15):
think something that we didn't do forthe first two years really I think that's
it is. I think, youknow, never think you're too big for
your boots and knock on every singledoor, and I think, you know,
the start of this year to haveyou know, more emails coming in
saying, hey, we've heard aboutreposts because of the advertisement you did in
you know this this free newspaper oryou know this article that was written about
(36:37):
you, and oh, we've seenyou're doing a lot more on Facebook and
messages. And I think that's it. It's just doing all those different angles
that you didn't think of. Andwe did no advertising and other than marketplace
until January this year. So howdid you how did you change it?
(36:57):
Like, how did you learn it? Or Dan, did you just come
and be like, right, I'mgonna do this. I think it was
really interesting for me. The firstcouple of years. It was more about
just getting the like the actual flowof things, how the processing was,
we're working stuff like that, andI didn't think I was really needed or
necessary. And then we had someissues at the end of the last year
(37:19):
that we just started to kind ofstop processing for a bit because I think
people, well a lot of peoplewill know, you know, laborers cost
a lot of money and the salesweren't matching the amount of labor costs that
were involved. Because there's gonna betimes a year where we sell less posts
because you'll know, you know,there's times a year where the weather's better
or your stock sold, and soyou've got the time to do fencing.
So I think it was we neededa step back and look at the business
(37:43):
as a whole and go what's goingright, what's going wrong, and how
can we work on that? Andone of them was, you know,
let's start asking for more help,Let's start getting the right people around us,
from you know, the sustainable winegrowers to the Marlborough business of commerce
and just having those conversations. Andthen you know, from having those what
(38:05):
I call springboards, it's allowed usto have more conversations of what's going right
or wrong because I think you know, Greg and I being farmers, you
keep your cars your chest, andwhen things are going wrong, you think
to work harder instead of working necessarilysmarter, and so having that time to
sit back and go, right,this isn't working. Let's not keep working
harder. Let's go how can wedo this differently? And we're not actually
(38:29):
doing it much differently, we're justdoing it beta. Yeah, I just
think it's just I just say weare doing things a bit differently. I
think, you know, we're doinga lot more sales. We're just doing
it. Greg's on the ground,I'm behind the laptop, I suppose,
is how you'd say it. Butjust the phone calls I've been having,
you know, getting a lot morefencing contractors on board has been really rewarding
(38:51):
because you know, at the endof the day, if you can buy
new, you will buy new.But a lot of people can't. And
so it's been having a lot ofpeople like that, having those conversations.
Getting our website updated so you know, people can read a lot more about
it. By better, I meanactually probably now we've got decent processes in
place, and it'd be the difference. Yeah, on machines are quicker,
so we're getting more you know,six eight hundred posts per day process as
(39:15):
opposed to lesser beforehand. Yeah,but it's just this some processes behind the
scene, but all the paperwork andwhat else, just like orders, keeping
tracks, just a hell a lotbetter tracking. And Yeah, so it
seems like you've been able to refineyour process, you've got good people,
(39:35):
you've got some better or more helpor advice around you, and then you've
been able to off the back ofhaving a really good product in a good
process or business model. You've beenable to increase that visibility by doing more
things in social media and advertising andhaving stories and things like that. So
that's kind of just a confidence andconfidence in ourselves to be to be versible,
(40:00):
I guess. And I think it'spretty clear that we're we're farmers that
came across a good idea and havemade it work, but we're not business
people per se. And so youknow, we've been learning on the job
and growing and you know, learnedthat we didn't have all the skill sets
and getting the right people involved,and I think it's pretty clear from the
chats that that's the way it's gone. And I'm just really glad and thankful
(40:22):
that we've had the right people comealong and the support of the rural community
and buying our product, and that'swhat's allowing us to go from strength and
strength, and without it, youknow, it wouldn't have carried on the
way it has. So thank youeveryone. Well, you guys are amazing.
I mean, you hit the ideaor maybe it came through your family,
brig is you've explained that you haveactually taken it in run with it
(40:44):
in not just used it on yourown fan, which you could have just
easily used the posts on your fan. Gone. It was great, that
saved us a heap of money,got the job done, but you've actually
gone out and taken it bigger andbetter, and now you're actually in a
position to make a difference to boththe wine industry and to the farming industry.
And so yeah, I just reallythink, Yeah, you guys should
(41:07):
be proud, and hits off toyou. I am. I just think
it's a great idea. I've saidit a number of times. People get
sick be repeating myself. What doyou guys think? Well, I'm just
conscious I've been talking for quite sometime and you probably have other things to
be doing, but it's so interesting. What do you think is we've talked
a little bit about the things thatyou've learned and maybe some things that you
(41:28):
might have done differently, But whatdo you think maybe both of you could
answer, this is the biggest thingthat you've learned in this business, and
what advice would you give to otherpeople that maybe have a good idea in
the primary sectors, be passionate,being positive. I guess I think it's
(41:50):
surrounding yourself with people that can fillin the skill set you lack. So
it takes a good proud person tolook in the mirror and go, I'm
never going to be able to dothis, Like I'm never going to be
on site and be able to processthe post like grad can. And he's
never gonna be able to sit behinda laptop and you know, apply for
grants and you know talk to peoplethe same way that I do. So
(42:12):
it's just knowing what works for youand what doesn't and not being too proud
to ask people for help. Okay, guys, there's some really great messages
there and some really good takeaways forpeople, I think, and I'd love
to just wrap it up here withthe five fast decks. So first of
all, what is one it thatyou need or can't live without to run
your business? For me, becauseit's mainly it's probably our ANTIIP just just
(42:40):
playing bills and keeping track and seeI've got any money and zero and I
start just started with a vehicle trackingsystem on our vehicles and our plant.
It's just nice to know that it'srunning and you know when it's supposed to
be without having to be what systemyou are using for that, it's just
(43:04):
it's just called new Point. It'snot actually an app, but you just
do it on I can do iton my mobile and it's just through the
normal, a normal Safari settings.Yes, So is it for you to
track where your vehicles are going oris it just for the vehicles? And
I'd just like to know that whenthey when they when the staff say it's
(43:25):
running, I know it's running withouthaving to be worried about him to drive
for site. It just saves mea heap of time really, But yeah,
that's that's just an let's regard andrepost anyway. But just zero for
all my other businesses is pretty key. Yeah. Absolutely, that's some great
ones there. I haven't heard ofthat when you were talking about for tracking
(43:45):
the vehicle, So that could beuseful for other people that are listening.
What do you think is the bestadvice you've ever received yourself? I'll be
plenty of it for me. It'sworth smaller, not necessarily harder. Yeah,
just just keep it, just keepturning up and yeah, possessed,
(44:06):
I guess, just yeah, keepgoing. Yeah, I think when Greg
comes about it comes to a hurdle. He definitely jumps over it as opposed
to turning a different direction. Ithink there's something to be said. I'm
like a horse, I just don'tlike going, but very good. Yeah,
it's not a barrier. It's justit's just an obstacle that needs to
(44:29):
be overcome, not a that's nota that stops. I suppose you'd say,
if someone of your romney just jumpeverything everything, everything can be solved.
Well I believe it anyway, Yeah, fantastic. Is there a business
or a personal business or a businesswho you look up to. We've been
(44:52):
working a lot with rural support trust. I know per se you might not
say specifically it's a business, butI think there's so much to be learned
from there, and you know,finding that the people that they've got on
board in their team and the supportthey've been given to people, especially during
the cyclone relief, give a heapof the time and oh yeah, behind
the scenes, people work tirelessly duringthe weekends and the off time to you
(45:15):
know, give back because you know, as a rural sector we are kind
of all one and we all arepursuing the same dreams, endeavors, lifestyle.
So it's been really rewarding for usto be a part of that,
taking our truck and trailers up therewhenever we can help. And there's some
that's not all there, that's justgoing and having a cup of tea with
(45:36):
somebody and that chet I guess,and just knowing where is it as well.
But yeah, also it's just asa business wide. You know,
there's probab the biggest betlers out thereas every day mum dead, top of
farmers who you know, it's justbloody tough and they just keep going like
you pay for the privilege to doit and that's that's what you do.
(46:01):
Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. I'vehad a bit to do with the Royal
Support Trust lightly because I've been doingsome Bode deliveries out here we're in our
area after the cyclone and we actuallydid a big day on Tuesday and I
had some people from the Royal SupportTrust with me. So yeah, one
hundred percent agree that they do anamazing job and a lot of work behind
(46:22):
the scenes that a lot of peopledon't say. I just seem to get
it get it done. Now.It's not talking, they don't just talk
about it. They actually just getit done. And I think you know,
the cycling improved. They got allthe right people in board to you
know, push push ideas through pushthings that needs to be done, and
I mean look what they've done.So yeah, definitely for us, you
(46:45):
know, up there with people toaspire to and learn a lot from.
Fantastic. I like that because oftenpeople will say, you know, a
really aspirational kind of successful business person. But it's a different kind of answer
to what I've had in the past. But I think that's really Oh well,
it probably doesn't surprise me after allthe other things you guys have seen
today, so it makes a lotof sense. Really. The fourth question
(47:08):
is if you could change one thing, what would it be. Not a
lot for me, I'm pretty prettycontinued. Oh there's a lot of things
you wish you didn't do as butyou need to learn those lessons, you
know. Probably, yeah, Ithink because we're still in the thick of
(47:30):
it, Like Greg's delivering post tofamilies. He loves going on site with
the guys and processoring the post himself. So I think, you know,
there's a different perspective when if wewere say you asked that question in ten
years from now, we'd probably havea really quick answer, because we're still,
you know, on the ground gettingstuff done. We don't have that
(47:51):
same perspective. So I think we'restill in the stage where we go.
Everything we learn along the way hasbeen key for us. So do us
again in ten years. I'll makea note of that. I'll diary for
ten years time. Now finally beforeI let you to go, because I'm
sure you have plenty of things tobe doing, and I'll be apesto to
see if you agree on this.Does pineapple belong on a pizza? Gregg's
(48:15):
gonna answer differently to me were toscrap about this. Greg grew up on
meat and potatoes as any you know, farming child did. I was a
lifestyle block child, so I wasobviously slightly different. So to me,
pineapple was great. It made youfeel like you were in Fiji on a
beach smoking and drinking a peanut clada. But I mean drink. But for
(48:38):
Greg, you know, he's justyou, answered Greg An, every in
any form of meat really three.It can be whatever it wants. It
can be whatever it wants. Ilove that. Okay. On that note,
thank you to so much for yourtime. It's been an episode pleasure
to have you on the podcast andall the best with Repost, and we
(48:59):
will put all of the details abouthow you can find repost and get amongst
the action in our show notes.Great, thank you so much, you
appreciate it. I'll see it.Yeah, see you guys there. Yeah,
thank god. Wow. What anincredibly inspirational and inspiring story there from
(49:23):
Greg and Dense Copple. I'm justblown away. It was a bit of
a bit of a tear jerke ofthat one. These guys are just doing
something so special to help other farmers, something that is a win for the
environment, a win for our pockets, and just generally an all round feel
good story of what farmers can dowhen they have a good idea. I
(49:46):
think the big things that came outof it for me, it kind of
spoke for itself. But what Gregsaid about just keep trying, just keep
turning up, persistence pays off ifyou are passionate about something it's not work.
Dancy said some great things around youknow, never thinking you're too big
for your boats, knocking on everysingle door. And also I think they
(50:08):
really learned that they needed to askfor help and that there was actually a
lot of really available knowledge and peopleout there who were really willing to help
them and have wanted to help themgrow their business. So I just think,
yeah, if you surround yourself withpeople who have maybe the skill set
that you don't have, and don'tbe too proud to ask for help.
(50:30):
So many great messages in that episodeof From the ground Up. I hope
you enjoyed it as much as Idid. You can head to our show
notes to find out where you canget amongst the reused or recycled post action
with repost if you're looking to dosome fencing on farm, I think you
really can't go past them if youare wanting something that is good for the
(50:50):
environment and a bit easier on thepocket, which, let's face it,
we can all do with these days. Until next time, oh very bel
Welcome to down to Earth, broughtto you by a Young Country. This
is the podcast for the go getters, the big dreamers, the innovators of
the primary sector. I'm your host, Rebecca Greeves, and we're taking a
closer look at young people in theprimary industries who have dared to think big,
pushed the limits and give it ago in business. We'll be asking
(00:30):
how they got to where they arenow, and what they've learned along the
way, and what their advice isto other aspiring every innovators. Sir,
settle in and listener as we serveyou a healthy dose of inspiration, motivation,
and maybe even challenge your thinking.A little repost are saving the world,
(00:56):
one recycled post at a time.This is an affordable, sustainable fencing
option, so what is not tolike. I'm really stoked to be joined
today on the From the ground Uppodcast by Greg Copple and his wife Danniel,
although I think Danniel might just bekind of sitting in, but you
may hear her from time to time. Thanks for joining us, guys,
(01:19):
Thank you for having us. Firstof all, Greg, can you just
tell me what is repost or reposts? Is? Am I guess all of
this is a processing system. SoMarlborough during the mechanical harvesting, they break
(01:40):
roughly between sending on a good yearand a bed year, probably between half
a million and a million posts they'reduring the halvest thing. So there's nothing
wrong with these posts. I've justtaken a bit of a bit of a
swipe by the harvesting machine or oror the likes. But so what we
do is we go through and wegrade them. We pull the nails is
about a dozen falling nails and clipsper side. We dock them and we
(02:04):
can point them, but we bundlethem up and and just seeing all over
the country. Really so nothing toocomplicated about it. But it's going really
good and it's getting the metal endfills and and a real cheap product into
the market. Yeah, I meanyet, like you say, it's nothing
too crazy out there. It's it'squite a simple idea but obviously no one
(02:29):
had necessarily thought of it before,and to me it's just absolutely genius.
It's like a win win. Justto be clear, you're talking about harvest
you're talking about posts from vineyards,right, yeah, one hundred scents so
yeah, so the ones that arejust holding the chalices up and that the
vine's up and in the rows,if that makes sense to everybody, and
(02:50):
you're just sourcing them from Marlborough.Is that where you're based at this stage.
But there's some other stuff in thepipeline regarding Hawk's Bay and with the
s and some of the recovery ofthe damaged vineyards and orchards up there.
Just working through that now, butyeah, I think we're going to be
involved in one way or another.It's just trying to just just a bit
(03:14):
of time to get that organized.Obviously there's material that can be recycled after
the cyclone, but there's also aheck of a lot of fencing that needs
to be done, so yeah,both. So that's the reason we're so
excited about it is because you know, the real sector needs needs any bit
of helping hand they can up there, and if we do process up there,
(03:34):
it takes a massive freight component outof it. So those guys are
looking at even in cheaper posts toget a hell of a lot done.
So Hawkbake Regional Council. You know, we've been up there a few times
now and they can rarely see thepositives from all round. So it's just
a matter of getting some things intoplace and making some decisions regarding that but
(03:59):
in the coming months. But yeah, we hope to be, you know,
helping both sectors out pretty as quicklyas we can actually, because everyone
needs to keep moving forward for sure, for sure. Okay, so if
we just go back a little bit, can you tell me a bit about
yourself and your background your farming.Oh yeah, So I was born in
Takia, that's the top of theSouth and Golden Bay. We were four
(04:21):
generation over there farming dairy farming,and probably got a little bit small from
the old man. So he hehe sold up the family farm and bought
a place in Murchison. We're probablyroughly about three or four hundred cows.
It was pretty tough going because itwas a newly converted properly from sheeting beef
(04:45):
into daring, but so batter allthat out of that for a while and
sort of developed that the best hecould with the means he had, and
then he sold that and went toa sheep station at Ward that's in Marlborough,
and we're there for about fifteen yearsor so. That's sort of where
the start of this posting you knowwhen I was a kid there, that
(05:08):
was what the old man was doing. He was down there scrambling for everything
he could to try and do whathe could on a pretty marginal block.
Really, it's pretty yeah going.So we you know, we always knew
that, and the old man knewthat resource was there and he did what
he could on you know, I'mvery little. Yeah, she was pretty
(05:30):
tough, tough farming through that period. So yeah. So then any who,
during that I was planning on goingback to that that family farm in
Marlborough. But so I went awayand did a building apprenticeship. But during
that period, I the old manrode his bike and got bit smashed up,
and Mum had a few I was, she had a bit of some
(05:53):
health is used and stuff along theway. So and I'm growing up and
seeing the struggles from the parents.You know that it was pretty hard to
to make it work really, SoI wasn't in a hurry to go back
to the farm because I part againin my apprenticeship was to be able to
(06:15):
work off farm and get some incomeback when I you know, if I
was working there but with the oldman rolling his bike and get a bit
smashed up as a family, wedecided, and it needs no money in
it, so we decided that we'dlet it go. So I carried on
building and put of traveling in theUK and that sort of stuff, and
(06:40):
so building has been pretty good tome, and so we traveled and met
my wife in the UK while Iwas there, did a few we did
up a few houses in London andFrance and some pieces, and then decided
to come home. So with theChristis Quat we went down there and had
a few credit that were rebuilt.We had probably fifteen odd staff there for
(07:04):
all bit. But it was apretty tough you know, Cross which was
pretty tough as well. It wasstart off as the world west and really
and there was sort of you know, it was just all him, and
you know, I think you werestarting to you know, some of a
lot of your friends are still infarming, and we go visit them and
(07:24):
it kind of got you, youknow, reinvigorated to get back into the
world. You always had that youand to go back farm. I don't
know why we do. It's likeif you feel like a bit of a
sucker for punishment, it's the lifestyle. Great, we will love it,
but you know, you had alot of emotions around it, and some
days you're asking yourself what all theway up to? But on a good
(07:45):
day, you know, it's justyou just I don't know. You do
it. You pay for the privilege, but it's it's a pretty pretty great
privilege, to be honest. Soso yeah, so we moved back to
Nelson and started our family and farmhere while I was developing here and doing
doing speaks and some other development stuff. And you see, the building was
pretty good and put us in areasonable position to go, and timing was
(08:09):
really good. Laying process was stillreasonably well. At the time, we
thought that outrageous, but we tookthe leap of faith and I think I've
put made off without Dandy seeing it. And there was a little bit of
hell to pay, and then allyou were trying to get the money to
get to make it think but tomake it work. And I mean it
(08:30):
was really nice the people that ownedit prior to us. You know,
they had offers from forestry units,from other people, but they really believed
in us and what we wanted todo with the farm, and they really
wanted you know, with the conversationsGreg had had about how he wants to
develop it and improve pasture and whatstock. They kind of got really excited
about our vision and they visited usquite a few times over the years and
(08:52):
they're just really proud because that's stillcoming. We're young and we've had the
energy to really get the farm tothe next level. So, you know,
we offered it one of the lowestfigures, but they took our offer
and that they said, they're reallyproud to have seen where we've taken Springer's
Block, And I mean Springer's Blockis how Reposter has come about because without
it, you know, we reallyneeded to fence or thirty kilometers of property
(09:16):
to get it where it needed tobe. And that's kind of the seed
that created Reposts because we were allsitting having smoker and we were like,
how are we going to do this? Because I'd got quotes from you know,
all the merchants, and we're like, this is just gonna, you
know, put us in debt,really financial debt for this to come.
So Greg's dad Pop said, well, why didn't you do what you've we
did for you know, in yourchildhood, and let's go to Marlborough with
(09:39):
your truck and you know, let'slet's get into some posts. So you
know, there was some mountains ofposts and Greg. Greg went through them
and brought them back to the farmand we had the when all the nails
were on. So sometimes it's quitetricky to you know, put the fen
the wires to it and the Yeah, but Greg, we we kind of
got to it as a fan.And you know, it was during COVID,
(10:01):
so my sister was with us andwe were fencing like crazy. So
yeah, it was keeping us busy. And that's when Greg and Pot went,
right, we need to get anail puller in play. We need
to work out how we can makewas more like do we have to do?
But they need to just got bolliedinto it. We always say Pot
was an engineer in another life becausehe can make anything in his workshop.
(10:22):
But I think his generation were likethat, you know, they had to
fix everything on site and do theirbest. So the first nail puller was
born and we got to it,and you know, quite quickly all the
neighboring farms were like, can wehave some posts? Greg, So you
know, the business was really createdorganically, and I think that's you know,
(10:43):
the story at the beginning is whyit's been a success because you know,
at the very beginning Greg was deliveringto all the farmers, having yarns
and smipos with them afterwards, sometimeshelping out with fencing their properties with them,
and you know it kind of grewfrom that and word of mouth,
and when Stue came on board beinga viticulturist, he helped us dramatically bring
it to the next level by youknow, having the contacts in the wine
(11:07):
just just Marria all together and gettingyou need to hear buy and from from
both ends, I guess, andhe had that. Yeah, he just
keeps all together. What's Stew's rolein the business now, could you just
explain it? Well, Stew's abit of a mad dog really, he's
got things going on e real,so he's filling in a bit about him
(11:28):
as well. He's he started off. He's got the cultures for the year
in Mulborough I think Old Times fiftyand he's pretty well known in Marlborough.
He owns a wine called the mulberWrist and he roll runs a consultation company,
you know, doing a lot ofthe wineries over there, maintaining them
and stuff. So he's got amanagement company. They run about must have
(11:52):
about six or seven tricks and peoplerunning around here. But he's flying here,
there and everywhere around the country toa lot of wine. And then
a sideline is sending emails at nightbet Repost and chasing up things. And
yeah, he's a work horse,that's for sure. So his main role
in Repost is he helps us getthe new wineries on board. I mean,
(12:15):
we're really grateful now because a lotof wineries are coming to us.
But at the very beginning, youknow, we were an unknawmed company and
people didn't really know what to makeof us. So Stu is there knocking
on doors, making the contacts,having people take chances on us, like
Yelan's, who are one of ourfirst and you know, quite quickly people
cluede onto you know, this isa solution that's never been brought to us,
(12:37):
and you know that this isn't anythingnew. There's been a massive waste
issue in the viticultural industry for along time and they've always it's come,
you know, to the table everyyear and they've gone, how do we
this and nothing's majors happened. SoI think once we got a first few
contacts. You know, it hada role on effect. Theo's problem's been
around for a long time, sothey've they've talked about proless Ellis's plants and
(13:01):
stuff and mulboro so that they weregoing to burn them at high temperatures,
but that sort of fell over andthen they just put it back to the
too hard basket again. And soI've been reading in the paper and that
about the options for twenty fifteen yearsor whatever it is, and so nothing
really changed. But this I don'tthink there's much for need, don't We
(13:24):
still send at current levels. Westill send about from what posts we're receiving
about twenty five percent to landfill,but we're working on ways to be able
to even cut that back even further. So they just posts that are too
far gone to actually recycle. Yeah, so we are dealing with you know,
we are only taking out, weare only processing posts that are reasonably
(13:48):
have just been broken and pulled out. There's quite a stockpile of older posts
out there, so they'll have todeal with that how they or will be
involved somehow trying to work out whatto do with those posts. But we
make sure they are all graded andthey tested to make sure that they're up
to a brand new industry standard ofa H four, So they're not actually
(14:09):
secondhand. They're equivalent to a brandnew post and they expected to handle fifty
years minimum. So if you putone of these posts in just for farmers
out there who are listening, it'snot like you're using a second hand product.
As such, they can stand outto the riggers of you know,
wear and tear on the normal fence. Yeah, one hundred percent of the
season they locked season, so they'vegot silver off. But I've never been
(14:33):
in the ground and they test tobe up to a brand new industry standard,
so yeah, so you're not you'retaking a brand new product out of
the market and replacing with something thatalready exists. So yeah, it's it's
very much like. The only differenceis it might not look quite so shiny
and new, but essentially it isdoing the exact same job. It's dry
(14:56):
and it's season and it's seasoned.So yeah, it there's a little bit
harder to drive your staple islands,but at the end of the day,
it's cheaper on freight costs because it'slighter and as for on the body too.
You know, if you can't andpost over bage line or something like
that, you know you'll put suchon your shoulder rather than too, you
know. Yeah, and I thinkas well, you know, we know
when a lot of we know,with the wineries we've worked with when they
(15:18):
actually did the development work, soa lot of the posts we can actually
go back to when they were installed. So a lot of them are only
fifteen years old. So that's whyon our warranty online we back them for
thirty five years. And that's aconservative figure. As Greg said, we
know they're going to last longer.And you know, we've had a few
people that are a bit of oldergoing, oh, don't worry, we
(15:41):
won't be here thirty five years fromnow anyway. We just want to get
you know, paddots done. Soyou've really got to look at, you
know, your bank balance and gowhat's cost effective to get you know,
our pastor where it needs to be. And I think that's where we've been
really lucky in the rural sector.A lot of people going, you know,
for the price that they are,you know, starting at three dollars
twenty, we're actually really improving ourproperty being able to do our shelter belots
(16:03):
being able to do our wetlands fora fraction at the price, so you
know, there's there's there's so manybenefits to it. So yeah, that's
that's kind of been how the company'sgrowing. So just to talk about the
financial side of it, you've justmentioned the price of a repost post.
What I'm I should know what theprice of a new post is, but
(16:25):
what's the comparison between a like apost that you would go and buy from
the you know, from the suppliesto the merchant. There's always there's always
a few variables there. But Isort of yeah, you in New Zealand,
I'm signed for sale and the normalthe chip's prices on trade me so
I always start about there to tryand work out where the prices are at,
(16:45):
but it sort of varies between aboutfor a new post that varies between
about twelve dollars in probably about seventeenplus GST. So huge and yeah,
yeah, yeah, well it's massive. Yes, there is a freight component
of their so all our prices areex Marlborough. But we do that because
(17:08):
we just don't want to put ablanket price on it. Because if you
love and Canterbury. You know,why should you as much as let's stay
on myself and something like that,you know what I mean. So that's
just what it does. It's justPinson volume and it's still still bloody chap
and I think that's why we're reallyexcited to have a second base up in
hawks Bay. You know, weneeded a couple of years to really establish
(17:30):
ourselves and you know, work outthe issues that could arise with our business,
and I feel we're in a placenow where we're really comfortable and ready
to grow. So we're excited togo up to hawks Bay just to you
know, help reduce the freight coursereally for everyone and make it more easy
for the North Island and Northland toyou know, get the same benefits that
(17:52):
people in the South Island are getting. So yeah, obviously we wish it
was under better circumstances, but yeah, it is what it is. It
is. I'm just for me withthe phone calls of people I've had today,
it's just going to be great tofinally be able to say, you
know, the freight components dramatically reducedand it's just enabled them to improve their
farms without you know, the financialhardship that comes with unfortunately buying brand new
(18:18):
or rebuild their fans. Is thecase may be for somebody you mentioned.
I'd love to just go back abit. You mentioned the original nail polo,
So did you guys actually design thatyourself or your pop dead something and
there's nothing out there in the marketthat was similar or I could do the
job. So it started off withI don't know what components we had.
(18:44):
We had an old ram off,an old I think it was a compactor,
garbage compactor actually, and chainsaw bar. It was a part of the
solid wagon anyway, it was alreadyugly. And then the tracted the engine.
I had an I was sixty tenJohn Deer that was running the pumps.
(19:07):
Oh, I was ugly, butthis was on farm. I didn't
quite take that managed to a'll makemyself take that down to the yards health
and safety. We tested it andit worked, So I guess that was
the first stage. This is likethe classic example of the number you know,
keeping number of wire situation, isn'tit? Yeah? It is?
(19:29):
It didn't It didn't last like butit gave us. Yeah, but were
you if you've actually seen some photosof that first quollow because well, I
don't know. I wanted to leavethem because I was scared of the repercussions.
But why we were out now isincredible and just yeah the speed,
well not the speed as much's justjust efficient. Just the efficiency when we're
(19:49):
around running around motors and fuel andand his urban moments of using them,
not using his body so much.Yeah, And I think the key for
us and we work pretty quickly fromtalking to Stu, was you know,
us being a portable service was goingto be the game changer for many yards
because you know, their stock carsare quite hidden and for us to be
(20:10):
able to come on site, process, bundle up and sell them on without
them really having to do anything,was you know a real benefit for people.
And I think to this day that'sprobably been the crux at what's got
repost, you know driving forward soquickly was knowing that we wouldn't have to
have people with their trucks or trailershaving to bring all the first load up
(20:33):
all their posts and then bring themto our site like us being portable for
a lot of wineries have said that'syou know what's enabled them to go yes
straight away and split handling in atleast struts on their own pretty much.
And from I know this is allnew to a lot of people talking about
this stuff, but really us havingto work out with carbon emissions and everything.
You know, freight is a hugecomponent when with this sort of business,
(20:56):
So us allowing other businesses to youknow, add that to their sustainability
work plan really benefited them. That'sinteresting. I imagined you guys having some
big yard with this with your processingfor something and everything coming to it.
So what you're actually saying is thatyou go to the vineyards. That logistically
must be quite a massive coordination effortthough, because if you've got all different
(21:18):
vineyards and then you're sending posts outto people like how do you it's all
right when you're processing you know,forty odd thousand or something like we do
on some of the big sites tothen go and doing a thousand yere and
a thousand and the year. Butwe're just working on around that. It
has been really ugly at times,I'll be honest, explain the convoy when
(21:42):
you guys are one sight to another, because we do get a few beeping
horns of cars waving and smiling anda few giggles it's been a year.
Back when we had a twenty footcontainer with a nail pull on it contractor
caravan for Smoko, we'd be doinga shifting at night, that's for sure.
But yeah, that does. Butit's so much better now, like
(22:03):
a very slow leaps like us forward. But and I think we're pretty much
the en now. But I thinkthe key is, you know, like
you said, we've got the fortythousand site stockpiles with some sites, but
some of the smaller wineries that areboutique, you know, we can just
bring our trailer for a day ortwo and get processing. We don't always
(22:26):
need the big gear. It's moreand we've got the massive bundles that we
need to bring all the gear,and you know, as time goes on.
You know, originally we just broughtone of our tractors down from the
farm, whereas now we've worked outa small teley handler does the same job
without you know, the same siterequired space. So yeah, yeah,
but you're right. Logistically going fromone site to another, we try and
(22:49):
save it for every two to threemonths because there is cost involved and that
you know, we're getting better atall that. So finally tuning the machine
year resources. Financially, that haslimited us, but it's probably been quite
a good handbreak at the same time, because it just slows you down and
actually instead a because I honestly comeup with these crazy ideas that if I
(23:14):
had the money, I would havegone out and just bought something and it
probably wouldn't have worked out. Soyou'd better off to scrounch the little bit
and make work. And then that'swhy my frain's pulling back a bit.
Actually see it, actually see it, stand back and see what's going on,
rather than just bowling a head.Yeah, okay, I think that's
a good a good message. Numberwise, what are we talking here,
(23:36):
Like, when did you actually startthis as a business, and how many
thousands of posts have you managed tosave from waste? I suppose you'd say,
well, probably first year we probablydid about sixty thousand. That was
to end a year entering twenty one? Is it twenty one? Yeah?
And it was slowly then were aboutone thirty the next year, and about
(23:56):
one hundred and fifty oar the nextyear. Way that we're going this year,
we'll probably I am anger out toour thousand posts. Wow, But
if we take on a Hawkspy aswell. We're probably not going to bit
four thousand and posts probably in thenext twelve month period. Yeah, dramatically.
And I think, you know,we've just gone from one nail puller
(24:18):
to now we're getting our third nailpullar built so that we can have three
teams. Each team has three processinglaborers. And thank God for our teams
because they're pretty amazing guys. AndI think that's us just working the balance
of how many staff we need tohow many nail pullars. Yeah, and
it's just growing, guys, reallygrowing, And I think that's thanks to
(24:38):
the real re sector, Like peoplehave really got on board and for Greg
to have that feedback at events wego to. We're going to be in
Hamilton in a couple of weeks aswell at field days there, and it's
just been really good to get thefeedback and people just come over for a
yarn because they say, guys,this is such a simple idea, why
don't we think of it? Andjust yeah, I think people are really
(25:00):
moving into you know, trying tobe more sustainable, trying to use recycle
products, and it goes back tothe price point that we've talked about earlier.
Price Elseley's supposed to be honest,it's you know, anybody you talked
to for thinking and knowing what theyneed to get done and trying to make
a dollar. It comes down aprice, and it's the best way to
achieve it. It's price, Butthen it's also so good environmentally, So
(25:23):
why wouldn't you. I mean,like I said already, I just think
it's such a win win. AndI obviously saw you guys at CD earlier
this year. I just trying thatI was gonna say last year, but
no, it was earlier this year. And then we came and saw you
at Southern Field Days and I'll seeyou in Hamilton maybe because I'll be there.
But yeah, I just exactly amwhat you've just said. I just
(25:45):
thought, Wow, what a greatidea. So simple, but yet it's
so effective, and it is athing that in general, I think people
are more aware of the environment andtrying to have more sustainable businesses, and
it's something that farmers are not immunefrom. We need to get on board
with these sort of things. Butas you say, the end of the
(26:07):
day, it comes back to price. But it's both so great a most
farmers have been though, like withoutthe spotlight, and they've been they will
always been the most resourceful and peopleout there and industry out there, just
yeah, it just blows my mindhow help how they make how they make
it work with very little, andyou know, they definitely don't throw money
(26:30):
around them quite well known for beingtired at us as so you know,
nothing goes on the ground or oron farm without a very justified reason,
you know. And I think forus, you know, this is a
new us moving into a more ofa business. Someding understanding has taken us
a while and we've still got alot of learning to do. But for
(26:51):
us, the bottom line has alwaysbeen can we keep the prices as low
as we can make to still makea business you know, working as well.
We've had many people go, oh, you should increase your prices,
but you know, our points arewhat I think has allowed the rural sector
to get on board and buy them, and I think if we increase them
too much, we might lose alot of people. So I think for
(27:14):
Greg it's been a really rewarding businessto be a part of. And as
a farmers ourselves, we just wantto help people out there who are in
a situation like we were at thevery beginning. So yeah, it's been
really cool to be part of alot of people's stories and the feedback that
we get. It's just been reallyrewarding about that. Like we probably should
increase the price and stuff like that, but this bugg to be honest,
(27:37):
and I'm just speaking honestly, it'snot a huge amount of money in it.
Like we yeah, we've injected ahell a lot of money and we're
trying. We just generally want totry and it work well, especially from
the route from the agriculture. Wegenerally want to help and I just think
that they accept the needs anything theycan get at the moment. So we're
(28:02):
just yeah, we're just doing thebest we care And I just feel now
we're three years in that we're juststarting to feel the facts of all the
hard work. You know, Greg'smissed out on a lot of family time
and stuff like that. So it'sjust been really good. Sorry to see.
I was just about to say,you know, amazing story that you
(28:23):
told earlier about how you guys gotinto the farm and that you hit this
couple that were willing to because theycould see your vision. Also, you've
obviously got a young family. Therewas a wee baby here just before we
started recording, and other children understand, And obviously you've got your own farm
as well, so that's a hugecommitment in juggle for you guys, how
(28:47):
do you make it all work?Oh? Oh yeah, my old man,
I suppose she's on the preck uptoo. We learned pretty quickly with
this business that getting the right peoplearound you with the right skill sets was
what was going to make it asuccess. So we've had amazing people join
(29:10):
in along the way that has reallyhelped the business, you know, come
to the next level. From youknow Ed Massey over at Sustainable Wine Growers
to like Alistair Scorn who works forMarlborough Business of Commerce. You know,
it's really finding the right people thatcan help your business grow. And then
from a family perspective, you know, family, we've had a lot of
(29:32):
people, you know help with thefarm and yeah that's cool. Yeah,
I can relate. I can relateto what you guys are saying. We
kind of had a similar situation withbuying our farm when we got a shot
with an older couple that we're exitting, and we're very grateful and we've probably
got on. As you say,we thought the prices were like crazy at
the time, but then yeah,we wouldn't be able to do it now,
(29:56):
so we obviously don't get in atthe right time. But you know,
I just think, well, hatsoff to you guys. What an
amazing story and such a great thingthat you're doing for the industry, which
is why I kept coming back toyou and pushing about thing on the podcast
and doing various things, because Ireally do believe that it's such a great
story and anything I can do tohelp spread the word, obviously, I'm
(30:17):
all for it. Yeah, Ijust think incredible. And you guys picked
up an award recently too. Canyou tell me about that? Oh?
Yeah, so we I was actuallydancing. She entered us in the Courtorn
Awards in Marlborough and we won there. So that was quite cool. Like
I was in the Yeah, Iwasn't down for it at all, but
(30:38):
it was it was nice to geta bet on the back and to be
there with the you know, generallythe Ballfoot was a group of people who
are actually just out there trying todo something. You know, I think
you went down for it. Ithink I just needed to explain what it
was and Greg was a bit.Greg's been very Card's just just apprehensive about
(30:59):
people are coming on site and seeingwhat the business is about. And I
think once you got unders have abetter understanding of you know, the people
that were there that actually ended uphelping us, because you know, they
sat on site and they said,oh you could do this with the machine
or have you thought about this withthe business and the feedback we've been given
from the judges behind the course orwas they really believed in reposts? And
(31:22):
they've been helping us to no end. So they've given us some really good
contacts and feedback that yet again hashelped us grow the business. So I
think that's what's been really cool forus is the business has very organically occurred
and along the way people have comeon board that have helped us bring it
to the lex level and continued todo so. And you know, it's
made all the hot work, hardwork worthwhile, hasn't it. Yeah?
(31:45):
Yeah, but it was so meand Stu Stu and I sorry, we
we tore it away for early monthson our own, like without hit the
kids and risk the stuff going on, and it was we didn't. We
didn't put our stay out there atall. We sort of just chipped away
on our iron and keep their headsdown. And it was bloody, lonely,
(32:05):
really like it was a real struggle. We had staffing issues. We
couldn't we every avenue we tried toget, you know, we tried to
get emir at work as we triedto It's just the whole area was there
was every turn, every corner weturned. We just just felt like we're
heading a brick wall. But untilDansey came on and actually put us out
(32:27):
there, and there's a lot ofpeople willing to help, especially when it's
a good, a good thing we'redoing. I guess I actually think that
was a really good lessons learned,Greg, because you know, those those
first years a where you really establishedthe company and worked out and all the
things that were going wrong, andI think you'll feel a lot better and
used to come looking back going youknow, you guys did that all by
(32:50):
yourself. You grew it, youmade the contacts, you open the doors,
and look where we are now.And I think, you know,
for people setting up businesses, welearned a lot in that time frame.
And you know, those first yearsare actually the hardest. You know,
you're putting in endless hours. You'regetting a lot of people not understanding the
business and saying, oh, notright now, maybe in the future,
(33:13):
and you know that's the time whereyou really, you know, keep your
head down and work hard. Andit's been really rewarding for us. And
now in year three, coming nearlyfour, having people finally really understand and
get what we're doing and wanting toget behind us and get on board,
and you know, we're really startingto reap the rewards of all that hard
work that you did in those firstfew years. So I think from me
(33:35):
looking on the sidelines in i'd sayfor those new businesses, you know,
keep your heads down and don't takeno for an answer necessarily and keep working
because you know it will. Itwill come back around. And you know
that's what's happened with us. Thatis a bit persistence. You just keep
it is tuning up, just keepturning it up, and just having a
passion like Greg is so passionate aboutrepost and so you know a lot of
(33:59):
the time it's not work for him, it's actually passion and that's driving it.
And you know it's exciting for himand for us and for all the
people that have you know, beenthere along the way helping us drive forward
to you know, start to seeyou know, the cogs turning more now
and people going, yeah, no, this is this is good. This
does make sense. This. Youknow, we can throw words that people
(34:20):
use like circular economy and you know, sustainability factor for the winery sectors and
stuff like that, but you know, it's more than that. It's you
know that this is a waste issuethat we've solved in the viticulture industry and
helping them, you know, reducetheir landfall dramatically, and you know,
the landfall cost is spiking, andso you know, to be a part
(34:43):
of that is really rewarding. Thiswhat we're doing now with Repost is going
to be the you know, theone really good thing that I think I'll
do in my life. So Ijust pretty pretty proud at you. Yeah,
I was just going to say,you guys should be proud, and
yeah, I can say that it'sobviously a bit of emotional and makes me
feel a bit emotional. Watch isprobably the sign of a great story.
(35:08):
Blood Do you think, well,you have got a new baby, are
you probably not getting much sleep.Ever, do you think there was a
turning point or can you pinpoint whenyou kind of felt like, yes,
we're turning, we've turned the corner, or we're really gaining the momentum with
it, or was it just aslow burn that it just started to pick
(35:29):
up, it took off and likewe're talking small scale but enough to think,
oh yeah, this works and thenreally just plat hod and with staffing
issues and we're just a whole heavyheadaches everything. Like I said, everything,
every turn of the corner we turned, it just seemed to head a
brick whell started this year, Iwould say, well, I think ever
(35:50):
since Dancy's come on board, andit's just it's just the time thing.
A lot of work goes on,and you know, in the office and
you know, just Danzy's her fatherwas an absolute demon at sales and in
gamling as well. But it sortof worked really well, and it's just
not taking no for an answer andpersisting, persisting, persisting. But I
(36:15):
think something that we didn't do forthe first two years really I think that's
it is. I think, youknow, never think you're too big for
your boots and knock on every singledoor, and I think, you know,
the start of this year to haveyou know, more emails coming in
saying, hey, we've heard aboutreposts because of the advertisement you did in
you know this this free newspaper oryou know this article that was written about
(36:37):
you, and oh, we've seenyou're doing a lot more on Facebook and
messages. And I think that's it. It's just doing all those different angles
that you didn't think of. Andwe did no advertising and other than marketplace
until January this year. So howdid you how did you change it?
(36:57):
Like, how did you learn it? Or Dan, did you just come
and be like, right, I'mgonna do this. I think it was
really interesting for me. The firstcouple of years. It was more about
just getting the like the actual flowof things, how the processing was,
we're working stuff like that, andI didn't think I was really needed or
necessary. And then we had someissues at the end of the last year
(37:19):
that we just started to kind ofstop processing for a bit because I think
people, well a lot of peoplewill know, you know, laborers cost
a lot of money and the salesweren't matching the amount of labor costs that
were involved. Because there's gonna betimes a year where we sell less posts
because you'll know, you know,there's times a year where the weather's better
or your stock sold, and soyou've got the time to do fencing.
So I think it was we neededa step back and look at the business
(37:43):
as a whole and go what's goingright, what's going wrong, and how
can we work on that? Andone of them was, you know,
let's start asking for more help,Let's start getting the right people around us,
from you know, the sustainable winegrowers to the Marlborough business of commerce
and just having those conversations. Andthen you know, from having those what
(38:05):
I call springboards, it's allowed usto have more conversations of what's going right
or wrong because I think you know, Greg and I being farmers, you
keep your cars your chest, andwhen things are going wrong, you think
to work harder instead of working necessarilysmarter, and so having that time to
sit back and go, right,this isn't working. Let's not keep working
harder. Let's go how can wedo this differently? And we're not actually
(38:29):
doing it much differently, we're justdoing it beta. Yeah, I just
think it's just I just say weare doing things a bit differently. I
think, you know, we're doinga lot more sales. We're just doing
it. Greg's on the ground,I'm behind the laptop, I suppose,
is how you'd say it. Butjust the phone calls I've been having,
you know, getting a lot morefencing contractors on board has been really rewarding
(38:51):
because you know, at the endof the day, if you can buy
new, you will buy new.But a lot of people can't. And
so it's been having a lot ofpeople like that, having those conversations.
Getting our website updated so you know, people can read a lot more about
it. By better, I meanactually probably now we've got decent processes in
place, and it'd be the difference. Yeah, on machines are quicker,
so we're getting more you know,six eight hundred posts per day process as
(39:15):
opposed to lesser beforehand. Yeah,but it's just this some processes behind the
scene, but all the paperwork andwhat else, just like orders, keeping
tracks, just a hell a lotbetter tracking. And Yeah, so it
seems like you've been able to refineyour process, you've got good people,
(39:35):
you've got some better or more helpor advice around you, and then you've
been able to off the back ofhaving a really good product in a good
process or business model. You've beenable to increase that visibility by doing more
things in social media and advertising andhaving stories and things like that. So
that's kind of just a confidence andconfidence in ourselves to be to be versible,
(40:00):
I guess. And I think it'spretty clear that we're we're farmers that
came across a good idea and havemade it work, but we're not business
people per se. And so youknow, we've been learning on the job
and growing and you know, learnedthat we didn't have all the skill sets
and getting the right people involved,and I think it's pretty clear from the
chats that that's the way it's gone. And I'm just really glad and thankful
(40:22):
that we've had the right people comealong and the support of the rural community
and buying our product, and that'swhat's allowing us to go from strength and
strength, and without it, youknow, it wouldn't have carried on the
way it has. So thank youeveryone. Well, you guys are amazing.
I mean, you hit the ideaor maybe it came through your family,
brig is you've explained that you haveactually taken it in run with it
(40:44):
in not just used it on yourown fan, which you could have just
easily used the posts on your fan. Gone. It was great, that
saved us a heap of money,got the job done, but you've actually
gone out and taken it bigger andbetter, and now you're actually in a
position to make a difference to boththe wine industry and to the farming industry.
And so yeah, I just reallythink, Yeah, you guys should
(41:07):
be proud, and hits off toyou. I am. I just think
it's a great idea. I've saidit a number of times. People get
sick be repeating myself. What doyou guys think? Well, I'm just
conscious I've been talking for quite sometime and you probably have other things to
be doing, but it's so interesting. What do you think is we've talked
a little bit about the things thatyou've learned and maybe some things that you
(41:28):
might have done differently, But whatdo you think maybe both of you could
answer, this is the biggest thingthat you've learned in this business, and
what advice would you give to otherpeople that maybe have a good idea in
the primary sectors, be passionate,being positive. I guess I think it's
(41:50):
surrounding yourself with people that can fillin the skill set you lack. So
it takes a good proud person tolook in the mirror and go, I'm
never going to be able to dothis, Like I'm never going to be
on site and be able to processthe post like grad can. And he's
never gonna be able to sit behinda laptop and you know, apply for
grants and you know talk to peoplethe same way that I do. So
(42:12):
it's just knowing what works for youand what doesn't and not being too proud
to ask people for help. Okay, guys, there's some really great messages
there and some really good takeaways forpeople, I think, and I'd love
to just wrap it up here withthe five fast decks. So first of
all, what is one it thatyou need or can't live without to run
your business? For me, becauseit's mainly it's probably our ANTIIP just just
(42:40):
playing bills and keeping track and seeI've got any money and zero and I
start just started with a vehicle trackingsystem on our vehicles and our plant.
It's just nice to know that it'srunning and you know when it's supposed to
be without having to be what systemyou are using for that, it's just
(43:04):
it's just called new Point. It'snot actually an app, but you just
do it on I can do iton my mobile and it's just through the
normal, a normal Safari settings.Yes, So is it for you to
track where your vehicles are going oris it just for the vehicles? And
I'd just like to know that whenthey when they when the staff say it's
(43:25):
running, I know it's running withouthaving to be worried about him to drive
for site. It just saves mea heap of time really, But yeah,
that's that's just an let's regard andrepost anyway. But just zero for
all my other businesses is pretty key. Yeah. Absolutely, that's some great
ones there. I haven't heard ofthat when you were talking about for tracking
(43:45):
the vehicle, So that could beuseful for other people that are listening.
What do you think is the bestadvice you've ever received yourself? I'll be
plenty of it for me. It'sworth smaller, not necessarily harder. Yeah,
just just keep it, just keepturning up and yeah, possessed,
(44:06):
I guess, just yeah, keepgoing. Yeah, I think when Greg
comes about it comes to a hurdle. He definitely jumps over it as opposed
to turning a different direction. Ithink there's something to be said. I'm
like a horse, I just don'tlike going, but very good. Yeah,
it's not a barrier. It's justit's just an obstacle that needs to
(44:29):
be overcome, not a that's nota that stops. I suppose you'd say,
if someone of your romney just jumpeverything everything, everything can be solved.
Well I believe it anyway, Yeah, fantastic. Is there a business
or a personal business or a businesswho you look up to. We've been
(44:52):
working a lot with rural support trust. I know per se you might not
say specifically it's a business, butI think there's so much to be learned
from there, and you know,finding that the people that they've got on
board in their team and the supportthey've been given to people, especially during
the cyclone relief, give a heapof the time and oh yeah, behind
the scenes, people work tirelessly duringthe weekends and the off time to you
(45:15):
know, give back because you know, as a rural sector we are kind
of all one and we all arepursuing the same dreams, endeavors, lifestyle.
So it's been really rewarding for usto be a part of that,
taking our truck and trailers up therewhenever we can help. And there's some
that's not all there, that's justgoing and having a cup of tea with
(45:36):
somebody and that chet I guess,and just knowing where is it as well.
But yeah, also it's just asa business wide. You know,
there's probab the biggest betlers out thereas every day mum dead, top of
farmers who you know, it's justbloody tough and they just keep going like
you pay for the privilege to doit and that's that's what you do.
(46:01):
Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. I'vehad a bit to do with the Royal
Support Trust lightly because I've been doingsome Bode deliveries out here we're in our
area after the cyclone and we actuallydid a big day on Tuesday and I
had some people from the Royal SupportTrust with me. So yeah, one
hundred percent agree that they do anamazing job and a lot of work behind
(46:22):
the scenes that a lot of peopledon't say. I just seem to get
it get it done. Now.It's not talking, they don't just talk
about it. They actually just getit done. And I think you know,
the cycling improved. They got allthe right people in board to you
know, push push ideas through pushthings that needs to be done, and
I mean look what they've done.So yeah, definitely for us, you
(46:45):
know, up there with people toaspire to and learn a lot from.
Fantastic. I like that because oftenpeople will say, you know, a
really aspirational kind of successful business person. But it's a different kind of answer
to what I've had in the past. But I think that's really Oh well,
it probably doesn't surprise me after allthe other things you guys have seen
today, so it makes a lotof sense. Really. The fourth question
(47:08):
is if you could change one thing, what would it be. Not a
lot for me, I'm pretty prettycontinued. Oh there's a lot of things
you wish you didn't do as butyou need to learn those lessons, you
know. Probably, yeah, Ithink because we're still in the thick of
(47:30):
it, Like Greg's delivering post tofamilies. He loves going on site with
the guys and processoring the post himself. So I think, you know,
there's a different perspective when if wewere say you asked that question in ten
years from now, we'd probably havea really quick answer, because we're still,
you know, on the ground gettingstuff done. We don't have that
(47:51):
same perspective. So I think we'restill in the stage where we go.
Everything we learn along the way hasbeen key for us. So do us
again in ten years. I'll makea note of that. I'll diary for
ten years time. Now finally beforeI let you to go, because I'm
sure you have plenty of things tobe doing, and I'll be apesto to
see if you agree on this.Does pineapple belong on a pizza? Gregg's
(48:15):
gonna answer differently to me were toscrap about this. Greg grew up on
meat and potatoes as any you know, farming child did. I was a
lifestyle block child, so I wasobviously slightly different. So to me,
pineapple was great. It made youfeel like you were in Fiji on a
beach smoking and drinking a peanut clada. But I mean drink. But for
(48:38):
Greg, you know, he's justyou, answered Greg An, every in
any form of meat really three.It can be whatever it wants. It
can be whatever it wants. Ilove that. Okay. On that note,
thank you to so much for yourtime. It's been an episode pleasure
to have you on the podcast andall the best with Repost, and we
(48:59):
will put all of the details abouthow you can find repost and get amongst
the action in our show notes.Great, thank you so much, you
appreciate it. I'll see it.Yeah, see you guys there. Yeah,
thank god. Wow. What anincredibly inspirational and inspiring story there from
(49:23):
Greg and Dense Copple. I'm justblown away. It was a bit of
a bit of a tear jerke ofthat one. These guys are just doing
something so special to help other farmers, something that is a win for the
environment, a win for our pockets, and just generally an all round feel
good story of what farmers can dowhen they have a good idea. I
(49:46):
think the big things that came outof it for me, it kind of
spoke for itself. But what Gregsaid about just keep trying, just keep
turning up, persistence pays off ifyou are passionate about something it's not work.
Dancy said some great things around youknow, never thinking you're too big
for your boats, knocking on everysingle door. And also I think they
(50:08):
really learned that they needed to askfor help and that there was actually a
lot of really available knowledge and peopleout there who were really willing to help
them and have wanted to help themgrow their business. So I just think,
yeah, if you surround yourself withpeople who have maybe the skill set
that you don't have, and don'tbe too proud to ask for help.
(50:30):
So many great messages in that episodeof From the ground Up. I hope
you enjoyed it as much as Idid. You can head to our show
notes to find out where you canget amongst the reused or recycled post action
with repost if you're looking to dosome fencing on farm, I think you
really can't go past them if youare wanting something that is good for the
(50:50):
environment and a bit easier on thepocket, which, let's face it,
we can all do with these days. Until next time, oh very bel
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