Entrepreneurship: John Horan's success story

Over 14 years ago, John Horan and his wife Rosemarie began their Electrical Contracting Company in the back of their garage. In 2007 they sold a part of their business to Scott and Sandra Bird which created the company you hear of today - Horan & Bird Energy. Over the past decade and a half of trading, they have gone on to win the Master Electricians of the Year multiple times and Australian Small Business of the Year Awards. John’s tale of entrepreneurship is inspirational to all, and regardless of an entrepreneurial industry, everyone can take away advice from this story.

By seeking ways to work smarter in the growing phases of his business, John was able to stop working those crazy 80-100 hour weeks that a lot of entrepreneur’s do and start working 40 hour weeks ensuring he had time to devote to his wife and children. Entrepreneurship doesn’t have to be everything, it stills allows you to have balance in your life, it just requires efficiency and smart thinking.

Knowing your business inside-out is one of the main keys to success for an entrepreneur in any highly competitive industry.

“I made sure that I measured everything that I did, metrics being extremely important to any business, and as a business, knowing your company inside and out is fundamental for success” – John Horan.

Your customer is key. Two of the most important questions that provided the most valuable insights that allowed John to maximise his value were, how much profit is each job and which suburbs make the most money? “I know my customers” – John Horan.

Within 12 months of gaining insights, John was able to work smarter, not harder in order to turn his business into the success it is today - leading the way for other entrepreneurs who wish to be self-sufficient and start their own business.

One of the main appeals of entrepreneurship is the idea of controlling your own destiny. The smarter and harder you work; the more success you can achieve. John is a great example of an individual who is energised and loves the challenge, pouring himself into his work consistently in which he was able to build a successful empire from the ground up.

John’s story of starting from scratch to building a world-class solar energy company is an inspiring story of an innovative entrepreneur. His passion and drive to succeed in business is a trait everyone can learn from. It is this integrity as an entrepreneur and business leader that will help to continually achieve success in his future endeavours.

In every success story, you will find someone who has made a courageous decision. -- Peter F. Drucker

Is your business or residential property within the Queensland region in need of Solar?

Are you looking to reduce your energy costs? Horan & Bird have the solution for you. Enquire today about Solar Flex; the $0.00 upfront cost solution for your property.