Spending hours with family, not admin for Ryan Rogers
Growing up, Ryan Rogers saw the long hours his dad dedicated to his business – which is why he never thought he’d want to own his own company.
A dad himself, Ryan recalls: “My childhood was him working ... we never went anywhere, never did anything.”
But after a decade of domestic, commercial and mining plumbing experience, including working with the Royal Australian Air Force, Ryan thought he could run a business differently. He liked the idea of having more freedom and flexibility for his family.
So in February 2024, he started FlynnCo Plumbing in Brisbane North – and quickly realised he was at risk of following in his father’s too-busy footsteps.
Multiple calendars, confusion and clutter
Ryan learnt about documentation while working for the RAAF. Still, when it came to being his own boss, he was overwhelmed by the quantity of invoicing and scheduling tasks. The legislative requirements he faced were also intimidating.
He had a Xero subscription, but for scheduling, recording job notes and keeping track of client details, it was almost all analogue: a pen, a notepad, Google Calendar and a hardcover diary. For someone who appreciates a tidy workspace, this clutter was too much for Ryan.
“I tried to keep my ute tidy, but that was impossible. My passenger seat was just full of papers and receipts. That’s where I was losing time.”
He was also spending far too much time double-checking and working around missing information.
“I was trying to find bits of paper where I’d written down notes for a quote,” he recalls.
Ryan realised this way of working meant he was missing family time – the whole reason he first launched the business.
Small monthly fee buys back three hours a day
After Googling around, Ryan landed on Tradify. It looked to be exactly what he needed, but he was hesitant about the cost of adding another subscription to his monthly bills. In charge of a fledgling company, the monthly expenses sometimes felt “endless”.
“As a new business, you have to be concerned about the costs of all these subscriptions,” he says.
But after scrutinising the options on the market, reading reviews, watching comparison videos and talking with other tradies, “Tradify kept rising to the top of the list.”
A few months after starting FlynnCo, Ryan switched his “messy” paper method for the ease of Tradify – and it’s a decision he’s really happy he made. Looking back at his manual scheduling days, he’s saving “at least” three hours every day. He can now focus on quoting and growing his business. Plus, he can spend time with his family.
“The cost is worth it. I’ve got my evenings back."
It’s a sentiment he passes on to tradies he works with regularly who run using the old notebook method.
“They always complain, saying, ‘Time, time, time!’ Well, Tradify is an extra expense for the business, but you make it back easily."
Streamlined admin boosts profit
Ryan started by integrating Tradify with Xero, which created a single source of truth and gave him confidence in his information.
“I know I don’t have to go searching for anything. Everything’s on my computer straight away … there’s no stuffing around.”
Supplier prices are uploaded on Tradify, as well as his own, so Ryan can build a quote in minutes using accurate, up-to-date pricing. He doesn’t have to waste time searching through suppliers to find materials and items.
“I like that I can see the expected profit, too, which lets me know I’m pricing correctly,” he adds. Tradify’s intuitive user interface is perfect for someone like him who “likes to play around with things.”
“If you’ve got half a brain, it’s easy to work. You don’t need a degree. It’s a pleasure to use.”
A paperless paper trail saves 1.5 hours per job
Ryan had always tried to keep a paper trail of communications and job notes, using a notebook and transferring site photos from his phone. Now he adds notes and site photos straight into Tradify from his phone – and it’s all there when he gets back to his desk.
“Being able to click a button and turn all of my notes and pictures into a professional-looking report in seconds literally saves me 1.5 hours.”
Sending the report with the invoice helps justify the total and is a “huge help” if problems crop up later. Ryan can look back at any job to double-check what was agreed, the work carried out and any communications.
“I take photos before and after, so six months down the track, if they say they’ve got a leak, I can turn around and say, ‘Well, I never actually worked in that area.’”
Doing more with less
While Tradify has delivered the time savings Ryan was looking for, the software came with some unexpected benefits, too. Because he can create branded and accurate quotes, invoices and reports with a couple of clicks, everything that goes out of the business looks polished.
“Tradify makes my company look more professional. I think it makes me look good,” he says.
Ryan also uses Tradify to keep clients updated – something he’s regularly complimented on.
“I just send a message, and away it goes. Clients are really impressed that I keep them up to date with my movements for the entirety of the job. I can’t fault it,” he says.
The Tradify app
Moving to the tradify app has allowed Ryan's business to access:
- A cloud-based system – Ryan can access and update job info on the go.
- Professional documentation – customised reports in seconds
- Simplified quoting and invoicing – with accurate pricing and materials lists in one place
- A streamlined workflow – saves Ryan at least three hours a day.
Ready to give Tradify a go?
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