For some business owners, the end goal is to sell their company and either retire or move onto another venture. For others, the end goal is not to sell – but don’t rule this out.
Kaz Staples, former managing director, founder and owner of Pure Delish says, “grow your business as if you’re going to sell it tomorrow. Be positioned to ‘go’ and be sure you have no cobwebs.”
This is sage advice from Kaz who recently sold her company Pure Delish.
“The company was very organic for the first decade then really ramped up into something ‘real’ around 2016.”
“This was when I had the vision and long-term direction that one day we would be big enough and strong enough as a brand for a bigger company to consider buying us out.”
Kaz founded Pure Delish in 1997 as a one-woman business selling festive cakes at markets and through her network of friends and family.
By its second year, the company was operating out of the ASB Stadiums commercial kitchen and was soon delivering thousands of handmade cakes each year.
In 2006, Kaz began producing a super-premium muesli, which was the first of its kind in New Zealand.
The company went on to produce 55,000 bags of cereal in its own facility with a turnover of $8 Million that had climbed from $250,000 over a 10-year period.
“Selling the company has been a whole new chapter and I’ve learnt so much,” says Kaz.
“It’s been an emotional journey and working with Humphries Associates through the sale process has only highlighted their integrity and authenticity.”
“These are values that I have held close personally and in business but have also underpinned the Humphries way of working in our business relationship over the last 8 years.”
Kaz has moved onto a new venture, Project Awesome, that is a consultancy practice helping business owners achieve excellence through building culture and mindset – going from good to great.
She takes with her an Order of Merit for services to the food industry (awarded in 2019) and a strong people-focused ethos that her Pure Delish staff will attest was built around changing people’s lives so they could grow and flourish.
“When you’re a business owner and employer of staff, you’re in a position of power. Be mindful of how you choose to use that power.”
Kaz’s commitment to staff wellbeing has been a fundamental part of her business model and key to her business success and happiness of her staff.
She created an in-house incubator for upskilling her employees in their health, wellbeing, personal fitness, motivation and their career. She also offered her 30 staff a healthy cooked lunch on site.
On business matters, Kaz will tell you to set your prices from day one and build your business around that price. Strive for excellence and don’t cut corners.
“Don’t wait for ‘one day when I’m bigger.’ Play to your margins, be profitable and build a people culture.”
