Say hello to a friendly new face in town, Gus Romero

Meet Agustin ‘Gus’ Romero, proprietor of Harvey Norman’s Computer and Mobile Communications Superstore Toowoomba — a man with a lot of love for his city and his family

Gus, where are you from?

I’m originally from Brisbane but have lived in multiple cities due to business such as Limerick in Ireland, Adelaide, Rockhampton, Yeppoon, Gold Coast and I lived in Spain as a teenager.

Tell us about your family.

I have three amazing boys. Our eldest, Gus Jnr, is 14 and has just started at Grammar. Then there is Will he is six years of age and has also just started Prep at Middle Ridge State School. Last is Cooper, [who is] four-years-old — there is never a dull moment with Cooper. My beautiful wife Cherie is the unsung hero of the family — there is nothing she can’t or won’t do for her family — I’m amazed by her daily.

What is your working background?

I have done it all — I started working when I was 16 in a bakery then moved onto bar work and cleaning. When I hit the age of 20 I realised I wanted a more fulfilling job so I joined the army and did that for five years. I spent a fair bit of time away with the army and my wife and I agreed we needed a change. That’s when I had the opportunity of joining Harvey Norman and never looked back.

How long have you been in this industry?

I have been in IT retail with Harvey Norman coming on to 17 years.

What do you think earns success in business?

Dedication, drive, and willingness to do the hard yards. For a business to succeed and achieve its goal you must plan for the goal you’re trying to achieve and once you have a plan you have to follow it up with action. If a business has staff you should never ask your staff to do something you wouldn’t do yourself. As a business owner you must know and understand every facet of your business.

What do you pride yourself on?

Always giving back when I can — no amount or gesture is too small. Also, remaining grounded.

What do you love most about Toowoomba?

It would have to be the people. The people I have had contact with so far such as staff, customers, business associates and the school community have made our transition to Toowoomba a breeze and extremely welcoming.