‘Don’t be afraid to try new things’
Mark Diehl was made redundant during lockdown; now he’s become selfemployed and ‘‘so far so good’’. Why and how he made the leap of faith,
A Timaru father-of-three whose family was ‘‘in debt up to our eyeballs’’ just three years ago is determined not to let it happen again after being made redundant during lockdown.
Mark Diehl started ‘‘dabbling’’ in water blasting a few months before Covid-19 shut the country, taking on four or five paid jobs while in fulltime employment in the retail construction sector – but his redundancy had motivated him to make a living out of it.
Diehl has also added heat pump servicing to the mix, so work would come in all year round.
‘‘Most people in business start with huge loans. I haven’t. I’ve been saving what we had and putting it aside. I’ve got all the equipment now and I’ve started, so we’ll see where it takes me.’’
Diehl’s original plan had been to slowly build up his business’ profile while working fulltime, but ‘‘it didn’t quite work out that way, so now it’s sink or swim’’.
‘‘I’m getting a bit of work. I could do a lot more. But so far, so good.’’
His new business, Domestiblast, covered Mid and South Canterbury and North Otago and had seen him servicing three or four heat pumps a week since reopening at alert level 2. He had also taken on one water blasting job, but was not expecting many more until the weather warmed up.
He had tapped into the expertise of others to pick up the skills to do the work and was learning as he went. ‘‘Don’t be afraid to try new things.’’ Diehl had spent about $1000 to start up the business, and would pump more money into it ‘‘as and when we can afford things’’.
He refused to get a loan because about three years ago a string of ‘‘bad decisions’’, which included using multiple store and credit cards, plunged his family into debt and nearly destroyed his marriage.
They turned to Christians Against Poverty, a charity focusing on helping New Zealanders out of poverty and debt.
‘‘It was relieving. Somebody was on our side. Somebody had our backs and there was no need to be afraid any more,’’ Diehl said.
‘‘They set a budget for us, and we stuck to it like glue.
‘‘It was tough going, but we got there. If anything, it’s made us stronger for when lockdown hit.’’
His advice to those struggling with debt was ‘‘get the help you need’’.