Business Coaching Case Study: Sam Wilson from Modern Barn Living

Sam Wilson from Modern Barn Living is working with Icehouse coach Andy Hamilton as he looks to build a core alliance model for his design and build business.

Last month we reported that Icehouse alumni are getting younger - 28% of our Owner Manager Programme alumni are now 35 and under compared to 9% ten years ago - the same can also be said for business owners engaging an Icehouse specialist business coach.

Sam started a standard building business when he was in his early 20s but only recently hit on the high-ceilings and cost-effective homes barn idea.

“We built a barn-style home for ourselves in Warkworth, which we have since sold. I wanted to design something that was easy to build, because I was doing it in my spare time, but also functional and beautiful. We started an Instagram page and the interest took off – we thought maybe we could take this business up a level.”

Sam was fielding queries from around the country and as far afield as Texas.

“There’s demand out there so we thought we should try and take advantage of that but I needed some guidance. I didn’t grow up with a lot of people in my life who knew about business so I’m always keen to learn from others around me. A friend mentioned The Icehouse so I followed it up and started working with Andy on a monthly basis.”

Sam had worked with coaches in the past, specifically related to building, but expanding the business required a different approach.

“Having Andy working alongside us is perfect for us right now. He’s helping with the big picture stuff and the core alliance model which is a hybrid between franchising and licensing -it’s more like a partnership with other builders around the country.”

The plan is to take out the admin side of a building business allowing regional builders to concentrate on their building, and we will have a support office to manage the back end and create less overheads for the builders.”

Sam notes the plans aren’t complicated, are fun to build and likely to stay on schedule.

“We want to prove that building does not have to be a headache.”

The traditional high barn ceilings are achieved using scissor trusses. The rectangular modular shape also makes use of the trusses and the Coloursteel cladding or board and batten are saving on costs.

“There is nothing complicated about it but it looks incredible – it doesn't have to be hard to build a beautiful home.”