Q & A: Matt Dolan
4 December 2020
Matt Dolan is MD (appropriately enough!) of MD Tool Hire & Sales UK in Warrington, which he founded exactly a year ago this week. With 25 years’ industry experience, he has some strong opinions on hire and on life generally. Indeed, MPs had better watch out...
How’s business?
It’s really, really good. We’re celebrating our first year end and our results have exceeded expectations by 30%. We’ve obviously had the challenges surrounding the Covid situation but instead of seeing the virus as a problem, we saw it as an opportunity. We have supplied Heras fencing, crowd barriers, chillers and PPE to the NHS and associated contractors. We also noticed that, during the summer, people stuck at home were doing their gardens, so we promoted special ‘Lockdown Rates’ for contractors and DIYers. We believe we have definitely raised the bar for tool hire in Warrington.
What is your standout Covid-19 related memory or experience?
I just remember the sheer volume of equipment going out on hire from us across the North West for NHS hospitals. Generally, we have listened to our customers and adapted our business. For example, we noticed demand for grey fence paint during lockdown. We managed to quickly source 1,000 tins of it and sold 600 in 48 hours.
How did you get into the industry?
I started work in 1988 as a trainee site engineer for Galliford, a fantastic construction company. They had an amazing training programme and I worked with some great people. I was there seven years and it was a tough life on site, often being stood 9m down in trenches with running sand, looking down a theodolite. I was often wet, cold and hungry. I decided I really wanted to be out and about meeting people. In 1995 I saw an advert for a sales rep with Instant Hire [later acquired by Hire Station] in 1995, applied for the job and got it. Now 25 years later, after spending many years with another hire business, I’m still loving it.
Who or what inspires you?
My life coach and main mentor is my Dad [Michael]. He’s 79, is my co-director and inspires me every day. Other people who inspire me include the marketing expert Paul Mort – he’s such an influential life and business coach. I also follow the entrepreneur Tom Bilyeu and I read his quotes every day just to refocus. However, I believe you can be inspired by anyone around you. I’ve learnt from some of the best managers – and from some of the worst, who show you how NOT to do things!
What annoys/frustrates you?
What annoyed me was hearing stories that some businesses were claiming furlough payments while their staff were still working.
What’s the best piece of advice that you’ve ever been given, or that you would pass on to others?
There are several. Do what you said you would do, work hard and treat your staff how you would expect to be treated. Look after your customers and they will look after you. Have goals, inspire your staff and leave them to manage: don’t micro-manage them, let them become decision makers. And finally, treat your suppliers the same as customers.
How do you relax after a hard day?
I can get 50 phone calls a day, and they don’t stop when I get home, when I also reply to emails and messages on Facebook. It’s never-ending but I love it. I might watch something on Netflix - I won’t look at the television news because it’s all so negative - and then I’m in bed by 11pm and asleep straight away.
What was your favourite school subject?
I worked hard at school but I didn’t really enjoy it. I think many ideas about education are 100 years out of date because it doesn’t prepare young people for the real world of work and life. I see my kids having to make decisions about their career at 14. Who knows what they want to do at that age? I told them to do exactly what they want to do and to follow their dreams and passions because the qualifications you get at 16 don’t decide your career. I would cut university places by 90% because most courses are superfluous. While I’m at it, I would make the Houses of Parliament into a museum and reduce the number of MPs by 80%. Let’s give the UK more of a business focus. But I’m digressing: I’ll leave this for another day...
If things had been different, what other career might you have chosen?
I really can’t imagine changing anything about what’s happened in the past. The good, the bad and the ugly – it’s all got me to where I am and has made me into the best version of Matt Dolan that I can be.
On what topic could you give a 30-minute presentation with no preparation?
Probably on motivational issues and mental health. I’ve had my own struggles in the past when people stood by me and helped me. I won’t forget those individuals. I’m discreetly helping several men at the moment with mental health challenges.
Do you follow a particular sport and/or team?
I support Warrington Wolves rugby league side. It’s the best sport in the world - honest, tough and controversial, yet the players are friendly and approachable afterwards. They earn every penny. The club’s stadium is only about 300m from our premises. I really miss going to matches due to Covid.
What is the biggest challenge facing your business or the wider industry?
Hire companies shouldn't work against each other. Some hire salesmen are giving prices out from the 1970s. It just devalues the product and the service we all offer.
And what’s the biggest opportunity?
We have plenty of irons in the fire for new business and we are planning for steady growth next year. We are building a new equipment compound and signing up to another unit on our estate. Every day we are gaining new customers. We make them feel welcome. They can sit and have a coffee and a chat - we’ll even wash their car or van while they do so.
What’s the secret of success?
Keep it simple and work hard. Be consistent and be humble – we don’t allow egos at MD. Be grateful, have goals. Be driven. Be relentless.
Finally, is there anything you would like to add about the business, the current trading outlook or future plans?
As I mentioned, we’re going for growth. Early next year we’ll be appointing four more employees including a commercial manager (but his current boss doesn’t know yet), another fitter, an extra driver plus a new van and another accounts person. We also have plans for specialist divisions.
Watch out for another Q & A here on this site next Friday.
