Home 30under30 2017 Oliver Forrester, 2017 Anthill 30under30 Winner

Oliver Forrester, 2017 Anthill 30under30 Winner

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What is the 30under30?

30under30 is an Anthill initiative launched in early 2008 to encourage and promote entrepreneurship among young Australians.

Each year, we invite our readers to nominate young Australian entrepreneurs deserving of recognition for their outstanding entrepreneurial endeavours. More.

Oliver Forrester, ACT (b. 1990)

Name: Oliver Forrester
Age: 26
Known for: OPF Consulting

Oliver wanted to lead work he enjoys doing, with good people trying to achieve great things. He also had to diversify his risk base so he chose two different models – a communication consultancy and gyms.

“I’m passionate about creating digital solutions for new ideas and emerging businesses – integrated with traditional tactics – to achieve client objectives. OPF Consulting solves complex communication challenges, thinks critically and influences change,” he told Anthill.

“Through excellent strategy and best practice program management we achieve client goals, deliver great value and frequently exceed client expectations. The gyms deliver an outstanding customer experience while contributing to community wellbeing.”

Oliver has built several different businesses from scratch – then managed their growth and expansion concurrently. His achievements include establishing a successful restaurant, a catering company, a digital media agency, an integrated marketing communication consultancy, building a brand new gym and finding an opportunity to purchase and transform a gym business in distress.

“I’m motivated by a desire to be viewed as a successful leader who has grown a diverse business portfolio and makes a positive impact on the community; finding things that need to change and ideating clever, innovative ways to improve them; creating opportunities – for my own personal growth but also for my team and my clients; the challenge of working across a diverse range of industries and being able to cross pollinate ideas and approaches to improve business efficiency; community service and I currently serve as a Director of Crime Stoppers ACT and was the youngest Director ever appointed.”

After five years Oliver has built his businesses to employ a total 12 full time and 10 part time people, generating in excess of $2.5 million a year in turnover.

The consultancy has been recognised through several industry awards for excellence – at a state, national and international level. Client retention is well above industry standard with 80% providing referrals. One of the gyms was recognised in the top 10 of 450 clubs nationally for excellence in club culture. The other gym was losing $25,000 a month when I bought it and within six months, was netting over $25,000 per month.

Anthill asks: Have you ever been lucky, punk?

I find opportunities, make connections, leverage relationships, pay attention and work very hard. One example, on my gap year, broke and looking for work in England, I saw a ‘lucky’ opportunity. Drinking in a pub on a busy public holiday, the cook walked out and I persuaded my friend, who knew the owner, to let me run the kitchen starting immediately. With no previous experience as a chef, I transformed it into a gastro pub, which the owner then sold at considerable profit. But I am lucky, the value of a supportive family and a great education cannot be underestimated.

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