Meet Nick, the hospitality super-star who’s the brains, brawn and everything else behind this successful stocktaking business.
Nick’s been in the hospo industry for over 20 years and has loads of experience working in bars, pubs and hotels. That means he sure knows his way around pouring a drink and stocking a bar, nice!
We got the chance to sit down with Nick and learn all about his hospo-life, his time in the Southern Highlands and his super interesting biz Whole Measure Stocktaking which specialises in hospitality stocktaking.
Curious about what hospitality stocktaking actually is? So were we! Read on to find out!
1 // Hey there Nick. Do we detect an accent?
Yes, indeed! I’m British and am originally from the North of England. Although I’ve lived in lots of different parts of the United Kingdom, including London and Scotland.
2 // Oooo lovely. So how did you end up here?
I’ve been in Australia for about 8 years and my wife and I moved to the Southern Highlands in Feb of 2020.
We were living in Sydney but wanted to try somewhere different. She was pregnant with our daughter and we were looking for somewhere we could raise a family. My wife knew this area as she had actually gone to Frensham school in Mittagong and liked it there.
Coming from England it does have that little bit of a feeling of the UK here, but with more sun, it just felt right to make the move.
3 // We’ve heard that before! We’ve also heard that you’re a hospitality expert, tell us how you got into the industry.
It all started when I was about 18 and had no idea what I wanted to do with my life, as you do when you’re young. A friend told me about a nightclub in Aberdeen, Scotland that was opening and needed staff. They suggested I get a job as a bartender whilst I worked out what I wanted to do so I decided to go for it, and yeah, I’ve loved it ever since.
The lifestyle was different than I was used to but it had such a buzz! When you work in hospitality you build a family of people around you and make lifelong connections.
I spent about 10 years working in the nightclub and bar scene around Scotland. I worked in some pretty amazing places, one of which was even a local of Prince William when he was at university.
4 // WOAH! So how did you make the move into stock-taking?
When I came to Australia and was originally working in hotels, I realised that even though I love working in the hospitality industry, I was even more passionate about the stocktake element of the business and wanted to explore that further.
I saw there was a job going for a hospitality stock taker and thought I would apply. I found I enjoyed it and decided to keep going.
5 // When did you decide to make the move to open up Whole Measures Stocktaking?
After moving to the Southern Highlands, I realised there were no other local stock takers, they were either commuting from Sydney or somewhere else. I had a pretty good relationship with the pub and bar owners around the Southern Highlands so I decided it was time to start my own business.
Once I’d got all the clients on board the next step was getting all the software going. I was actually lucky that a regular I used to see when I worked in Wynyard was a software developer so I reached out to him and he helped me set it all up.
6 // I guess it pays to chat with people in bars, right?!
Yeah! I’m super grateful because I’ve built so many great relationships with customers and clients which has meant the business has started off on the right foot. I’m even keen to expand down the hill into the Illawarra.
7 // Okay Nick, time to fill us in. What does Whole Measures Stocktaking do?
Well, it’s a bit of a niche market. We essentially provide stocktaking services to hospitality venues like bars and pubs. Believe it or not, it’s a pretty big job and can take up a lot of a venue owner’s time, especially without the right software.
We have software that is tailor-made for all licensed venues and we can come in and get the job done much faster, freeing up the staff and management so they can concentrate on running the business and attending to their customers. Saving them both time and money.
Once we’re done with the stocktaking, we provide the venues with reports on things like what’s selling well, what might be slower moving, if they’re missing stock and how and why, also if they’ve been under-delivered. We can let them know what’s happening down to the millilitre because we weigh everything as well.
We usually do this monthly but we can offer fortnightly services too.
8 // And you love working in the Southern Highlands?
I love living where I work, I love supporting local licensed venues and I enjoy building those relationships. I feel like my clients trust me, not only because of the experience I have but from the connections we’ve made. I hope to keep growing the biz and getting even bigger and better.
9 // What about living here?
The lifestyle is fantastic, it feels like home. The community is incredible, I’ve even started volunteering with the SES and we’re well and truly settled.
Thanks Nick! We love having businesses like yours opening up in the Southern Highlands. Now, does anyone feel like a drink? We know someone who can help us measure it.
Whole Measure Stocktaking has been in the industry for over 20 years, and no matter which way we word it, inventory management, liquor control, bar & pub auditing or hospitality stocktaking; they offer an unparalleled service for all those things, each one will help you increase that bottom line profit. Get in touch with Nick to discuss your needs.
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