Power steering may be a lucrative field, but it’s not without its challenges – as Jayson Bulterman, owner of Power Steering Supplies, has learnt.
Jayson first entered the industry as a sales rep, working for his uncle. He made a point of learning the technical aspects of the business working in his uncle’s workshop but parted ways after six years.
At that stage, things were tough for Jayson. He used some of his pension money to pay his debts and then when he received a fortuitous call from a customer looking to have his 45-ton mobile crane tested, he managed to use the last of his money to buy the equipment necessary to do the job. And that was the beginning. He bought some tools, got a friend to build him a pressure tester, and did that job literally in his back yard.
Excited to be starting, Bulterman did some research with a good friend exploring the possibility of opening a power steering business in George where there was a gap in the market. None of the banks were willing to take a chance on a start-up business but he finally managed to buy the necessary tools to set up a small business. The gamble paid off.
The business began to grow quickly. In two years, Jayson was able to take on two staff members and move to bigger premises, but his challenges weren’t over. Jayson had a number of issues with his staff, especially when a large group of them decided to leave to start their own business. He maintained his focus, though, and kept growing the business.
He discovered a new range of power steering equipment in 2012, and spent the next five years investigating how to bring it to South Africa from Germany. Power Steering Supplies was finally opened in March this year.
Jayson attributes his success to his willingness to take bold steps and his refusal to let obstacles stop him. He makes a point of treating his team as a family, and trusts them implicitly – and they reward his investment in them with hard work.
Although Jayson has had some very difficult times in the past, he never let this stand in his way. On the contrary, they spurred his determination to do better.
