Business View Oceania | Volume 3, Issue 10

37 38 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA VOLUME 3, ISSUE 10 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA VOLUME 3, ISSUE 10 We have a diverse range of people on that board, and their expectations of us beyond our set standards is to have the willpower and the courage to try new things and deliver in ways that continue to maximise our potential. From expansion to acquiring new assets like our extended brands, to increasing our capacity and standard capabilities from 10 to 50 over a four-year period…Their confidence in us and the flexibility and courageousness they have encouraged has produced great, tangible successes across the board. And that, in turn, has spurred positive change in our industry, which is the main ongoing goal of the association.” SPASA regularly works with their members to counteract the effects of industry challenges, the most recent of which the COVID-19 pandemic. With regions, states, and territories throughout Australia and New Zealand having been in lockdown on and off since the pandemic’s beginnings, and much of the general population SWIMMING POOL AND SPA ASSOC I AT ION (SPASA) sending more time at home as a result, pressure on pool, spa, and outdoor living businesses only continues to grow. The surge of DIY trends has brought a massive boost to companies across the entire industry, but has also introduced levels of strain, particularly in the supply sector. Mr. McGrath speaks on the challenges and benefits that have been presented to the association by the pandemic. “An industry association has never been more relevant than in a crisis as big as COVID, to both industry and government. The process of lockdowns has highlighted the importance of recreational spaces in and around the home. What comes along with that is challenges surrounding the ability to deliver pools and spas to suit every backyard, every budget, and every client in a relatively small timeframe, using supply chains that have at times been disrupted. But the upside is that we have been able to see the love people have for their backyard really resurge. That’s been a joy from an industry body point of view. I think there are more pools being built now than ever before in history.” Moving forward, SPASA aims to extend their reach to support more of the Oceania region, and continue to implement their current project, 25 by 2025. The project seeks to offer an alternative conversation to the market, shifting from broad subjects like what businesses need and the challenges they face, to a more specific outlook; what 25% growth by 2025 would look like for the business. The project will follow the same key pillars previously listed, and has been well received by members, who have provided vital new information to the association for further growth. Mr. McGrath concludes with a note on that growth. “Our future is all about having a goal; an achievable one with a shared vision. That shared vision is a beautiful pool in every backyard, and we will continue to work towards it through the growth of our members.”