Member stories

Stagekings

Stagekings was strong, and there was almost more work than they could handle. That is until COVID-19 hit. It all tumbled down with the announcement of a ban on public gatherings of over 500 people. They were told to down tools, pack up and go home. Almost all work for the next two years was cancelled.

Setting the stage for opportunity with Stagekings

The company was devastated by the thought of telling their staff that they had lost their jobs. Especially as there was no sign of re-employment in sight. They literally had everything to lose as a family business with no shareholders or investors.

Stagekings knew they needed to innovate to survive and keep staff employed. So they decided to make super-simple work-from-home desks – Stagekings style. They pioneered a desk design that rapidly expanded into the Isoking home range. Flat-pack, fast-to-assemble, slot-together designs made from beautiful Australian-sourced birchwood ply. No need for fixings, tools or DIY skills. They were distributed to every corner of Australia, arriving in just days where national retail chains were taking weeks.  

Since starting Isoking in March 2020, StageKings have donated nearly $100,000 from every order to Support Act. They have also quietly helped not-for-profit organisations and donated dozens of puzzle boards to aged care facilities around the country. 

Most importantly, they have measured their success by the positive human impact on those around them. They didn’t just retain all their team members. They also reached out to their recently-unemployed colleagues in the wider event industry to offer work. Stagekings now has over 70 staff. 

Coronavirus highlighted the risk of Stagekings having all their eggs in one basket. From understanding that vulnerability, they learned that diversifying while maintaining a solid direction is key to future-proofing their business.

Top 10 business champion

Stagekings has been recognised as a Top 10 Business Champion in our Together in Business member recognition program. 

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