Turning Setbacks into Success

Those surveyed cited the likes of job responsibilities (59 per cent of respondents), working environment (42 per cent), work hours (35 per cent) and salary packaging benefits (29 per cent) as to how the role wasn’t as it seemed. 

Angus Rimmer was faced with a similar situation when he landed his first managerial role at the old Manly Fisho’s Club on Sydney’s Northern Beaches — except in his case it was the expected state of the balance sheet.

“It certainly wasn’t the job that I thought it was going to be,” says Angus in a recent episode of the ClubLIFE Podcast released prior to Christmas.

“It was tough, I found out very quickly that they were in more trouble than I realised… I was probably young and quite inexperienced and had to find my way.”

While it was a baptism of fire, the experience would prove to be an invaluable training ground for his next two roles in the NSW club industry — firstly as General Manager of Avalon RSL and then The Hills Club.

While both clubs thrive today, Angus needed to draw on his prior experience as he attempted to turn around their fortunes.

“I walked into Avalon and there was really no cash left to work with and they had been losing a lot of money, so fortunately what I’d learnt in my previous role came into play there very quickly and I was able to turn around that Club fairly swiftly,” says Angus on the ClubLIFE Podcast.

“We focussed on turning the food and beverage side of the business around, we had some great success doing that and it’s great to see the Club’s still doing really well today.

“[At The Hills Club] it was another really tough start where I’ve walked into a role and they didn’t quite have the funds that were on their balance sheet when I’d taken on the job, so [there were] a few things to sort out.

“I had to get into action pretty quickly there and about six weeks into that position is when COVID hit.”

While it was a tough period, it also presented a unique opportunity to reconfigure sections of the Club in a bid to improve its trading outlook.

“The positive side of that was having an empty Club and knowing what I needed to do to fix some of the physical issues around the Club and rebuilding parts of the Club, I was able to do that throughout that period,” says Angus.

“By the time the Club opened after that first COVID lockdown we opened with a bit of a bang and the revenue had a big jump very quickly and it was profitable again.”

In a wide-ranging interview on the ClubLIFE Podcast, Angus also discusses his current role as CEO of Club York, the unique landscape of operating a registered club in the CBD, and how their food and beverage offering plays a crucial role in the ongoing success of the Club. 

He also opens up about how he was originally destinated for a music career, as well as the time he had an embarrassing brush with the Queen while on a gap year in Windsor!

Click on the link below to hear the full interview with Angus Rimmer in the nineteenth episode of the ClubLIFE Podcast, which is also available via ClubLIFE.com.au, Apple, Spotify and wherever else you get your podcasts.

If you have a suggestion on who might make an interesting guest for a future ClubLIFE Podcast episode, get in touch with the team by emailing [email protected].