In the face of tough economic times, many businesses are forced to adapt, innovate, and evolve to stay afloat. Our fencing business was no exception. While we have always been proud of the quality and reliability of our fencing services, the economic challenges pushed us to think outside the box and diversify.
Jesse Booker has been fencing since 2016, and in 2020, he decided to venture out on his own. Starting with nothing, working from the ground up and with a hefty loan from the bank he formed Jesse Booker Enterprises Ltd, AKA JB Fencing. Quickly realising, as the fencing jobs kept flowing, that he needed help, he employed a young labourer, and an old colleague who he had fenced with for four years prior also decided he would come and join the JB crew in 2021.
The year 2022 saw us rent a small gravel yard in Taupiri from friends, but very soon we outgrew this, as we needed to have more materials on hand, and increase productivity by being able to grab what we needed for our job the morning of, instead of waiting for our supplier to deliver to site. In 2023, the opportunity to purchase the property adjacent arose. Throwing everything we had at it, we were able to obtain a few acres, a house we could rent out and sheds to develop into what is now known as the JB Yard. We haven’t looked back.
The last four years have been a whirlwind, battling COVID lockdowns, wild wet winters and summer storms, high staff turnover (fencing is not for the fainthearted) and most recently the change in economy. The arrival of a newborn in 2023 and another one in 2024 brought two children into the mix, with long and hard late-night hustles, it hasn’t been an easy road to get here.
We have spent hours developing the brand JB Fencing, as we believe it’s not only in the quality of work we produce, but backing it up by having a household name that people think of when they think of ‘quality fencing’.
We have had to brainstorm constantly, thinking about what’s next & how to move forward with the business when so many others were failing or going backwards and when economic uncertainties began to affect demand for our fencing services, we knew we needed to act. While our fencing business was well-established, fluctuating demand meant we couldn’t rely solely on this service to sustain operations. It was a tough realisation, but it led us to explore additional ways to use our skills, equipment, and expertise.
The last year saw one of our toughest years work-wise yet, especially with having four staff members to keep busy and employed! Keeping our heads above the water was our main priority. So we sat down and planned what we could do in the wet months when the fencing cooled off. We came up with a plan to adapt the business to survive, and these plans involved still using our skillsets, but just slightly upskilling them.
Today, we’re proud to say that we’ve expanded our offerings to include building pole sheds and tree felling, which in turn helps to produce firewood – a decision that not only will help to sustain us but has also opened exciting new doors for growth.
One of the first ideas we explored was building pole sheds. Our team already had a strong foundation in construction, and pole sheds presented an opportunity to put those skills to use in a new way. Whether it’s for agricultural storage, workshops, or garages, these structures are in high demand—and they’re a perfect fit for our skill set.
The transition required us to learn new techniques, source the right materials, and adjust our workflows, but it has been a rewarding experience. We’re proud to offer high-quality, durable pole sheds that meet the needs of our customers.
In addition to building pole sheds, we have begun to produce firewood from our new venture of tree felling which we started last winter. With rising energy costs, firewood has become an increasingly important resource for many households, especially during colder months. This venture not only allowed us to make use of wood byproducts from our tree felling projects but will also provide a steady revenue stream during slower periods. This didn’t come easy or cheap however, as we have had to employ a health and safety company to revise our policies to ensure we met the standards to keep our staff safe, as tree felling is quite a dangerous game. We have now completed our forestry tree felling course on top of our chainsaw courses; we’ve brought a little truck to cart the firewood and built a 12×10 container shelter with concrete pad to keep our wood nice and dry ready for sale in the winter months.
Expanding into pole sheds and tree felling/firewood has been a game-changer for our business. Diversifying will not only help us weather economic uncertainties, but it will also broaden our customer base and strengthen our reputation for versatility and innovation.
While the economic landscape still remains uncertain, we’re confident that our business is now better positioned to navigate challenges. We’ll continue to refine our services, explore new opportunities, and meet the needs of our customers with the same commitment to quality and reliability that has always defined us.
Currently, in 2025, we now have two crews, four full-time staff and Jesse running two John Deer tractor and rammer setups. Because we spent the last year with our heads down, grinding and figuring out ways to adapt to make sure we will get through, we can already see the changes we have made start to pay off – it is shaping up to be one of our busiest summers yet. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for us here at JB Fencing!
Article provided by JB Fencing
Published in WIRED issue 76/March 2025 by Fencing Contractors Association NZ
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