Case Study

Steve Bignell - DIRECTOR
Specialist Expertise - New Zealand Rural Sector
Email - steve@strettons.co.nz
DDI - (07) 376 1706

• Our Team 

Working for wages as a dairy farm worker, Steve Bignell's client first contacted Strettons requesting help with his tax return. With a goal of owning his own farm one day, the client - with Steve's help - secured a sharemilking role and subsequently a '50-50' contract [where the client owned the stock and the farmer he entered into the contract with owned the land.]

Five years later, the client has built his asset base from $0 to $10 million. He still retains the original share-milking contract and now owns two of his own farms, one, of which has a share milking contract.

During this period, Steve has helped his client realise his goals by:

• Identifying contracts and farms suitable for his client's needs
• Negotiating sale and purchase agreements on his client's behalf
• Setting up an accounting system and structure for his unique business needs
• Coaching and helping his client to better understand accounting processes
• Utilising his own extensive network of contacts and providing assistance with arranging finance that offered the best interest rates
• Setting up a trust
• Providing asset protection advice
• Assisting with staff employment

Providing other day to day services including the management of ongoing GST requirements and preparation of management reports

Steve went to auction to purchase on his client's behalf, his first farm, entering into contract negotiations and arranging finance at the best possible rate. Steve subsequently sold that farm on behalf of his client and went on to purchase another larger property.

By taking care of most of his business and financial matters, Steve's client is free to carry on with what he is good at - and most enjoys doing - managing farms.

Because he buys around 50-60 farms each year on behalf of his clients, Steve sees more farms than most farm owners and as a result has an in depth understanding of what a farm's capabilities are and what it should produce in order to be a profitable enterprise.