Rob McFagan’s Holmes Hill Shepherds Huts company has won the Start-Up of the Year award at the Sussex Business Awards.
At just 24 Rob became one of the youngest winners ever of the prestigious award, presented at The Grand in Brighton by comedian Zoe Lyons.
He was also a finalist in the Business Growth Award.
With a start-up loan from his Dad of £2,000 and no formal training in carpentry, Rob built his first commercial timber-frame Shepherd’s Hut as a labour of love aged 21.
Now, just two and a half years later, the young entrepreneur and agricultural buildings enthusiast has paid his Dad back, designed, built and sold more than 50 traditional Shepherds’ Huts.
“We are such a young company and I personally have still so much to learn about business. It is humbling to have been chosen as the winner of the Start-Up of the Year award,” said Rob. “We’re obviously doing a lot right.”
“I hope it inspires other young people to believe in themselves and their business ideas and that with commitment and a lot of hard work, anything is possible.”
From building his first Shepherd’s Hut in a rented marquee on a small industrial estate in 2019, Rob has moved to a 1600 sqft unit and now employs four staff to craft more of the iconic rumbling wagons that used to roll through Britain’s country lanes and fields.
Rob’s huts are built using principles from 16th century construction on four iron wheels and with corrugated iron tops. The rest is traditional timber.
Sussex-born Rob blends proven, practical craftsmanship of the past with more modern manufacturing techniques to meet customers’ outdoor sheltered space needs of today: home offices, gyms or extra hospitality accommodation.
Although he has built at least one that has been put to its original use by a farmer in Crowborough, East Sussex.
“I’ve always had a keen interest in vintage agricultural machinery and steam traction engines and after leaving school I took a two-year BTEC in Agriculture Engineering,” said Rob. “It was while studying that I made my first Shepherd’s Hut, mainly to make sure I didn’t have to stay in a tent when attending agricultural shows!
“It was certainly a case of learning by trial and error, as I perfected a mobile, waterproof, nice-to-live in hut. I always remember at the time seeing a quote that woodworking is one third planning, one third execution and one third figuring out how to change your plans to cover up that mistake that you just made during execution. So true.
“But I loved working with wood, the feel and smell of it, the weight of the hand tools and of course running my hand over the end result.
“When I left college, I drifted for a while, reluctant to commit to a well-planned out career path. I sprayed steel for a local company and turned my hand to general maintenance – neither of which lasted long as my dad convinced me that as I clearly wasn’t shy of hard work, I should give manufacturing Shepherd’s Huts a go.
“My first commission was for a small hut that the customer wanted to use as an office space – costing £10,000. As a self-taught carpenter, plumber and electrician with only basic tools it took six weeks rather than the six days it would take to build today. But I was in business.”
Then Covid-19 hit and opportunity knocked. With the sudden changes brought by Covid-19, Rob was suddenly inundated with customers looking for extra space with all mod-cons to provide upmarket rental accommodation, a garden office, extra room, glamping accommodation, catering outlet or even a full-time home; Shepherd’s Huts were in demand.
Using the money from his first couple of commissions to invest in new woodworking tools and state-of-the-art technology to visualise the custom-built huts his clients envisaged, Rob has been able to invest in continuous improvement to his manufacturing process and staff training.
“Through a combination of responsible material resourcing, the latest computer technology and skilled workmanship, we are able to produce products that are approximately 50% less costly than like-for-like products on the market,” added Rob.
“I’m determined to ensure the dream of owning a personal or commercial Shepherd’s Hut is within the reach of all.”
