Work Hard, Get Paid, Look After Your People

From Soap Bars to Civil Boss: The Real Story of Jimmy’s Rise

When most people think about building a successful business, they picture strategy meetings, clean offices, and a solid five-year plan. Jimmy? He started with a soap machine and a bar of soap to the head. In a wide-ranging, no-holds-barred conversation with Tavis, Jimmy breaks down exactly how he went from running one excavator to leading one of Melbourne’s most talked-about civil and trucking operations. No fluff. No buzzwords. Just hustle, heart, and a whole lot of dirt.

Built on Hustle, Not Hype

Forget the Instagram gurus. Forget the pyramid schemes and ‘set-and-forget’ franchises. Jimmy and Tavis kick off their chat with a shared truth: there are no shortcuts. Hard work isn’t optional. It’s the cost of entry. You show up, grind, make mistakes, take hits, argue with your partner, and still go again the next day. That’s how real businesses are built, not through quick wins but through relentless pressure over time. Jimmy’s story starts in a soap factory, running lines and dodging flying soap bars. After a heated exit, a few phone calls, and a twist of fate, he found himself on a construction site digging holes. One excavator was later bought with a car loan, and Starbuck & Son Contracting was born. There was no work lined up, just belief and hustle. He used his dad’s name in the company title even though the old man wasn’t involved. Why? Because it made the business sound bigger, and that helped him land jobs. Smart, simple, gritty marketing.

From One Machine to Millions

Today, Jimmy oversees a 150+ person operation. But don’t expect him to sit in an ivory tower. He’s the kind of leader who still vacuums the office, still cooks breakfast for the crew, and still shows up on-site. Strategic vision? Business plan? Jimmy’s early approach was simple: dig more dirt. Move faster. Treat clients right. There was no playbook. No corporate strategy. Just instinct, drive, and a whole lot of figuring it out on the fly. The vision came later. At the start, it was just about surviving and digging bigger, better holes. That first year, Jimmy made $50K. A few years later, he cracked a million. Eventually, he was doing $25 million in turnover—and still felt broken. Why? Because he never stopped reinvesting. Never stopped growing. No outside investors. No capital raises. Just long hours, calculated risk, and total commitment. Today, the company turns over $40+ million. But it all started with one machine and a truckload of grit.

Legacy Over Likes

Jimmy hires friends. He hires family. Sometimes, he fires them, too—including his own dad. Running a business this size is personal. It’s emotional. And it requires tough calls. But loyalty still runs deep. His first hire? Still with him 20 years later. Another long-time employee, nearly blind now, has shifted roles multiple times—and Jimmy’s made space for him every time. Because when you’re in with Jimmy, you’re in. It’s a family. And he takes care of his people. Ask Jimmy about the most important rule in business. His answer is fast and firm: Get. The. Money.

Work Hard, Get Paid, Look After Your People

You can do a brilliant job and still get stiffed. You can build a great team, a great brand, a great culture—but if the money isn’t coming in, none of that matters. Jimmy learned early to protect his cash flow, vet his clients, and never chase revenue overpayment. Because if there’s no money, there’s no mission. Jimmy’s got one foot in the dirt and the other in the future. He’s automating systems, building tech, and constantly evolving. But he’s doing it his way. He also gets social. Like, really gets it. His Instagram and LinkedIn don’t just build hype—they win jobs. Big ones. And while most in construction are silent online, Jimmy’s owning the conversation and turning eyeballs into business. But even with all the growth, all the systems, and all the data, Jimmy stays grounded. He still digs. Still listens. Still leads. Because that’s what the “Big Boss” does. Jimmy’s story isn’t polished. It’s not perfect. But it’s real—and that’s why it matters. From soap factory floors to multimillion-dollar contracts, from broken trucks to a broken nose or two, he’s lived every part of the business journey. And through it all, his values have stayed the same: work hard, get paid, look after your people, and never stop digging. That’s not just a business model. That’s a blueprint for legacy.

Connect with James on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-starbuck-13336546/ or visit Starbuck Group

 

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