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Launched in 2017, Holdsafe has a hierarchy, just like any business, and people doing specific jobs relevant to what’s needed to further the business model. It also has a great product.

To get a word or two in with Thomas McLean, in charge at the helm of Holdsafe as general manager, wasn’t easy at SouthMach 2017. In fact, we went back five times before we were free to talk with the Westmount School student.

What attendees to the show were clambering over to get an eye on was a product that fulfils a niche gap… one of those types of things where the need for the product is only obvious to most after the fact of creation: the Holdsafe Bottle Boost. All 100% Kiwi-made.

“We’ve got a great product and a really enthusiastic team full of ideas, YES has given us an opportunity to do business in the real world while still at school,” he says.

Thomas, his team and Holdsafe are all part of The Lion Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme (YES). The enterprise programme uses a combination of teachers and members of the business community to provide an experience that is both authentic and relevant to the current world – immersing them in the business environment – where students live and solve real-world business problems. This helps to prepare them for the next step in life, from school to work. Cedric Charles gives this to the young entrepreneurs. He is Holdsafe’s very appreciated mentor and runs his own engineering hardware supply business, Co-Mac, while offering a lifetime of business and industry know-how and support to the students.

Thomas, along with financial advisor Liam Currie, sales and marketing manager Samara Davis and Achsah Stewart form a tight-knit team with enough product enthusiasm to fill any gas bottle, and through trial and error, good business principles, plenty of solid advice from Mr Charles, and a whole lot of initiative have the business model humming.

“From the first prototype of our trolley designed right up to our current patent-pending design, that we have now manufactured; so many invaluable lessons have been learnt through this process,” says Achsah, administration and communications manager.

“Market validation was a biggie for us. We had two strong and very different potential products which we had no idea on how we were going to decide, and many different viewpoints on why it would or wouldn’t sell. Throughout thorough market validation, (opting away from a healthy ice block concept) we chose the Holdsafe trolley.”

The pupils have had a true taste of business where the bell doesn’t ring at 3pm. Normal school hours became “crazy hours” for this group of pupils, and they have now built a website with ‘shop’ capabilities, manufactured the product through concept and design to completion, and have even exhibited at trade shows.

And although it’s a really neat story, it wasn’t the story or their school uniforms that slowed then stopped the foot traffic past their stand at SouthMach; it was a product that fills a gap and provides a solution to a problem.

‘Here at Holdsafe, we’ve got your back!’ is the company’s catch-phrase; the play on words not shying from a troublesome and injury-prone job of bear-hugging gas bottles around the engineering workshop.

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