NZ Herald – Founder of SlipSafe turns family accident into business idea

SlipSafe New Zealand general manager Michael Goldfinch (left) with founder and chief executive Jason Goldfinch.

After his daughter suffered a nasty slip on concrete pavers one day, Jason Goldfinch sought to come up with a solution to prevent accidents around the workplace and at home.

The founder and CEO of Slipsafe New Zealand talks to Cameron Smith about getting his business off the ground and how his anti-slip products are being used to make surfaces safer.

Q: What is SlipSafe?

SlipSafe is a company that specialises in solutions to minimise the risks of slips and falls in the workplace or in and around the home. We are certified in slip compliance testing to help companies assess the slip resistance of their floors, and we also provide a variety of anti-slip coatings and treatments to reduce the risks of slips and falls. The business’s goal is incredibly clear—to help reduce the risks of slips and falls where people walk.

Q: What motivated you to start the business?

My daughter slipped over on some concrete pavers we had just had installed outside our home in 2020  – it was a pretty nasty fall that left her bruised and sore.  I wanted to stop it from happening again.  I was surprised that there were no easily accessible solutions available here in New Zealand that kept the aesthetic integrity while improving the pavers’ slip resistance, so I began researching other solutions far and wide.  I found some incredibly innovative and proven anti-slip treatments and coatings,  and it made sense to me to make them widely available to everyone in New Zealand.

Q: What is your background/were you doing before starting SlipSafe?

I have been in the flooring industry my entire working life. Most recently, I owned a flooring business, which I sold in 2022 so I could put all my focus into SlipSafe.  I have really enjoyed “plugging a gap” – by offering solutions to problems where no one else is.  It is way more fulfilling than just getting into a business for the numbers.  If my heart is in something then the business becomes much more enjoyable.

Q: What products do you sell and where can they typically be used?

We specialise in anti-slip coatings and treatments that can be used in various locations and situations. One product is specifically developed for stone, ceramic and porcelain tiles, terrazzo, and concrete, while another can be used on any surface. Bathrooms, carparks, hotel lobbies, office lobbies, entranceways, outside paths—anywhere that can be slippery when wet. We have just added an anti-slip-coloured coating for concrete if you want to change or enhance the surface colour that comes in a range of colours.  The products are suitable for interior and exterior surfaces.

Q: How do SlipSafe products work to prevent people slipping?

The technology behind the products changes the surface of many products at a granular level to create a slip-resistant surface. It’s very clever, aesthetically complements the existing flooring, and—most importantly—it works. Our products are sourced from across Europe, and we are the exclusive distributor.

Q: What have been your biggest challenges in business?

The biggest challenge so far is the fact that we are promoting preventative measures, and yet most companies contact us after incidents have happened.  People with broken limbs and concussions – really serious injuries.  We want people to be proactive to avoid or significantly reduce the risk of it happening in the first place.

Prevention and compliance testing to ensure companies meet their local standards is very common in countries like Australia and the USA, mostly because of the potential to sue when an accident happens. While I respect that we want to avoid that culture of lawsuits, it is important for companies to be more motivated to protect and avoid significant injuries than to only come to us after they have happened.

Q: What have been your highlights in business so far?

We love hearing about the reduction of slips that occurs after our products have been installed. It is very satisfying to know that our coatings are making a difference.

A good example is when we were asked to help out at a public pool; kids had been regularly slipping and getting hurt, and they’d put down huge rubber mats that were not very effective or clean.  An anti-slip coloured coating has solved their issues, making the facility look way more aesthetically pleasing and easy to keep clean, positively impacting their business: less slipping, happier parents, and safer kids.

Q: Where do you see the business in the next two to three years?

We operate across the main regions of NZ, but we’d like to extend out to every corner through our franchise business system.

Q: What’s your advice for others considering starting their own business?

Be passionate about what you are getting into.  Passion helps everything grow.