How Jamie Greentree went from encouraging a colleague to join Kinetic to building an award-recognised Wellington electrical business of his own.
Jamie Greentree had spent more than 15 years working in the electrical industry before starting his own business.
He had managed projects across large commercial fit-outs, new housing, renovations, rest homes, shops, restaurants and other technically demanding environments.
Jamie enjoyed the work itself. He took pride in solving problems, helping customers and delivering a quality result.
Business ownership, however, first entered the conversation through someone else.
A recommendation that came back around
A colleague approached Jamie for advice about an opportunity to start a business with Kinetic Electrical.
That colleague was Mark James, who would go on to establish Kinetic Electrical Kāpiti Horowhenua.
Jamie looked into the Kinetic model and liked what he saw.
“After looking at it, I was impressed and encouraged him to go for it. It looked like a good opportunity.”
Mark took the step into business ownership and later shared his own positive experience with the Kinetic team.
The recommendation then came back in Jamie’s direction.
Mark put Jamie’s name forward as someone who might also be a good fit for the network, beginning a conversation that would eventually lead to Kinetic Electrical Wellington.
Waiting until the timing was right
When Kinetic first contacted Jamie, he was deep in existing commercial contracts.
Although he was interested in the opportunity, he didn’t want to rush the decision or walk away from commitments before the work was complete.
The Kinetic team gave him the time to work through the process properly.
Everything was explained clearly, Jamie could ask questions and there was no pressure to move before he was ready.
“There was no pressure at all to act quickly, which was great. The ball was left in my court until I was ready.”
That approach allowed Jamie to make the decision with confidence and prepare properly for the transition from experienced electrician and contracts manager to business owner.
Starting with smarter systems
Jamie already understood many of the systems used to manage electrical contracting work.
What changed through Kinetic was how those systems were brought together and applied to the business.
The initial support included strategic planning, identifying the right market, considering how to approach new customers and establishing the practical foundations needed to operate professionally.
Kinetic also helped with branding, uniforms, business materials and the systems sitting behind the day-to-day operation.
Jamie recognised that some of the tools were similar to those he had previously used, but that he had not always been getting their full value.
“I realised I wasn’t using them to their full potential. Smarter!”
Rather than beginning with a blank page, Jamie could launch with a clearer structure and concentrate on building customer relationships, delivering work and establishing the Kinetic name in Wellington.
From the garage to an established business
Kinetic Electrical Wellington began with Jamie working by himself from his garage.
By early 2024, the business had grown into an eight-person operation with its own commercial office and workshop.
Its capabilities have continued to expand since then.
Today, Jamie leads the business with a wider team supporting customers across Wellington City, Upper Hutt, Lower Hutt, Porirua, Whitby, the Wairarapa and the broader Wellington region.
The business works across residential, commercial, industrial, property maintenance and community infrastructure projects.
Its services include electrical maintenance, hot water heat pumps, solar and battery design, EV charging, air conditioning, switchboard and mains upgrades, commercial fit-outs, data cabling, facility maintenance and civil or infrastructure work.
This broader offering allows the team to support homeowners, businesses, property managers, builders, councils and government customers with both everyday electrical requirements and larger, more complex projects.
Building a reputation around safety and communication
Jamie’s approach has always centred on doing the work properly and helping customers feel informed throughout the process.
That focus is reflected in the business’s strong online reputation and the feedback customers provide about its responsiveness, project management and communication.
Kinetic Electrical Wellington has also received industry recognition through Master Electricians, SiteSafe and the wider Kinetic network.
The business has been recognised as Master Electricians Emerging Business of the Year, received a national SiteSafe award for leadership and been named Kinetic Franchise of the Year.
These achievements represent more than trophies or titles. They reflect the systems, team culture and safe working practices that have developed as the business has grown.
Local service with nationwide thinking
From the beginning, Jamie saw value in being part of a recognised national electrical brand.
His experience working with government departments and larger organisations had shown him that some customers need electrical support across multiple sites or regions.
Being part of Kinetic meant Jamie could offer the responsiveness of a local Wellington team while also drawing on the technical capability and geographic reach of a broader network.
It also meant having other electrical business owners to contact for advice, support or assistance with projects.
That same principle continues today.
Through Kinetic’s partnership with Level Group New Zealand, the Wellington business remains locally owned and proudly Kinetic, with more systems, industry relationships and support available behind the scenes.
A recommendation that became his own opportunity
Jamie’s path into business ownership began with him assessing Kinetic for someone else.
He saw enough value in the opportunity to recommend it to Mark. Mark’s experience then gave Jamie the confidence to consider the same path for himself.
What followed was not an overnight transformation.
Jamie still had to make the decision, establish the operation, win the work and build a team and reputation across Wellington.
But he did not have to create every system, process and piece of the business alone.
What began with a conversation between colleagues has become an established, award-recognised electrical business with a growing range of capabilities and a strong platform for the future.
Ready to build a smarter electrical business?
Kinetic gives experienced electricians and electrical business owners the opportunity to operate within a defined local region, supported by established systems, a recognised brand and a connected national network.
Limited locations remain.
