Early Learnings
It was 1989 while studying at University that Grant O’Halloran joined his father's Sales Agency Business to work part time representing several of Australia’s leading home textile brands throughout NSW. It wasn’t long before Grant decided to move on to pursue a career in aviation before ultimately ending up working as an international management consultant with one of the world's largest Business and IT Consulting firms. Little did he know that those early beginnings as a Home Textiles Agent combined with his management consulting experience would plant the seeds for a thriving home textiles business some 20 years later.
While Grant was working around the world as a management consultant, his brother Mark took a different path, settling into the family’s Sales Agency Business and devoting the next 20 years developing deep expertise in Home Textiles and the industry while representing some of Australia’s major home textile brands.
Opportunity Presents
The year was 2010 and while Grant was looking for a business opportunity to apply the business skills he had acquired as a consultant, his brother Mark had already taken the initial steps from being a Sales Agent to starting his own home textiles import business – Odyssey Living. An injection of capital from Grant, allowed the business to expand its range and acquire a new warehouse and office. Looking to grow quickly, it wasn’t long before an opportunity presented in the form of a merger with the long established and reputable business, Killarney Linen and on the 1st July 2011, Affiniti Living was formed to facilitate the merged interests of the two businesses. Shortly after, another opportunity presented itself with the acquisition of the long established and iconic Australian brand Bas Phillips. The foundations were now truly set with three distinctive brands that would support servicing all segments of the Home Textiles Market.
The Growth of a Family Business
Four years on from the establishment of Affiniti, Mark and Grant bought out the remaining interests of their business partner from the merger and by June 2014 controlled one hundred percent of the business. The brand portfolio expanded further with the addition of the outdoor lifestyle brand Cotton Beach and Marks wife Jenni and their brother Matthew joined the business to assist with the management of operations. The business has continued to grow and mature with recruitment of more highly skilled specialist team members to assist with the business's evolution. Today, Affiniti is one of the major players in the home textiles wholesale sector, supplying products to retailers of all levels as well as the commercial sector involving hotels, speciality accommodation providers, laundries and government agencies. In addition to the vast array of products the company supplies under its own brands, the business has also become a sought-after partner for designing and developing brands and private label solutions for its customers. Looking to the future and in line with its ethos, ‘Products for all Lifestyles’, the business aims to one day see at least one of its products in have every Australian household.