Tim Blanchard: CoolDrive’s a third-generation business that was started by my grandfather in the garage. And then obviously my dad and now myself and my brother Harry, all working in the business as well. So very much a family business. And we've kind of grown from that garage now to 38 stores around Australia, New Zealand and we've evolved a lot over the 47 years now. And, looking forward to celebrating 50 years just like Capricorn.
Brad Gannon: John, you must be so proud of the Blanchard name and its association with CoolDrive. Such an amazing family business.
John Blanchard: That sort of culture of operating on a fair basis, is still very strong throughout the business. And passion.
Brad: Did you ever think that CoolDrive would grow to the size that it's grown to today?
John: No, not at all. You know, I know it's a bit cliche, but our staff are, you know, a lot of it. We've had really good people come on board and and, it's due to a lot of hard work over the years. Well, when I came to work, joined the business full time with my father, it was only five employees, and now we've got about 850. So, it's changed a lot. It's always impressed me how passionate and loyal the Capricorn Members are to the Capricorn organisation. And the attendance you get at the shows and conventions. There's always a lot of fights in our place about who's going to get to go to the Capricorn Convention.
Tim: He's always pulled rank on the Capricorn Convention. I've never been able to go.
Brad: Tim, when you joined the CoolDrive business, and you first heard of Capricorn what was your first kind of interaction with Capricorn?
Tim: Family business so I've been working here since I was three informally, but, formally about 12 years. First, I didn’t really understand what it was all about. And, once you go to the first Gala night or trade show and you see how many people turn up, how passionate they are, and we’ve spoken a lot about passion today, but it's, I think it's really key word to what, the way the Capricorn Members feel about it.
Brad: I hope your dad paid you for those hours when you were three.
Tim: I think it was more of a pain than help.
John: On one of the walls somewhere there's a picture of Tim when he's three or four years old, working inside a container and pushing some boxes around.
Tim: Thought I was helping, but now I'm old and I look back like geez it must have been such a pain for those poor guys. Having me getting in the way all day.