Garth Lidbetter
UX & Systems Designer
Location
Sawtell
NSW, Australia
Connect
© 2002-2025 Garth Lidbetter
Garth Lidbetter
UX & Systems Designer
Location
Sawtell
NSW, Australia
Connect
© 2002-2025 Garth Lidbetter
Forest Built
Consulting
2025
BA, Systems, UX
Forest Built is an award-winning boutique builder in Coffs Harbour. With over fifteen years of commercial and residential experience. Known for craftsmanship and reliability, their success created new challenges: inconsistent workflows, uneven practices, and varied client expectations. Reliance on the owners’ knowledge limited scalability.
I worked with the co-owners to streamline operations, clarify processes, and embed their expertise across the business—helping them manage demand while maintaining quality.
Forest Built is an award-winning boutique builder in Coffs Harbour. With over fifteen years of commercial and residential experience. Known for craftsmanship and reliability, their success created new challenges: inconsistent workflows, uneven practices, and varied client expectations. Reliance on the owners’ knowledge limited scalability.
I worked with the co-owners to streamline operations, clarify processes, and embed their expertise across the business—helping them manage demand while maintaining quality.
Forest Built is an award-winning boutique builder in Coffs Harbour. With over fifteen years of commercial and residential experience. Known for craftsmanship and reliability, their success created new challenges: inconsistent workflows, uneven practices, and varied client expectations. Reliance on the owners’ knowledge limited scalability.
I worked with the co-owners to streamline operations, clarify processes, and embed their expertise across the business—helping them manage demand while maintaining quality.
Role & team
Role: Systems designer and coach
Team: Flying solo on this one
Client: 2 Co-Owners, plus 4 others in the leadership team
Role: Systems designer and coach
Team: Flying solo on this one
Client: 2 Co-Owners, plus 4 others in the leadership team
Role: Systems designer and coach
Team: Flying solo on this one
Client: 2 Co-Owners, plus 4 others in the leadership team
Tasks
Stakeholder interviews
Business analysis
User journey mapping
Success metric setting & tracking
Process documentation
Coaching sessions
Stakeholder interviews
Business analysis
User journey mapping
Success metric setting & tracking
Process documentation
Coaching sessions
Stakeholder interviews
Business analysis
User journey mapping
Success metric setting & tracking
Process documentation
Coaching sessions
Deliverables
System map
Change management plans
Prioritisation matrix
Sales scripts
Client onboarding packages
System map
Change management plans
Prioritisation matrix
Sales scripts
Client onboarding packages
System map
Change management plans
Prioritisation matrix
Sales scripts
Client onboarding packages
5
in-depth user interviews
137
blockages identified
3
new supervisors empowered to lead with SOPs
10
hours per week freed up for directors
Background & Brief
Forest Built has experienced rapid growth, driven by a commitment to quality craftsmanship and a personable, honest approach. As the business expanded, the challenges of scaling became more apparent. Following a series of discussions to identify key pain points, a plan was developed for me to support the team by reviewing and refining their operational systems.
The plan included monthly consulting sessions with the two directors over an 18 month period.
Focusing on:
Identifying primary blockages
Developing solutions
Prioritising the order of actioning these solutions
Setting metrics and expectations on the team to make change
Forest Built has experienced rapid growth, driven by a commitment to quality craftsmanship and a personable, honest approach. As the business expanded, the challenges of scaling became more apparent. Following a series of discussions to identify key pain points, a plan was developed for me to support the team by reviewing and refining their operational systems.
The plan included monthly consulting sessions with the two directors over an 18 month period.
Focusing on:
Identifying primary blockages
Developing solutions
Prioritising the order of actioning these solutions
Setting metrics and expectations on the team to make change
Forest Built has experienced rapid growth, driven by a commitment to quality craftsmanship and a personable, honest approach. As the business expanded, the challenges of scaling became more apparent. Following a series of discussions to identify key pain points, a plan was developed for me to support the team by reviewing and refining their operational systems.
The plan included monthly consulting sessions with the two directors over an 18 month period.
Focusing on:
Identifying primary blockages
Developing solutions
Prioritising the order of actioning these solutions
Setting metrics and expectations on the team to make change
Challenges
Managing a high-energy, reactive team proved difficult; keeping them focused on priorities without getting sidetracked by urgent but non-strategic tasks was a constant challenge.
Leadership was open to change, but identifying which initiatives would actually deliver meaningful impact was unclear and required careful navigation.
Ensuring that new processes and behaviours became habitual rather than temporary fixes was a persistent struggle.
Co-owners were repeatedly pulled back into day-to-day site work, making it difficult to focus on strategic business growth and long-term priorities.
Managing a high-energy, reactive team proved difficult; keeping them focused on priorities without getting sidetracked by urgent but non-strategic tasks was a constant challenge.
Leadership was open to change, but identifying which initiatives would actually deliver meaningful impact was unclear and required careful navigation.
Ensuring that new processes and behaviours became habitual rather than temporary fixes was a persistent struggle.
Co-owners were repeatedly pulled back into day-to-day site work, making it difficult to focus on strategic business growth and long-term priorities.
Managing a high-energy, reactive team proved difficult; keeping them focused on priorities without getting sidetracked by urgent but non-strategic tasks was a constant challenge.
Leadership was open to change, but identifying which initiatives would actually deliver meaningful impact was unclear and required careful navigation.
Ensuring that new processes and behaviours became habitual rather than temporary fixes was a persistent struggle.
Co-owners were repeatedly pulled back into day-to-day site work, making it difficult to focus on strategic business growth and long-term priorities.
Solution
I introduced a change management framework for leadership to follow on new initiatives. It intentionally, initially slowed progress to ensure improvements were deliberate, measurable, and reviewed.
New initiatives initiated with Forest built:
End-to-end customer journey – with highlighted areas of improvement
Prioritisation matrix
Structured internal rhythms
Project/task management system
Sales scripts and processes
Translation filter for clients assisting with project scoping
Client onboarding packs
Variation change process guide
I introduced a change management framework for leadership to follow on new initiatives. It intentionally, initially slowed progress to ensure improvements were deliberate, measurable, and reviewed.
New initiatives initiated with Forest built:
End-to-end customer journey – with highlighted areas of improvement
Prioritisation matrix
Structured internal rhythms
Project/task management system
Sales scripts and processes
Translation filter for clients assisting with project scoping
Client onboarding packs
Variation change process guide
I introduced a change management framework for leadership to follow on new initiatives. It intentionally, initially slowed progress to ensure improvements were deliberate, measurable, and reviewed.
New initiatives initiated with Forest built:
End-to-end customer journey – with highlighted areas of improvement
Prioritisation matrix
Structured internal rhythms
Project/task management system
Sales scripts and processes
Translation filter for clients assisting with project scoping
Client onboarding packs
Variation change process guide
5
in-depth user interviews
137
blockages identified
3
new supervisors empowered to lead with SOPs
10
hours per week freed up for directors
Conclusions
By implementing structured frameworks and systems, Forest Built gained clarity, focus, and measurable progress.
Leadership can now prioritise strategically. Reducing reactive distractions, while new processes embed lasting behavioural change. The team operates with clearer expectations, smoother project flows, and improved client engagement through enhanced onboarding, sales processes, and communication tools.
Overall, these initiatives strengthened operational efficiency, empowered leadership to concentrate on growth, and ensured that quality craftsmanship is consistently delivered—positioning Forest Built for sustainable expansion without compromising its values.
By implementing structured frameworks and systems, Forest Built gained clarity, focus, and measurable progress.
Leadership can now prioritise strategically. Reducing reactive distractions, while new processes embed lasting behavioural change. The team operates with clearer expectations, smoother project flows, and improved client engagement through enhanced onboarding, sales processes, and communication tools.
Overall, these initiatives strengthened operational efficiency, empowered leadership to concentrate on growth, and ensured that quality craftsmanship is consistently delivered—positioning Forest Built for sustainable expansion without compromising its values.
By implementing structured frameworks and systems, Forest Built gained clarity, focus, and measurable progress.
Leadership can now prioritise strategically. Reducing reactive distractions, while new processes embed lasting behavioural change. The team operates with clearer expectations, smoother project flows, and improved client engagement through enhanced onboarding, sales processes, and communication tools.
Overall, these initiatives strengthened operational efficiency, empowered leadership to concentrate on growth, and ensured that quality craftsmanship is consistently delivered—positioning Forest Built for sustainable expansion without compromising its values.
Feedback
Caleb Johnston
Founder & Co-Owner
Add here
Add here
Add here
Christian Parkes
Co-Owner
Add here
Add here
Add here