In the world of construction, the best innovations often start where few expect in a garage, with a big idea, a bit of stubbornness, and a lot of trial and error. For Sunshine Coast couple Kirstee and Shane, the founders of Goop Guys, that combination turned a small local cleaning business into a nationwide franchise and global exporter of one of the industry’s most unique protective coatings.
Today, Goop Guys is a recognised name across Australia, protecting windows, floors, bathtubs, and benchtops on job sites from costly damage. But their story began long before the franchise network, the overseas distribution, or the polished branding. It began with Dustbusters Queensland, a cleaning company they ran together in the late 1990s.
Seeing the Problem First-Hand
Back then, builders’ cleans were the bread and butter of Dustbusters. Day in and day out, the couple saw brand-new windows scratched, bathtubs chipped, and benchtops marred before homeowners even stepped through the front door.
“You would see the damage every day being done on these sites,” Kirstee recalls. “Going in there and cleaning up, you’d scratch windows, benchtops, bathtubs. Shane said, ‘There’s got to be a better way than this.’”
That better way came into focus thanks to a chance meeting at a barbecue. Over a drink “I dare say it was Jack Daniels at that point,” Kirstee laughs. Shane shared his frustration with a fellow guest, who turned out to be a chemist. The two began experimenting in the couple’s garage with a drill, a mixer, and a lot of trial batches.
An $80,000 Lesson
After about a year of tinkering, they thought they had a winning formula. Friends in the building trade, including local names like Glenwood Homes, let them trial the product on their sites. At first, everything seemed perfect. The coating peeled away cleanly after five weeks. But then it stopped peeling.
“Five or six weeks in, it was stuck, and it wasn’t coming off,” says Kirstee. “We replaced about $80,000 worth of damaged surfaces. Back to the drawing board.”
It was a devastating blow for a young family business. “Maybe this is too risky,” Kirstee remembers thinking. “Maybe you should go back to your nine to five.”
But Shane was resolute. “We’re both stubborn people,” Kirstee admits. “If we decide that we’re doing something, we’ll do it. And Shane just said, ‘No. We’re going to crack this. We’re going to get it.’”
The Breakthrough
The breakthrough came in an unlikely way. As they struggled to figure out the problem, a salesman walked into their Beewah factory trying to sell Shane a weathering cabinet for testing. Curious, Shane showed him the stubborn, stuck-on coating. By luck, the salesman was a polymer chemist.
“He got together with Wayne, the other chemist, and that’s where Goop came from, the actual Goop that does what it needs to do,” says Kirstee. That product, perfected in the early 2000s, would become the backbone of their future business.
From Licences to Franchises
Demand grew quickly, first across the Sunshine Coast, then into Brisbane, the Gold Coast, and beyond. Shane was leaving home at 6am and finishing under car headlights on job sites. It was clear they needed a way to scale without burning out.
They began licensing the application rights, but soon realised franchising offered more control over brand quality and service. “In 2006 we launched our franchise model,” Kirstee says. “Nineteen years strong as a franchise that’s a testament in itself.”
Today, the network spans the east coast of Australia and supplies product internationally.
A Flexible Business Model
One of Goop Guys’ quiet strengths has been its ability to offer a family-friendly franchise model a rare find in construction.
“You can do this during school hours, early mornings, or on the weekend,” Kirstee explains. “We’ve got mums running franchises, dads doing school runs. It’s built around lifestyle as much as it is around the work.”
That flexibility has attracted a diverse group of franchisees, including several women, and allowed the business to maintain steady growth through market shifts.
Giving Back to the Community
Success has also meant giving back. For the past three years, Goop Guys has been involved in the Dunga Derby, a Sunshine Coast charity car rally raising funds for local families in need.
“It’s about giving back to the direct community we’re in,” says Kirstee. “There’s a lot of families out there struggling, whether it’s illness, homelessness, the struggle’s real. If we can help in any way, we will.”
The business also supports builder-led charity efforts, breast cancer causes, and homelessness initiatives.
On Women in Construction
With 25 years in the industry, Kirstee has seen the landscape shift dramatically for women.
“Twenty-five years ago, it was completely different,” she says. “Now, women are doing all the trades, sparkies, plumbers, brickies. And more women are in leadership roles. That’s super important.”
She believes inclusion works best when the focus is on shared goals rather than division. “We don’t need to segregate the sexes. We’re all working towards the same goal. Humans in construction.”
Preparing for the Future
The next chapter for Goop Guys is about succession. Shane is aiming for “semi-retirement”, while their children step into leadership roles. Son Jordan now manages manufacturing, while their daughter has run a Mornington Peninsula franchise for a decade and plans to join the head office team once her children are in school.
“Talk about leaving a legacy,” says Kirstee. “Hopefully there’s something for the grandkids one day too, if that’s what they choose.”
International growth is also on the horizon. Distributors in Canada, Ireland, Singapore, China, Taiwan, and New Zealand are soon to be joined by India.
Lessons for Builders
Asked what makes a good builder, Kirstee doesn’t hesitate. “Someone who listens and understands the needs of their customer. Use qualified trades, build it right, and deliver something both you and the homeowner can be proud of.”
It’s a philosophy that has served Goop Guys well, a commitment to quality, trust, and pride in the end result.
From 20-Litre Drum to Industry Icon
From mixing the first batches in their garage to shipping product across the world, the Goop Guys story is proof that innovation doesn’t have to come from big R&D budgets or corporate labs. Sometimes it comes from a problem seen up close, a bit of chemistry in the garage, and the refusal to quit after an $80,000 mistake.
“It’s been a journey,” Kirstee says with a smile. “Ups, downs, hard work, but I wouldn’t change it.”
0 Comments