YOU & YOURS
Back in 2010, then thirtyyear-old motorsport fanatic, Jeff Morton, was diagnosed with a brain tumour. So his doctors said, should he survive the required traumatic programme of treatment — surgery, radiation and chemotherapy — he would likely never drive again. This was devastating news for a man whose life revolved around the automotive industry. Indeed, while completing his degree at the University of Technology Sydney, Jeff investigated the prospect of importing second-hand cars from Japan and selling them for profit. Following in his father’s footsteps as a computer programmer didn’t appeal, whereas an uncle with a successful engineering business served as inspiration for what was possible as founder of an independent company.
In 2001, at twenty-one years of age, Jeff established a business leasing cars to selected clients. Main dealers were, of course, offering lease options to their customers, but Jeff saw an opening in small businesses wanting to offer their employees the opportunity of leasing cars as part of their salary package, an arrangement attracting tax benefits. This enterprise was a stepping stone for Autopia, a company Jeff founded in 2004 to fill another gap in the Australian motor vehicle supply market. Essentially, Autopia took on the role of fleet manager for companies not large enough to have capacity to take care of the work themselves. It doesn’t take initiative alone to identify opportunities like this, though — a great deal of determination, time and graft is required. Jeff has all three in spades, which is the primary reason the company prospered.
Revenues earned by Autopia provided the funds for Jeff to open an account for himself on Australia’s race tracks and in the country’s road rallies. Previously, without the cash to compete professionally,Dutton Rally. Although the BMW 135i he was competing in wasn’t on the same level as the super-aggressive machines of his rivals, he was able to score top ten finishes time and again. Not bad for a Bimmer in standard showroom specification and in a field of up to a hundred cars.
