Johan Bester has traded a career in corporate project management for owning Midas Porirua, fulfilling a workshop dream that began before he moved from South Africa to New Zealand.
Bester took over the franchise this year. For the owner of the Parumoana Street workshop, it is the latest step in a journey that has included living in a motorhome, settling into a flat and buying a home with his partner, Katrina.
His interest in mechanics began with his father, who involved him in working on cars. One childhood memory is of freshly painted suspension parts hanging beneath the carport to dry.
After leaving school, Bester joined the South African Air Force, working in a technical environment involving aircraft maintenance, administration and logistics. He later specialised in managing technical teams and processes before studying project management and spending 11 years as a project manager at IBM.
Even then, he wanted to own a workshop. Cars and motorcycles remained part of his life outside work.
His move to New Zealand brought another kind of hands-on experience. He lived in a five-metre motorhome, carrying out repairs and learning tasks ranging from installing solar panels to replacing a diesel line at the roadside.
He worked for Datacom, later moved into a flat with Katrina, and the couple bought a house in 2019. His New Zealand project-management career also included work for government ministries and Defence.
A period recovering from spinal surgery prompted him to reconsider returning to corporate work. He decided instead to pursue his longstanding ambition to own a workshop, eventually finding his way to Midas.
Bester credits his faith with guiding that journey, from arriving in a motorhome to becoming a New Zealand citizen and franchise owner.
“I wake up inspired and working with the team I have makes every day different,” he wrote in an account of his move into the business.
For Porirua motorists, he wants that enthusiasm to translate into a workshop they feel comfortable approaching and can trust with their vehicles.
Bester says some customers have been coming to the workshop for more than 10 years. Building relationships with those regulars, while welcoming new customers, is central to how he wants to run the business.
Midas Porirua is at 11 Parumoana Street. The workshop can be contacted on 04 237 8746, with booking information on the Midas website: https://midasnz.co.nz/locations/porirua.