Let’s rewind to 2015. BlueRock was picking up steam with 42 employees and diving head first into private wealth and legal services to complement our fast-growing accounting offering. We’re here because 2015 is the year that Dean Godfrey (aka 'Deano' or 'Yoda') joined BlueRock as our first ever Chief Operating Officer. But Deano’s story doesn’t start there. To fill you in, we’re going all the way back to 1966 (no, that’s not when Deano was born, but it's where this story begins.)
Back in the day, long before Google Maps and GPS, there was the Melway – a massive 1240-page book that was the ultimate map directory of Melbourne. It was the go-to gift for anyone getting their license or buying a new car. It’s something that stirs up nostalgic feelings for anyone born before the digital era. And guess what? The original designer and cartographer of the Melway Maps business was Merv Godfrey – Dean's dad. So you could say that Melway has been in Dean's blood since forever.
From the age of 5, Dean was already joining his brother Murray on road trips to map out the streets as a budding cartographer. This involved field research, driving on new roads, and establishing relationships with government agencies and land developers to gather new information about Melbourne’s growth. His involvement in the family business meant that his passion for business grew as much as his love of mapping, leading him to study commerce at Melbourne Uni.
Fast forward to 2009 and, as you might’ve guessed, as GPS and personal navigation devices (PNDs) hit the scene, it seemed like Melway might be left in the dust. But Dean and the business were adapting to new technology, using it to improve the map-making process. They had a plan to build their own unique mapping system. So they borrowed a hefty sum and invested $2.5 million to develop their own PNDs.
BlueRock to the Rescue!
Unfortunately, the ‘Navway’ didn't sell well. Financial trouble loomed and they found themselves in the NAB business bank sick bay. But Melway wasn't about to give up. Dean reached out to some of his university connections for advice and they landed on cost-cutting as an important step to save the business. One significant cost was their accounting fees and a suggestion was made to speak to Peter Lalor (Founder and CEO of BlueRock). Melway also sought advice from BDO, Fordham, Deloitte and a few more suburban accounting firms. But BlueRock was the only firm that listened, providing proactive business advice, fresh ideas and a business dashboard to measure performance on a daily basis. Dean was sold, Melway became a BlueRock client and we’re proud to say they’re still on our books to this day!
The partnership with BlueRock provided Melway with a clear view of performance and gave them confidence and knowledge to make better business decisions. The improved business performance also gave the bankers at NAB the confidence to take them out of the sick bay. Today, Melway is still a client of BlueRock and sells the classic street directories, wall maps and data to Melburnians, the state government and its agencies.
More Than Maps
But Dean’s story doesn’t stop there. As a true entrepreneur, he became the managing director of recycling company Southern Cross Metal Recyclers and co-founded Brew Space – an online coffee and retail business. But all along, he wanted to spend more time around the vibrant and fun BlueRock community. That dream came true in 2015 when Pete asked Dean to be the first COO of BlueRock.
Fast forward to today and we've grown to work with over 7,000 clients with a team of 350 people across multiple offices. Dean has not only played a key role in driving BlueRock's expansion, but he's also been a driving force behind our amazing culture and a big reason BlueRock is such a great place to work . His personal growth has been impressive too! Dean is now CEO at BlueRock HQ, and still assists with Melway and Southern Cross Metal Recyclers in his own time.
So what does 30 years of experience with mapping Melbourne look like? Deano says, “I can tell you where to go.” And that’s an understatement. He can tell you the reference codes for random streets and literally knows the city like the back of his hand. So, next time you get in the back seat of a car, check the seat pockets for a Melway and take a trip down memory lane, knowing the man behind the Melway is our very own Dean Godfrey!
