When Jeremy Lennard moved from Sydney to Junee to start a new chapter with his partner, launching a business wasn’t necessarily part of the original plan. But after working as a qualified locksmith in Wagga Wagga, he began to notice something.
Smaller towns around Junee were paying extra for locksmiths to travel from larger regional centres. Jobs were costing more and taking longer to organise.
“I kept seeing people being charged travel fees just because they didn’t live in a bigger town,” said Jeremy. “I thought there’s got to be a better way to do this.”
That thought became JL Locksmith.
Jeremy joined VERTO’s Self-Employment Assistance (SEA) program in October 2025 to make sure he started properly. While he had the trade skills, the business side felt overwhelming.
“I knew I needed an ABN, and that was about it,” he recalled. “Licences, insurance, bookkeeping, marketing… I had no idea where to begin. I didn’t want to rush into it and get things wrong.”
Through the SEA program, Jeremy worked closely with VERTO Business Mentor Nathaniel Dalgleish, who helped him break everything down into manageable steps. From registering his business name and navigating his Master Security Licence, to setting up systems and understanding compliance, the guidance gave Jeremy clarity and confidence.
“Nathaniel didn’t just hand me information. He actually walked me through it,” said Jeremy. “That made a huge difference. It felt like I had someone in my corner who’d done this before.”
Nathaniel also supported Jeremy in building a professional brand from day one, designing his logo, business cards, DL flyers and digital marketing assets. He introduced Jeremy to social media advertising and showed him how to promote his services effectively online.
“I didn’t realise how important branding was,” said Jeremy. “Having a proper logo and consistent look made me feel like a real business, not just someone doing jobs out of a ute.”
Since launching JL Locksmith, Jeremy’s proudest moment was simple, his first customer.
“It was just a re-key for an older lady’s front door,” he said. “Nothing huge. But when she called me back the next day for more work, that’s when it hit me. People trusted me.”
That trust is growing. Jeremy has recently invested in a car key copying machine and plans to expand into car key programming and safe installation services in the future.
Most importantly, he’s filling a genuine gap in the region, providing faster, more affordable locksmith services to small communities outside of major centres.
For anyone thinking about starting their own business, Jeremy offers honest advice: “Be patient. The early days are quiet and that can mess with your head. But if you stick at it and get the right support, it’s worth it.”
With guidance from VERTO’s Self-Employment Assistance program and Nathaniel’s practical mentoring, Jeremy hasn’t just started a business. He’s built a service that strengthens regional communities.
For more information about the Self-Employment Assistance program, contact VERTO on 1300 483 786 or visit: www.verto.org.au/our-services/self-employment-assistance.
To learn more about JL Locksmith or book reliable, affordable locksmith services in Junee and surrounding areas, visit Jeremy’s Facebook page: J L Locksmith Junee.
