Alex is Sprintlaw’s co-founder and principal lawyer. Alex previously worked at a top-tier firm as a lawyer specialising in technology and media contracts, and founded a digital agency which he sold in 2015.
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During the week, Matt works in heavy industry, operating cranes in environments where precision matters and the margin for error is slim. On weekends, he’s somewhere entirely different: out on the water in the Hunter Valley, helping clients learn to wakeboard and wakesurf behind a premium MasterCraft boat.
It might sound like an unlikely combination, but the two roles have more in common than first meets the eye. Both demand focus, responsibility and a strong awareness of risk - qualities that have shaped not only Matt’s working life, but also the way he has built Hunter Wake Co.
Like many founders, Matt didn’t start with formal business training or a background in entrepreneurship. He started with experience, passion and a clear sense that there was an opportunity to build something of his own. But as he soon discovered, turning that kind of idea into a viable business takes more than enthusiasm. In an industry where safety, compliance and customer protection are central, getting the foundations right matters just as much as delivering a great experience.
We spoke with Matt about the path to building Hunter Wake Co, the costly lesson that changed his approach early on, and why putting the right legal protections in place became a key part of the business from the outset.
Building a Business Around the Water
Matt works in the mining and construction industry, operating cranes, and also works as a sandblaster and spray painter in heavy industry. “It’s a hands-on environment that demands a high level of responsibility, safety awareness, and problem solving,” he says.
Outside of work, boating and watersports had long been a major part of his life. Over time, that interest grew into something bigger: the idea that what had started as a personal passion could become a business others could enjoy too.
“Over time that passion kept growing, and I started to see the opportunity to turn something I genuinely love into a business that allows others to experience the same excitement and enjoyment of being on the water. Hunter Wake Co really came from that idea - combining a lifelong passion with the desire to build something of my own.”
That idea became Hunter Wake Co, a wakeboarding and wakesurfing charter business based in the Hunter Valley, NSW. Running private sessions on lakes including Lake St Clair and Lake Glenbawn, the business offers a premium on-water experience in a regional setting that feels both scenic and distinctive.
The appeal of the business is broad. Sessions cater to complete beginners, more experienced riders, groups of friends, families and even corporate teams looking for something outside the standard day out. In that sense, Hunter Wake Co sits at the intersection of recreation, tourism and experience-based business - a category that can look effortless from the outside, but in practice depends on careful planning, strong operations and a clear understanding of risk.
As Matt puts it: “Our goal is to create a premium watersports experience where people can learn new skills, push themselves, and simply enjoy being out on the water.”
The Early Mistake That Changed Everything
For many founders, the earliest stage of business is where assumptions get tested. In Matt’s case, one of the most important lessons came through an expensive mistake.
“In the early stages I purchased a boat that I later discovered couldn’t be commercially surveyed due to my lack of understanding around the specific requirements for commercial operations,” Matt recalls.
“That meant I had to sell that boat and start again with one that met the necessary standards, which was a significant and expensive headache at the time.”
It was a frustrating setback, but it also exposed something many new business owners learn the hard way: a good concept is not enough on its own. In regulated industries especially, the operational details matter. Equipment, processes and documentation all need to align with the realities of running the business commercially, not just personally or informally.
That experience seems to have shaped the way Matt approached the next phase of Hunter Wake Co. Rather than treating legal and compliance requirements as something to deal with later, he began to see them as part of the business’s core infrastructure - the kind of groundwork that can prevent bigger problems down the track.
That experience shaped how Matt approached the next phase of the business. Rather than treating compliance and legal requirements as something to deal with later, he began putting those foundations in place early.
Why the Legal Side Couldn’t Be an Afterthought
Adventure and watersports businesses are built around experience, but they also come with obvious risk considerations. When customers are engaging in physical activity on the water, the legal side of the business becomes more than a formality. Clear terms, properly drafted waivers and a well-structured operating framework are part of how the business protects both itself and its clients.
Matt recognised that early. “It became clear fairly early that proper legal support was essential,” he says. “Watersports businesses involve risk, and having the correct waivers, terms and conditions, and legal protections in place is incredibly important.”
At that point, Matt decided to make sure the business was properly set up from a legal perspective. Working with Sprintlaw, he focused on putting the right waivers, terms and protections in place so the business could operate confidently from the outset.
He says the process itself helped make that side of the business feel manageable: “The process was simple, communication was excellent, and the turnaround time was very quick. What I really appreciated was how easy they made the whole process. The documents were thorough and clearly written, which gave me a lot of confidence knowing the legal foundations of the business had been handled properly.”
That experience reinforced something Matt now sees as essential when building a business: getting the right advice early can prevent far more costly problems later.
More Than a Watersports Business
What stands out about Hunter Wake Co is that, despite the complexity behind the scenes, the customer experience remains simple: get out on the water, learn something new and enjoy the day.
That simplicity is part of the appeal, but it is also made possible by everything happening in the background - the planning, the standards, the equipment choices and the business structure supporting it all.
For Matt, the reward is seeing those experiences come to life for customers. “Whether it’s someone getting up on a wakeboard for the first time, improving their skills, or a group of friends spending an unforgettable day on the water - those moments are what the business is all about,” he says.
Looking ahead, his goal is to continue growing Hunter Wake Co into a premium watersports experience in the Hunter region. It’s an ambition grounded not just in passion for the sport, but in a clearer understanding of what sustainable growth actually requires: a strong service offering, consistent execution and the right business foundations underneath it.
A Lesson for Founders
There is a tendency, especially in passion-led businesses, to focus first on the visible parts of the brand - the concept, the customer experience, the product itself. Matt’s story is a good reminder that the less visible parts matter just as much.
When it comes to starting a business in this industry, Matt’s advice is simple but practical: “It can be tempting to jump straight into operating, but understanding the legal, compliance, and safety requirements early will save you a lot of time, money, and stress later. Getting good professional advice early on is absolutely worth it,” he says.
That advice feels particularly relevant for founders building in industries where risk, safety and regulation play a real role. The excitement of launching something new is important, but so is making sure the business is properly equipped to operate, grow and protect the people involved.
Hunter Wake Co may have started with a love of boating and watersports, but its story is equally about discipline, adaptability and getting the groundwork right. In that sense, Matt’s weekday and weekend worlds are not so different after all.
If you’re building a small business and want help getting the legal foundations right, the Sprintlaw team can help. You can reach us at 1800 730 617 or team@sprintlaw.com.au for a free, no-obligation chat.
Alex SoloCo-Founder
