The day after his late father raised the prospect of an apprenticeship, Steven wagged school to find a job and was offered a signwriting apprenticeship at the first place he visited, starting work a week later.

Early on he supplemented his apprentice wage by doing private jobs out of hours. By the age of 18 he had a registered company, Sign EFX, and part-time staff. He had a formal qualification, his own client base, and staff ready to go; the foundation was set for a full-time business venture.

Business evolved from his dad’s garage to a small factory in Fawkner which he quickly outgrew. He then purchased a block of land in Campbellfield and he and his father, Tony, designed and constructed a purpose-built factory to suit his industry. Steven lost this factory in 1989 due to a hard-hitting recession and had to virtually start over. He rebuilt the firm over several years before achieving one of his dreams to purchase a factory on the Hume Highway, opposite the Ford factory, where the company still runs today. In April 2014 Steven sold the business to his manager, making way for other ventures and opportunities, including business coaching, and personal pastimes such as travel and watercolour painting.