At just 19, he saw an opportunity at the then-closed North Western Hotel in Palmerston.
But, being under-age, he had to find a business partner with a bar manager's licence, to help him reopen it.
When times later ''got tough'', and there was a drop in gold prices, business became quieter.
So he started working at Oceana Gold's Macraes gold mine, mainly as a crane operator, while running the pub at nights and weekends.
He later saw an opportunity to start his own contracting business and Skevington Contracting will celebrate its 10th anniversary in November.
The company, which focuses on the mining and construction industries, including doing work for Oceana Gold - was recently named the Otago and lower South Island fastest growing services business in the Deloitte New Zealand Fast 50 awards.
Mr Skevington (35) acknowledged establishing his own business was a big move but he saw the opportunity and thought he would ''give it a go''.
Starting as a crane operator, he slowly built up the business, employing staff and buying more equipment.
A year ago, he was up to 59 employees and 35 pieces of earthmoving equipment.
But with the drop in gold prices, he had to downscale certain areas of the business and staff now numbered 25, during what had been a ''very tough year''.
Owning such a business was never in Mr Skevington's mind as a teenager growing up in Palmerston. Educated at East Otago High School and Otago Boys' High School, he had ''no idea'' what he wanted to do.
Halfway through year 13, he decided to leave school, realising that he wanted to be a ''worker'', not an academic.
He started as a baker, working for his father, Charlie, who then owned McGregor's Bakery.
He reckoned his time running the North Western Hotel was his ''varsity'', where he learnt people skills and how to ''reuse'' the money earned. He acknowledged some people did think he was crazy.
''I remember . . . people would come up and say all the time `You won't be here in six months'. It gave you a reason to work every day and survive,'' he said.
The hotel had since been turned into accommodation and a gym. Hospitality was not his thing; he preferred ''man stuff'', he laughed.
Running a business was a challenge he liked. The biggest challenge was ''going through the ups and downs and knowing when to take the next step''.
The Deloitte Fast 50 accolade had not yet sunk in, he said,
attributing the company's success to ''just working hard and having a good team''.
''We're just a small company that just plods away, working hard.''
He was grateful to family for support and his partner, Angela Jarman, who ran the office and was also a director.
Mr Skevington was rarely in the office - ''only at night'' - and working long days did not worry him.
''I'm a hands-on man. I work every day, lead by example. I've worked right from the time I was 19 and never really stopped.''
He attributes his work ethic largely to his father. With two daughters, aged 4 and 6, he tries to make Sunday family day. Having children has made him focus differently.
''You're not just looking after yourself any more,'' he said.
Most recently, Mr Skevington had been focusing on getting the business ''comfortable again''; he wanted to expand the earthmoving side and also expand in Christchurch.
He was looking at new technology overseas to ''try and be a step ahead''.
Skevington Contracting already owns what he believes is the largest hydro excavator in the southern hemisphere. It took nine months to build in Quebec and three months to ship from Canada to New Zealand, in what was a $1 million project.
Mr Skevington commissioned the excavator due to the work generated by the Christchurch rebuild. He has three employees in the city, who have been working there for the past six months.
He said the secret to a successful business was staying focused, working hard and setting a target - while also having fun.
Skevington Contracting earned the right to join other high-growth companies from around the country at the second annual Deloitte Festival of Fast Growth in Auckland in November.
That was where Mr Skevington could find out where the company ranked on the national index - not that it troubled him.
''Just to be where I am now is enough of an accomplishment and a pat on the back,'' he said.
