Entrepreneurship

After four decades in the business world, from the structured corridors of corporate giants to the scrappy, all-in beginnings of RedBalloon in my living room, and from the high-stakes pressure of the Shark Tank chair, I have come to a firm and unwavering conclusion.

I want to look at the powerful themes that emerge from this class of leaders, because within their journeys lie the most valuable and timely lessons for every single founder and business leader in Australia today.

Celebrity speakers transform events from forgettable to memorable. The moment you announce a recognisable name, everything shifts - ticket sales accelerate, social media lights up, sponsors lean in.

The word "fintech" (a portmanteau of financial technology) can sound intimidating. It conjures up images of complex algorithms, blockchain, and high-frequency trading. But I want you to forget all that. At its heart, the fintech revolution is not about technology for technology's sake. It is about one simple, powerful thing: using technology to solve real, frustrating, and expensive problems for businesses and their customers.

In the world of startups, we celebrate the "overnight success." But that's a dangerous myth. Every business that looks like an overnight success has a long, hidden story of hard yakka, quiet moments of doubt, and slow, incremental progress.

Queenstown is not just a holiday destination; it is a pilgrimage for the soul of an entrepreneur. It is a place that challenges you, inspires you, and ultimately, recharges you in a way that a week lying on a beach never could.

Angel Investors in Australia: This is the single most important truth. I have seen hundreds of pitches. I can tell you that I have never once invested in a brilliant idea attached to a mediocre founder. But I have, on multiple occasions, invested in a brilliant founder with a mediocre idea.

This is the startup capital conundrum. It is the great chasm that separates a brilliant dream from a thriving business. And the question of how to bridge that chasm is one of the most consequential, and most anxiety-inducing, that an entrepreneur will ever ask.

This is my founder's playbook: 20 powerful team building activities, categorized by the specific business outcome they help you achieve. This is not about forced fun; it is about strategic investment, your people.

How do you cross that chasm? How do you take that spark and nurture it into a roaring fire? In short, how do you turn a business idea into reality?

Business Valuation: There is a number that every single entrepreneur, at some point in their journey, will become obsessed with. It’s a number that can define a negotiation, shape a legacy, and transform a lifetime of work into tangible financial freedom.

In today's hyper-competitive landscape, the idea of the lone wolf entrepreneur is a romantic but outdated notion. The truth is, we are stronger together.

Even the best plans fall flat without clear ownership, tools, and follow-through—here’s how we solve for that

There’s a moment in the journey of every successful small business that I absolutely live for. It’s the point where the frantic energy of survival gives way to the focused ambition of growth.

Learn how to choose and implement systems that serve growth—without slowing your team down

What are you doing today to create growth for your business?