I’m a “business guy”.
Whether I’m working on my own ideas, or helping other business owners in one of a variety of roles, I love understanding what makes a good business and seeing those lessons put that into action.
My corporate background is in funds management where I learned to analyse businesses, research industries, value companies, manage risk, lead people, market and sell products, and more.
Over the last few years I have been applying those skills in the world of small business, and learning many new skills along the way.
One of my great passions is understanding human behaviour, particularly how irrational we humans are when it comes to decision making. (It’s not our fault… blame evolution!). There’s more about this in the box to the right.
The Importance of Understanding Human Behaviour
- Understanding what motivates your staff is key to improving productivity and hiring and retaining top performers;
- The ability to see things from the point of view of those in your target market will improve your ability to design and deliver a product or service that solves a real problem and which customers will happily pay for;
- Understanding how your customers make decisions will improve your marketing strategies and ability to close a sale;
- Understanding how outsiders view your business will enable you to better pitch yourself to investors, bankers, governments and strategic partners;
- Understanding yourself, including an understanding of cognitive biases how they affect your decision making, will help you make better decisions and improve the chances of finding happiness as a business owner.
Options For Working Together
CONSULTING – Standard rates are $160 per hour for businesses with 5 staff or less, and $190 per hour for larger companies. Special rates for early stage startups and non-profits.
STARTUP ADVISORY – Occasional advisory work with startup businesses, usually with equity based compensation.
MENTORING – Unpaid advisory work for very early stage startups with young or first-time business owners.
I have a few testimonials hidden away if you’d like to read more.
Personal
- Incredibly proud father
- Experienced kitesurfer
- Improving stand-up paddle surfer
- Decidedly average golfer
- Hopeless internet addict
- Aging online gamer
- Occasional fly fisherman
- Long-suffering Richmond (AFL) supporter
Education
Graduate Diploma – Applied Finance & Investment
Securities Institute of Australia
Bachelor of Business – Banking & Finance
Monash University
Accelerated Management Program
Melbourne Business School
Investment Management Workshop
Harvard Business School
'94-'06: Goldman Sachs JBWere
Head of Equities; Executive Director; Partner/Owner
- Grew funds under management to over $2bn across wholesale and retail clients
- Managee of a team of Portfolio Managers, Analysts and Dealers
- Developed our internal research, valuation, stock selection and portfolio construction process
- Regular marketing to wholesale clients and intermediaries
- Member of GSJBWere Group Partnership Committee
- Member of FSC Investment Board Committee (industry body)
Achievements
- Above average long-term investment performance across all portfolios
- 2002 Australian Equities Fund Manager of the Year
'91-'94 : ANZ Bank
Commercial Banking Officer
Assisted in the management of a portfolio of commercial banking clients, with a particular focus on working with clients suffering financial distress.
Areas of Interest
- Leadership and business culture
- Software-as-a-service
- Finance, investment, M&A
- Crowdsourcing
- Community building
- Business networking
- Gamification
- …and pretty much everything online!
Industries I Am Interested In
- Recruitment
- Investment advice
- Funds management
- Professional services
- Education
- Property
- Online retailing