FIRST JOB — AND WHERE ARE YOU NOW?
Comalco Aluminium in Adelaide, packing aluminium in crates. I was a newcomer to Australia in 1976, with no English, willing to do anything to get my start and survive financially. I then moved to Sydney in 1980 and started with Timezone as an assistant storeman. A few years later, I became a general manager for NSW and then went to Singapore in 1993 to start Timezone internationally. I went to Indonesia in 1995 for the same purpose and three years later to the Philippines. In 2000 I returned to Sydney as Australian general manager. I am now managing Timezone Gold Coast as general manager/director of stores in Surfers Paradise and Coolangatta. BEST BUSINESS ADVICE YOU’VE RECEIVED? Treat your job as if you are the owner, show enthusiasm, be a team player and enjoy what you do. WHAT YOU WISH YOU KNEW WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED OUT? Not be afraid to invest in my own business, start small and grow. YOUR GOLDEN RULE IN BUSINESS? Be honest, be a team player and be persistent. A LONG LUNCH — A WASTE OF TIME OR ESSENTIAL? EXPLAIN Can be both a waste of time and essential. Sometimes you have to listen and learn from others, but it shouldn’t become a bad habit that becomes a norm. WHO IS ON YOUR BUSINESS MOBILE’S SPEED DIAL? My business partner, work number, family and managers. IF YOU HAD $1M SPARE WHAT INDUSTRY WOULD YOU INVEST IN NOW? The entertainment business on the Gold Coast and the quicker the better, with a proper and diligent feasibility study in anything to do with tourism. WHAT SHOULD GOLD COAST PRIMARY STUDENTS BE STUDYING? Languages, maths and IT. I believe these will provide the prime future opportunities for jobs on the Gold Coast. YOUR BIGGEST FRUSTRATION DOING BUSINESS ON THE GOLD COAST? AND HOW CAN WE FIX IT? The lack of good customer service personnel. The majority of applicants believe that they are very good, but the reality is that they are below the acceptable standard. If it was not for the number of foreign students, however, we would have a serious problem fulfilling the need for employees with good customer service skills. Considering that the Gold Coast is Australia’s capital of small business, there are not enough personnel available at present. We need training programs that are stricter, which offer certificates or diplomas, which teach the meaning of responsibility, presentation and respect towards customers. More education about tourism and its needs on the Gold Coast. I believe that the most important element of the entertainment business on the Gold Coast are Australian tourists, but international tourist numbers are also growing very fast.