Cloud project for blue-sky thinker
FIRST JOB — AND WHERE ARE YOU NOW? My first job out of university was working as an electronics engineer at a small firm in Sydney called Halytech. We made mobile data logging devices, which were used in remote areas to collect information on rainfall, water pH, and also to send other information back. It was basically the Internet of Things (IoT) before the word existed. I worked there for two years, then left in 2012 and started my own project, which eventually became CartonCloud.
BEST BUSINESS ADVICE YOU’VE RECEIVED?
Always solve a customer’s problem. It’s easy to get distracted doing stuff you think is important, but just keep thinking about whether or not you’re focused on solving a customer’s problem.
WHAT YOU WISH YOU KNEW WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED OUT?
Nothing. If I already knew what I’ve taken the past five years to learn, this wouldn’t have been anywhere near as interesting or exciting. If I’d known how hard this was going to be, I would have talked myself out of starting.
YOUR GOLDEN RULE IN BUSINESS?
Don’t be nice, but be empathetic. I find that being a “nice” person has too many issues associated with it. For example, if you try to be nice to your staff then switching gears and telling them off or letting them go, becomes a huge moral dilemma. Instead, be empathetic.
A LONG LUNCH — A WASTE OF TIME OR ESSENTIAL? EXPLAIN
Personally I’m not one to spend large amounts of time in meetings unless they have a very specific purpose and I’m working towards to an outcome. If a long lunch is highly productive for some reason, then by all means go for it. If it’s just a general spitball session in which nothing discussed will be implemented then I’d skip the lunch.
WHO IS ON YOUR BUSINESS MOBILE’S SPEED DIAL?
Our CTO (who I need constant updates from as to how we’re progressing with developing new features), our primary client trainer (who is based in New Zealand), our chairman, Frank Strangers (I call him most days for advice about everything), and my brotherin-law.
IF YOU HAD A $1 MILLION SPARE, WHAT INDUSTRY WOULD YOU BE INVESTING IN NOW?
If I had $1 million spare, then I can assume losing it wouldn’t matter too much. Therefore, short-term I’d go for cryptocurrency ... then invest in lithium mining.
WHAT SHOULD GOLD COAST PRIMARY STUDENTS BE STUDYING?
Critical thinking, science and scepticism. There’s so much nonsense and misinformation available with the internet now that you can easily get trapped in a bubble of believing the earth is flat, or 911 was an inside job.
YOUR BIGGEST FRUSTRATION DOING BUSINESS ON THE GOLD COAST? AND HOW TO FIX IT?
Gold Coast is a tough place to find programmers. Recruitment is a full-time thing for our company. We try really, really hard to find the right people for our organisation, and we’re searching all over Australia and New Zealand, plus internationally via 457 visas.