Move with times to speed success
FIRST JOB AND WHERE ARE YOU NOW?
My first job was a trainee at a customs brokerage at the Port of Melbourne. I was 17 and fresh out of school. My uncle had an importing business and they were looking for a cadet who could pick up the directors’ dry cleaning and run documents around Customs House and Australian Quarantine. That sounded pretty easy so I applied and got the job.
Today I am a co-owner of an integrated customs and global freight enterprise with our HQ based at Southport. One Global Logistics (OGL) is my second customs and forwarding business. My former business was sold to a multinational back in 2006. I was based in Sydney and we had 50 staff globally It was a very fast moving and dynamic time of my life but I’m so glad my wife and family moved to the Gold Coast in 2008.
BEST BUSINESS ADVICE YOU’VE RECEIVED?
Less talk, more action.
WHAT YOU WISH YOU KNEW WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED OUT?
Patience is a very valuable business and life tool.
YOUR GOLDEN RULE IN BUSINESS?
Your people are the gold, never forget that. Mentor them and look after them like family and your work and family life will benefit.
A LONG LUNCH – A WASTE OF TIME OR ESSENTIAL? EXPLAIN
I have always invested quality time in a good lunch or dinner, with staff, clients or suppliers. It is even more important nowadays with less time to meet people face-toface.
WHO IS ON YOUR BUSINESS MOBILE’S SPEED DIAL?
My wife or the office.
IF YOU HAD $1 MILLION SPARE, WHAT INDUSTRY WOULD YOU BE INVESTING IN NOW?
I would invest in commercial property in the central Gold Coast corridor as there is a need for an integrated logistics facility here on the Gold Coast. We have customers asking us every other week to invest in a logistics and warehouse facility so they can outsource their logistics operations to OGL.
WHAT SHOULD GOLD COAST PRIMARY STUDENTS BE STUDYING?
Health, education and computer science.
These three disciplines underpin and cover most of commerce and lifestyle nowadays.
YOUR BIGGEST FRUSTRATION DOING BUSINESS ON THE GOLD COAST? AND HOW TO FIX IT?
M1 transportation congestion. Delays in transporting goods, either for import or export, are costing Gold Coast/northern NSW companies millions every year in lost productivity and additional transport costs. This is due to product sitting on trucks or in containers. The transport corridor is a mess for goods and services, not just commuters, and this will place a brake on growth on the Coast until a fully-integrated transport solution is up and running effectively.