I enjoy mixing with startup people; and I’ve been catching up with quite a few recently, a meeting here, a cup of coffee there, a presentation somewhere else. So it got me to thinking about the top 10 tips I’d pass on to anyone contemplating a startup… 1. PROBLEM: Focus on the problem you are solving...Read More
A dearly departed former cricket coach of mine used to turn up to training, survey the scene and pronounce “C’mon boys, get organised, we’re not here for a haircut!” We would all groan and start our stretches. “Not here for a haircut” has become a favourite saying. I use it a lot. It’s quirky and...Read More
On Thursday morning I attended an excellent AmCham event, with Lloyd Smith of Gerard Daniels speaking on the topic of ‘Becoming a CEO’. I first met Lloyd across the parent interview table at a school I taught at 15 years ago, as a sponsor of our MBA alumni association and also at various UWA events....Read More
The other cricketing nations must be laughing at the mess that is English cricket right now. How a mighty side has fallen, having been ranked #1 in all formats of the game (Test, ODI and T20) in 2011, including a world T20 title to boot. Blessed with some workmanlike reliables (Cook, Trott, Prior, Strauss) mixed...Read More
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rvABhBeX70&w=601&h=338] In this 2 minute video, shot in one quick take on Friday afternoon, I ask Mark Pownall about the shark cull controversy that is raging around WA at the moment. Mark grew up in a WA family which fished regularly. He understands the issues, and always researches something before committing to writing. He is...Read More
In order to teach something, you first have to know it well. More than that, you need to know how to communicate that learning so it becomes the learning of someone else. That is a different plane entirely. When I was a school teacher, I found my understanding of Economics grew each year as I...Read More
[ted id=66] This classic TED (Technology, Education, Design) talk is one of the most inspiring, funny and important you’ll ever hear. Do yourself a favour and WATCH IT (it’ll be one of the fastest 20 minutes of your life). As an ex-teacher and now business person, I thoroughly endorse Sir Ken Robinson’s premise – we...Read More
this article first appeared in Business News, 12th Nov 2013. As previously reported, the tech start-up community in Perth is severely underfunded as compared to other cities around the world. By necessity, these companies are surviving on the proverbial ‘smell of an oil rag’ as founders work part time or take on consulting jobs to...Read More
As you will know, dear reader, I made a career change earlier this year, to work for a local business news media organisation. Looking at the chart above, you may wonder why! I’m absolutely loving it. The attraction of the position was to be front and centre of a major shift in how media companies arrange...Read More
Last Wednesday I spoke at Morning Start-Up, at Spacecubed down in the city. 27 minutes to tell a 10-year story, from the heights of the first dotcom boom through the tech wreck and the long, slow climb up the hill to the final trade sale in mid 2010. There is also an ‘after sale’ story,...Read More
