This is such an interesting question, especially now that talent is scarce and companies are all fighting for the same people.

Nicole Swaine from Explore Potential has an interesting perspective, which I thank her for sharing.

Instead of keep trying to attract established people and getting nowhere, why not hire young people for attitude, personal flair, and values so that you attract a great fit for your company and culture? You can then "mold" them and equip them with the right training, coaching and systems so that you set people up for success right from the get go.

While there are good reasons why you'd hire an experienced person, there certainly are many benefits of giving motivated, self starters an opportunity to grow with your business.

If this is something you'd like to discuss further, reach out.

It's been a while in the making...

Tuesday 1st November 2022, we moved into our new offices. It took us 2 weeks to modernise and deck it out. Some pieces of furniture are still on their way.

Dare I say so myself: the place looks AMAZING!!

One of the walls is painted in Aztec gold with the words "Think BIG" attached. We had the sign hand made in Portugal.

Another wall has a feature showing a lush green Scandinavian forest. It brings peace and relaxation to the workplace all the way from Sweden.

The idea is to have room to grow our team and share the space with Members as part of "Think BIG Coworking" - a new business we started with my wife Andrea managing it.

We have 10 hot desks in an open plan environment, 10 permanent workstations across three offices, a separate meeting room, and a well appointed kitchen with bar table and stools.

For people that are just looking for a prestigious business address, we have them covered as well. 

Set in the heart of Walkerville on Adelaide's...

I'm keeping you in the know...

Good news!

 A new chapter has started. Exciting times ahead.

You know how we sometimes get stuck in the same old, same old?

Well, I recognised that I got stuck and way too comfortable, and did something about it.

Yesterday is symbolic in many ways. 

1. I signed a lease for new commercial premises after I vacated the previous ones several years ago. I'm exchanging comfy track pants and my home office for professional attire and a business environment again.
2. The team is expanding. My wife left her corporate job after 5 years and comes onboard with me. Yes, after being together for 9 years, we still like each other 😃 
3. We created a new company dedicated to our property ventures in two areas: land subdivisions and co-working space. Our new office is too big for us, so we will make permanent desks, hot desk and a few offices available to others.
4. An interesting name we came up with... But more on that another time.
5. Marketing then... I've engaged a 'SWA...

This is an interesting question.

The answer all depends on who you ask.

Let me clarify this for you by means of three examples.

1. For most people, a 'normal' garage is large enough to accomodate 2 cars. For others, it's 4 cars. For even less people, it's a man cave that counts 8 collectors items and they are beautifully displayed.
2. Equally, for most people, a 'normal' house counts 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and 2 living areas on an overall footprint of 240 square meters with a comfortable garden. In contrast, for other people, a 'normal' house is the size of a mansion with a nice long drive way, a maze to get lost in, beautifully landscaped gardens and of course a swimming pool and tennis court.
3. And finally, most people think about 'normal' traveling as doing so in economy to save money. However, there are people that consider business or first class as the new normal. Even less people travel in any other way than by private jet.

It all depends on your vision, mindset, beliefs and...

Okay. We're back from "The Edge" retreat for entrepreneurs which we hosted in sunny Cairns in Queensland, Australia 🇦🇺. 

Earlier this year, we surveyed our network of business owners and it was evident that people were yearning for immersive networking and learning while enjoying a 'work-holiday' somewhere else.

We made it happen and took a calculated risk with a new event that brought fresh content as a conversation starter centred around a bold topic such as exponential growth.

"What will it take for your business to grow exponentially in the months and years ahead?"

"Who do you have to become as a leader?"

Questions like these kept us busy...

Instead of the retreat being set up as a seminar or conference, we learned that people value peer-to-peer learning and a safe environment with robust debates in which fellow entrepreneurs challenge each other and bounce ideas of each other.

So my role became that of facilitator and fellow participant. (thank you, guys!)

I have to confes...

Without inspiration, people perish.

The same applies to business: without people experiencing personal growth, business contracts. 

It's clear that life wants expansion. It's our job to set our mind on a specific outcome and do everything we can to make it happen.

However, sometimes people work against the flow. They suffer from "psycho-sclerosis", which is a hardening of the mind.

They have become "set" in their ways and no matter the feedback they are getting, they stick to old (unproductive) ways in an attempt to move forward. 

But things aren't working out as planned.

Then they get frustrated, angry and upset. 

They wonder why things didn't turn out the way they imagined. 

The inspired ones, though, understand in their mind and appreciate in their heart that EVERYTHING pans out exactly the way it is supposed to be.

As long as we tune in with positive sentiment and count our blessings daily, we move forward easily.

Life and business then aren't a struggle...

Seen from thi...

What a great cause!

Quick summary:

• "Homelessness" applies when people coach surf or sleep in a car, tent or under the stars every night.
   
• Domestic violence is the #1 reason why women (and their kids) seek out emergency shelter.
   
• Between 20,000 and 25,000 children in Australia haven't got a safe place to call home.
   
• Trauma, emergencies and mental illness go hand in hand with homelessness.
   
• Ultimately, it is HOPE that charities like Vinnies provide to people in need.
   
• Many people that seek emergency support are well educated. They could be anyone going through a rough time.
   
• Affordability of housing is a big contributor. Vinnies aims at identifying people earlier in the cycle (when they are couch surfing) and provide support then to prevent them from falling deeper.
   
• A lack of support network estranges people in need, making it harder for them to find jobs, secure independent living and get on with their lives.
  Stigma and judgment are working against homeless people, widenin...

With financial markets down, inflation on the rise, interest rates about to go up, the war in Ukraine and the cost of living rising, people understandably worry.

Fluctuations cause uncertainty, which leads many to irrational decision making based on fear. But we know that fear rarely is a good advisor.

While you and I don't control the fiscal, political and economical landscape, what we DO control is the actions we take in it.

Like in any situation, there are opportunities.

I was recently listening to a very successful investor. When referencing the big losses in financial markets, he said there is "blood in the streets" which opens up big opportunities for "the happy few". 

Who are they? People like you and me who stay grounded, focused and move forward.

They tune in with the market, keep up with customer demand, and find ways to impact more people with timely solutions.

With 'blood in the streets', people are looking for safety that savvy products, services and companies provi...

There are 2 different types of people and businesses:

The ones that WAIT and the ones that CREATE.

When a business has no system to generate optimal demand for its products or services, by default, it is at the mercy of random "acts of grace". 

Low hanging fruit falling in their lap, a casual referral coming their way, a less than desirable client knocking their door, a government grant, etc. 

Not that there is anything bad with an "act of grace". The problem is that they are odd, random, unpredictable. 

They are out of your control as a business owner, BDM, consultant or self-employed person. 

Without a system that generates new business to maximise capacity, you are effectively wasting precious resources and losing money.

This is what I call a "flow" problem...

It's like having the best built factory in the world, only to have an empty conveyor belt... With little input, there is little output. 

Smart business people create systems to generate new business on demand. That is...

We're going to sunny Cairns (Queensland) near the Great Barrier Reef in July 2022.

The Edge is a 4-day exclusive retreat for 14 entrepreneurs only.

Find out more and apply here