About

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About Me
In a few Lines

At 34 I started out from a small living room, built a multi-million-dollar company from scratch, and at 49 I sold it and retired.

I am here to share with you, how I did that.

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About Me
the short version

G’day! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by.

Some days, I amaze myself, and other days I put my keys in the fridge; and that right there makes me human. Knowing that I am only human has also made me humble.

Ambition together with empathy and humility is what I believe in most part makes an effective and successful business leader.

You may be surprised to know that I am not always a Cranky Boss!

I was however just like you a business owner and I know just how challenging that can be. I am here to share with you exactly what worked for me in the hope that I may save you some sanity, some money, and some crankiness!

I know what works in business but more importantly I know what doesn’t work.

I don’t pretend to have all the answers, but I understand that part of being successful is to seek those answers from the right people.

When it comes to what I reach for in life, it’s honestly the simple things that bring me the most joy:

😴 A good night’s sleep
☕ A good coffee in the morning (and one in the afternoon is always a bonus)
🍽️ A home-cooked meal from my mum
💬 A meaningful conversation
🕊️ The freedom to choose
🎬 A great movie
🌊 Nature: listening to the ocean, birds chirping, the sun setting

Family, along with these simple moments, is what keeps me grounded—no matter where in the world I find myself.

And then there’s my passion for travel. Over the years I’ve flown close to a million miles, often in premium cabins.

I’ve always had a deep love for travel; airports, aircrafts, the whole experience just excites me. I love analyzing different aircraft and their features, and I make it a mission to find at least one cool or unique feature on every airline I fly with. I also love exploring different cultures, trying local foods, living amongst locals and learning how they live, and seeing the world through new perspectives.

That’s why I’ve dedicated a small part of this blog to travel-related content. It’s where my love of flying meets my curiosity about cultures and the world below.

And because no “about me” would be complete without a few random tidbits; here are some fun facts that sum me up pretty well:

✍️ Fun Facts:

✈️ Miles flown: Closing in on a million
💺 Favourite seat: 2A (because 1A feels like showing off 🤓)
🪄 Hidden talent: Turning frequent flyer points into First Class tickets
☕ Coffee strength: Dangerously high
🚫 Office pet peeve: Speakerphone calls
💼 Business mantra: Culture first, profit follows
🧠 Secret to success: Surround yourself with people smarter than you (and let them talk)
💬 Favourite leadership quote: “Stay away from negative people. They have a problem for every solution.”
⚡ Superpower: Understanding people before they speak
🤓 Favourite emoji: The nerd face; because learning never stops

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About Me
the long version

My Journey to where I am today…

First things first! 

I was born and raised in Melbourne, Australia and have spent most of my life here, but I have also lived overseas, mainly in Europe and Dubai. I’ve built several successful businesses abroad, with my most prominent and successful venture based in my home country, Australia.

In terms of Education – a year 12 certificate, the super power of a second language, and a college diploma in travel & hospitality. Some short course certificates, but nothing fancy.

The rest I learnt along the way in business and life. Lucky for me, I am more of a proactive person rather than a reactive one. I prefer foresight over hindsight.

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My father was a hard-working & successful businessman who didn’t give handouts very easily. Not because he wasn’t generous, but because he wanted to teach me the ‘value of the dollar’. At 12, I would tag along with him on school holidays when he would let me. I wanted to learn, to work, to earn money. He thought I was too young but took me anyway and instead of cash, bought me a hot chocolate for my hard work. I didn’t care. I loved working with him and learning.

At 15, he had me working alongside his business every day after school. I can guarantee you there was no favouritism or special privileges! He prepared me for what the real working world would look like.

By 21, I had almost worked every job under the sun to gain experience. From factories to restaurants to cafes & take away shops, you name it, I did it.

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At 26, I started a small profitable side business in graphic design. I remember not having access to my own computer back then. I would often work overtime without pay, producing high-end graphic work for the company I was then working for, to learn and gain the experience I so desperately wanted. Yes, the company got the job for free, but I gained the experience and knowledge I was after. I was a far cry from a quiet quitter.

By 29 I had saved enough money to start travelling. I wanted to gain experience meeting different cultures, working with people of all ages and nationalities and build on that multicultural and diverse environment the world offers. I believed it would be an asset in life. 

At 32, I had joined the then new and innovative eCommerce platform of eBay (geez, that reminds me how old I am!) and was hustling another profitable little business alongside my full-time job. 

At 34, back in Melbourne, I went “all in” on my new business. I was ready. I knew I had the capabilities; I knew my strengths and weaknesses, and I grasped all the tools I had picked up along the way and knew that I just had to give this a go. I moved from being a solopreneur to an entrepreneur.

I was running a multi-million-dollar business in just a few years.

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About The Company

I was one of two directors of a company that started small. The other one, by her admission, was lazy. Also, by her admission was a massive asset 😂 – and in the words of Bill Gates:

Bingo, right there!

There are pros and cons of starting a business with a partner. I can definitely say in my case, the pros far outweighed the cons.

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I remember having a meeting with Google execs on the living room floor – everything else was decked out with product that was selling like hotcakes and paperwork that needed to be sorted. We hired friends to help out with the chaos, friends of friends, and more friends who bought in even more friends! That was about 15 people in and out of my living room working graveyard shifts! 🥴

That was back in 2006. The following year I slowly got that living room back! 

The business moved its operation to a one garage storage facility close by. In a few weeks, it needed another garage and then another one. Soon enough, in 2008 it took the whole upper level and converted it into a warehouse and office space.

By 2014 it outgrew the facility again, and with great due diligence, as directors we decided it was time to begin manufacturing what we had been selling for the last eight years. We bought industrial machinery, hired a skilled team, rented a bigger facility created a killer business plan and didn’t look back.

A year later in 2015 we bought the production facility property. 

In 2018 we received a nomination and were finalists for ‘Business of the Year Award: Excellence in Manufacturing.’

In 2021 we sold a healthy and profitable multi-million-dollar company.  
I am 49 and have now retired.

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Recognition Factors:

🏆 Finalist Melbourne Business Awards   

🗞Featured in The Age 

📺Featured on A Current Affair

📺Featured on the Morning Show

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Trusted in Business by major corporate deals such as:

Monash University  – Dancing with the Stars  – “Beautiful” – The Carol King Musical “Hamilton” – The Musical – “Harry Potter” – The Musical.

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I would love to hear from you, for any questions or feedback; or even if you just want to let me know you’re feeling cranky. I’ve been there. 

💌