Forum rules

Regular readers will recall that I recently joined a global business networking organisation called Entrepreneurs Organisation(EO). EO splits its local chapters into smaller groups of 6-8 members (called forums). Each forum meets monthly and organizes an annual offsite retreat to bond and share life and business experiences.

On Thursday, I joined my forum for its first overnight "mini-retreat" in Canberra. Our group of seven filled our time with various activities, some professional and some for fun. We kicked off with a half-day meeting and training session at the Royal Canberra Golf Club. This included a presentation by Kirsten Peterson, a former team psychologist for American athletes at seven Olympic Games. Sadly, her session was underwhelming, so much so that I volunteered to organise the presenters for our next retreat.

We then dined at Kodiak Bar in Kingston, a bar and restaurant owned and operated by a member of my forum. The crowd that gathered was an interesting glimpse behind the curtain of Canberra's political culture. I learned that many of its patrons were rank-and-file staff from Parliament and surrounding Government offices.

The following morning we got to meet one of these political operatives. Our group was lucky enough to be hosted on a tour of Parliament House by a local territory government MP.  He took us behind the scenes of the Federal Parliament showing us the main debating chambers and, much to my delight, the broadcasting studios of major television networks inside the building.  We then finished our time in the ACT with a leisurely outdoor lunch at Caribou, another establishment owned by our forum member.

This was my first retreat event with my Forum members. It proved a great opportunity to really get to know many of them for the first time. Our next group event is a Christmas dinner party on a private yacht in Sydney Harbour. We booked the MV Alfie for an evening of wining and dining on the high seas.

Cool Canberra

It's been almost 25 years since my mother last visited Canberra. At the time, her visit was a last minute addition to a travel itinerary that had been thrown into disarray by the infamous1989 airline pilot's strike.  My parents were part of larger New Zealand contingent that found themselves stranded in South Australia.  Their original itinerary was meant to take them to Queensland before departing for home from Sydney. Their transport conundrum was ultimately resolved by hiring a car and driving across New South Wales to Sydney, stopping over in Broken Hill and Canberra.

 

This month, while my Auntie Pam in town, I decided to take Mum back to Canberra for another tour.  We couldn't have picked a better weekend.  It was an unusually pleasant period of winter weather with plenty of sunshine temperatures in the mid-teens. We made our way south on Saturday morning stopping for a compulsory photo at Golburn's Big Merino and a delicious late-breakfast at Grandma's Little Bakery, Fedra Olive Grove.

 

Grandma's Little Bakery has a hugely popular outlet in Inner Sydney so I was keen to road test the original cafe near Collector.  The main building sits on a low hill overlooking a young orchard of olive trees.  It's a delightful location, less than 50 minutes north of Canberra.  All three of us ordered the delicious Shakshuka; a classic Mediterranean dish of baked eggs cooked over a tomato and capsicum base.

We began our tour of Canberra with a tradition stop at Mt Anslie.  I always take visitors here first as the view down constitutional axis is an unforgettable introduction to Canberra's carefully crafted landscape. From here it was on the the Capital Exhibition Centre to learn more about the city's design and development before joining a guided tour of Parliament Hill.  .

We finished the day with a brief driving tour of the diplomatic zone before visiting the National Gallery. Our touring route naturally included a brief stop to photograph the colourful corrugated iron cows outside the New Zealand High Commission. 

The National Gallery currently has an exhibition of artwork by Turner, the British landscape artist. While we were at the gallery I also took my guests down to the Sidney Nolan gallery to see his famous silhouette depiction of Ned Kelly on horseback.  Auntie Pam later told me the Turner exhibition was a personal highlight of her Canberra weekend.

Our final day in Canberra began with a visit to the National Archives. As part of the city's centennial celebrations, original documents from the town plan design competition were on display. It was fascinating to see Walter Burley Griffins original drawing for the city.  Today's layout remains surprisingly true to his original vision.

 We then made our way to the Australian Museum for a little Australiana before making our way to the National Carillon to listen to a rousing bell recital.  The complex has a video screen at its base where you can watch the Carilloneer playing a rather daunting wooden peg keyboard. The 50 metre tall carillon tower was a gift from the British Government in celebration of Canberra's 50th anniversary.

Our next stop was Old Parliament House for lunch in its popular cafe, before making our way to the National War Memorial Museum. The sight of the infamous Japanese mini-sub was made all the more poignant given the tour of Fort Denison a few days earlier.  You'll recall that during this tour we learnt about the American "attack" on the fort that was triggered by the discovery of Japanese mini-subs in Sydney harbour.  At this point, with all of the classic sights now under our belt, it was time to head for home.

Deja vu: the adventure begins (again)

I'm sure regular readers have noticed it’s been sometime between posts. Why?  Put simply, 14 years of predictable, stable lifestyle are about to radically change.  In July I leave my current employer with no fixed plans for the future. It's a bold decision I made some time ago but have waited until now to act. There are plenty of punters who think I'm crazy to give up a comfortable, well-paying job that's all but set for life.  

However, for several years, the journey with my current employer has felt like a dead end.  I've achieved every goal I set for myself almost 15 years ago, and then some.  Life has become staid and predictable. I feel I have another career path within me.  After much soul-searching I've decided it's time to bring it to fruition.  

As you can imagine this decision has consumed my focus since I set the wheels in motion in late-January.  It’s been more than 21 years since I was last out of work. Understandably the prospect of finding my next pay cheque is proving both daunting and exhilarating.  Since taking this decision I’ve experienced a full spectrum of emotions; from relief and anticipation to utter terror and despair.

What should I do with my career?  As you can imagine I’ve received advice by the truckload.  It’s all been rich, varied, and at times terribly contradictory.  As time passes my options have coalesced into three distinct categories:

1. Take a year off, either to study for an MBA or to consult on a freelance basis until my next step is clearer.
2. Go into business for myself, ideally buying a going concern I believe I can successfully grow and develop for the long-term.
3. Strike out in a new career direction with another employer, leveraging the international business skills I’ve accumulated over the years.

Naturally, each option has merits as well as pitfalls.  With so many choices to explore I’ve decided I need to take a couple of months off and clear my head.  Some might say I’m simply procrastinating.  However, taking a moment to still, or perhaps distract, my mind seems to be the right way forward.  I’ve enjoyed a surprising sense of peace since taking this decision and I'm already seeing new opportunities and connections appear without me forcing the issue.

As a result, I’ve finalized plans for two travel adventures in August and September. First, in August Garry and I take a three-week road trip up the West Coast of the USA from Los Angeles to Seattle.  We then return to Sydney for two weeks before I’ll depart again to take my parents on a vacation through Canada and New York they’ve always dreamt about.  The second trip is a recent development, reflecting in part the success of a ten-day vacation I took with my parents in China last month.  My father coped well with the travel, the food, and the long days of sightseeing.

Dad turned 75 in May. In the midst of his ongoing cancer therapy, there was a time when none of us thought he’d see this day.  Every year has become a precious gift.  Therefore, while reflecting on my own career future I realized that I’d created a unique opportunity to more spend time with him before life settles into a new routine.  It seemed foolish to pass up the chance to take him on a journey listed on his bucket list. 

My parents and I will kick off in Vancouver in mid-September.  Here we’ll catch a train through the Rocky Mountains to Banff; then on to Toronto and Niagara Falls, before taking time to explore New York.  Our journey will finish with a week of driving from Montreal to Toronto via Ottawa enjoying the spectacular autumn foliage.  I then return to Sydney and start making more concrete plans for the future.

Garry’s life is also taking a radical turn.  While researching options for acquiring a company I stumbled across a stationery wholesaler.  Some initial due diligence quickly revealed a host of simple changes, which if undertaken, would dramatically improve the company’s growth potential.  After some agonising internal debate, I ultimately decided it wasn't the business for me.  However, Garry became somewhat passionate about the opportunity and ultimately made an offer.  In July he’ll start life as a small business owner.  Watch as Gazena takes on the world.  It’s somewhat ironic that my current journey of discovery has ended up setting Garry on a new career path.

My next path of exploration proved somewhat more compelling.  By chance I spotted an executive role advertised on LinkedIn, the business networking social media site.  The brief was written in a style that captured my imagination.  On a whim, I drafted a cover letter and submitted my resume.  Weeks later I received a call and was asked to come in for an interview.  To cut a long story short, I was subsequently short-listed on the spot and invited to meet more of the executive team. 

It was both motivating and inspiring to find myself in this position the first time I’d seriously applied for a job.  However, I found myself somewhat conflicted by the prospect of leaping straight from my current employer into another role without a pause.  In the days that followed job applicants were narrowed down to me and one other person. I was not successful. A part of me breathed a sigh of relief. This experience made me realize I needed to take a break and clear my head before truly committing myself to another career path. 

As you can see, it is been quite a journey so far, hence the blogging hiatus.  However, as I finally start to wind down my current employment commitments, I’ve decided to revive the blog.  In the weeks ahead you’ll see me update you on a host of travel adventures, including:

• An Easter weekend in Adelaide.  Garry and I took time out to explore garden city, as well as exploring the southern coast of South Australia and the picturesque Adelaide Hills wine country.

• A series of ANZAC weekend excursions with my brother and sister-in-law during their five-day vacation in Australia.  Garry and I took them on a day trip down the south coast to Wollongong the day they arrived, before heading to Canberra for a picture-perfect weekend of blue skies and sunshine.

• My final business trip to the USA.  I found myself in San Francisco with a weekend to fill.  On the spur of the moment, I booked flights to Southern Utah to take in the dramatically eroded landscape of Canyonlands and Arches National Parks.  The experience proved more memorable than expected and the photos simply speak for themselves. 

• Ten days in China with my parents.  I took on the role of tour guide, escorting my parents through the urban wonderland of Shanghai, the historical realms of Xian, and the cultural highlights of Beijing.
  
  
• A brief excursion en route to Hong Kong airport where I rode the Ngong Ping cable car to Po Lin Monastery. This Lantau Island institution is home to the Tin Tan Buddha, a 34-metre-high bronze statue that sits serenely on a nearby hill. The more hardy visitors climb more than 240 steps to its base to marvel at its colossal size.

• Stories from far North Queensland where Garry and I are traveling this week to witness the marriage of his younger brother to a wonderful, lively lass from Cornwall, England. They currently live in Port Douglas and so family and friends have been invited to join an informal ceremony on a boat anchored along the Great Barrier Reef.

• Highlights of our forthcoming road trip up the West Coast of the USA, followed by a summary of the trip to Canada I’ll be taking with my parents.

A year initially devoid of travel seemed to have morphed into a final hurrah before life truly does change for good.  However, future posts won’t just be about travel.  I’m keen to also share the journey of my new career as its direction begins to unfold.  Let the adventure begin (again)!

UPDATE: JUNE 2015

Garry and I have acquired a fast-growing small business called Artiwood.  We take possession on 12 June.  After several false starts with my new career direction, it's exciting to have finally found the right opportunity. I've looked at dozens of businesses in the last three years. So many of them have been a bitter disappointment and their numbers simply haven't stacked up once I've taken a closer look at the books.  

However, this business is the real deal. Its owner is selling simply because it's become too successful, too demanding, and in desperate need of significant investment to gear it for continued success.  If things play out as we believe we'll double the size of this business within four years; and be well on the way to setting ourselves up for life.

In appreciation of Walter Burley Griffith

For the record; I love Canberra. I don’t care what its detractors say. I think it’s a beautiful city with plenty of exciting potential. I recently rekindled my love affair after taking my brother, Matt, and sister-in-law, Shelley, for a weekend excursion; or as Shelley described it, “a mini-vacation within my vacation”.

Matt and Shelley dropped into Sydney for five days in April. They took advantage of the ANZAC public holiday and extended their visit into the following weekend. Garry and I took our guests on several road trips in between some passionate bouts of shopping.

Garry and I filled their first day in town with a road trip along the south coast. We stopped first at Stanwell Park to admire dramatic sweeping coastal views along the Illawarra Escarpment. The headland is also a popular launching site for local hang-gliding enthusiasts. Unfortunately, when we arrived, there were no hang gliders to be seen. Instead, visitors were pummeled by a harsh, bitterly cold wind.

From here we took our guests along the coast via Lawrence Hargrave Drive and the stunning Sea Cliff bridge. The bridge was opened in 2005, replacing a section of Lawrence Hargrave Drive that was prone to regular rock falls. It winds its way for almost 500 metres along a narrow coastal rock shelf, offering some stunning ocean views. We later stopped for a seafood lunch on the shore of Wollongong’s main harbour. The day trip finished with a leisurely walk to each of the harbour’s two prominent lighthouses.

 
On Saturday morning we rose early and headed south again; this time for Canberra. We’d made plans to base ourselves there for the entire weekend. Month’s earlier I’d booked us into the Canberra Novotel as 40th birthday present for Matt. However, our itinerary was somewhat curtailed when shifting airline schedules moved Matt and Shelley’s return flight from Monday morning to Sunday evening. Naturally we had to stop briefly in Golburn to visit the Big Merino, a 15-metre high Merino ram built from concrete.

My first few months living in Australia, back in 1990, were based in Goulburn. As a result, the city and its tourist gimmick hold some special memories. At the time, the main highway between Melbourne and Sydney was routed through the city centre, making the Big Merino a popular rest break for thousands of weary travelers. 

 In 1992, a freeway by-pass was opened east of the city, leaving the concrete ram isolated on the edge of town. In 2007, in a feat of engineering genius, enterprising locals lifted the beast off its foundations and moved it to its current location by the local freeway interchange. Sadly the view from its eye no longer looks out over farmland; instead you’re greeted by a panorama of warehouse roofs and power lines.

The weather in Canberra was stunning. Our entire weekend was filled with blue skies and warm sunshine. We made Mount Ainslie our first stop. I love this place. From its summit you gain a real sense of the city’s planned layout; a series of radiating axes carefully aligned with significant topographical landmarks around the Australian Capital Territory. Its design is the result of a design competition that attracted architects from around the world. The winning submission was made by two Chicago architects, Walter Burley Griffin and his wife, Marion Griffin.

Once we’d gained our bearing we drove down to the shores of Lake Burley Griffin. We stopped to learn more about the city’s history at the National Capital Exhibition centre. Here you can marvel at a 3-D scale model of the inner city, most notably the Parliamentary Triangle around which the city’s layout is centered. Our next stop was Parliament Hill where we spent several hours wandering its vast hallways, visiting the legislative chambers and admiring the view from its grass-clad roof.

The building’s 81-metre tall stainless steel flagpole never fails to impress. I recently learnt that the flag it flies is 12.8 metres by 6.4 metres, about the size of half a tennis court. I was also surprised to discover a copy of the Magna Carta from 1297AD on display in the central Member’s Hall. The Australian Government purchased it in 1957 for £12,500. It’s now valued at more than £10 million.

Our last sight for the day was the National War Memorial Museum. We couldn’t have chosen a better time to visit. Thanks to ANZAC Day ceremonies days earlier the museum and its surrounding memorials was festooned with fresh wreathes and thousands of red poppies. It made for a moving display of remembrance. I was also pleased to see my favourite exhibit was still on display; a badly damaged Japanese midget submarine salvaged from the bottom of Sydney harbour.

The submarine is actually the remains of two separate vessels. They were part of a trio that entered Sydney Harbour on May 31, 1942 in an attempt to sink Allied warships during World War II. The raid failed and all three subs and their crew perished. The remains of two subs were recovered, reassembled as one vessel, and then taken on a tour of Australian cities to stoke local animosity towards the Japanese. How times have changed. It was somewhat ironic that we’d seen at least one busload of Japanese tourists visiting Parliament earlier in the day.

 
Our evening was spent hanging out at a local bar where we gently toasted ourselves under an outdoor gas heater. Despite dire comments about Canberra’s nightlife, I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of bars, cafes and restaurants within walking distance of our hotel.

The following morning dawned clear and still. Shelley went for a jog along the lake shore and was greeted by the sight of hot air balloons floating overhead. As I explained to her later, she’d been privy to the city’s ultimate postcard experience. After a hearty breakfast, we stopped to visit the National Museum. This venue was built on the site of Canberra’s original hospital. The site was cleared using a controlled explosion. However, the blast went horribly wrong and large pieces of debris were hurled 500 metres across the lake into a crowd of spectators. A young girl lost her life and nine others were injured.

 
Before making our way back to Sydney we stopped briefly to see the corrugated iron cows adorning the New Zealand High Commission's front lawn. We made Bowral our lunch stop; eating at the organic Wild Food Café. However, in hindsight, we should have stopped at Berrima, rather than Bowral. Berrima is a quaint village of colonial homes a few miles south. It sits in a pretty wooded area, unlike the rather soulless, drab concrete streets of Bowral.