Mentorship Story: Reflecting from the rearview mirror to drive forward on the entrepreneurial highway

To be a better leader – this is the goal this year of James Murray, Founder and Managing Director of Work Healthy Australia. And for him to drive himself forward in achieving this goal, he recognises the value that the mentorship program is offering entrepreneurs like him, who aims for continuous personal and professional growth.

James is thankful to have Steve Sacks, Chairman of Sonnant, as his mentor because of the value that their relationship has brought to James’ professional development. “My journey for my self this year is to become a better leader, which means to become a better listener. Steve has been very helpful. Even if I've only changed 1% or 2%, I attribute a lot of that to some of my conversations with Steve because he's just such a good listener,” James professed.

For both James and Steve, their mentor-mentee relationship is like a two-way street where they get to learn from each other and be inspired by what the other has done in his entrepreneurial journey, notwithstanding the differences they have in their respective phase in the journey.

Restoring things to make them more efficient

Steve has enjoyed being a mentor to James because of the many facets of entrepreneurship that James brings to the table. “I've enjoyed hearing James' agenda of activity, like the amount of stuff that he packs into a week is pretty inspiring. But I've enjoyed telling him to slow down as well. I've found great value in learning about a completely different sort of business sector. Well, it’s two actually, between the egg farm and Work Healthy Australia. And also, I like hearing about James' various non-work activities like his passion for old Saabs,” Steve shared.

Whilst Steve is learning from James’ involvement in such a diverse range of activities – both business and personal interests – he is also imparting with James some of his learnings from his entrepreneurial journey. “One of the things we've talked about has been around where James’ company is at now, with 70 staff members. I've taken a couple of companies from startup up to that number of people, and some of the challenges that you face when you get to around 25 and then around 50 are that the management structures typically need to change. Some of the control needs to devolve. Some of that I learned painfully and I think most founders learn painfully even if they hear it from somebody else. But I've tried to reflect on that in some of the conversations with James as he goes through that same challenge. I'm sure he'll get through it,” Steve said.

From Steve’s experience, James could draw out his thoughts and realisations and then apply them to his business, hoping to make it better, the same way as to making his Saabs up and running. “It’s helpful hearing about what you have to do at 25 people, which is a lot different than what you have to do at 50 and how different those businesses are because, for me, I've just been adding a couple of people at a time. I haven't looked at it like it’s 25 then 50. That reflective view, back in the rearview mirror, is helpful because as an entrepreneur, sometimes we don't want to let go of things, especially if they were like our favourite thing or they were something that we used to think we're good at. That ability to recognise that you've got to let some stuff go to let other people do well is a great experience to hear,” James reflected.

He added, “When Steve shares some war stories from a couple of the other business he was in – some of his tough times, the hard things that he's had to get through and the hard decisions he's needed to make – those are awesome learnings because typically in my experience, I've had to make every mistake to learn from it. Those are much cheaper lessons to work my way through, so I appreciate how genuine and how deeply Steve shares them with me.”

Slowing down but moving ahead to the future

Driving a bus loaded with a lot of people towards the goal can often be tiresome for entrepreneurs. Trying to accelerate their speed to get to their destination faster can sometimes take a toll on their wellbeing, which may affect their families, businesses and those who rely on them.

In James’ situation, “There's a lot of people around me right now. I've got 70 staff members and four kids as well, and everyone just wants a little bit of me. They just want to pull me here and there. Sometimes, I don't know how to say ‘no’. It's great that I like to help people but it's also really hard on me. What I've learned from Steve, and he’s good at telling me this, is to just slow down a little bit or make a better choice or just find some time to turn down the volume in my brain and chill out. I think that's good because no one who works with me is going to tell me that. Having someone external to me who can just say, ‘hey James, grab a hold of that volume button and turn it down a couple of notches.’ It's helpful because I can't see myself from an outsider's perspective. That deeper reflection from a good place has been helpful. I have learned a lot from that.”

“Steve's been successful and he's done a lot of great things. He's in a different phase than me. That phase where you get to pick and choose what you want to do and you don't have a lot of people who are on to you all the time, that ability to embrace your own choices and then also be disciplined within your own choices and enjoy those, it has given me a lot of hope for the future and a lot of inspiration to create my own life,” James remarked.

Driving the Mentorship Program forward

As a former EOer himself, Steve appreciates how mentoring is done in the organisation. “The past few years, I've been doing increased involvement in more informal types of mentorship situations, but given this is EO and I can relate to the culture and the ethos of experience-sharing rather than telling people what to do, I thought that it'd be a good one to have a more formalised kind of mentor-mentee relationship. I think part of it is that we're trying to keep to a reasonable structure here. I think it has worked well trying to structure the program and have some intentionality into what you're going to cover and how you prepare them.”

On the other hand, for James who is currently the Mentorship Chair, the program is a significant pillar of the chapter. So, while he works towards further strengthening the program, he also participates in it as a mentee and gets various benefits from it. “I think it's a great program because if you look at the calibre of mentors that we've attracted into the program this year in Melbourne, and we're talking about over 30 mentors now in in the program, we've got some incredibly experienced individuals and they're volunteering which is amazing. I love the program and I’m going to do it next year. Because the maximum that you can do in EO is three years, I think I'll probably keep it for the third year. I’ll try and build it up to be a real cornerstone of the chapter experience for the members of Melbourne. I don't think there are any downsides being part of it.”

Moreover, James couldn’t stress enough the idea that “Mentorship creates the environment through which both of us can share our experiences for mutual benefit. I hope that Steve would like to continue our relationship after the official mentorship is over. This isn't a business transaction and the mentorship relationships provide critical value that is added to our membership in Melbourne. This is part of our entrepreneurial journey where we can continue to learn and grow.”

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If you’re an EO Melbourne Member, have you already signed up for the next mentorship intake? Find out more on our Mentorship page.

EO Melbourne Members who were recognised in 2020 for their outstanding achievements

The year 2020 is perhaps one of the most challenging times due to the current global crisis that everyone is experiencing. Yet, amidst the sullenness that the pandemic may have brought upon us, some shine bright, inspiring and encouraging us to keep on and face the difficulties with optimism and determination.

Among them are entrepreneurs and companies that have been recognised by various institutions and organisations in their respective industries for the hard work and brilliance they have shown through their businesses.

2020 SmartCompany Resilience Awards

Since its inception in 2007, SmartCompany has been paying tribute to the fastest-growing SMEs in the country through its Smart50 Awards. While it took a break in 2019 and was bound to come back this year, present circumstances have stirred it to change tracks and recognise companies that have exhibited the knack for problem-solving, flexibility and rebounding from disappointments. Thus, the first-ever SmartCompany Resilience Awards was conceived.

There are four categories: Adaptation, Community, People and Agility. Five businesses were shortlisted per category and one of them was announced as the winners by a panel of judges. Work Health Australia, founded and owned by Dr James L Murray, bagged the top position in the People category “for its focus on keeping its team connected and productive during Victoria’s multiple lockdowns.”

Other shortlisted businesses by EO Melbourne Members are Arosh Fernando’s Woohah Productions and Mark Calabro’s HungryHungry under the Adaptation category.

TEMI’s 2020 Australasian Mobile Workforce Awards

The Employee Mobility Institute (TEMI) introduced the Australasian Mobile Workforce Awards in 2019 to give merit to those who excel in the talent mobility industry, ranging from talent management to HR, employee engagement, remuneration, taxation, relocation, mobility, immigration, diversity and inclusion, corporate travel or housing, and other disciplines related to this field.

The Award Program acknowledged individuals, teams and initiatives in the industry at a local and regional level. Twelve awardees were honoured in this program; three winners each for the Leadership Excellence Awards, Business Advancement Award, and Employee Engagement Awards; and one awardee each for the Employee Mobility Champion of the year: Highly Commended Award, 2020 GMP1 Outstanding Achievement Award, and 2020 GMP1 Highly Commended Award.

Jamie Lingham, Global Immigration Lead of Absolute Immigration, is hailed as one of the Employee Engagement Awards Winners. “Receiving The Employee Mobility Institute’s award for Wellbeing Initiative of the Year for 2020 was a huge honour, especially given the impact COVID has had on the mobility and immigration industry. With passenger arrivals to Australia down by 99%, our objective was to keep the team engaged and employed while retaining the investment and corporate memory of the business. We know that the investment made in employee wellbeing will pay dividends into 2021 and beyond!” he said.

ARN Women in ICT Awards 2020

The Women in ICT Awards (WIICTA) was launched in 2012 to honour the accomplishments of female innovators and leaders who have played notable roles in the local ICT industry.

This year, over 110 individuals were included in the final shortlist in the following categories: Entrepreneur, Rising Star, Shining Star, Community, Technical and Achievement. Under the Shining Star – Partner category, Jeni Clift of DWM Solutions is among the finalists. The Shining Star awards are candidates that have eight or more years of experience in the ICT industry and have significant feats in a flourishing profession, as shown through milestones and successful projects.

“I was thrilled to be recognised within my industry as a Finalist in the category SHINING STAR – PARTNER of ARN’s Women In ICT Awards. I am familiar with the calibre of women who work in this industry and am honoured to be included amongst leaders who are making a difference!” Jeni expressed.

Ragtrader’s The Power 30

Every year, Ragtrader, a publication that comes up with news, features, analysis and opinion on Australia’s clothing, footwear and accessories sector, celebrates people in the industry that have innovated and created a remarkable impact in eCommerce, retail and design.

This year, among the influential fashion traders that made it to the Power 30 list is Lee Munro of Munro Footwear Group. Its productive partnership with suppliers, especially with the challenges that 2020 has brought, has helped them overcome obstacles in inventory.

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Congratulations to all business leaders who have been recognised this year and cheers to all entrepreneurs that have braved the proverbial storms and painstakingly led their teams through the crisis. You all deserved a pat on the back for all your efforts to navigate through the current situation.

What quirky hobbies do entrepreneurs have?

Hobbies can help an individual learn new things, acquire additional knowledge, declutter the mind, bond with people who share the same interest, and warm the heart. Hobbies are beneficial to the physical, mental and emotional well-being of a people, especially entrepreneurs and business leaders.

Intriguingly, some entrepreneurs have quirky hobbies, showing us their fun side that we do not get to see most often. Here are some of the interesting pursuits of EO Melbourne members that they do when they’re not on their laptops or immersed in their business.

Kitesurfing

Kitesurfing is the leisurely pursuit of Cesar Aldea, Founder and Managing Director of Aldea Consulting.

According to Cesar, “I started kitesurfing back in 2007 when I arrived in Australia. I love it because it keeps me fit and takes my mind away from any pressing problems, allowing me the time to reset and come back to it with a fresh mindset.”

Flying a helicopter

Getting into the air is also a penchant of Honeycomb Strategy Managing Director John Bevitt. “I started learning to fly a helicopter last year when I turned 30,” he declared.

“It was something I've always wanted to do. My wife bought me a trial flight for my birthday and I absolutely LOVED IT. In terms of what I love about it - it's the feeling of seeing something familiar from a new perspective, looking down over Melbourne and seeing so many familiar places. Just the freedom of flying in a 3d space and being able to move in any direction (compared to a plane for instance) is simply wonderful,” John shared.

Growing cacti

“I love cactus for some weird reason,” says Andrew Colliver, Executive Director and Co-founder of Banjo Loans. He explained, “My interest commenced on visiting our happy place in Sorrento and there was a massive cactus garden against a Mexican-looking wall. It was further reinforced on a trip to California 2 years ago. Each variety is so unique; they can be very tricky to plant and some sting like crazy – and they grow so slowly. Patience is required, a virtue I lack.”

“Some varieties have incredible flowers growing from a hostile-looking plant. They appear to be the adaptive masters of growing and surviving in a hostile environment – the poster child of a weird individual combined with resilience. And unrealistically, I somewhat expected a dinosaur to suddenly appear one day and start munching on them which would just cap off a great day,” Andrew said.

Stacking books

WeTeachMe Founder and EO Melbourne Past President Kym Huynh stacks books. “You would be amazed at how many options or variations are possible,” he remarked.

“I find the art of stacking books both meditative and cathartic. From the endless variations (all vertical, all horizontal, half up/half down, sort-by-alphabet, sort-by-colour, sort-by-size, sort-by-genre, sort-by-author and the endless combinations thereof, including but not limited to combining with art, photo frames filled with pictures of loved ones and cherished memories that instantly transport one to moments of pure unadulterated joy, and objects discovered in strange and foreign lands) to conscious choices in symmetry or asymmetry (perfect if one feels a sense of anarchy or looming irony), stacking books perfectly combines art in its creativity and expression and organisation in the structure of carefully-selected or curated books.”

“In this sense, I find that it mirrors life quite beautifully, and I'm sure there are theoretical links to leadership here in that it requires both creativity and structure for one to be effective and free. In actuality, I'm just practising leadership in each corner of the bookshelf or coffee table. That's what I'll just keep telling myself. Stacking books is practising life in a safe and contained environment where it is OK to fail or make mistakes,” he reflected.

Collecting and restoring Saab cars

“I collect Saab cars and restore the classic 900s,” shared James Murray, Founder & Managing Director of Work Healthy Australia. “I started doing it about a year ago,” he continued. “Once, I had a head-on collision in a Classic Saab 900 and walked away. If I had been driving my Ute I would have had a much worse outcome!”

“I drove Saabs for many years after that but stopped when they went under in 2011. Last year, I realized that SUVs were not for me as I missed my Saabs too much. Since then it’s all Saabs! I have two of the wagons that I use for work and they are both crazy fun to drive,” James revealed.

Paragliding

A sports enthusiast and Executive Director of Sports Tech World Series, Johann Odou is into paragliding since 2012/2013.

“There is something magical about flying. Learning to operate in a different world, one where you go up, down, left, right, forward and back. It's a pretty special feeling to be able to look down on birds flying,” Johann quipped.

Collecting chess sets from the USSR

Rankin Business Lawyers Principal and Founder Rob Roy Rankin has a fascinating hobby. “I collect chess sets with a focus on sets from the USSR.”

Well, if one is a chess enthusiast, why not collect sets from the land of the chess champions? Chess and Russia have a long history together as it is believed that their rulers were partial to this game.

Rob recalled, “I started collecting chess sets back in 1991 when I made my first visit to the USSR. Chess was such an enormous part of Russian and soviet culture in the 20th century and the variety of chess sets produced in that period is incredible. So much of the nation’s culture and history can be gleaned form each set and every piece of each set is a small work of art.”

pinball machines

Dylan Smith, Founder and Managing Director of Rubix, found pinball machines cool. “I started only two years ago and now, I’ve got fifteen of the beautiful creations.”

What makes him take interest in pinball machines is that “I love every tiny little aspect of it. I strongly believe it is the ultimate example of lessons on how to run a global long term business using some of the most complicated and advanced skill sets, whilst keeping a diverse global customer base happy and screaming for innovations, but then complaining when the machines deviate from their definition of pinball.”

He added, “Disciplines include software engineering, mechanical engineering, game theory, manufacturing, pricing, global distribution, support, innovation, sound, lighting, theme licensing, cost of goods, fussy customers, theme integration, storage, business operations, artwork, tournament management and world ranking algorithms plus lots more!”

Cooking new and interesting food

Of course, there are also hobbies that we may find simple, yet relevant in the current situation. For Ben Stickland, Founder and CEO of Alliance Software, he found his interest in preparing food for his family. “I'm enjoying cooking as a hobby, works well in lockdown. Every weekend, I figure out at least one new meal and cook it. My goal is to transition our family to new & interesting food, and a few months in it is working well. It works for me because my wife and children all love food and so it's allowing us to explore new meals together,” he shared.

While most of his growth as an entrepreneur comes from the people he interacts with, many of which are from EO, he finds personal and professional growth through the readings that he does. Still, cooking provides a different kind of value. “Cooking is about an escape. It's a small, completable project. Often as entrepreneurs, we're working on big things that sometimes don't have clear finish lines. When I cook a meal, it's done. Delicious or disgusting, it's done,” he added.

There are many other hobbies out there that entrepreneurs can be involved in and benefit from. What rare or quirky hobby do you have that is not on the list above? Share with us why you enjoy it through the comments section below.