Motorsports - A Valuable Training Ground

I grew up in and around motorsport. From age eight, I was invloved as a crew member, before helping organize and run events. I later became a rally navigator, a critical in-car role responsible for timekeeping and the high-pressure task of reading out descriptions of the road ahead while racing through stages. This enabled the driver to set the car's speed and position to maximise performance through every corner. Even the slightest delay or error in these instructions could result in leaving the road at high speed.

• Practical problem solving
• How to troubleshoot issues
• Complex solutioning
• How to work wnder strict time and resource constraints
  (and in less than idea working environments)
• To stay calm under pressure
• The importance of clear communication
• The importance of working within a strong, well-coordinated team

Family Business Foundations – Early Exposure

I grew up actively involved in helping my family establish and grow multiple businesses, spanning retail, hospitality, property, and tourism.

• The importance of customer experience
• The complexity of operations
• The drivers of revenue & growth
• The critical role that well-coordinated execution plays in delivering results

Manufacturing & International Reach

I played a key role in helping this two-person, New Zealand-based business evolve into the southern hemisphere’s largest engraved masonry provider, exporting products across New Zealand, Australia, the South Pacific, Asia, and South Africa, and helping hundreds of clubs, charities, schools, and organisations collectively raise hundreds of millions of dollars.

This involved identifying opportunities to extend the product range, designing and implementing significant process improvements, forming strategic partnerships, and relocating operations internationally to support scale.

• How to identify and act on growth opportunities
• How to scale products and operations
• How to extend a core product into new markets
• The value of strategic partnerships
• How commercial outcomes are created through product thinking, operational discipline, and deliberate execution

Scaling Business

I applied these principles alongside my wife, growing Rolleston Haircuts from a small barber shop into one of New Zealand’s largest unisex haircutting studios.

We also involved our children, giving them early exposure to real-world responsibility and operations..

• Sustained growth comes from operational discipline
• The value of an unwavering commitment to customer experience
• Technology can support operations, ensure consistency, and enhance the overall experience in even the most unlikely environments