The best decision I made in business

The best decision we’ve ever made was to follow the paths that are right for us, instead of trying to be something we’re not.

This seems obvious, but it’s terrifically difficult given all the signals from markets and government programs, opinions from colleagues and friends, the expectations on startups, and the rapid pace of change in everything from technology to culture.

Add to that the unique challenges and opportunities of being based in South Australia.

Eventually we realised that we needed to think about things from first principles to come to our own conclusions. Ones we could truly stand by, especially when things got challenging.

That doesn’t mean we stop listening, but rather that we balance the wisdom we can learn from others, with our own hard-earned insights, which are shaped by our successes, and more importantly, our failures.

In our early-stage startup, we’ve built a strong network of experts ahead of key activities and new market entry.  As software development rolls along, it’s meant that we can ride the momentum to release and launch, instead of waiting to activate strategic and channel partners at a designated release date in the future.

The side benefit is that we’re also learning from the market earlier, connecting into potential investor relationships, and accessing broader introductions to others.

The approach is inspired by thinking from the three-horizon model, but we’re also maintaining flexibility as we’re a startup that is quickly evolving to find market fit.

One of the most defining inflection points in Inovor’s journey was when we began to scale rapidly—and I knew the most critical decision would be choosing the right people to grow with us.

We focused on hiring people who are curious, resilient, and collaborative. We looked for those who didn’t just want a job in space—they wanted to shape the future of Australia’s space industry.

Building a trusted, high-performing team has been central to our growth and long-term sustainability. Attracting the right people starts with authenticity. When you’re clear about your purpose and culture, the right people find you—and together, we build world class technology that help improve and protect our way of life here on earth!

The best decision I’ve made in business was choosing to build with the right people. This isn’t just about strategy or innovation; it’s about surrounding yourself with those who contribute, collaborate, and move the company forward. Early on, I learned that not every partnership is the right fit, and the willingness to make tough decisions, such as walking away from those who hinder progress, can be just as important as the vision itself.

A company’s integrity is only as strong as the integrity of its team, because the team is the company. When the team is aligned in purpose, accountable in action, and committed to shared success, that’s where magic happens. Protecting that foundation means holding high standards for who we build with and ensuring that trust, respect, and real contribution are at the core of everything we do.

The best decision I make in business is to let great people do their jobs.

Never negotiate on the quality of your team.  Surround yourself with great people – people who are much better at what they do than you could be. Then create an environment which allows them to perform at their highest level.  And you never lose a great person – ever.

I decided to move our hi-tech businesses from the United States for design and innovation to Australia and for manufacturing to China after the last Global Financial Crisis.

This was the best decision I have made in business. We have been able to innovate, research and develop at higher efficiency in South Australia and manufacture at higher productivity while building new hi-tech industries of the future in Sports, Health and Digital Commerce.

By migrating to Adelaide, we now live and work in the best places in the world, contributing to building our community, advancing our economy and enjoying the best family life!

I find the best decisions often come from lessons learned through failure—and I’ve made plenty.

As founder of Barossa Valley Brewing, I saw the rise of social media but failed to fully leverage it. So, while we raked in awards and industry acclaim, this misstep impacted commercial success.

Determined not to repeat that mistake in the AI era, I partnered with the Australian Institute for Machine Learning, prior to ChatGPT, to launch the world’s first machine-learning-generated beer.

That step sparked the creation of Deep Liquid, a company pioneering AI-driven personalisation in food and beverage. We’re building the flavour data infrastructure that could transform how products are developed, marketed, and enjoyed.