Spend more time saying thank you

A lot of people helped each and everyone of us get where we are. Take the time to say thank you.

With my incredible family - thank you all - love you all <3.

Think about where you're at in your career. You've probably achieved a great deal and should be duly proud of where you got to. Take the time to give thanks to the people who helped you along the way. Taking the time to reminisce is therapeutic.

Thank you to my family

They put up with a lot of shit, but are largrly responsible for my good parts. To Mum and Dad, my brother Tom, my sister-in-law Shae, their daughter - our niece - Maddy and son - our nephew - Henry. All the love in the world.

Thank you to Mr Trevor Roberts & Mr Rob Whitehead

Year 10 and 11 art and graphic design teachers. Taught me design principles and honed a sense of creativity and artistic license. Still remmeber that very first time using a Macintosh in 1993.

Group of people dressed in 70s gear — Circa 1998 working in hospitality in outer Melbourne's tourist area Mt Dandenong. Taught me a great deal about life.

Circa 2000 in the local paper promoting Watson's restaurant, 2 months before I broke my leg snowboarding which prompted me to explore this internet thing.

Thank you to Rick Allan & Nick McKirdy for my hospitality career

When I got back from my gap year in the US in 1998, broke and jobless and heading back to university, I needed a job. Rick & the Drunken Duck Restaurant crew in Sassafras took a chance on a young punk which became my introduction to hospitality, restaurants and food.

I would go on to work at Watson's in Yarra Glen as restaurant manager. To lead the front of house team and be the face of the restaurant taught invaluable lessons about customer service. Shout out to Nick and his dad Alan for taking another chance on me.

To this day I still judge people by how they treat hospitality workers.

Where the internet all started for me: Project Art & Photo in Seville circa 2001.

9 people form a human pyramid — Never say no to an opportunity to build a human pyramid. Impromptu team building activity at REA Grad program

Thank you to Mark Baldock for getting me online

After university in 2002 I didn't think Marketing was the right fit and began looking for a job. I was introduced to Mark, a local photographer & print designer who had started dabbling in the web.

He gave me a chance and together we grew the business from a handful of digital clients to more than 50 across Australia, Singapore and the Philippines. I learned html, css, php (pretty shitty php, even for php) and how to design websites in those 4 years. Thanks Mark.

Me dressed as Ali G — 2006, couple of weeks in to my decade at REA and was told to dress up for the holiday party. Out of 500 employees, myself and a dozen others dressed up ;)

Fast forward 7 years, that time I got on stage and presented to 1,000 REA colleagues. Thanks Tracey!

Thank you to everyone at REA, but special thanks: Jeff Consi, Michael Allan, Cheryl Querion & Eloise Wall

So many amazing people at REA over the 10 year journey but a couple of special shouts:

Jeff For dealing with my early interview attitude and hiring me at REA in late 2006. None of this ever happens without that call.
Michael For instilling a passion for accessibility, HTML & CSS standards and caring for our craft.
Cheryl For connecting me with a bloke called Mike Breeze & challenging us to create a program of innovation at REA.
Elo For opening the door to the USA and supporting me every step of the way.

Two men drinking red wine — The Great Nigel Dalton. They call him the 'Godfather of Agile' in Australia. I call him 'Uncle Nigel'.

First year at RDC I dressed up as 'Samta Claus', with former CEO Ryan O'Hara.

Thank you to both my CEO's: Tracey Fellows & Ryan O'Hara

Would never have made it to the US or achieved this much without the guidance of my CEO's Tracey and Ryan. You both took a chance on what I could do and thus changed my life.

Early in my first job a customer asked for a Gin & Tonic. I didn't know what it was but assured her I would get one. The bar staff poured one out for me and, well, you know how this plays out.

Thank you to Nigel Dalton

One of the greatest humans I've ever encountered in professional life. Smart, funny, inspiring. See one of his presentations, follow him on twitter, check out his reading list.

The team that brought you hack day, boat races and Christmas parties done right.

The Media crew at REA: Strong team that worked hard, played hard.

Thanks to zeGang & all the MaD Crew

You know who you are.

Finally, to my wife Angie

We got in to this mess together. I like mess. Love you xxx

He/Him and She/Her on their wedding day — January 21, 2017 when we got married at my parents in front of surprised family and friends <3

Thank you

Thanks to everyone else, too numerous to name who have helped me out, picked me up, given me a chance or given me a second chance. I'm here, doing my best work in an industry I love because of you. Thanks <3

There were only 2 of us at my first job 'Project Art', so I gave myself the title of Senior Executive Vice President of Asia Pacific Operations which was technically almost true.