Imagine running an aged care facility … with 150 staff … and 150 residents … and then coronavirus hits. That’s the challenge that’s been facing Ann Knight, the 106th person I’ve met on my quest to have lunch with 500 strangers. When Ann became director of aged care services at St Luke's Care last year, her [...]
Before I met Paris Cutler, I knew she had a reputation as a superb business strategist – and she didn’t disappoint. While we were having lunch, Paris was kind enough to give me expert advice about how my business could improve its branding, sales and profitability. Paris, the 105th person I’ve met on my quest to [...]
Gladys Seah was the 104th person I’ve met on my quest to have lunch with 500 strangers … and I was her eighth. Gladys, who is a rising star in the finance world, has decided to meet 100 strangers as a way to accelerate her personal and professional development. Gladys believes meeting so many new people [...]
Finding a rental property can be tough. But imagine you’re a single mum who’s been in an abusive relationship and doesn’t have a job – how much harder would it be? Louise Gardiner, the 103rd person I’ve met on my quest to have lunch with 500 strangers, is trying to solve this problem in her role [...]
When Joey Peters was younger, her fierce competitive instinct seemed to be her greatest strength. Joey, the 102nd person I’ve met on my quest to have lunch with 500 strangers, became an elite footballer – she played more than 100 times for Australia, went to three World Cups and represented her country at the 2004 Olympics. [...]
Roslyn Gay, the 101st person I’ve met on my quest to have lunch with 500 strangers, believes in counting her blessings rather her sacrifices. Ros is an incredibly driven woman who routinely works seven-day weeks, so it would be easy to focus on what she’s missing. But instead she thinks about all the people she’s able [...]
I'm in the process of having lunch with 500 strangers in five years. Now, 10 months into my #500lunches journey, I've had my 100th lunch. After sharing an important lesson from my first 50 lunches, I'd like to share a powerful lesson I've learned from meeting 100 wonderful people.
Are profits and ethics mutually exclusive? No, says Sandra D’Souza, the 100th person I’ve met on my quest to have lunch with 500 strangers. Sandra has a track record of business success and gender advocacy, which motivated her to found Ellect last year. Ellect is a digital marketplace that links business suppliers with government or corporate [...]
Darryn Capes-Davis, the 99th person I’ve met on my quest to have lunch with 500 strangers, has made the bold decision to take his life in a new direction. Darryn resigned from the Children's Medical Research Institute in May, after a 20-year stint that saw him rise to become head of operations and manage a team [...]
It only took me a few minutes to realise that Preeti Bajaj is a special person. Preeti, the 98th person I’ve met on my quest to have lunch with 500 strangers, oozes charm, confidence and intelligence. As we sat down to lunch, and discussed Preeti’s childhood in India, I also gained an insight into her strength [...]
