Do you ever wonder….how did I get here? I do.
Sometimes, I’m beyond surprised and other times I think… yep, this is where I thought I’d be.
My career story, like everyone else's, is a tale of twists and turns. I started out in a full time role as an employee in the mid-80s. After three years I went on to be self-employed and I’ve been self-employed ever since.
I have a Masters in Sports Science and used it in my first self-employed gig - I was a personal trainer and fitness instructor. After that I started an office services business, a bookstore and then I became a partner in a bookkeeping and MYOB consulting business. And, for the past 16 years, I was part-owner of a camera retailer.
The one constant in the twists and turns of my career has been that through every role in every business, I have walked. It’s the tool that has always helped me manage my stress, keep on top of my fitness, bring calm to a busy day or project and where I’ve made and kept many friends.
In 2019, my wife and I walked the Camino Frances. It was 790 km and 35 days of walking, and it was life changing. I loved every step, every minute, every day and every place. I loved that with every new person I met, there was something new to learn, whether through their history and stories, or through the experience that day on the walking trail.
The Camino Frances was the first time I was able to stay truly in the moment for each and every day I was away. It allowed me to think about what is important, how I want to live and the people I want to be surrounded by.
It crystalised how important walking is to me, and I realised that talking about walking, encouraging others to walk and creating opportunities to help people reach their walking goals, was how I wanted to spend my time.
In 2021 I completed a virtual walking marathon with a friend, and we had the best time. We walked, we told stories and we laughed for 42.2km. And after that, Walksport was born.