Rachael Robertson spent 12 months in the Antarctic, where she led the 58th Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition to Davis Station. She was the second female, (and one of the youngest) to ever lead a team at the Station. She managed a team of 18 people through the long, dark, Antarctic winter and built a resilient and highly successful team based on the foundation that ‘respect trumps harmony’. Since returning to Australia, Rachael has completed her MBA, is an international keynote speaker and has written 2 best-selling books: Leading on the Edge, based on Antarctica; and her latest book, Respect trumps Harmony.
Entrepreneurial Role Models:
When business started difficulties overcame:
“I think the biggest challenge for me was understanding small business and business. I was a Park Ranger most of my career. And so that’s a very simple role and it’s a very defined profession and career. But I then had to understand how a business operates so I went back and did my MBA and that taught me how to manage a business. And I did that very deliberately and strategically because I thought I needed to learn the language of running your business because I was talking to other business owners”…[Listen for More]
Favourite Books:
Useful Belief: Because It’s Better Than Positive Thinking by Chris HelderFavourite Quote:
“it’s better to regret what you did than regret what you didn’t do”
Recommended Online Resources:
None specific
Best Advice to Other Entrepreneurs:
“get a partner who is different to you. Whether it’s an equity partner in the business whether it’s a life partner… I think my best advice to any entrepreneur is get someone who is completely different to and get them to advise you, offer ideas and suggestions and frank and fearless feedback because you often can’t see it yourself. So, having someone completely different give you a broader range and a broader spectrum of ideas”…[Listen for More]
More About Rachael Robertson:
Neil’s Quote at the Beginning:
“Always remember that striving and struggle precede success, even in the dictionary.” Sarah Ban Breathnach
Other Quotes From the Chat with Rachael Robertson:
- “in hindsight I would have created a business plan before I started… If I knew then what I know now I would have got some experts in and I would have sat around for a couple of days and I would have actually written a business plan and created it because it’s very difficult to scale the business when you are the business. You sort of can’t ramp up production when it is just you. And that was a big thorn in my side for many years. Understanding that the only way I can make this business bigger is product; so online products, books, training, all those sorts of things which I have now but I wish I had done that 15 years ago when I started and actually had a plan ”
- “defining what is success for you is a big thing and it’s different for different people”
- “my success is defined that I’m actually living a life that I choose, it’s my choice”
- “if you can’t change something or you don’t want to change something you are better off having a useful belief around it”
- “I would rather try something and fail than not try it at all. I can’t stand living with regret. I could not live looking back and wondering what would have happened, I wonder what would have happened?”
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