I'm a licensed builder, building practitioner and director of an architecture practice Ballast PointI host a podcast www.Buildipedia.au which started as a garage project at Ballast Point but has taken on a life of its own and aims to give listeners a peak under the hood of the property industryMore recently I'm turning my passion in product design and technology into a new project: a tech startup called Buttress. We're shortly launching buildOS which will provide resources and tech solutions to small buildersMy first job in construction was in 1993 as a labourer on a large building site at Shell Refinery and - after completing a construction degree at UTS - I was fired from my first job for being.......well ......my boss said exactly these words to me:"you're smart, you're honest, you work hard but unfortunately.......how can I say this.....you're just not c#nty enough!!!!".He was right and I was crushed - I left construction in disgrace and became a qualified canyon guide, wilderness guide and outdoor educator - a job I loved - but it was seasonal and very taxing with long stints away from home. I then lived in the UK and landed some interesting jobs including a seasonal stint at then fledgling tech startup that sold books and DVD's. At Amazon I learned about customer obsession - there was no missing it - it was a window to a new world.But I missed Sydney so moved back into the inner west and landed a 'temporary job' that lasted 13 years with one of Sydney’s most iconic builders, Chris Yuncken who taught me the art of architectural construction. I was also privileged to work with some of Australia’s most outstanding architects, including Ian Moore, Peter Stutchbury, Stanic Harding and Rosevear and Stephenson. During my 13-year tenure, where I progressed from graduate project manager to construction manager, I saw the business grow from an office of 3 people and 2 PC's (yep!) to become one of the top architectural home builders in the state, winning numerous awards, including Master Builder of the Year and turning over $30M per annumIn 2015 I left Yuncken and co-founded Ballast Point. We were focused on empowering our clients and understanding their needs first. We set out to identify the key project objectives, limitations and impediments to the project and begin to solve them. Return on investment is a ingrained, and value is not just about money - it’s also the love and joy that a property brings to its occupant.When I’m not working taking my kids on adventures in the wilderness and teaching them about the mysteries of the universe