Under the heading of Blog Reveals All, The Sydney Morning Herald decided to write up the existance of this blog and my departure from the REA Group in August last year. While a little late, it was flattering to know that they wanted to write this up as a story. The article focuses on the fact that this blog exists and openly discusses what it is like to be a CEO of a listed company and now a start up – Classified Ad Ventures. The article also talks about how i was summarily dismissed from the REA Group by the Board.

While it was fund to read about the past, it did get me thinking about blogging and why it is important – for the blogger and the reader.  In Australia, there are not that many blogs – especially compared to the US and to a lesser extent, the UK.  And those that are blogging are usually not writing about things that are that interesting. 

However, i do think that blogs play an important role.  When well written, they provide great insights into a specific topic – far more than you are likely to gain from traditional media.  They allow those that are interested in a particular topic to gain easy access to subject matter experts.  The challenge of course is wading through the mass of poorly written blogs to find those that can truly provide valuable insights.  That is where services such as <a href=”http://www.regator.com”>Regator</a> come into play.  They provide a sort of filtering mechanism, much the same as LookSmart did in the early days of the internet.  A blog is also important for the blogger.  It provides an outlet for them to share information (news and views) that they believe is important. 

It would be great to see more blogs being written by people in leadership positions.  I think that the transparency would go along way to providing a better insight into their day to day lives and the challenges they face.  Lets hope more leaders catch the blogging bug soon.

The first is from Global Edge based out of the UK …

http://www.globaledge.co.uk/news/details/global-property-chief-sacked/22821?code=700 

The second is from SmartCompany.com.au in Australia

http://www.smartcompany.com.au/Free-Articles/The-Briefing/20080805-Realestatecomau-sacks-chief-executive-Simon-Baker-.html

Finally, an article from Business 2 in Australia (always good for a read)

http://www.business2.com.au/2008/08/04/job-vacancy-realestatecomau-ceo/

We are a listed company in Australia and we run 22 real estate website around the world.

You can find out more about the REA Group at www.rea-group.com

I joined the REA Group in 2001 and since them have driven the growth of the Group from a small Australian operation to a global player.  Over that time we have increased revenues from $4m to $150m+ p.a., gone from loss making to profitability and increased market cap from $8m to >$500m.

So that is me.

What specific turning points (sudden or gradual) moved you significantly forward along your path moving up the corporate ladder towards becoming a CEO? Secondly, what was the first thing you did coming out of college or grad school that got you set on a path of success/progression? Or, were there initial obstacles that you had to deal with?

So the first question … first!!  The biggest turning point was taking a risk.  I saw an opportunity to run a company and i made a sales pitch to the board, had the incumbent sacked and took over running the business.  I made my own luck.  If i had not taken the risk and made a pitch to the board – the safety net would not have appeared and i would not be typing today.

As for the second question – the first thing i did after college was going into sales with IBM. This was a great start as i learned to sell – computers, myself, everything.  From this i was able to understand what makes a sales person tick — no sales, no revenues – therefore this is probably the most critical skill i learned.

I also did an MBA and went to work for McKinsey and co for 4.5 years … this is much better than an MBA.  Management consulting (for a short period of time) is a great lesson.  Too long and you just become so detached from the real world!!!

There you go … some more about me.

We have been in business for around 10 years and operate in the internet space. We provide a range of services to our target industry including web design and hosting.
The good news is that we are profitable and growing fast.

We have over 300 employees across a number of countries. However business has not always been going well. A few years back we were almost a victim of the dot com bust and nearly went out of business.

Luckily we had a large company invest in us at the right moment and we have been able to turn the business around and are now very strong in the markets we serve.
We are listed and have a board made up of shareholders representative and customer industry representatives. We have strong growth aspirations and over the last few years have expanded operations into other countries and will continue to do so as long as the model holds up.

Well that is enough for now … more later.

Have you always wondered what it is like at the top but never really known for sure? Have you always walked around the office a little afraid of the boss? Have you always wondered why the CEO gets paid a big salary and what they do for it?

Well i thought it would be fun to share the ups and downs of being a CEO. How can i do this? Well i am the CEO of a publicly listed company and have been for 5 years. I have experienced the ups and downs of the CEO life and i thought i would share some of these with you.

So why don’t you tell us who you are?

Well that just wouldn’t be fun would it! From a position of anonymity, I can be candid and open about my dealings with shareholders, analysts, the media, suppliers, customers, the Board, and the employees.

So what will the blog covers?

Well that is an easy one. Everything. The blog will not only have experiences and stories but also will look at some of the lessons i have learned and how they have been put into practice.

I am keen to not only talk about the business but the impact is has on my personal life. Now there is a reason to be anonymous.

I hope this will be more than a rant and rave but will also cover some of the key lessons i have learned in running a listed company.

So … on with the blog.

I hope you enjoy and contribute.