Nick Stone

You know, I'm so proud of our focus on promoting from within and promoting people based on merit and alignment with our values. And one thing that I didn't really understand at all, I think I'm very fortunate. I grew up in Australia that has a very strong social security system, very high living standard, very wealthy country for GDP per capita, naturally endowed, like has a lot of benefits.

You know, I'm so proud of our focus on promoting from within and promoting people based on merit and alignment with our values. And one thing that I didn't really understand at all, I think I'm very fortunate. I grew up in Australia that has a very strong social security system, very high living standard, very wealthy country for GDP per capita, naturally endowed, like has a lot of benefits.

I don't think I fully appreciated being in banking, like how hard it is for small business. And some people out there that didn't come from an Ivy League college or university that weren't didn't grow up in a stable family construct or had parents there or didn't have parents that were incarcerated and things like that. And that's probably what I'm most proud of.

I don't think I fully appreciated being in banking, like how hard it is for small business. And some people out there that didn't come from an Ivy League college or university that weren't didn't grow up in a stable family construct or had parents there or didn't have parents that were incarcerated and things like that. And that's probably what I'm most proud of.

I've really learned about and appreciated people's struggles and challenge. And I've given them opportunity without considering their background or whether they went to school or university. I treat everyone as it relates to our values and our key success factors and our definition of hospitality, speed times experience. And when they align with that, I want to promote them.

I've really learned about and appreciated people's struggles and challenge. And I've given them opportunity without considering their background or whether they went to school or university. I treat everyone as it relates to our values and our key success factors and our definition of hospitality, speed times experience. And when they align with that, I want to promote them.

I want to look internal at every single role. It's only the very technical roles where I look externally, but I'm enormously proud of like taking some kids that may have been from very low socioeconomic groups and getting them to their first salary in their family, their first paid annual leave. You know, like no one's in their family's ever had They've had time off unpaid, so they never take it.

I want to look internal at every single role. It's only the very technical roles where I look externally, but I'm enormously proud of like taking some kids that may have been from very low socioeconomic groups and getting them to their first salary in their family, their first paid annual leave. You know, like no one's in their family's ever had They've had time off unpaid, so they never take it.

Things like that are enormously, you know, points of pride for me.

Things like that are enormously, you know, points of pride for me.

I think you've got to enjoy the journey. I think you spend too much time worrying about how you're going to be perceived if it doesn't work or if it works and You just get caught up in the minutiae of building a company or on the grind and suddenly you get to 11 years. I've been at this for 11 years. I've been at it for over 12, but I've been CEO from the first store for 11 years.

I think you've got to enjoy the journey. I think you spend too much time worrying about how you're going to be perceived if it doesn't work or if it works and You just get caught up in the minutiae of building a company or on the grind and suddenly you get to 11 years. I've been at this for 11 years. I've been at it for over 12, but I've been CEO from the first store for 11 years.

It's gone so quickly. There's been so many highs. There's been a lot of lows, but you've got to embrace and enjoy the journey. I wish at times I just didn't waste unnecessary energy on things I can't control, opinions I can't create.

It's gone so quickly. There's been so many highs. There's been a lot of lows, but you've got to embrace and enjoy the journey. I wish at times I just didn't waste unnecessary energy on things I can't control, opinions I can't create.

as we talked about earlier, there's so many people that have opinions and they really don't have the requisite skill or intelligence or experience to really give them to you that they feel that they should. Maybe because they've read a few books and they were successful at one thing. It's not that hard to be successful at one thing, especially if you're part of a team.

as we talked about earlier, there's so many people that have opinions and they really don't have the requisite skill or intelligence or experience to really give them to you that they feel that they should. Maybe because they've read a few books and they were successful at one thing. It's not that hard to be successful at one thing, especially if you're part of a team.

Like you can fluke it and you could be catch the tailcoats of someone who's just extraordinary. They can make you a perceived superficial star. So I think join the journey, celebrate success. I never celebrate success and you really should. And there's so much and like you focus too much on problems. Some problems at times you got to go, hey, this was awesome. And hey, just pause for a moment.

Like you can fluke it and you could be catch the tailcoats of someone who's just extraordinary. They can make you a perceived superficial star. So I think join the journey, celebrate success. I never celebrate success and you really should. And there's so much and like you focus too much on problems. Some problems at times you got to go, hey, this was awesome. And hey, just pause for a moment.

We did a really good job here. High five and let's have a beer. Let's have a coffee and then let's go chase after those problems.

We did a really good job here. High five and let's have a beer. Let's have a coffee and then let's go chase after those problems.