John Buchanan
I have known Ben for many years since our cricket playing days at the University of Queensland Cricket Club. In fact more years that we care to admit or can remember.
He has always had a passion for this very fortunate country, the people who serve it, leaders who grow it and the opportunities that abound in it.
Ben has a naturally inquisitive approach, and so it is little wonder that at almost every turn of this fascinating read he poses questions for us to ponder. The questions though are given context. Through his extensive research into history, the data and the stories of business in Australia, he is able to clearly show that even sport would seem to hold a loftier place in our annals than does business – as he suggests Australians are more inclined to support a lifestyle and recreation culture rather than debate the need for a culture that collectively pursues the notion of national prosperity.
Yet business innovation is essential to our growth and prosperity to the future of this nation.
Ben does not pretend it is the only lever to be pulled; but he does raise a number of valid arguments for it to be given far more importance than it is accorded currently.
The book was written pre-COVID-19.
Can you afford not to read this book?
Yet through Ben’s insights and the questions he raises, it is a very timely platform from which to address some of the reforms needed in Australia if we are at all serious about the business opportunities that exist, the commercialisation of these nationally and globally, and setting Australia on a path to move from outside the top 10 to inside the top 10 on significant global business indices.
So, to answer the question I posed at the beginning of this review, I can only say YES – it is a MUST read!
John Buchanan
John Buchanan coached Australia to one of the most successful periods in the team’s history, including a record winning streak of 16 consecutive Tests and the 2003 World Cup.