What do you do? I'm a Principal Consultant with a large consulting firm working within the areas data and analytics. My out-of-hours, side role is (proud) Dad Manager for 19-year-old emerging Gold Coast singer-songwriter Georgia Hoareau.
Why do you do it? I've always enjoyed working closely with clients to improve their business performance through making better decisions with their data. For the side role, music is a passion and something that feeds the creative side of my brain and provides the much-needed balance in my life.
What do you love about the city you live in? The Gold Coast really is a beautiful place to live. We are so blessed. The beaches, great cafés and some cool live music venues supporting original music. A lot of work and investment from local council and business has gone into cultivating improvements to our culture and the arts scene here via their Music Action Plan and it's made a noticeable difference in the last five or six years.
Where did you go for your last holiday? Esperance in Western Australia. It's a small town on the south coast of WA with some of the most amazing untouched, white sandy beaches, clear-blue water bays, and national park trails. One of the most beautiful parts of Australia and I highly recommend adding it to you travel bucket list.
What's your favourite item of clothing? I think my Converse! I wear them everywhere and they go with everything: jeans, boardies, trackies.
What was your favourite TV show when you were a kid? It was probably 'Happy Days' with Fonzie and Richie Cunningham (a young Ron Howard). I also recall early mornings tuning in to watch the 'Thunderbirds'. Good times!
If you could travel back in time for a day, where would you go? I think that would have to be back to a time in the '80s when both my dad and my grandparents were still alive, so I could hang with them and talk as adults and give them all a BIG hug! Second choice would be the early '60s to watch The Beatles play in Hamburg.
If we were coming over to your place, what would you cook us? The starter would be some BBQ corn-ribs, followed by a simple but tasty fettuccini carbonara. For dessert, throw in a Golden Gaytime.
What's the best lesson you've ever learned? My favourite saying is: "Past behaviour is the best indication of future behaviour." Having a crystal ball would make things so much easier, but in lieu of that, you can only really go by people's prior behaviours. Applying this helps to make sense of how people around you tend to operate.
Tell us one thing about yourself that nobody else knows... Hmmm, that is a hard question as those close to me know me well. Two things that come to mind: I am afraid of heights, and I am a huge Willie Nelson fan.
Are you happy with your work-life balance? Not really ha! That said, I've recently just commenced a 'career break' after 25 years, in an attempt to improve my mental and physical well-being. I'm hoping for a lot more of the 'life balance' portion over the coming months.
How do you define success? For me, I have always defined success as doing quality work, delivering outcomes, and having others appreciate the work I do or achieved for them. My own satisfaction has always come from the success of others, be it clients, colleagues or my family. I love that saying: "Passion over pay check."
What's your spirit animal? I wish it were a dolphin, but I'm nowhere near that majestic or calm! Possibly a Beluga whale?!
Justin Hoareau - scenestr of the day
