Old Dog – New Tricks? It’s been a long time since I have posted…a lot has happened in the meantime and whilst I don’t want to make this a “what has happened to Nic in the last year” monologue what I do want to talk about is the importance of having the courage to make a change when you are looking for purpose even if the change is counter intuitive and somewhat leftfield. At the beginning of 2024 the company I was CEO of - live music platform Moshcam was poised for exciting global growth with the promise of funding signed and supposedly sealed from US private equity. Plans were in place for some great gigs to be filmed and distributed, wonderful contract staff were about to be made full time employees and several exciting hires were ready join the team. We were ready to fly. By April after many missed deadlines and empty promises that the money would be in our account it was clear there was to be no funding for Moshcam. Simultaneously Advertising Week APAC for which I had chaired the Advisory Council for some 6 years and had had a great 2023 was put on ice as the US owners decided (in their infinite wisdom) not to continue investing in APAC. The trifecta was in early 2024 my father passed away in the UK and whilst we celebrated his near 93 years on the planet it was no less difficult to face to life without him. While back in the UK for the funeral and sorting out Dad's affairs I got to thinking that the last year of searching for funding, thinking we’d got it and then failing to actually get it had taken its toll. I was struggling to value my worth (particularly in a country that so undervalues “wisdom and experience” or to use a far more familiar term…old age). After all I had been in the workforce for 40 years in some form of media or music business and neither industry is renowned for its love of hiring anyone over 50. My solution was to remember back to the dreams of a 5-year-old boy and do something to get me “back out there” while I decided what I wanted to do “for a real job”. So, I went and got my HGV licence and applied to become…a bus driver. I have been driving now for nearly 6 months primarily around the Northern Beaches of Sydney (seriously God’s country) the lower North Shore and the city and I LOVE it. Who knew? The general public are in the main delightful, the challenge of driving a 20 tonne, 15 metre long, 4-metre-wide beast around Sydney’s woefully inadequate roads is real but wonderful and I love feeling like I am working in and for the community. So why the long post (assuming you’ve read this far)? I know there are many like me who might have “mislaid” that purpose or love of work life, who feel that the world doesn’t value them like it should and work is not what it could be. I hope this might help in some small way to make that leap to try something new and really switch it up. If this sounds familiar, challenge yourself to do something about it. There is always time for an old dog to learn a new trick.
Steven Sos
1 个月
Nicely said mate! I hear Peacock Gardens is offering substantial discounts to those lunching with a Sydney bus driver between now and the end of the year. Perhaps you could join me and we could use the savings to buy a nice red and toast your dad’s 93 years! I have no doubt he must have been very proud of all that you have achieved to date inclusive of your latest undertaking! ????
Neil Morley
1 个月
Nice one Nic, what are you going to do when Chelsea come knocking for a team bus driver? ?? All the best mate!
Simon Joyce
1 个月
I love this post mate. Thanks for sharing.
Peter Cornelius
1 个月
What a 'journey' you've been on. I think we can all understand the frustrations of empty promises and being beholding to others that stuff you around and ultimately don't give a rats. Great to see you doing something so very different and undertaking new challenges that you clearly enjoy. Well done mate...
Damian Burns
1 个月
Through the ringer and back out the other side in a far better place. Hope you're well, my friend. Enjoy the freedom.
Lucio Ribeiro (GAID)
1 个月
And I've been fortunate to be there ?? Love you man
Simon Smith
1 个月
That’s great! I’ll look out for you in the 173x. Very inspiring. Thanks Nic Jones
Business Technology Film Production
1 个月Ah, lovely post Nic! You can spice it up a bit and come drive with me out of Waverley depot. Nothing like the public holiday Bondi crowds for a challenge! I got into bus driving post Byron / divorce and pre-Covid. After 17 years running a es small film media business with ex partner the mainstream media and tech industries had no interest in my previously formidable talent ??. I’m fortunate to be on the casual roster now, so I can mix it up a bit with the occasional film production gig while keeping the search alive! Love to catch up (CBD?) and share bus stories and likewise with any Fairfax pals that might see the post. Cheers brother (bus greeting for non drivers ) Brendan Favorite bus joke below!