It was a natural fit for Michael to join Slipstream Group following the successful exit he engineered from Collins SBA, the stellar accounting and financial planning firm he founded and led for many years. Still at the peak of his professional powers, Michael has chosen Slipstream as the vehicle to enable a long cherished intention of passing the benefit of his extensive experience to other practitioners.

Michael accumulated a wonderful track record with Collins SBA, as evidenced by being awarded the Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TCCI) Business Leader of the Year Award in 2011, which was followed by the Telstra Business of the Year Award 2013 (Medium Large Business-Tasmania) and being a National Finalist in that same year.

Having devoted considerable attention to this throughout his career, Michael is a terrific exponent of personal growth and development, to which he attributes the success he achieved in leading and growing businesses. He is naturally a deep thinker and enjoys exploring the underlying rationale for business objectives and strategy.

Consistent with his experience in leading Collins SBA, Michael relishes the complexity associated with achieving rapid business growth in an environment where there are multiple service offerings and multiple business owners. Factors in his own success whilst in this environment carry over to various disciplines that Michael instils in those fortunate enough to be his coaching clients – setting clear targets, communicating these to team members and working within a practical regime of team meetings throughout the organisation.

Because he is able to draw upon his own experience, Michael is definitely someone to consult with about issues such as business succession, creating effective management teams and orchestrating one’s exit from a professional practice.

Michael is also a highly experienced facilitator, having naturally gravitated to such roles throughout his career. Happily for Slipstream Group, Michael is now able to draw upon a past role which saw him extensively involved in leading business planning workshops for professional service firms. Later, these same skills were very much in evidence whilst CEO at Collins SBA. So too, these skills were a feature of Michael’s 12 month term as National President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia (now known as Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand).

Be it in a workshop situation with representatives of multiple firms or a coaching session with the owners of a single professional practice, Michael’s friendly demeanour and ready smile have a way of dissolving barriers and helping participants to find solutions to even the most challenging of problems.

This same approach shines through when Michael is called upon to make a keynote presentation. He is very comfortable in front of a large group, demonstrating a happy knack of engaging the audience with anecdotes from his experience with the occasional stunning photograph taken whilst bushwalking thrown in for good measure.

It is Slipstream Group’s good fortune that Michael also has extensive experience as a senior executive in a financial planning licensee organisation. This enables Michael to appreciate the roles that such organisations play in the Australian financial planning landscape. It also means that he very ably accommodates their objectives in the coaching assignments and speaking engagements which Slipstream Group is commissioned to undertake from time to time.

Personally…

Away from work, Michael enjoys keeping active in the great outdoors. It’s clear that this physical activity leaves him mentally refreshed and brimming with his trademark enthusiasm upon returning to work.

Amongst a range of pursuits, Michael relishes bushwalking having walked, climbed and scaled most of the iconic walks in Tasmania along with completing the Kokoda Trail.

This adventurous streak is also reflected in Michael’s very active holidays, some of which have been spent cycling in India, Cuba and other exotic places.

Weekends and other breaks during the year will often see Michael and his partner setting off in their VW campervan, loaded up with camping and fishing gear.

When not burning off energy outside, Michael can also be found pursuing his interests in Naval history, ships and military paraphernalia.

Be it for work or recreation, consistent themes that flavour Michael’s approach are his friendly demeanour, deep reflection upon the issues and a wonderful zest for living.