There is a natural rhythm to any big career journey. For the last four years, I have had the massive privilege of leading as the National Safety Manager at Kmart. Together, we did not just chase numbers or tick boxes on a spreadsheet, we actively changed the way we looked at safety on the shop floor. We engineered out real hazards, challenged old biases, and built a culture where sending people home safe was not just a policy, but a baseline requirement for doing business.
But with our 2015–2020 safety strategy wrapping up and the foundations for the next five-year cycle clicking into place, I realised the timing was perfect for a change. I have made the decision to step down from my corporate role to finally chase my own business ambitions full-time.
From the boardroom to BrainHackr
If you know me outside of work, you probably know about my side hustle: BrainHackr Board Game Bar. What started as a passion project a few years ago has grown into a really successful local brand here in South Australia. With the business performing well, I am ready to pour my energy into building it further, with a view to locking down a second location in 2020.
At the same time, I am not walking away from the safety space. Over the past 20 years in senior WHS roles, I have realised my real strength is jumping into complex turnaround projects and fixing broken systems. Stepping into independent consulting lets me do exactly that. I have already got a solid group of clients in South Australia ready to work with me, and I am incredibly excited to help them navigate what is becoming a pretty aggressive regulatory landscape.
Leaving the house in order
People often ask if it is hard to walk away from a major corporate role. Honestly, it is easy when you know the team you are leaving behind is top-tier. One of the main reasons I wanted to exit at the end of this strategic chapter was to create a natural gap for the people who reported to me to step up.
I have always believed that a leader real legacy is not what happens while they are in the office, but how well the system runs when they leave the room. The foundations are locked in, the momentum is there, and it is time for the next crop of safety leaders to take the reins and bring their own fresh energy and ideas to the next strategy.
To the incredible team at Kmart and everyone in the wider WHS network who has backed me along the way, thank you for the wins, the challenges, and the shared laughs. The next chapter is officially live, and I cannot wait to see where it takes us.
