Contributing to the growth of any business comes with immense pride and transformation. The journey with Global Ballooning Australia was just that. A period of transformation, personally and professionally, and it mirrored the evolution of the tourism industry itself. From analogue systems to online booking platforms and global trade distribution. From local marketing to inbound and international partnerships with overseas agents. From frontline operations to leading teams, managing risk and navigating complex commercial decisions.

Everything I teach about tourism operations was lived first, navigating growth, regulation, digital change and commercial responsibility in real time.

And then there were the weather gods.

Operating an aviation tourism business meant leading a seasonal enterprise where every day was subject to conditions beyond our control. Revenue, staffing, safety and customer experience were shaped by shifting forecasts and changing winds. Adapting to uncertainty was not optional, it was a daily practice.

Those years demanded resilience, disciplined decision-making and the ability to lead with clarity under pressure. The lessons learned about people, risk, systems and commercial responsibility became the foundation for the structured, capability-driven philosophy that now underpins the Institute of Excellence.

The first decade was captured and celebrated in this book. The learnings continue to inform the way I support tourism operators and small businesses today.