Speaking: This week I hosted a panel about the state of the venture capital industry in Australia at the offices of Ernst & Young, run by the University of Sydney’s Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Lots of debate from various sectors of the startup community. It was great to meet so many passionate entrepreneurs.
The panel featured:
* Gary Zamel, chairman of VC investment company Latitude Investments
* Melissa Widner, founding member of Sydney Angels and chair of Heads Over Heels, which helps companies with high growth potential run by women
* Adrian Bunter, director at Hall Capital Strategies and on the management committee of Sydney Angels
* Benjamin Ranck, co-founder of startup All Over Geo and spearheading bringing The Founder Institute to Australia
* Peter Gray, senior manager of the Australian Technology Showcase of the NSW Government.
Listening: Latest in Paleo podcast. I know this is a bit odd but I stumbled across this podcast while channel surfing internet radio. If you haven’t heard about Paleo, it’s an approach to eating that mimics that of cave men! Think lean meat, vegies, but very little sugar, bread or pasta. I haven’t regressed into Stone Age eating myself but I’ve found that cutting out bread, grains and pasta has certainly given me more energy.
Watching: The Slap on ABC. What a fantastic TV series based on the book by Christos Tsiolkas. Love it.
Buying: The Last Word – Mixed Martial Arts by my mate Alistair McKillop. Apart from the fact that I’m secretly a cage fighter in my daydreams, Alistair is a former student at the Sydney Writers’ Centre and a fab writer. You can buy your copy here.
Making: Lots of decisions about renovations at our property in the Yarra Valley. Good thing I’ve edited renovation magazines in the past so I have a vague idea what these tradies are talking about!
Planning: Can you believe it’s nearly Christmas already?
Loving: Editing the December issue of Latte magazine, published by Business Chicks.
We’re featuring so many amazing women – it’s such an inspiring magazine to work on.
Feeling: Like an idiot. I have bought a GHD hair straightener for the first time. First, I had no idea that hair straighteners could come in a variety of colours. The sales girl tried to upsell me to the “Christmas edition” of the straightener which had red straightening plates. Who knew?
I was convinced to purchase one of these when I complimented my friend Kylie on her hair. She said: “My nanny told me to get one. I told her I didn’t have the time to spend hours straightening my hair. My nanny said: ‘I do my entire head of hair during the time it takes for them to do the weather on Sunrise.’ I was sold.”
When I heard that, so was I. But, after having it for two weeks now, I’m still not sure I’ve mastered the art of hair straightening. So could someone please call Sunrise and tell them to extend their weather segment?
