During the last twenty years John has successfully operated in export and import, purchasing and logistics, and sales and marketing roles. He possesses very good market research and coaching skills.

In 1978 John left a company which distributed printing equipment called Aldus Limited, and commenced a role at
Tioxide Australia as their Export Officer. He had direct responsibility for marketing titanium pigments to
New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the Pacific Islands and South East Asia. In these markets John was able to extend the company’s market share by concentrating on key customers who provided the bulk of the business, and maintaining good relations with the company’s agents in each area. He also looked after the administrative requirements which are necessary for export activities, and operated in the Asian markets in a support role.

John made career change in 1986 when he joined Morphet Press Pty Ltd, a printing company. He took up a position as their Purchasing and Logistics Manager, where he was responsible for buying paper, inks and other raw material necessary for printing. The delivery of interstate orders also formed part of his remit, as well as stock control to maintain an ideal inventory. In this position he was able to decrease the unnecessarily high inventory, and increase the company’s competitiveness by getting better prices from their suppliers. Morphet Press’ clients included a range of big and small companies, including Coles Myer, and the company produced a range of material such as shopping tags and letterhead paper.

In 1992 John decided that it was time to start his own small business, which would offer a portfolio of products to his ever growing client database. He set up a successful business, in which he acted as a print broker and also as a consultant to the telecommunications and computer peripherals industries. His success came from finding the right clients and minimising overhead costs. Over time he built up a database of over six thousand prospects, and learnt how quickly technology has changed, and how it was necessary to reinvent the product or discard it. It was important to make the move while the ‘writing was on the wall’. Until recently, John was promoting an office lighting system to clients from his database of contacts, which range from small to large companies such as Unilever.

In the early days of John’s career he developed an interest in overseas trade which he has maintained to the present day through his membership at the Australian Institute of Export, and he was an import and export coach with Stotts Correspondence College.