Thanks for stopping by my blog. I really felt that this was a great way to record a lot of the things I’ve learned over the past 50+ years. The main reason I wanted to record this was for my kids. As a parent, helping them navigate life is what is most important to me. I wanted this blog to be a resource to help them. If you stumble across this site, my hope is that there are some gems in here that will help you too.
I do struggle with making a blog like this public as it could be seen as an outworking of narcissism. I honestly don’t take myself that seriously, but I do like to examine motivations. I think one of my underlying motivations is simply to help people while maintaining balance in my own life. I put this out there in the hope that it will help someone.
So, about me in a few sentences:
- Born the youngest of 7 boys in Australia to Dutch migrants in 1970. Being a few years younger than the rest of my siblings gave me a different perspective on life and a lot of time to observe the consequences of actions.
- Was terrible at school, only just passed grade 10, had to repeat year 12, and never got the whole school thing until I had an idea of being a fighter pilot (thanks Top Gun). That finally gave me the motivation to study.
- I’d passed the entrance exams for the Air Force and was waiting for my final interviews in 1990 when I met the most beautiful amazing girl. Being a pilot was suddenly no longer all that important to me.
- Instead, I studied Engineering, got married while studying (to that same girl), and finished with an Honours Degree in Computer Systems Engineering.
- I worked as a Software Engineer for a year before starting my own business and forming the software company which has taken me all over the world. My family is full of people who started their own businesses, so I feel I was always destined to start my own company.
- Over a five year period, we were blessed with four incredible little humans. Watching them grow into strong, independent, and wise adults is one of my greatest joys in life.
- I love problem-solving, finding automated solutions to things, philosophying over a vast array of subjects, reading, water sports, snow sports, renovating, and travel.
By many metrics, I would be considered successful and I do count myself blessed to have been born into my family, to have had parents who loved and provided for me, to have been given solid foundations on which to build my life. Despite this, I still have a massive vision of things I want to achieve. I feel an obligation to do so since I really live by the idea that to whom much is given, much is expected.1
The posts are, of course, from my perspective as an Entrepreneur, Businessman, Boss, Father, and Christian. Together, they form the core of my beliefs and opinions. But don’t dismiss this because you don’t identify with those functions. My opinions on many issues are not traditional and I really dislike religious dogma.
Where appropriate, I’ll add more context in posts, but hopefully, that gives you an idea of where I am coming from. I sincerely hope that there is something which will help you on your journey through life.
Mathew Verdouw, CMT, CFTe
1.Luke 12:48
