Creating Synergy Podcast

#33 – Steve Testar, CEO of Showcase SA on Connecting Businesses and People Together

May 18, 2021 SynergyIQ
Creating Synergy Podcast
#33 – Steve Testar, CEO of Showcase SA on Connecting Businesses and People Together
Show Notes Transcript

Steve Testar is currently the CEO and Co-Founder of Showcase SA, which supports and connects South Australia's business community, and showcases SA's industries, people and events. Showcase SA’s mission is to build business connections between members, allowing them to work together and prosper.

With the defunding of Brand SA in June 2019, Steve saw the opportunity to continue supporting and fostering the success of local South Australian businesses. Thus, Showcase SA was born. Steve’s passion for local business and a strong network of South Australian professionals has driven Showcase SA to where it is today. 

Steve’s devotion to helping South Australian businesses is also displayed in his charitable work. Together with Glam Adelaide and the Glam Adelaide Foundation, he raised almost $500,000 for South Australian bushfire affected communities in 2020 at the SA4SA Bushfire Appeal Gala.

On Australia Day 2021, Kelly Noble (CEO of Glam Adelaide) and Steve were awarded the City of Adelaide Citizen of the Year award for the Community Event of the Year for this event.

In this episode, Steve shared his journey from being an international student to his CEO role and how Showcase SA came to be. He talked about many of the highs and lows of his journey, his vision for Showcase SA and also the challenges faced during the COVID19 pandemic and how the business thrived through that period.

If you enjoy this episode, please share it with your friends and colleagues, and check us out on synergyiq.com.au

Where to find Steve Testa 

Join the conversation on Synergy IQ LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram (@synergyiq) and please support other leaders by liking, subscribing and sharing this podcast.

Access SynergyIQ Website to get to know more about us.

Say hello to our host Daniel on LinkedIn

Books mentioned on this episode:

  • Against All Odds - The inside account of the Thai cave rescue and the courageous Australians at the heart of it - By Craig Challen, Richard Harris
Synergy IQ:

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Daniel Franco:

i This synergizes and welcome back to another episode of The creating synergy podcast. My name is Daniel Franco and today we have the great man CEO of Showcase SA Mr. Steve Testar. Steve's career started in London in retail, where he climbed the ladder to become the manager of Harrods at the age of 21. But just ticking over 20 years ago, Steve decided to make a change and book a one way trip to Australia but with nothing but a backpack and a big dream to create a lot for himself in what he calls the land of opportunity. Steve chose Adelaide as his final city to settle in and move from the retail world into property development. He's now proud to co Adalet his home with his beautiful wife Kelly noble founder and CEO of positive news website glam Adeline and their two beautiful daughters. In 2016, Steve made his first entrepreneur move by establishing his first business real estate property, which Managed Property Development and Marketing for some of South Australia's biggest residential projects. In 2019, with the defunding of brand sa Steve and his wife Kelly saw the opportunity to continue the work of supporting and fostering the success of local South Australian businesses and thus showcase sa was born Steve's passion for local business and strong network of South Australian professionals as driven showcase to where it is today. In 2020, despite the hardship from COVID 19 pandemic, Stephen the team as showcase pursued and hosted over 50 events for 5000 people from over 200 membership holding organizations. Steve's devotion to helping South Australian businesses is also displayed in his charitable work together with glam Adelaide and glam Adelaide Foundation. He and Kelly raised almost over$500,000 for the South Australian bushfire affected communities in 2020 at the SA for sa bushfire appeal Gala. on Australia Day this year in 2021. Both Kelly and Steve were awarded the city of Adelaide Citizen of the Year Award for the community event of the year. This been the essay for us a bushfire Gala. In today's podcast we chatted to Steve about his journey, how Showcase SA came to be and we learn about all the highs and lows his experience and his future vision for Showcase SA. If you liked the episode, which I'm absolutely positive you will please hit subscribe and check us out at Synergyiq.com.au, cheers! So welcome back to the creating synergy podcast. My name is Daniel Franco. And today we have Mr. Steve Testar on the show. How are you?

Steve Testar:

Thank you for having me.

Daniel Franco:

No problem. So you are the CEO or managing director of showcase showcase sa she's been doing some wonderful things.

Steve Testar:

You know what it is when it's when you run your own business your cleaner web programmar, jack of all trades, but yes, I think it was pretty nice being co founder with my wife when we set up showcase South Australia Showcase SA. And then we thought what better give me a title. So CEO, whatever it is.

Daniel Franco:

You still doing it all with constant hustle. I know exactly. So I'm going to start off by asking a question that only you will know and knew what few people around Adelaide might know. Who is DJ Steve and and where does he come from? Well,

Steve Testar:

funny, the funny side of it is that I was known as DJ Steve for quite a number of years but not for the call reason that [inaudible audio] was actually because I've worked in David Jones for quite a long time whilst I got paid for my way through TAFE and then uni and double degrees and that kind of stuff. So yeah, I ran the Giorgio Armani store in David Jones and hence DJ Steve

Daniel Franco:

says kind of explains why you're a bit of a suave individual is that

Steve Testar:

it's a I remember for a really long time i used to get the bus in and out of the city BD into Norwood. And I wore a uniform, which was my two or$3,000 Giorgio Armani suit and bought my bus ticket with my student card. That was half the price. So it's yeah,

Daniel Franco:

it's efficiencies at its best. You still got a little bit of it in you, I put my jacket on before this podcast and you fix my cover for me. So thank you very much.

Steve Testar:

Just in case anyone sees you through the podcast, we have you.

Daniel Franco:

So tell us a little about your journey. You're not originally from Australia over and you've come from South London.

Steve Testar:

Yep. So Englishman born and bred until I in 2000, I thought I'd seek more exciting pastures. And you'll laugh because I folded up my green Gant shirt or my blue Ralph Lauren shirt and packed my backpack up the color and to which of my my dad's I arrived in Australia in October 2000. My dad gave me until February, the following year for [inaudible audio] and be home with my tail between my legs. And yeah, it's 20 years now. And surreal. Yeah.

Daniel Franco:

And so why Adelaide? Or did you come straight to Adelaide,

Steve Testar:

Melbourne. Originally, I did Melbourne and then Sydney and then came over to Adelaide. And is that through job opportunities? Or was funnily enough, I used to be a manager for Harrods in London. And I'm sort of a bit of maybe arrogance, just walked into David Jones Myers in Melbourne and said, Oh, it's a manager for Harrods can get a job anywhere. And that didn't work. So I had a couple of friends and met a girl from Adelaide came over, visited and realized and did Great Ocean Road and I wasn't the normal backpacker. I stayed in hotels rather than in backpacking resorts, in fact, not quite resorts but I think I was in I was in Melbourne two days and the first night I arrived. The backpackers dorms just by the station just stunk. It's just bad enough. And I just went either they go or I go and that's it. I was out. So I booked into the Middle Park Hotel, which is the one that overlooks the start finish straight by Albert Park for the Formula One and lived there for a few months and then rented a car drove to Sydney, New Year's in Sydney drove out Great Ocean Road Back to Adelaide after that. And then discovered that Adelaide is one of those only places I feel in the world where you can actually afford to rent somewhere so you can live. You can work and you can still afford to study part time if an evening. Yeah, couldn't do that in UK certainly can't much harder in Sydney. And Melbourne you might just get away with but life was a little bit easier in South Australia.

Daniel Franco:

So you come to me to study in what did you once you put all your time and effort into,

Steve Testar:

I think the way that the tech. So I went through the TAFE process and did cert fours and then deployments and then worked out that I could work seven days a week. And if I wasn't working at David Jones the weekend, I was doing full days at the TAFE. So I think it was for first year was evening classes to get my certificate for and then the next year was full time to get my diploma. And then I went on to do a double degree in International Business and Marketing and worked full time and studied full time for two years to get that. So it's amazing what you can do with it. So and then the early stages I was still applying for permanent residency, so I had to pay the double fees for international student. So I used to laugh that everyone else had hex and I had Amex to pay for my study but it was the best that I ever ran out. And yeah, quite enjoyed paying off that credit card.

Daniel Franco:

Well done. Well congratulations. So you from there you got into property.

Steve Testar:

Yeah, well funny story. When you work for a brand or big beaming bright lights store like Giorgio Armani you get to meet some pretty interesting characters and the way I approach life with with some cash with some money Yeah, they're not necessarily means they have any taste. It doesn't necessarily means that they are a very nice person either. Yeah, it was back in the good old days, Davy Jones used to have their fashion parades, and I was allowed to invite 20 of my VIPs. Okay. And I always ran things a bit different. I didn't invite the footballers or this I invited the people that spent a truckload of money in the store. And then I would stand there and drink champagne and watch fashion parades with them. Because that was, you know, it's, yeah, it's the highlight. So the way I approached my life working in retail is a little bit similar to how I approach most things in life where I actually end up making really good friends with some of my clients. Like I said, some of them are really nice. Some of them not so nice, but a couple of them become lifelong friends one and again, from meeting them through working in a retail store. Because fundamentally, that's what it is. Yeah. You still get paid like retail. That's right. You just wear fancy clothes. Yeah. But the funny thing is, is one I went on to be best man at his wedding. And the so you built some really good relations? Yeah. Yeah, in a town where I didn't go to school here. So I didn't have that. Right. That connector, which is nice.

Daniel Franco:

Is that is that jerkiness? The reason why you if you have your own sort of core friendship group here, you kind of don't need any more friends. You know, most people have that attitude. Whereas there is a

Steve Testar:

there is a lot of that, in that, you know, as you get involved in your own life, and when kids come along, you do get wrapped up and it's pretty hard. Yeah, it's it's a job in itself, to sustain and then to remember me up friends and there's a whole another description of life on its own. Isn't that better? You know, best man of one another one spoke at my wedding. And even now, there's people who when you organize wedding suits for people, they remember you, and you forge whether it's like 15 years, 18 years later, it's still amazing how you can still, I like a small town. Yeah, it is. So it's just it's like two degrees of separation. Yeah. Which, you know, works in your favor if you don't act like you know, what a jerk. Yeah, you know, I quite pride pride myself on the fact my ego fits through the door. Yeah. And I'm pretty humble with things.

Daniel Franco:

So you probably world is that where you met?

Steve Testar:

Yeah, that's where that came about. One of my clients through Giorgio Armani ended up becoming a drinking, buddy, you know, you run into people. And then one of my, one of my uni courses was a business model analysis. So I asked my friend, if he wouldn't mind me, critiquing his business and putting as one of my papers, and then putting a proposal forward, which, strangely enough, still seems quite relevant now, where it was an individual person that everyone it was an architectural development firm, everyone went to the architect, the main person that owns the business. Whereas my proposal was that he shouldn't be the front of the business, he should be part of the process. And the brand of the business should be why people come in. Yeah, I didn't know that at the time like that. If they're six, one half dozen, the other, but we all want that when it's our business for people to come in. But fundamentally, they want you. Yeah, but if you've got those extra layers there, you can actually expand and take a holiday. Yes. And but So the funny thing with that is I, you know, he was pretty bold, I said that he shouldn't be the name and face in front of his own business. But it obviously resonated

Daniel Franco:

because, like you said, it is something we all aspire to running our own businesses, it's how do we work more on the business, not in it? And yeah, create something that's sustainable

Steve Testar:

and empower people around you as well. So they can grow within the business and it's funny, so set me down and like all great business owners realized it was his idea that he gave me a job and that there's anything wrong with retail, but I been in retail since I was 17. So I quite enjoyed getting off the retail floor, if that makes sense. And you got into a property development company. So selling townhouses and apartments and land divisions,

Daniel Franco:

because you you essentially ran the big St. Clair project Yes. 1000 homes out there and then in one in a peninsula as well.

Steve Testar:

Yeah. Well, I got inspiration from the peninsula with after seven years at chess crown which is boutique very Have a very high end at 2008 GFC hit and selling multi million dollar homes was suddenly a little bit difficult. My first child had just been born. And I realized, working seven days a week in all hours of just something needed to change slightly with my new lifestyle. And I got the tap on the shoulder to run the sales and marketing for AV Jennings for South Australia. So the Sinclair project, which 2000 allotments, train stations, wetlands, supermarkets was amazing. And then got to launch air while I named air, which is up in Penfield. Now the suburb of air. And so I've named a suburb that's pretty cool.

Daniel Franco:

So that a quiz night fact,

Steve Testar:

isn't it? Yeah. It was funny. I was talking to the mayor of city of Playford the other day, and I'm like, remember that time I flew in on a helicopter and I had a hot air balloon with air written on EY ra like the air Peninsula. On the side of the balloon, hot air balloon, which I will think I'll go down in history as that guy for maybe Jennings that had helicopters and hot air balloons launch. But I wanted to do something different. So every Jennings nationally doesn't do that kind of thing. So I'm that guy. So

Daniel Franco:

So you were doing some pretty big projects. And then was the thought process of I want to spend more time with my kids again that I go and start my own business. Yeah.

Steve Testar:

Sort of strange because as a sort of, like five years with Giorgio Armani, seven years with Chase crown, and then an IV Jennings. And then I got tapped on the shoulder by a property great wife sales group called severals. That was originated from the UK, so I knew them really well. Sydney, one of the Sydney directors flew in, tapped me on the shoulder, like all good things in Adelaide, a guy that I knew from David Jones, I got a intern architecture spot a chase crown and never thought he'd ever get in, but you only know who you know. And then years later, he ended up running developments for several Xover in Sydney. And when someone the top bosses in Sydney said, Oh, we want to open a development, sales and development arm in, in Adelaide, they were like, my friend went, I only need to speak to Steve. So flew in, then suddenly, I had this massively high paid job launching residential sales and marketing for developers in South Australia for samples. And needless to say, it didn't quite work out. And it's probably one of the only jobs I've had over the years that didn't quite work out. But what it led to was, I realized they wanted me to actually, even this massive brand wanted me to do everything, which was great. And then I sat there, like everyone does when you've been in the corporate world, not knowing what it's like going out on your own. Because my wife's been out on her own for 15 years, from a business perspective. And I always laugh about HR processes and staff hiring and then you know, cash flow. And then it was the year we got married, actually and realized, hey, haven't spent enough money this year. So yeah, four and a half years ago, and I was like, I might as well just set up on my own. So I was doing everything anyway, I might as well. Yeah. And it was. So it was one of those lightbulb moments which, you know, for the first 12 months, I'd probably turned that light bulb off and kept taking a salary. But no, it was a it was a crazy time. It's easy sitting here now, like four and a half years later and running two businesses but it's at the time you just like yeah, sell a property use the money. You set up a business. Yes. And then you watch your money.

Daniel Franco:

Savings. Yeah. Not been there done that know exactly what you're talking about. So you've mentioned your wife, your beautiful wife a few times Kelly, who is the founder of Glam Adelaide? Yeah. Did you when you met with she already working on that? Is that kind of what gave you the taste of of running your own business?

Steve Testar:

Not the taste, I think. And this has meant in sort of the nicest possible way when you live in the corporate world for so long. You just take it for granted that you're gonna pick up work because you're a good guy or good girl and you're, you have good connections and that's how everyone supports each other bumper Claire Wait, oh, so

Daniel Franco:

you got to get into the I

Steve Testar:

probably have way more respect for Kelly running her own business. Now I've run mine through a few cycles. And that I didn't have before, because she's in the corporate world and get paid every month. Nothing wrong with that. Yeah. And as you know, half the time, you'd swap it, but not not now. But it's, it's certainly, you tip your hat, and especially the year like we've just had, where if you're in a massive organization or something, and you just get paid each month, I'm sure you'd have slightly different stresses than those of us that didn't get paid very well. Last year,

Daniel Franco:

I got some friends who work for the government. And they weren't particularly too concerned. Like, they're actually quite happy. I know, there

Steve Testar:

was no Netflix and chilling. And for those that are self employed last year,

Daniel Franco:

exactly. The accident brings us to the point of showcase because obviously, Kelly's a co founder of showcases, se decided to then leave or not leave because you still run the property element, but you've sort of decided to open a second business for yourself or third from a family perspective.

Steve Testar:

Yeah. Well, it was sort of it was a tell us out Yeah, it was a funny one where Kelly's business glam Adelaide, the first lifestyle news website. You don't have to pay to read it. Yeah, it's there. It's not a big sales pitch. And it's good news. It's positive shares. I think that's what I love about I'm just Yeah, I who want yeah, no clickbait, I'm not gonna put you up on a minute and tear you down tomorrow if something happened in your life, but look. And it's, I never really appreciated the positive side of delivering things and helping out businesses until you get into it yourself. But how it worked out or help showcase sa came about as it sounds funny, but we were sitting by the pool in Fiji. And all of a sudden were all great ideas. Yeah, all of a sudden we it the first holiday we'd had years it was. And then all of a sudden, we got about 35 text messages in the space of about six or seven minutes. So there's like 35 people that seem to think they gave us the idea, but there was lots of them. So they can all claim it. And because we're here now so. But what happened is the story of the process is brand SA or brand South Australia lost their major funder, which was the state government. Yep. So there was a choice report done. And that's that little red, South Australian. Yeah, that's, that's the state brand. Yeah. And brand South Australia looked after the state brand for the government and the iTunes essay campaign, and which was what the state government put a lot of money into. But fundamentally, it's a membership based organization that was sole job was to get South Australian businesses working together. Yep. The joint report came out that there was no need to tell South Australians how good South Australia is. That money should be spent telling interstate and overseas people how good we are. Now you'd agree to that. But they shut it off. And look, I won't get into the politics of it. But the money was turned off. And within 30 days, like Brenda said, shut down. Hence all the text messages coming through to us that was like Kelly, you have glam already have this huge following positive. They didn't bring me Steve, you run a real estate agency with a property developers. She's got

Daniel Franco:

a she Glams got over 180,000 people on Facebook following her. So yeah,

Steve Testar:

the website has had 14 million users last year, the Facebook's one arm, you know, we can get into that from last month. But that's the website

Daniel Franco:

after you carry on.

Steve Testar:

Yeah, that was a roller coaster. But the website, just just you know, she's had to keep upgrading the Server and Server and service the more that go anyway, is always positive. And so we've

Daniel Franco:

got which is something in itself, where people want to read positive news and sick of it. Yeah, the negative stuff that's floating around. Yeah. The Donald Trump's and yeah, making dials.

Steve Testar:

Exactly. And so then, it was Hey, girl, you should step in. And so Kelly and I met with the board brand OSI. And then in the space of a few weeks, there was ups and downs. It was Different parts of the business they had a new section like Brand SA news. And when I always clean Adelaide, we don't need a new section. Then there was another part and he went. So a couple of bits went off to one organization. And we were lucky enough to do the community, which was the members and the events, which we could align with. We've gotten but some, we never quite realized how many events and things would be running. But we thought it would just be a side gig. Anyway, we went home, agreed, Brand SA door starts us sent out their last cons to all their members endorsing us with this new company. And a lot of people probably don't know about my wife, but she's a bit of a tech nerd. She we went home and built the website on the Friday night. But after we decided on the name registered, the business Showcase SA

Daniel Franco:

is that just the use of startup hustling three, you

Steve Testar:

just do what you need to do. And then I think so what people get confused with we are completely independent. It is funded purely by ourselves.

Daniel Franco:

But you just got that early promotion from

Steve Testar:

we got one email, one email, which is endorsement. It's great, right? Yeah. And then they shut down? Yes. But what we didn't get was a single bloody dollar. So all the members were refunded their money. And under the Privacy Act, it's not like we could go on the brand or say website and see who the members are. But it's like sending an email to banker say to info at banker say, you're not going to get far. Yeah, right. Correct. So we started from scratch. And I think we put WooCommerce on the website. So it was a horrible website the first weekend, but it was there was a landing page. And we had our first paid member and I actually embarrassed him at lunch with Mikey pay the other way can gave him a Magnum of because when when you have private business when someone gives you money, it means a lot and to get your first paying member. Yeah, on your first official day of operation.

Daniel Franco:

We were like whoa, I remember the first dollar that came

Steve Testar:

through this. I'll never forget it. Yeah, so Chris Miller at Daintree systems. Now a very, very good friend of ours, but you don't take that stuff for granted. So within said I just thought it would be something that would be more Kelly's thing and but within our first month was quite nice because Brandis I already had a calendar of events. So we just, that was gonna be Yeah, and it just got shut down. So all these poor venues had cancellation after cancellation. So I just rang up and gave them a credit card details and they happily took my booking. And nearly everyone, all the speakers were happy to step back in. And then I didn't discover until that day three when we ran our first event for was a professional development and training. And I realized I was scared of public speaking. It's um,

Daniel Franco:

you weren't an auctioneer or anything for Natalie. No. Yeah,

Steve Testar:

I'm not shy retiring by any thoughts, but I hadn't. Kelly gets paid to emcee. Yeah, I don't. But so the funny thing is, there's me. It's quite funny now, because I've done about four and a half 1000 Welcome to countries now. But it was it was yeah, it was to change things. And you know,

Daniel Franco:

now you're getting ready to do your next TED Talk, given.

Steve Testar:

Now they just take the microphone.

Daniel Franco:

You Is it like that big hook? They pull? Yes. And

Steve Testar:

it's sort of funny, because one of her training functions, so I just facilitate. Yeah, like, it's so this is the first time I've ever been invited on to speak. It's nice. Great. So but there was one of these Where

Daniel Franco:

are your on your first day? Yeah.

Steve Testar:

And they were running through what you've achieved. And you know, you've gone to this and that and I got to stand up right till the end because one of them was you know, have you ever been asked to speak on a panel? And I'm like, actually, yes, but only at my own events. And then it rolled on and the last one was have you written a book and it's like no, no, not yet. No, no. surviving children not on their bucket list. Yeah, I don't think so. I'm happy with articles.

Daniel Franco:

So what's the purpose of showcase then so you've you know, you've you've you've taken on this business that is supposedly been handed to you, but it hasn't you've had to build it from scratch, with no funding nothing. So what did you What did you have in mind when you Kelly sat down that night again? No, this is something that we could work through and add value to people with what yeah,

Steve Testar:

there was obviously the original, not burden. But we took the responsibility really, quite seriously because Brand SA was so well known. Yep. And we supported it. And the previous CEO, Karen, good friend of ours, and like, so when I say we don't take it on lightly, because we didn't want to mess it up, right. So because we'd had, it was sa great for many, many years. And then advantage SA, and then eight years as brand SA. And now we've had a couple of years of Showcase SA. So we took it very, very seriously. But the sole purpose is connecting businesses across every industry. So spending so many years in property, attending property lunches, it'd be the same groups that speak to the same people in the same industry. And you really don't realize what opportunities there are for your business. In other industries, because it's similar to narrow

Daniel Franco:

the power of networking isn't yeah, getting out and speaking to people?

Steve Testar:

Yeah. And it's, it's, you know, it has evolved, though, I will like it as much as at the very beginning. I wanted to make sure I did justice to it. But we've added our own slant to it these days. And I've discovered, there's nothing wrong with having a bit of fun in what you do. I always thought we would do much more lighter. Fun. You know, one of the first events we ran, we took 50 people on a bus up to seppeltsfield. And Steven triggy, Steven trig spoke about how VESA virgin and finos and seppeltsfield all operate, even though they're separate businesses, they all operate together for the financial benefit of all of them. greater sphere of influence is pretty much what we do at showcase, we bring businesses together that generally wouldn't speak to each other and have positive financial outcomes. So we run a lot of events, yes, but we're not an events business. So whether it's connecting through something like this, or whether it's a coffee downstairs, or a Zoom meeting, or we had up we connected an oyster farmer in coffin Bay the other day with Department of Trade and Investment all through weren't allowed to use Zoom, God forbid, but one of the teams meetings and I didn't have to leave my office. Yeah. So that's, but that's relationship building, as well. But is

Daniel Franco:

that something that's part of your membership offering that you say, Call me if you want to be connected with somebody? Or how does it work? Is it just something that you do? Because you're Steve and your and your Kelly, and you just connect people anyway? Yeah, look, we've got

Steve Testar:

different tiers to the membership, it's a bit of a hierarchy thing. I didn't like it originally, the hierarchy because, you know, maybe alienates things a little bit. But then what you discover is, if you're time poor, and you've only can allocate a couple of hours a month to something, you want to make sure if you're going to go and it's your business development, or, you know, everything's networking, I don't care what anyone says, get that working from different levels. But you want to sit with peers, you want to sit with decision makers, or high level execs, or business owners or CEOs, across industries, and you want to learn, and that's how you relationships are born. Sometimes we sprinkle a little bit of wine over the top, and some want. But everyone's been a lot thirsty since COVID. I can tell you that. You know, it's different things draw out different people. So when we had Christopher pines do our budget breakdown in November last year where they actually opened the LA Convention Center just for us. It brought lots of accountants and lawyers and those that maybe we didn't have a touch on. And then you get Maggie Beer was our keynote speaker for food and wine. And I asked her that exact question about how if you had your days again, would it be Maggie b? Or now she sold the business? Or would it be something different chip? So she'd never change it? No. So she's where she is now. She's an icon so but then Dr. James Miki is last year's Australian of the Year 2020 Australian the year he spoke about how Sugar in food, causes blindness and type two diabetes. So I've done some hard hitting stuff that I think we are a light hearted organization by heart. But racism in sport with brushy. Blade united,

Daniel Franco:

you know, it's versus a been on the show, as you know. Yeah. Yeah. I'm hoping to get James on to one after

Steve Testar:

all organized. Yeah, really?

Daniel Franco:

Yeah. So it look the topics. Definitely great. And, and keep them coming, I say because it's a great opportunity to learn and then obviously network on top of the app. But I'm really interested in the year of 2020. For showcases, say for Steve tester for killing that the the brand itself was pulled to the limits, really, I mean, you from an events perspective, you say not an events company, but you you have a lot of events in Yeah, that when that gets when the rug gets pulled from under you like COVID.

Steve Testar:

It's sort of funny, because it's it's a two prong from last year because it was bushfires. And then

Daniel Franco:

that's right, because you had the bushfire Gala, which was a hidden Yeah, we went, Yeah, it's actually split study. This

Steve Testar:

was for December. And I'm sure Kelly, we're getting into this, but December 20. So for the first six months of 2019, for showcase launching, we did 50 events, which seems ridiculous looking back now, but if you're going to do it properly, we decided not to have one a week. Yeah, pretty much, but we but different things for different people. So not everyone attends the same things. Not everything is bigger than Ben Hur some, you know, anyway, we we threw everything at it. And we didn't, we decided not to have some massive launch and PEP things in the paper. We just got on and did it. And we rolled into it was literally we were sitting with all of our team on our first cocktail. December 20, I think was about two o'clock. And again, the phone started going because your Christmas party has a Christmas party with our team and the phone started ringing because businesses we work with and friends were getting caught in this fire that was raging through Catholic week. And, to our credit, I know, talk about me, but Kelly pulled out a computer immediately set up a Facebook community group that bushfire 10s of 1000s of people on it, but

Daniel Franco:

it is as a brain. What happened

Steve Testar:

is we set up this group and with cocktail in hand and we lost it for about an hour. But what happened is that CFS has their cons, the media all gone on holiday. You know, even the government organizations. So Facebook is a powerful connector where suddenly we were shipped she was sharing information, just telling people where the fire was going. It was and then through the hills. So that went on. So that was that first weekend. It was just it was just nuts. Didn't see our kids over that Christmas because every day there was more information. And then even on the third of January, we thought we'd have a breather. We got on the Vasco de Gama from down outer harbor. We thought we'd had a couple of days away when anyway, it's 45 degrees. The fire started in Kangaroo Island. And it was just mental. And I remember I was on the got a message through the Facebook group that there was a farmer Malanga because the the fires, Adelaide Hills, got under control. And then we got a phone call from a farmer in Malanga that had 25 or 30 of these ico 1000 liter water containers. And if I could optimize a truck did the farmers in case I need them put a call in they're quite proud people in KI he was like nope, nope, we don't need it. And then it was yet we do. ugly dog trucking company. They probably don't think that I remember but it's funny here. I put a call out they came back within minutes their truck was on the way to pick up these containers. I rang the GM of Sealink and say this is where showcase helps right around the GMO ceiling and said I've got a I've got a lorry full of these things on the way to your ferry. I need to clear a space she's how bakes the lorry So,

Daniel Franco:

yeah, the most was just yeah, just just sorted out.

Steve Testar:

And they, they got distributed. They, the afternoon of the third of January. And the fourth was when we were on the Vasco de Gama. So half of the island had already burned. So did it help anyone? I think so. But we were on the Vasco de Gama that took the call, which most people don't realize, and went to Kangaroo Island, solely to evacuate the people from King's coat and Penneshaw. So we woke up. It's not like being on the island, obviously. So it's not meant in that as a comparable, but we woke up at three in the morning, and our room in the in the on the boat was full of smoke. So we expected the worse. And luckily, it was raining, the window change, the fire had stopped. And channel seven, SBS ABC News all had kelia my footage from that day, it was just we couldn't get away from it. Yeah. And then that sort of spawn they

Daniel Franco:

I remember that smoke distinctively. Um, then, you know, I'm on I live on the coast, but the waking up couple of those mornings, and you couldn't even see. It's just scary. And we've had to come here since I couldn't imagine being as close not to me being on the on the

Steve Testar:

disgusting button. And then then we came up with this really crazy idea that, you know, hey, we do luncheons and things and Kelly had been on the board a few, seven or eight years before, when there was the floods in Queensland and had raised some money and it's okay, we've got this corporate business now of Showcase SA saying we've got climate like it's run a gala. So I spoke to the Lord Mayor Sandy for sure and said, can we use the town hall and so I booked for 300 people at a town hall thinking well, that's pretty decent enough. Remember, everyone's on holiday as well. So the beginning of January, my team on holiday. We were in a caravan park in Renmark the kids and we decided to set up this gala. And we pulled in favors left round. It's amazing who wants to help when you do stuff like this. And it was the list of an I mean, like proper helpers that got wineries and anyway, I remember, we put the ticket sales out. And we sold or we sell 1400 in four days. But when we started to realize it's probably the one time we put it on Facebook and there was there was, you know, help everyone like sources or attend something on Facebook, but it's never the reality. Yeah. Well, we had I think it was like 1000 On the first day. So I was like, you know, we're gonna need a bigger boat. So I rang and she was on holiday, but Coralie from Adelaide venue management and the convention center and I'm like, gonna need a bigger boat, Coralie. And to this day, the reason it went ahead for the scale that it was was Coralie looked after us, she became a sponsor and, but she could actually give me a decision on the day of what it was going to cost. So we knew how much because we wanted all the money to go through to that. We didn't know at the time, but 216 South Australian businesses affected by the bushfires. So there was also the other crazy thing that I hadn't even considered. There's all over the news at the time was charities sending money into different states. And anyway, yes, so we didn't want to be part of that we wanted selfishly, I wanted the money we raised to stay in South Australia. So we set up the glam Adelaide Foundation. And that way, we knew all the money could go directly to where we said it was going to go. Brilliant. Probably didn't realize, you know, quite how much time and effort would go into a gala for 14 people. Anyway, so fast forward 31st of January last year, we had 1400 people. My fear of speaking in public.

Daniel Franco:

We've done 50 events.

Steve Testar:

And we raised just shy of half a million bucks that night, and nearly all of it went straight into the premiers pill, which went out to those 216 effective businesses and a couple of deals we'd cut with Duncan from Africa Cola, he pulled some amazing shifts in for these absolutely cracking items that he was going to run himself for fundraising we like just do it as part of the gala with us. So

Daniel Franco:

we amazing how much everyone just bands together. Yeah,

Steve Testar:

and that was like$114,000 that went to Adelaide Hills wine associations and a couple

Daniel Franco:

of specific because some wineries good? Yes.

Steve Testar:

Yeah, so a couple of individuals. And so that was the agreement. So it was like 100. And something $1,000 Just went to those guys straight in their pockets just to help them, which was fabulous. Like we had 216 auction items. And remember, this is pre COVID. So we didn't know what was about to hit us. But all the other wine regions within South Australia and wineries donated wine. And when I say with Coralie, she allowed us to bring our own wine into the convention center. And it was a special night, but it Yeah, it was just, it was a cracking cracking night before we even walked in the door was we raised $100,000. It's brilliant. So kudos, it was it was an amazing night for us. And then I think it was that day or the day before the 30th of January as than the World Health Organization declared that it was a pandemic. Yeah, this Coronavirus thing that we'd never heard of as such was a pandemic. And so we were within, what, five, six days of it being shut down. And what no one tells you is when you sign all your paperwork for 1400 people, you don't get that money back.

Daniel Franco:

No. No. So could have been severely different story. Wow. And

Steve Testar:

then COVID hit, huh. So yeah, not that you dwell on those things. But there could have been a couple of seriously life changing events. And then everyone got shut down. All of those wineries and all those businesses that unselfishly helped these regions, suddenly everyone was affected. Yeah. And so.

Daniel Franco:

So the money they gave away almost they needed a month later. Yeah, to survive.

Steve Testar:

I know. So scary thing. Yeah. So it ended up being a brushfire gala fundraiser was the biggest indoor event in South Australia for 2020, which is hilarious, never intended to be and then we're locked down. I think the funniest was the beginning of March, we had the Premier and the head of defense SA, Richard price, and Audra McCarthy from defense teaming center, and 100. And something people showcase members a lot 14 talking about the amazing Australian space agency that it just opened. And I think it was like eight days later, everything got shut down. So that's how surreal it was. And I think it was two days after that. I ran my first webinar webinar. So we ran 28 webinars in 12 weeks. Didn't make a single dollar, but it was part of we worked so hard to build up we had I remember,

Daniel Franco:

we had a conversation in that time. I remember the topics that you were doing and it was just helping people through Yeah, what was

Steve Testar:

job keeper? Yeah, keep it to point I it was just even there. We got a lot of lawyers and accountants and stuff that helps tapping into those but things were changing every couple of days. But even just doing a bit of mental health and we did our wine and webinars because we couldn't do networking. You know, we just sat there with glasses of wine and made made friends with people because no one asks if you're doing all right. And we got a lot of gin deliveries. Remember every time we were doing a webinar there'd be a food or gin delivery or wine delivery banging on the door.

Daniel Franco:

What Jean by the house not training in the bloody good Adelaide Hills is

Steve Testar:

can go on okay. He's very proficient. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Very distilleries do a fair bit with those guys. So never never boys it. It's just we're winning that game. We are winning that game. So.

Daniel Franco:

So how did you how did you come back? From the COVID?

Steve Testar:

Talk? Well, you almost

Daniel Franco:

shut down completely. I

Steve Testar:

had an argument with my wife, which is how every great story starts, but

Daniel Franco:

see one? Well,

Steve Testar:

we, we let obviously for the benefit of our members, but we all of our webinars were open to public so it was businesses to help them get through so and I saw it's a bit of a marketing thing and no one's giving any money anyway, so you might as well be active. Yeah.

Daniel Franco:

Good brand awareness.

Steve Testar:

It was just Yeah, again, it broke down that regional setup. So because no one could go anywhere. Anyway, so then what happened was, I spoke to a couple of our speakers and I mentioned him before, but I was Dr. James Makey. I was like, we did webinars together. And I was like, right, what do you feel like doing my first face to face events? He's I mean, it was the same with Rob Karen, who wanted to do agree with us. And he was like, but so if you don't know Dr. Jones, making 2020 Australian of the Year, absolute history, it just everyone when you speak to him, which I'll organize for you, but you actually feel like what the hell have I been doing with? Yeah, you know, but, so in January, he was awarded Australian of the Year. His first face to face presentation as Australian of the Year was for us to showcase at the beginning of June 20 people in the room socially distance four square meters apart in a room that would fit 400. And James, I remember James is like, so. Have we sold out? Matt, we've met you, me 18 other people have done. But the funny thing is, the hotel that we ran it in, photographs were taken, they were sent around the world, it was like no one else was doing oil. So we tiptoed back hence the argument with my wife because she thought I'd come back a bit early. But the end of June, we ran a health briefing with Nikolas barrier. Yeah. So you ever want to have your COVID checks? Ready? This is before QR codes everyone as well. So it's, you run an event with SA Health, they'll make sure you

Daniel Franco:

actually position yourself really quite well. We were back when no one else was

Steve Testar:

the most was still not even returning to work yet viewed upon

Daniel Franco:

as a bit abrupt in you in your move moving back quickly or was not welcomed by? Oh,

Steve Testar:

I was. Because when you Well, when you invite it's a health into your veins, you're not hiding anything new. So we were all learning together, you don't do things to put yourself at risk as such. But you know, you can't rely on you know, get so scared of things stopping and momentum is a horrible thing to try and start going again. It's so yes, a little bit. But I suppose other organizations that generally do this, if you can afford to sit back?

Daniel Franco:

Good. Yeah. Well, this was critical. I want to get into mindset through COVID. And just having you know, he did 28 webinars for free. So you don't know this work for nothing? Did you ever feel like throwing in the towel?

Steve Testar:

I think he's got to be busy. And if you ever stuck at home with your wife and two kids, right?

Daniel Franco:

It's the best funding Oh, yeah.

Steve Testar:

Do you need your help? I didn't actually, I didn't let the one thing. And for my property sales and marketing business. With realice property, you get paid in cycles, and a development could take two years to finish. So I got used to money not coming. That's this whole thing. Yeah, cash flow. And if you're used to it coming in every month, it would scare the living daylights out of you. But if you're not, you just make sure your your kids are safe. And you make sure that you you know that you can stay as relevant as possible. And when you can do something, and this is this whole thing. We might run events, but we're not an events business. So lots of them haven't come back. And I know a lot of them and it breaks my heart. But

Daniel Franco:

events industry was devastated to his destination. Yeah, decimated. Yeah.

Steve Testar:

But it's, we just connect people we can and this is how it works is whether it's a text or this or that and you connect people.

Daniel Franco:

How did you manage your mental state? During that

Steve Testar:

it was a roller coaster. I think I compare it to when we were sharing and helping with the bushfires. It was we weren't on the front line, obviously. But it's an emotional roller coaster. And every time those press releases were coming out and it you're on the edge of your seat. And sometimes it got

Daniel Franco:

worse. What's that sickening feeling every time?

Steve Testar:

I remember. My birthday was the other week and 25th of March. That was the highest cases recorded in South Australia. I remember sitting there watching these. It's you get pummeled? Yeah,

Daniel Franco:

um, once a week or two, a week later? I think so. So happy birthday.

Steve Testar:

Thank you. But it's made into health a easier topic. It's not easy. But it's a more approachable topic than it was. It's

Daniel Franco:

definitely from a business perspective. Yeah, we'll talk to that first. Especially they work that way in the field away do their leaders are more concerned about the mental health and well being of their people. Now, more than ever, I have to read this. There was some statistics that came out from the Black Dog Institute recently that saying 78% of people in the last 12 months felt a deterioration towards their mental health. So 78% of people. It's remarkable how much it's in its front and center for everyone now.

Steve Testar:

Yeah, it's like a depression. It well, that with? Yeah, it is. Yeah, absolutely.

Daniel Franco:

So do you. Because I asked this from the running your own business perspective, right. So you basically your businesses not really able to operate from being able to generate revenue, and

Steve Testar:

I didn't have it set up that way. So if you think glam is all online? Yeah. So you're just like, Huh? Well, this is right. So interestingly enough, from day one. It was like the third of July 4 of July or something in 2019. We live streamed our first event. So we knew that there was, so you're already on top of it. Yeah. So I just wasn't in front of the camera. But I think where I'm

Daniel Franco:

going, though, is the stress that would have been placed on you at that point. And not just you and it's not you're not in isolation, right. It was everyone and all you know, especially in events, all the above. But I'm interested in how you got through and did you meditate. Did you exercise more? What did you do to your brain? Yeah, being able to think positively and optimistically.

Steve Testar:

Yeah, we kept the wine industry going. Yeah, but we try not to take ourselves too seriously. We were worried, obviously, to self employed people. You know, we were worried just for all the hard work that goes into it, and is one thing doing a lot to help other people doesn't amount to anything if you don't survive, right. And that's what everyone forgets. But we bought like a, I love cycling. And we had a spin bike at home and the stepper thing, so we had that set up. And we also Kells, and I did some really fun stuff where we would do cooking demonstrations and dress up things and zoom dinner parties. And yeah, we had some fun. Yeah. So

Daniel Franco:

for both very creative minds. Yeah. It's been more bland in my house. I want to jump to where that I really like your story of citizenship.

Steve Testar:

Yeah. So I realized, wait, no, you know, back when we could travel, I realized that my kids were their Australian passport and Kelly with her Australian passport. That with my British passport, because I've got permanent residency. So I can come and go, sorry, how old are you kids? Just eight and 10 goes into

Daniel Franco:

2 girls two years.

Steve Testar:

And until they reach

Daniel Franco:

teenagers are here, but yeah, I think I've got mine under wraps. And it's not so Gabs is shaking. I've got it. The same one and roughly nine and seven. So we're around.

Steve Testar:

And it's sort of Yeah, so they were in a different queue for me at the airport. Now. It's time for so.

Daniel Franco:

So how long ago was this? Three years ago?

Steve Testar:

I know. I got my citizenship certificate in November 2018. And you arrived

Daniel Franco:

20 years ago? Yeah. So you winged it quite a while is that through through marriage? Use Kelly to know.

Steve Testar:

I had permanent residency before I met. Okay, because anyway, it was time and actually took two years from applying to get my citizenship. Yeah, it's just it was a really long process. It's not a long process at minute because there's no one coming in. So but at the time, it was a two year waitlist, and I remember I got it The November of yeah, sorry, November 2019. So just before the bushfires and stuff. And then fast forward to Australia Day this year. See, like, I was trying to wait to get to australia day so I could get it from the mayor. But I got in the the November before Australian day, and I thought, I'm just gonna get it. So I can get my passport. And funnily enough, I got my passport during COVID. And that took three days, although no one was going on holiday,

Daniel Franco:

almost three months. So fast forward to this year or two years ago, you're standing in front of everyone at a Citizenship Award. Yeah. accepting your citizenship. So of Australia, two years later, you're awarded with the South Australian citizen.

Steve Testar:

Yeah, so the Euro city of Adelaide and invited Kelly and I in on Australia Day. We just thought we were going into, say a couple of words or something. And buddy COVID, you can take to us up, we could take a couple of three people with us. And we were just good. Anyway, so didn't even know where we're going there. And so we figured we'll just golf, barbecue and drinks afterwards. And anyway, change clothes in the car. We got in there. And it was the citizenship ceremony for Australia Day. And but before the citizenship ceremony, Kelly and I were awarded the city of Adelaide, Australia Day Council citizens of the Year Award for a community event of the which was our bushfire in 2020. So in the year that was with COVID, and everything else. We were still recognized for the little bit of an effort we put in for the bushfire, Karla, which seems like 100 years ago now.

Daniel Franco:

Yeah, that's, I mean, kudos to you guys.

Steve Testar:

Thank you. It's um, yeah, it was, it was nice to get a pat on the back after the year, that's been would be. So we laugh with James Mekhi. Because he only got to enjoy citizen, Australia. And after a year for like, four months. So we're like we're gonna claim out or you

Daniel Franco:

walk around with a head well.

Steve Testar:

i But I think what you're alluding to is that when I stood up and got my little certificate and plaque at the town hall here in in CBD, Adelaide, and I stood up in front of all the people that were just about to get their citizenships and answered, so just over a year ago, that was me sitting down there getting my citizenship verse for Australia. And like I alluded to, I expect to see one of you are getting the Citizen of the Year award. Next is

Daniel Franco:

going to be some sort of record. Have you looked into that? Yeah. Yeah, back into the ACO

Steve Testar:

I was in within 14 months. I think as as you know, your wife puts you back in new place pretty quickly. I had been here and pretty bloody long time. Yeah.

Daniel Franco:

No, you're right. But technically, officially, going by date?

Steve Testar:

It's 14 months to exact Yeah. Setting goals.

Daniel Franco:

Very, very good. What is it like? Being in a, in a relationship with Kelly, where you're both? Running your own businesses? How do you any build routine? In a world that's constantly changing on you both, especially, you know,

Steve Testar:

how do shut down? Well, that's the question happens is, and that's, you know, cuz sometimes you can't always talk to your team about stuff, too. So the problem comes is when I want to talk about stuff, and she's absolutely had enough. Thank you. Yeah. And then she wants to talk about something. And I'm just like,

Daniel Franco:

Oh, my head hurts. Not not right now yet. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. So

Steve Testar:

it's, it's, it's always, it's always one or the other. So like, it's part and parcel at least, at least we've got something we can share in we have similar businesses. Yeah, that makes sense. Yeah. You know, we both help people out. I do it from a business to business, and a business to government and she does it it's business to consumer. So oh, look, my fight same as everyone else. Huh,

Daniel Franco:

yeah, it's relationships oil. So what? What do you how do you kids? How do they handle mum and dad both being entrepreneurs?

Steve Testar:

Um, they have a very good relationship with all of our babysitter's. Look, they get it, we spend time with him when we can. And it's really important. So but, you know, we've chosen a particular life. Yes. So, you know, if you want things to be easier, and you, you know, you want to be mortgage free and debt free and all that stuff, then go buy a little house somewhere. We decided not to. So we've picked a particular life and you have to work to achieve certain outcomes. And that comes at a cost. What

Daniel Franco:

do you think gives you that drive? You'd look at you'd go back to DJ Steve. Yeah, days. And your ability to create relationships from that early onset.

Steve Testar:

Work ethic has a lot to do with it. I don't think it gets brought up much these days. But Kelly and I are the same in the fact from a work ethic when we worked for other people we worked like it was our work it was as your business. The only difference and the only difference when it's your business is you realize all the things you're not good at. And then you hire people that are good at it. So case in point, yeah. That's, that's super smart. Yeah. So and that's, you know, building a good team is really important. And it's hard in COVID, because things change. So I think we're a good support mechanism for each other. And, you know, when one business wasn't doing so well, the other business was there to support and vice versa. And then when both businesses do well, great. So we've had it when both businesses were doing terribly, yes. So it's sort of, you know, the ups

Daniel Franco:

and downs. It's a rollercoaster ride. Yeah. What is your offering advice? I mean, you work with so many businesses, and you connect with so many leaders of businesses, what is one characteristic? Of other leader or a particular leader that you would say, separates them, or creates them an environment where success can be built upon?

Steve Testar:

That's a tough one. A humility? No, I can. No, you cannot. You can be when I was growing up confidence, and assertiveness was what made you powerful. That's, that's not my world. And and I think that's true, the leaders that I work with absolutely inspiring leaders. And I could name a couple as examples. But it's when you don't know. I mean, if you don't have the actual knowledge, as in, you don't have the news to share to your team. Because you don't know because things are changing all the time. You share what you can, and you support as much as you can. And humility is also being able to show that you if you don't know certain things to you know,

Daniel Franco:

absolutely, we ball that up into what we call imperfect leadership. Yeah, where you, you, we all we're all just trying to get through this one way, shape or form. We're just trying our very best, and we might not have all the answers, but we're giving it a go and keeping the lines of communication open. And

Steve Testar:

I think it's that openness, true leaders will happily just saw that empower other people and support other people when it's, you know, and it's, it's sort of nice, because we've made a business around it. Yeah. You know, he used to do it in property, and then you struggle around to get people to pay you. Because they want you to bring them deals and then do anything they can to not pay you and then yeah, but then with showcase SA, we have a busine s that just connects and the mo e you connect, the more positi e the outcomes ar

Daniel Franco:

We've talked a lot about relationships and building relationships with so you say humility, but we've also we're both people collectors, from what it sounds like. You mean you from your DJ Steve days and you've ended up with in a few of their weddings. So you clearly someone who meets greets and actually cares about the relationship that you build? Can you talk to that because that's that's a skill set that not many people realize is a skill set.

Steve Testar:

I don't as I make plenty of people that when they're talking to you,

Daniel Franco:

they're already looking at this. Yeah, yeah. Or their phone or Yeah,

Steve Testar:

mine is generally to make sure I'm not getting a parking ticket or my kids haven't run off it. I have to decide which one I have to rescue, you know, because I can only run one way. Otherwise, it's just it's being it's being with that person in the moment as well. But it's also done, I seem to have a knack that can get information, not information out of people, but people share. And that comes back to how impairing or sorry, how much imposing you are on someone else and whether they're comfortable. So can't package that and sell it.

Daniel Franco:

No, I it's it's a funny one. Because, for me, you know, we've had Elaine, Ben Stiller on from Adelaide zoos on the show and CEO of allied zoos and the show previously, did you understand that too? I was talking about? Yeah, exactly. So it and she, in the podcast that we had with her, she said that her relationship with Stephen Marshall over the years, right? Well, the Liberal Party in general over the years, pre COVID, with not wanting anything, but just having a very open dialogue, constant checking in constant chats, building a really strong foundational base that when push comes to shove, she was really able to lean, you know, and rely on that relationship, when when COVID came across. And that's something that I feel isn't really talked about enough in in this business world, it's don't go out and just try to sell the product to every single person or don't try to get in front and market and build brand awareness by shoving yourself in people's faces. This is just actually genuinely caring about and it sounds to me that that's the approach that you look, you take,

Steve Testar:

it's certainly helps. It's certainly the approach. And look, I enjoy it as well. It's you know, when you do all these testing of how close you are from your personal mindset, and and what you stand for, and your business setup, I think pretty comfortably. So it is would you

Daniel Franco:

would you say that a lot of your success has come from that approach?

Steve Testar:

Yeah, I think so. Yeah. You can't just say we laugh about pouring wine in people's hands. And we might have amazing speakers or great locations. But they've got to know that you live and breathe it as well.

Daniel Franco:

Yeah. So speakers agreed to come and speak because of this trust in your brain. That's right. Absolutely.

Steve Testar:

I've known Steve Marshall for nearly 20 years may give you an idea. But I don't lean on him for anything. Anyway. The funny thing is we have the full support. Yeah. Because part of the liberal approach is that you government shouldn't be funding it, you should be showing that you can do it yourself. Absolutely. So little bit of funding would be nice. You know.

Daniel Franco:

When you let's going let's go back to your fear of speaking in front of the eye. Yeah. And and couple that with when you're getting up in front of people to speak and you're not on, right, you're not feeling it? Yeah. How do you manage through that?

Steve Testar:

Ah, probably the same way you married, you managed to make your way through marriage and relationships when you just grin and bear it. Yeah, and Marlon nod. Yeah. It's tough. We do a lot and and even. Even last year, we still did 50 face to face events and to amaze Yeah, it was like, we have 5000 Different Adelaide business, South Australian businesses in attendance, you

Daniel Franco:

would have had to be doing to a week at some point, if not more,

Steve Testar:

yeah, but it's amazing. What I discovered is when you get a really good team, you don't need to be at the mall Yeah that's true. And that was really great. So, um, but again, everyone's like, well, if you double in size and quadruple in size, what are you going to do? And it was like, well, and this came about from when we had restrictions, we just do two of something. So if you do training and public speaking, you ran two sessions, rather than dilute it. Like sometimes you can get more in the room, but our view for this year is quality over quantity. Not that there wasn't the quality there, but but different things pull different people in. So it's not the same people coming to the same event. So it's just you got to balance it, but to answer your question, it's hard. It is. So it's especially if you're having everyone has ups and downs, right? So if you're having a tough day, it's really hard to go out and smile at everybody. Yeah,

Daniel Franco:

especially when you've read an email before you get when I say, I think that's the worst thing.

Steve Testar:

Yeah. There's that there's that whole thing that you don't respond. You wait. Yeah. reply to that late. Yes. So you don't

Daniel Franco:

react? Absolutely. So you just mentioned the ultimate goal for showcase. I'm interested in that is next step showcase Australia. This is something that showcase AIPAC. Like, where are we,

Steve Testar:

if it does, does do this, I mean, we've got our first industry Expo at the end of April. And then two weeks after that, we've got support SA wine Expo. We've booked half the National Wine center, and we've got 50 wineries coming so you can taste scan the QR code and buy discounted cases of wine. We know the wine industry is in trouble. Yeah. Great. The industry Expo is all the government tenders for Defense, Space, transport infrastructure. We've got 40 Something exhibitors never done an expo before. But hey, we've never done a bushfire gala for 1400 can be done. But it's how do you reach a bigger audience without diluting what you already have? So that's exposes doing that. And again, we're not pay event organizer with a client. So that's the difference. So did I think we'd be running an expo last year? Oh, no, no,

Daniel Franco:

I did. Valley seems like an exciting space. Absolutely.

Steve Testar:

I did. I did vow I wouldn't do another Gala. But never say never. But so this year, we supported the A in Zed. gala ball a great last month and glam and showcase was sponsors. So beautiful. We'll give you the money to run it. Thank

Daniel Franco:

you. You can? Yeah. So just

Steve Testar:

regional is our big push, which we started January last year and December before even it sounds, you know, when you don't want to even look at another person again. A bushfire Gala was on a Saturday night, the following Friday, I took 14 corporates to Port Lincoln for the day. I didn't even want to look at another person. But that's part of what we're doing and what we're trying to achieve.

Daniel Franco:

Yeah. You kind of get the energy when you're around people anyway, does help the extroverts of the world do anyway,

Steve Testar:

great experiences. So that will be rolling regionally. And the beauty of regionally is we can then tie back to the webinar series where you can speak like this, and not have to be in the room. Brilliant, because location is always an issue.

Daniel Franco:

Absolutely. So we're coming to the end of the show, checking our time and checking out. So I guess we'll start wrapping up, we finish off with a with a host of sort of quickfire questions that don't generally go quick. Okay, so we dive into them a little bit sometimes. Yeah. But I'm really interested in when we talk a lot about books on the show, and reading and learning and self development. Can you tell me about one book, or podcast or whatever it might be?

Steve Testar:

Now I can answer that one. And it's going to sound like I'm name dropping again. But I organized it because I have my little man crush on him and Dr. Richard Harris. So I was this is my running with Australian to the 2019 Australian of the Year. Him and Craig challen went over. They were the cave divers and Anita just rescued the Thai boys.

Daniel Franco:

I was just interesting.

Steve Testar:

There's so much Dr. Richard Harris. The book's

Daniel Franco:

title I think I don't know. I think it's

Steve Testar:

got them on the front. Yeah. Yeah. We were lucky enough to have in January this year. Richard speaker Showcase event and we'll get him back later in the year as well because he is not less than that ladies. Yeah. Oh, yes, he is. And he's an ambassador for Operation Flinders and another absolute legend. Sensational. So if you haven't read it, read it. There's so much you can learn. Yeah, get business find it and put it in this show. Yeah, definitely. Yeah, I got him. I got him. I just signed my book. So but I my wife would tell you I read really slowly but that's because I'm taking and you're absorbing it. Yeah, look. That's probably one of my from how things can go. wrong and the guy could have ended up in jail. Yeah. Yeah. Could have been very different. I lost everything business wise. Anyway. Yeah.

Daniel Franco:

Yeah, we'll get onto a superstar. If you want to look back and provide advice to your 10 year old self. So, what would you what would you tell yourself?

Steve Testar:

After reading I'm spending so many years in property, and then reading the Barefoot Investor book? I would have Scott Scott pipes. I would have got my 10 year old self to the odd couple of pounds at the time a week away for my paper around and put myself in a very different situation when it comes to retirement now. So yeah, just better with money.

Daniel Franco:

Think you can open a super account at 12 now, which is great. Yeah. When

Steve Testar:

you throw the parents out, look at that compounding. Yeah, just it's phenomenal.

Daniel Franco:

Yeah. 100% What's one item on your bucket list?

Steve Testar:

Hmm. sort of funny because it used to be you know, your car. And that kind of stuff. And then and then it was the caravan and we got the caravan then we got the upgraded caravan, which is you know,

Daniel Franco:

I'm very jealous. Would you do the old one? Oh, yeah. Trolley live around the corner just dropped by having

Steve Testar:

Try having two caravan in COVID. Ah, I'd like to have I wanted to win that hospital. Yeah. House. Yeah. The day of words we pull for Yeah, honestly. So

Daniel Franco:

hang on, you're already a stone's throw. Yeah. If

Steve Testar:

I was being completely materialistic, it would, it would be a view of the ocean. I love the ocean. Yeah.

Daniel Franco:

I'm with you. If you had access to a time machine, and you could go forward, back, but up and back once. So one trip? Where would you go?

Steve Testar:

I reckon. One of my favorite places on earth is Manet's bridge in Shivani, about an hour outside of Paris. And before I came to Australia, my friends got married on that bridge, and you can only do it and have photographs if you're from the little village of Shivani. So I'd go back and sit next to Claude Monet when he's painting the bridge in Germany, with the wife or the wife to be wine and the wine. Yep.

Daniel Franco:

How long ago? Was that? Testing history Knology.

Steve Testar:

Yeah, not sure.

Daniel Franco:

Hundreds you

Steve Testar:

know, not too far. Yeah, so nothing incredibly, but pretty romantic. Yeah. A few years ago would have been Salvador Dali and seeing some of that craziness in his head in his creations. But I feel like I got to meet Chester I was born and go and hang out with him with the Dalai exhibition at the cube. So I've done that.

Daniel Franco:

Good job. Fit one superhero power. What would it be?

Steve Testar:

Jesus. Be cool to fly.

Daniel Franco:

Yeah, it would be so original

Steve Testar:

loving good superhero.

Daniel Franco:

If flying would be good. Is that usual? Teleportation? Teleportation would be better. I feel like flying is still take a while it's cheaper pounds on get your stamp. So I agree. Last question. We have one of my favorites. What is your best that joke?

Steve Testar:

Now? I'm riddled with them apparently. And the older you get, the more people call you on them.

Daniel Franco:

The funnier they become. That's

Steve Testar:

what do you call a good factory?

Daniel Franco:

What do you call it? Satisfactory? Rubbish. It's so good. I love it. Really, thank you very much for your time today, Steve. It's been an amazing chat. I really really loved hearing about you and your story about how he came to be doing some great things for South Australia and the businesses within South Australia. So kudos to you and Kelly for doing that and studying it up and and to her with a glam project as well. It's It's fabulous. Where can we find you and get in touch?

Steve Testar:

Ah, so showcase a.com.au Nice simple one. I'm Steve at showcasesa.c m.au And we are in all the usu ls with Facebook link In an inst nt, yeah. Excellent. Reach o t.

Daniel Franco:

Perfect. Thank you, everyone for tuning in again. Thanks, Steve, for today, and we'll catch you next time.

Steve Testar:

Thanks for having me. Cheers, guys.

Synergy IQ:

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