00:06:00 · Charlie Gearside, S2
[00:06:00] S0: So, yeah, I think you're right, Adam. It was a factor. I just didn't really notice it. [00:06:05] S2: Yeah. I think even just seeing you since when we first met, you seem a lot more energized. You seem a lot more, like, present, which is which is a really interesting thing to see. I think when I think about you, I think I think about a polymath. Right? Because you're an art director. You taught yourself how to code. You're like a creative meets technology. Those kind of personalities are often very good at the early stage and and thrive a lot in chaos. Did you always know about that about yourself, or is this kind of a a recent introspection thing that you've come to around, like, the places where you think you thrive the most?
00:06:05 · S2, Charlie Gearside
[00:06:05] S2: Yeah. I think even just seeing you since when we first met, you seem a lot more energized. You seem a lot more, like, present, which is which is a really interesting thing to see. I think when I think about you, I think I think about a polymath. Right? Because you're an art director. You taught yourself how to code. You're like a creative meets technology. Those kind of personalities are often very good at the early stage and and thrive a lot in chaos. Did you always know about that about yourself, or is this kind of a a recent introspection thing that you've come to around, like, the places where you think you thrive the most? [00:06:40] S0: Yeah. It's a little bit of a recent introspection. I think you're like... You sort of like... It's like... Yeah. You look back and you're like, oh, okay. This narrative makes sense. Yeah. Yeah. I've always liked getting my hands dirty and understanding, like, the technology at a core level or, you know, I'm a terrible drawer, but I believe that, like, given enough time, I can, like, draw something that sort of resembles what I'm trying to do, for example. So it's sort of... But, like, this approach that learn all the skills and then eventually when it's time to hand the skills off to other people that, like, at least you can have, like, a more serious conversation about, like, what to do. Yeah. So, like, jack of all trades and sort of master nun has been my my approach. And, yeah, you're right. General... Generalists are great... Good at the early stage, but less so later on.
00:06:40 · Charlie Gearside, S2
[00:06:40] S0: Yeah. It's a little bit of a recent introspection. I think you're like... You sort of like... It's like... Yeah. You look back and you're like, oh, okay. This narrative makes sense. Yeah. Yeah. I've always liked getting my hands dirty and understanding, like, the technology at a core level or, you know, I'm a terrible drawer, but I believe that, like, given enough time, I can, like, draw something that sort of resembles what I'm trying to do, for example. So it's sort of... But, like, this approach that learn all the skills and then eventually when it's time to hand the skills off to other people that, like, at least you can have, like, a more serious conversation about, like, what to do. Yeah. So, like, jack of all trades and sort of master nun has been my my approach. And, yeah, you're right. General... Generalists are great... Good at the early stage, but less so later on. [00:07:35] S2: But then, like, the counterexample of that is this whole kind of founder mode thing that took over probably about a year ago where people like Brian Chesky were, like, coming back in who are more generalists. Like, Brian's a designer and, you know, a creative at heart. Yeah. And then there's a whole, like, Steve Jobs coming back in. Yeah. Do you think that there's a role for, like, the generalist CEO? Like, you know, Tim's a generalist. You're probably more creative than Tim.
00:07:35 · S2, Charlie Gearside, Adam Miller
[00:07:35] S2: But then, like, the counterexample of that is this whole kind of founder mode thing that took over probably about a year ago where people like Brian Chesky were, like, coming back in who are more generalists. Like, Brian's a designer and, you know, a creative at heart. Yeah. And then there's a whole, like, Steve Jobs coming back in. Yeah. Do you think that there's a role for, like, the generalist CEO? Like, you know, Tim's a generalist. You're probably more creative than Tim. [00:07:59] S0: It's the CEO. Like, the CEO part... You're right. It's like the ultimate generalist. Right? So if you're the CEO, there's there's that role for you. But if you're realistically an executive, you need to sort of Yeah. Be strong in, like, your area. Yeah. And thankfully, like, Tim is, like, an absolute amazing, like, generational CEO in so many different areas. Like, many of which were areas that, you know, like, marketing and stuff that we we both worked on. So, like, I felt even more comfortable that, like, I wasn't leaving a Yeah. Much of a Yeah. A hole. [00:08:36] S1: Yeah. And you mentioned balance before, the lack of it. It's like when you look at your past six years with you can... Being at a hyperscaling company, like, were there periodic elements of balance and peace or is it retrospectively? It was just always pushing it to the limit, and it just always felt like chaos.
00:08:36 · Adam Miller, Charlie Gearside
[00:08:36] S1: Yeah. And you mentioned balance before, the lack of it. It's like when you look at your past six years with you can... Being at a hyperscaling company, like, were there periodic elements of balance and peace or is it retrospectively? It was just always pushing it to the limit, and it just always felt like chaos. [00:08:55] S0: Yeah. I think that's a good read. Like, there's definitely... Like, I was very much a project guy, so, like, if we had to launch an app... Like, we launched our first mobile app. I was like, alright. I'll run with that. That would be my project for six months, cross functional team, that kind of thing, or launch a new brand or, yeah, work on health coaching or or whatever. So for me, it was very much like sprint and then sort of working out in between what to work on. Yeah. It's like this... I don't know. It's just the way I the way I personally like to work.
00:08:55 · Charlie Gearside, S2
[00:08:55] S0: Yeah. I think that's a good read. Like, there's definitely... Like, I was very much a project guy, so, like, if we had to launch an app... Like, we launched our first mobile app. I was like, alright. I'll run with that. That would be my project for six months, cross functional team, that kind of thing, or launch a new brand or, yeah, work on health coaching or or whatever. So for me, it was very much like sprint and then sort of working out in between what to work on. Yeah. It's like this... I don't know. It's just the way I the way I personally like to work. [00:09:36] S2: Yeah. What what I'm really fascinated about is that your kind of conception of your own identity. Because when I... Like, when anyone meets you, you're very humble. You're very, like, Australian. Like, if I think of an Australian bloke, I think of you. Like, I think of someone that likes sport. I think of someone that is, like, you know, humble and, like, curious and kind and stuff. Is there ever a point in which, you know, there was an ego about scaling a big company, an ego of, like, talking to VCs? And maybe they actually didn't get that archetype. I didn't get that because I think this will then flow onto the content you're creating now and and the vision for Australia. But I wanna kinda set the scene with if you've ever had to bring out different sides of yourself or you ever felt that you had to, like, push that side of you down.