» Fun

Alice Springs. Great place for a sensational conference.

Michael Harrison — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 09:55:16 +0000

The Synchron NextGen conference for under 40 year old financial advisers is my favourite conference of the year.

This year in Alice Springs was no exception. Sales training by Jim Prigg, technology insights by yours truly and video instruction by Colin Pearce. Add plenty of outdoor activities, morning aerobics with Zumba lessons, learning to play a digeriedoo and a visit from some real snakes.

Here are a couple of photos of me “at work”.

All I want for Christmas…

Michael Harrison — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 17:57:10 +0000

Ever thought of something you really wanted, but couldn’t find it in shops? Chances are, if the product is quirky enough, an Australian has already invented it.

Jo Lapidge and her family decided to buy a cat. However, she was soon regretting the decision after discovering how often she needed to clean the kitty litter. Watching the movie “Meet the parents” Lapidge found her solution when the cat went to the toilet on an actual toilet! With a few disks and a cheap toilet seat, Lapidge trained her own cat to use a normal toilet rather than the kitty litter.

“I only ever intended it for us, but then my husband, Terry, and I started wondering about commercial possibilities,” Lapidge said. Now the “Litter Kwitter” is sold in countries all over the globe, including the US and Britain.

Lapidge isn’t our only quirky inventor. Gilbert Huynh created a brand of underwear called 4SKINS. What makes this underwear special is that they have odour-neutralising fabric. In other words, you can pass gas and not have to worry about someone smelling it. Surprisingly, more women are buying this product than men, however, not for themselves.

“I’m amazed at the number of women who are buying them for their boyfriends or husbands,” Huynh said.

Quirky inventions like these are worth around $12 billion a year to the Australian economy, which is an excellent return for the simplest of ideas.

So, if you find yourself placing an unusual item on your Christmas wish list, it might profit you to think about creating it yourself.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Going out on a limb to really win.

Michael Harrison — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 09:24:45 +0000

My mates at Synchron (a financial services group) run some of the the best conferences I attend. Their ideas are fresh, they challenge the status quo and of course they use great presenters (your truly).

Here are the directors, with a little help from executive assistant Josie Vella, acting as cheer leaders to the applause of all attendees at the Synchron Next Generation Conference for under 40 year old financal advisers.

Don’s Favourite Sign

Michael Harrison — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 23:15:39 +0000

Travelling in Queenstown New Zealand yesterday I came across a little town called Cardona. It’s in the Queenstown ski area and the pub has a cosy log fire and some interesting signs and antiques.

My travelling companion Don Trapnell really felt at home with this sign.

Business can be funny

Michael Harrison — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 05:43:25 +0000

A teachers asks her class, “All those who want to go to heaven, put up your hand.”

Everyone raises their hand, except Samuel, so the teachers asks, “Why don’t you want to go to heaven, Samuel?”

“Because,” he replies, “I heard my father tell my mother, ‘Business has gone to hell,’ and I want to go where the business went.”