5 Minutes with Duncan Redman

1/ Who is Duncan?

I was born in Penola & lived my early years in Coonawarra. My family moved to Adelaide when I was nine years old. I completed my schooling in Adelaide and went to the University of Adelaide where I completed a Bachelor of Economics.
Since graduating from University, career opportunities took me to work & live in London, Sydney and Hong Kong.

I currently reside in Adelaide with Andrea (my wife of 31 years) and my 12 yo black lab.

My two children, Tim & Amelia, are successfully pursuing careers in hospitality & teaching. Given my family involvement in the region, it is ironic that Amelia lives in Mt Gambier and teaches at Grant HS.

2/ What are the main professional areas you have worked in over the years?

I am a member of the Institute of Charted Accountants of Australia & New Zealand.

I worked for leading accounting firms in Adelaide, Hong Kong, London & Sydney. After leaving accounting, I worked in senior management positions across a number of dynamic and complex organisations in both the commercial & not-for-profit sectors.

I commenced working as a Business Coach & Mentor in 2009 and established my own business, Dare to Dream in 2016.

3/ What is the biggest challenge you have faced professionally or personally?

Whilst I had a very successful career as a Chartered Accountant, I realised early on that a career in accounting was not my true passion. As a result I embarked on a search for a career that would truly ignite my passion.

My wide range of experience in business & life has led me to where I am living my purpose as a Business Coach and Mentor – being to help business owners align their aspirations in business and life such that they have the confidence to implement sustainable changes to create the business of their dreams.

4/ What is your favourite place to visit in the Limestone Coast & Western Victoria area?

My two favourite places to visit in the region are the wineries at Coonawarra and Robe.

5/ Do you have any recommendations for our members to  take away?

My takeaway from working with business owners is that we all start out in business with big dreams. As time goes on, these dreams are often swamped with the reality of running a business. In those times we feel overwhelmed by the day-to-day grind, unable to find the time and energy to create the business we truly desire. In fact, we often complain that the business dominates our lives leaving little or no time to spend with our family or to pursue our passions outside of the business.

If you are feeling like this remember there are resources available to help you deal with these feelings – the issue is that you just have to be prepared to ask for help!!