Issue 5 Executive Cyclist Magazine

EXECUTIVE CYCLIST MAGAZINE

november 2013

ACE member Rebecca Snell at the November Rapha Gentlemen’s Race, Sydney

ACE member Giovanni Pilu out training on Sydney’s northern beaches

E X E C U T I V E C Y C L I S T M AG A Z I N E | ISSUE 05

Coffee with the Bunch, October 2013. La Perouse.

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E X E C U T I V E C Y C L I S T M AG A Z I N E | ISSUE 05 Executive Cyclist Magazine is published six times in 2013 by The Daily Tour and is produced independently of Australian Cycling Executives (ACE) and Australian Cycling Professionals (ACP). Views expressed by authors, contributors or advertisers aren’t necessarily those of the publisher, the founders of ACE, ACP or it’s partners. Copyright is reserved, so we’d ask you not to reproduce the publication in another form. Feel free to share via links though.

Contact: bigguy@sweatandgears.com

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Executive Profile

Download 200,000+ brand logos in vector format for free http://www.logoeps.com/

EXECUTIVE CYCLIST MAGAZINE

Introduction

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Profile. Andy Sheats of health.com.au

November issue is a slightly smaller

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6 Australians in 100 Years

planned just before people disappear.

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Ridgeland Drive.

(Norton Summit, Adelaide)

Stay tuned after Christmas as there are

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Foggy Eastern Creek

ACE kicks off with an event on the last

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Profile. Jamin Hill of ANZ

day of the Tour Down Under. With many

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Links to Past Issues

are sure to be a few informal rides.

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Stephen Lacey profiles Mark Textor

You may have noticed a new logo -

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Bronte Road

name and is a better reflection of the

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Profile. Greg Johnson of TAL

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Life Insurance saved this cyclist

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Gallery. Coffee with the Bunch

so busy and hard to get a hold of. This one, with a bumper finale to the year

some exciting things planned for 2014.

members headed for Adelaide, there

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It must be Christmas. Everyone is

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Issue 5

ISSUE 05

CONTENTS

The Daily Tour. This is a new business business. Why? Well look out for 10 daily issues of the ‘The daily Tour’ during the TDU!!

Simon - bigguy@sweatandgears.com

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Australian Cycling Executives

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Introduction

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Lace up those skates!

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Wayne Gretzky once said “A good hockey

event this year, I think you’ll agree, it’s a new

player plays where the puck is. A great hockey

experience that offers you this clarity and

player plays where the puck is going to be”.

considerable benefits to your personal and

With the conclusion of our first ConExSus

professional life.

series in Sydney, I can’t agree more!

Those that know me well, will confirm my

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As the line between our personal lives

mantle of making genuine and sustainable

increasingly blurs with our busy professional

relationships, and my passion for assisting

schedules, I think we’re all assessing how

people in creating these relationships. Whilst

to control this process. What if it’s not really

many great formats exist for ‘networking’

control we need, just clarity and a way to

with the ‘right people’, they typically follow a

align our personal passion to our professional

format of only connecting on a professional

schedule? For those who attended a BWTB

level, and therefore only enabling you to be “a

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Introduction

good player and play where the puck is”. So,

is only the start of this new approach. It’s

for those seeking to be “a truly great player”,

inspiring to see launches of other new models

the puck’s moving, and it’s moving quickly to

and communities, away from cycling, that share

a place that doesn’t shy away from appealing

our vision and are committed to facilitating

to both sides of your life, and in fact aims at

personal connections that will in time, develop

enriching both!

into genuine and sustainable professional relationships.

Yes, this is ACE’s purpose, and I’m confident that we’ve truly innovated networking in

So, if you’re reading this and looking for “where

developing our model and community. However

the puck is going to be”, chances are you’re

whilst this works for our members who share

already skating there right now!

a passion for riding a bike, Lance did get something right… It’s not about the bike! ACE

Ryan O’Neill, ACE CEO and Founder 13

Guests at the recent ACE Coffee with the Bunch at Sydney City Lexuswere treated to a special appearance by a pair of Maserati GranTurismo S. Main picture shows guest pro Lachlan Morton of Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda getting a quick rundown of some of the main features.

CLICK anywhere on the page and turn the volume up.

Beach Road, Melbourne. May 2012.

PERFORMANCE ROAD BIKE HIRE – ACE PARTNER

Sydney CBD Melbourne CBD (from December 2013) www.livelo.com.au

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Andy Sheats health.com.au Executive Profile

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Andy Sheats health.com.au

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Executive Profile

I grew up in California and

policies even though they cost us

studied Industrial Engineering

thousands of dollars.

in Uni. I spent my early career rolling out Lean Manufacturing

As “online people” we hated

for an airplane company, and

driving down to their shop-

then a couple of years working

front to make claims and do

for a management consulting firm

paperwork. We just thought,

in San Francisco doing this for

“there has to be a better way”.

other companies.

So, we designed hassle-free

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CEO health.com.au

policies that are easy to buy, easy I’ve spent most of the last 20-ish

to understand, easy to use and

years setting up and growing

accessible 24x7.

online businesses, and the past 6

health.com.au was founded by

years as the head of strategy for

a small team of health insurance

realestate.com.au. I left there in

and digital experts. I came on

2011 to start health.com.au

as CEO in June 2011 and pulled this team together. Our health

We started health.com.au

insurance team comes from

because, as customer of the big

Australia’s largest and best-

corporate health funds we found

known health insurers and has

it really hard to make sense of

over 100 years of experience

our own health insurance

between them. Our digital team comes from realestate.com.au

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and pulls together experts from

insurance comparison websites

The great thing is that this is

companies like SEEK, iSelect

to reach a broad audience much

working. We have already signed

and 99designs. They get health

faster than we would be able

up about 40,000 Australians,

insurance, and together we really

to through organic marketing

and grown the business from nil

get how online should work.

efforts.

revenue to almost $50m in the past 16 months.

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We gained our Registration from

We had to raise a considerable

PHIAC (the Government regulator

amount of cash to get health.

We now serve all of Australia

for health insurance) and

com.au off the ground. So far

from our office in Abbotsford VIC,

commenced sales in April 2012.

we have pulled together almost

and have customers in every

One of our core strategies, and in

$35m in equity investment from

state.

fact a key driver of growth, is to

about 70 shareholders. This has

leverage iSelect and other health

been a huge effort.

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Executive Profile

What business challenges do

What sports have you been

Describe a good week on the

you face in 2013?

involved with?

bike?

Starting a new business is

I have been cycling since I was

I aim to do early morning rides

so unbelievably difficult. Our

a young kid. I started with BMX

on Tuesday and Thursday –

challenge really was survival

and then moved through early

something in the range of 65km

through the early stages. We

mountain bikes and ultimately

each. If I can get up earlier I

have come so close to the edge

began road biking when I was in

hit out on North Road. I try to

so many times that it makes me

Uni. Aside from cycling I am a

get out for a long ride on the

dizzy. However, having now

very keen skier.

weekend with a group of mates

raised the necessary capital and

for 150-175km. Of course, this

built the company to scale, I am

often gets ripped to shreds by

so happy that we are out of the

cold weather, work, travel and

danger zone at last!

family obligations.

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health.com.au health.com.au is reinventing health insurance

for younger, healthier Australians who identify with a clear and simple online business. We

are the first completely new Australian health

insurance company since 1977, and the fastest E X E C U T I V E C Y C L I S T M AG A Z I N E | ISSUE 05

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growing one. health.com.au recently won the 2013 Telstra Australian Business Award as Australia’s best new company.

Executive Profile

What is a cycling ambition?

My only real ambition is to keep cycling for as long as possible.

a Moots. custom Ti bike.

My other bike is a Chris King

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I have two bikes. My main ride is

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What bike/s do you ride?

steel frame. More beautiful than practical!

How do you balance your personal, professional and riding lives?

I ride early, and unfortunately riding falls at the bottom of this list.

Do you have a favourite ride/s?

road along a ridge-line through

We are so lucky in Melbourne.

gum trees. It always feels like

Why did you get involved with

We have such an incredible

sunrise or sunset along that

the Search to Retain NRS

variety of rides available to us.

ridge.

team?

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Cielo. This is a pretty classic

I know Peter Shandon, the Team

My favourite ride heads north to Kinglake, but has a bit of a twist.

And then it heads out Skyline

Director, through riding. We

http://www.strava.com/

Drive along a graded dirt road

joined up with the team last

activities/2294049

overlooking the Yarra Valley.

year to help build awareness for

Finish it off with Kinglake and

health.com.au insurance within

After a short run through the

then return home by the more

the cycling community. This

‘burbs it has a pretty sharp kick

conventional road circuit.

is part of a broader outreach where we also sponsor a number

up through Mount Pleasant.

After that it hits Pidgeon Bank

All up it is 130km and just under

of grass-roots events like the

Road, which I think is Victoria’s

3000 meters of climb. But feels

Melburn Roobaix. We really

best road – think 1 lane graded

like a lot more.

liked Search2Retain’s underdog 25

What’s your take on why weather doesn’t stop people riding in Melbourne?

As Cav said in an interview a couple years

MOOTS .

ago, “you know that gene that tells you ‘don’t

My Moots has a customer Ti

do this’? We don’t have that”. Seriously.

to fit me, and it is the nicest

E X E C U T I V E C Y C L I S T M AG A Z I N E

status as a young team that was punching above its weight – like health.com.au is in health insurance. Both health.com.au and the Search2Retain team have done far better this year than any of our competitors would have ever expected!

What does a company like health.com.au look for if approached for sponsorship?

We look at a number of things. The first is alignment with our brand, where we applaud people who are making good choices for

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healthy living. Cycling is a fantastic sport and full of people like this.

Commercially we look for relationships that reach large numbers of

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cyclists where we can engage online through social media – which is one reason we tend to look at events like the Melburn Roobaix.

Something to share with the group….a passion, something interesting.

I work a lot with the Amy Gillett Foundation. They are the only ones out there who are pushing for our safety on the Road. One of my favourite events is the annual Amy’s Share the Road Tour where we take out 30-35 significant fund-raisers and a group of current and past Pro riders to take on a 1100-1200 km route through some of Australia’s most beautiful routes. In past years we have gone Canberra to Melbourne, a loop around NSW, Tassie, Adelaide to Melboure. This coming December we will do “a lap of Tassie”.

I suspect that this will be the best ever.

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Tell us about your love of

frame that was made especially riding bike I have ever had. It is the bespoke suit of bicycles, and I just love it. The details and welding are fantastic. It has SRAM Red, Zipp 404’s and every Chris King bit that he makes.

I’ve had this bike for about 7 or 8 years and would guess that it has way over 100,000 kms on it. I’ve replaced virtually every piece on it as they have worn out (going onto the third groupset now).

As I mentioned earlier, I take it out on dirt roads all the time.

However, these are so bulletproof that it remains in perfect brand-new shape, and people can’t believe how old it is.

There are a lot of bikes that cost far more, but very few that I would trade for.

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Simon Gerrans pictured with the auction jersey

6 in 100 is an initiative of ACE member Conrad Bates of C3 Business Solutions

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Images shot from a ride with the guys from Adelaide-based Velo-Porte.

E X E C U T I V E C Y C L I S T M AG A Z I N E | ISSUE 05

Norton Summit (formerly Norton’s Summit) is located approximately 12km east of the city of Adelaide, in the Adelaide Hills.

The ‘official’ Norton Summit Hill Climb goes up Norton Summit Road, is 5.6km in length, elevation gains 271m and an average gradient of 4.9m.

Like many of the Adelaide Hills rides, there are numerous alternative routes. Ridgeland Drive is a little steeper but has a great spot to stop and look back over Adelaide.

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Ridgeland Drive • (Norton Summit)

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Ridgeland Drive • (Norton Summit)

Norton Summit Road

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E X E C U T I V E C Y C L I S T M AG A Z I N E

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Eastern Creek Raceway

May 2012 | Eastern Creek There are a few ACE members and an Advisory Board member in there...somewhere.

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Eastern Creek Raceway

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Eastern Creek Raceway

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Prologue

At the Tour Down Under Thursday 16 January 2014 1

The Tour Down Under is a massive event, that

10 issues in total, the first released 1 week

just happens to have a bike race at the centre

before the race, then daily from Saturday 18 to

of it. And it is ultimately successful because of

Sunday 26 January 2014.

the people who come to watch the race.

The magazines can be viewed directly via The Daily Tour will capture (some of) these

Facebook or accesssed through links from

people, in a free, daily pictorial magazine -

one of the sharing cycling websites.

online.

Like the Facebook page to keep up-to-date Early morning bunch rides, team events,

and get the first release.

public events, race sign ons, cafes.... wherever the cyclist are. And a little pro

For information about advertising contact

stuff also.

bigguy@sweatandgears.com

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During the Tour Down Under do you have a need for photography?

Corporate Functions, Early Morning Rides, Launches, Press Conferences, Pre-Race, Roadside Functions, Lunches and Dinners Contact Simon on 0412 475 881 or bigguy@sweatandgears.com

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Jamin Hill

ANZ Banking Corporation

Executive Profile

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ANZ Banking Corporation

Jamin Hill

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starting in 1990 as a Credit

given I worked in the World Trade

Analyst for a subsidiary of a USA

Centre. It was life changing and

bank - Philadelphia National

really made me appreciate the

Bank, while completing my BBus

important things - like family,

in Accounting and Finance at

health and friends.

UTS, Sydney.

I returned to Australia after nearly Stayed with the company when

3 years in the USA and took a

they were acquired by State

12 month sabbatical. I joined

Street as a Relationship Manager

Westpac Institutional Bank

covering the Australian Corporate

and ran the Global Transaction

market.

Banking business. During my time heading up the business,

Joined Standard Chartered Bank

Westpac’s Transactional Bank

in 1995, headed up their middle

became #1 in the country by

market team and then moved

every measure.

to New York with them in 2000 as Senior Vice President and

I joined ANZ Institutional Bank

Global Relationship Manager. I

in 2010 in a Strategic Alignment

ran the global relationships for

role designed to identify and

some of SCB’s biggest clients

drive cross divisional business

including Coca Cola, McDonalds,

opportunities.

Pfizer and Colgate. It took me

Currently Head of Product

not only to many of the USA’s

Distribution for Corporate &

states and cities but also over

Commercial division, I lead

the developing world with regular

a national team of Working

trips into China and India and

Capital Sales managers and am

across many Asian countries.

responsible for the distribution

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September 11. Very fortuitous

E X E C U T I V E C Y C L I S T M AG A Z I N E

Head of Product Distribution Corporate & Commercial Banking

Over 20 years in banking,

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Executive Profile

of Wealth, Retail and Institutional A well timed family vacation

products across Corporate &

in a Winnebago across the

Commercial division.

Pacific NorthWest of the USA meant I was away from NYC on 47

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Executive Profile

ANZ Banking Corporation

micro businesses all the way up to large private and and smaller listed companies, subsidiaries of multinationals and Agri and regional clients. A real powerhouse in ANZ!

What current business challenges do you face?

Challenges exist around trying to deliver fantastic outcomes for our customers, our staff and our shareholders in a very competitive,

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serves clients that range from small

E X E C U T I V E C Y C L I S T M AG A Z I N E

division is the part of the bank that

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ANZ Corporate & Commercial

often changing and uncertain business environment. It’s been a very tough few years in banking - don’t let the bank headline profit results fool you.

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What sports have you been involved with?

Through school and university I was heavily involved in rowing. I was in the winning 1st VIII for Newington College in 1987 and after leaving school rowed competitively with Sydney E X E C U T I V E C Y C L I S T M AG A Z I N E

Rowing Club. I represented NSW at national championships on a number of occasions including winning a national title in the Men’s Youth Eight in 1988. I’m rubbish at most other sports.

When and why did you get into cycling ?

About 10 years ago. I was buying a couple of bikes for my kids and thought I might get one too to ride with them. I bought a mountain bike and started riding the trails behind my house

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with a mate of mine and next.

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Do you have a favourite ride/s?

I love doing mtb endurance races such as the Convict 100 and Highland Fling. I’ve also done the Otway Odyssey a few times.

In terms of road rides, I’m lucky where I live as I have some great riding close by. Bobbin Head, Brooklyn, Berowra and Galston Gorges are a short ride away and Akuna and West Head only a little further afield. An epic ride is doing all of them at once which I’ll get to do during my Christmas break.

We usually spend Easter in Thredbo which means road riding up to Charlotte Pass or down to Tom Groggin and back. Brilliant stuff.

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Executive Profile

What is a cycling ambition?

to come over and watch them

What bike/s do you ride?

One year I am going to ride the

with an open fire, a few beers

My road bike is a Moots Vamoots

cyclo sportif versions of the Tour

and a glass of red. When I first

RSL running Campag Super

of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix.

started riding and commuting,

Record 11speed. My front

They are held the day before the

almost none of my friends and

derailleur has been busted for

big pro races and are a week

colleagues rode bikes - most

a while so big ring only! My

apart. While I’m over there, I’d

thought I was nuts. Now heaps

mountain bike is a Moots hard

throw in a few of the French and

do. My kids think that I started

tail 29er running Shimano XTR.

Italian alpine climbs for good

the global trend!

measure. I love watching the

Moots is a boutique brand from

Spring Classics and Grand Tours

Steamboat Springs, Colorado

and each year it’s open house

and make stunning titanium

at my place for my local mates

bikes.

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My super-commuter is a steel

How do you balance your

Family does come first - I rarely

Voodoo 29er running a Rohloff

personal, professional and

ride weekends during school

internal geared hub and Schmidt

riding lives?

term because I love watching my

dyno front hub. Full guards, racks

This is a great question.

kids play sport plus I’m needed

and a pannier and wired with

Commuting really helps - if I

as a taxi - my wife and I having

lights and even an air-horn. It’s an

didn’t commute, I’d go crazy not

to divide and conquer. With 4

awesome sight to behold.

to mention be fatter and unfit.

very active and sporty daughters,

I live what I think is the near

including a couple of rowers,

I also have a Yeti Cyclocross

perfect commuting distance at

weekends are pretty full. I make

that I run single speed and often

24 kms each way. Long enough

the most of school holidays and

commute on that.

to be meaningful and short

pack some good riding in then.

enough that I rarely don’t ride when in Sydney.

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I’ve left my fair share of skin on

meant I’ve been at ANZ HQ in

I can get pretty fit when I string

the road. It’s not just my bikes

Melbourne at least a day or two

a month or two of solid riding

that are made of titanium - I have

a week. That really hurts my

together - which I can usually

some serious hardware in my

cycling mileage and my fitness

manage over summer. That

shoulder!

(and therefore my attitude) but it

means I’ve finished at the pointy

should return to a more normal

end of quite a few races - some

Tell us about JDRF and your

one or two overnight trips a

top 30’s and top 50’s overall in

participation:

month come the new year.

mtb enduros. I usually do sub 5

I have participated in the annual

hours in events like the fling and

JDRF Ride to Cure diabetes

I don’t ride mid week other than

convict which isn’t bad for an old

for each of the last 7 years. It’s

commuting - with lots of early

guy.

a wonderful event held in the

and late school drop offs to

Barossa Valley in SA. I led the

manage and a seemingly endless

I finished 7th overall in the 240km

Westpac Team when I worked

house renovation (got to love old

3 Peaks road ride in the Victorian

there and then started the ANZ

houses).

high country a few years back

team when I joined the bank.

too. That was a long and wet One thing I’ve learnt over the last

day in the saddle but very

My boss and ANZ Australia CEO

few years is that although I love

rewarding. I also did the 100

Phil Chronican introduced me to

cycling and enjoy competing - I

mile Fling last year - let me tell

the ride and the charity when he

no longer stress about training for

you, 160kms on a mountain bike

and I worked at Westpac and

events. I’m a husband and dad

is a long way! If rowing taught me

due to a family connection with

first, and I want to spend time

one thing, it’s “how to hurt”. That

the disease, it really struck a

with my family. A blink and the

comes in handy on the bike.

chord with me. It’s an important

kids will be grown up and hardly

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Damin on fitness and injury:

E X E C U T I V E C Y C L I S T M AG A Z I N E

Lately, work commitments have

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Executive Profile

charity and forming a work

at home - there will be plenty of

As we know, there are only two

team is a great way to raise

time to ride then. I also need to

types of cyclists. Those who have

much needed funds and build

feed, educate and house them

crashed and those are yet to

worthwhile networks too.

so work is important!

crash. I’m in the former category and have an orthopaedic surgeon on speed dial. Quite a few broken bones including two collar bones, a scapula and a couple if dislocated shoulders.

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November 2013, 6.35am | Sydney Harbour Bridge

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Rapha Gentlemen’s Race Sydney

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Links to past issues

Issue 2

Issue 3

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Issue 1

Issue 4

Randonnee

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Screen grab from UK Channel 4 News

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ISSUE 05 | E X E C U T I V E C Y C L I S T M AG A Z I N E

The Body Politic.

We talk cycling with the man who put Tony Abbott in the lodge.

Words: Stephen Lacey

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Crosby Textor

Mark Textor

E X E C U T I V E C Y C L I S T M AG A Z I N E

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Executive Profile

aren’t many hills in Darwin so I

member who has been in the

knew nothing about tempo or

press quite often lately.

technique. I was used to bashing

joint managing director of Crosby Textor remembers better than the rest. On December 25, 1974 he woke up to find his childhood home literally blown away by Cyclone Tracey, and along with it all of his Christmas presents… except one.

There, beneath the rubble he uncovered the best gift an eight-year-old boy could hope for; a bright orange Malvern Star dragster with a three-speed T-bar shift. Textor dusted it off and spent the rest of Christmas Day, pedalling it around the disaster zone that was Darwin.

“It was an eerie experience,” he recalls.

That bicycle was to spawn a life-long obsession with all things cycling. He joined the local cycling club and competed in several national schoolboy championships, excelling as a sprinter. “I was hopeless on hills,” Textor admits. “There

He took a break from riding to complete an economics degree at ANU. When he returned to the Northern Territory in 1987

ISSUE 05

morning that Mark Textor, the

away in a big gear.”

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There’s one particular Christmas

to work in politics, he was encouraged by Shayne Bannan (now the manger of Orica-Green Edge) to do some weight and speed training and get back into cycling.

Then his life changed forever.

Textor was pedalling along the Stuart Highway in Darwin when a semi-trailer turned through a

E X E C U T I V E C Y C L I S T M AG A Z I N E

Managing Director Crosby Textor

Here’s another view of an ACE

red traffic light, right into his path.

“I put my arms out to protect myself and that saved my life,” he says. The results were still catastrophic. He spent weeks in hospital recovering from multiple fractures and internal bleeding. “I was months getting over it.”

Textor says the ordeal made him realise, not just huge expense of road trauma, but how quickly an accident can happen, often with shocking ramifications.

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What does ACE mean to me?

Ace gives me the opportunity to meet other people with a passion for success, on and off E X E C U T I V E C Y C L I S T M AG A Z I N E

the bike.”

Favourite Rides:

clad road warriors. We lobby

importance of wearing a helmet

just about every government

(he wasn’t at the time). “I actually

for legislative change, for better

head-butted this truck and at one

infrastructure, for metre-matters

stage the doctors weren’t sure if

legislation, and for changes to

I would ever move my legs again.

insurance.”

Now I always wear a helmet,

MTB - The track from Piccadilly

even if it’s just a trip to the shops

Textor, now 47, is just as ardent a

Circus to Mount Franklin (ACT).

for five minutes. You’re mad if

cyclist as ever. He owns a quiver

Road - The Cotter Dam loop in

you don’t.”

of more than 30 bikes that he keeps in a two-car garage in his

Canberra.

| ISSUE 05

Knowing first-hand how

Lane Cove home on Sydney’s

Cycling Ambitions:

devastating a bicycle accident

north shore. Highlights of the

To qualify and complete the

can be, Textor decided he

eclectic collection includes a

Paris Brest Paris* before I’m

wanted to contribute in some

Specialised S Works Roubaix,

50. To ride with the pros in

way to road safety for cyclists.

a German road bike with a

The opportunity presented itself

magnesium frame, an old Ken

when the Amy Gillett Foundation

Evans track bike, and several

(AGF) was established in 2005 by

recumbents, including an M5

Simon Gillett and the Australian

carbon high racer. The most

Cycling Federation. Textor

unusual creation is his ‘boat bike’

assisted the foundation achieve

which he cycles about on the

DGR status to make it tax

harbour. “It’s a recumbent pedal

exempt as a recognised charity.

powered canoe, it’s actually

After serving on the marketing

pretty sleek,” he says.

next year’s AGF Share the Road Tour. I’m going in the Amy Gillett foundation share the road tour, a 1200 tour of Tassie. From December 1 to 8.

That raises money for our road safety week. I’m going in the London Paris 24, and planning to do Alice Springs to Darwin in 90 hours.

committee for some time, he was

* Paris–Brest–Paris (PBP) was originally a

appointed chairman in January

A good week on the bike sees

1200km bicycle race from Paris to Brest

this year.

Textor extend his commute from

and back to Paris. The last time it was run as a race was 1951. There are two independent long distance bicycle tours.

One is the brevet (also called randonnée), in which cyclists ride individually. The goal is to make it within 90 hours, but with no competition. This is held every four years.

The other is an audax where cyclists ride in a group, held every five years.

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It also made him realise the

home, via Middle Head to his “The AGF is essentially the safety

office at Circular Quay; a distance

arm of cycling Australia but we’re

of some 20kms each way. He

also the friendly face,” he says.

also does a weekly ergo session

“We’re for kids, we’re for dad’s

on his home trainer, where he

riding to work, we’re for lycra

aims to hold 300 watts for as

Executive Profile

long as possible. Weekends sees him

CLICK on the image to view video

do a couple of longer rides on one of his

He concedes that balancing his personal and professional life with

ABC One Plus One: Early life, economics & statistics Part One

cycling can be a challenge, especially when running an international business

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that involves travelling between offices

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racing cycles, or recumbents.

I do have spare time I want to spend it with my little boy and my wife, not getting on the bike and being selfish,” he says. “So when it comes to training I’m an opportunist, I grab it when I can.”

Part Two

This might involve doing an ergo session at 10pm at night, when the rest of the house is asleep, or taking his compact bikes with him when he

E X E C U T I V E C Y C L I S T M AG A Z I N E

in Sydney, London and Milan. “When

travels. “Last time I was in London I took my Bike Friday (a small high-end racing bike that fits in a suitcase) and rode it down to Brighton and back,” he says. “Or I’ll get to my meetings in

Channel 4 News (UK) Cameron’s Aussie advisor on suburban reality

London on my bright pink Brompton.

It takes a confident man to ride a pink bike.”

He says these days he trains a lot smarter: “In the past I would ride vast distances to lose weight, now I watch what I eat instead and lose weight to ride. I’ve lost around 20 kilos and it 63

E X E C U T I V E C Y C L I S T M AG A Z I N E

“ We’ll end the the debt, stop and stop the b

| ISSUE 05

makes cycling seem ridiculously

have this dreadful old thing,

It was Textor who came up with

easy in comparison. Dropping

but now he’s got a new carbon

Abbott’s now famous phrase:

weight is the best thing you can

fibre Cannondale that he keeps

We’ll end the waste, repay the

do.”

behind his Prime Ministerial

debt, stop the new taxes and

desk,” he says. “He has a hit out

stop the boats.

And what about PM Tony

on it every morning up Red Hill

Abbott, the man Textor (working

in Canberra, that’s how he blows

“These weren’t empty slogans,

as Abbott’s chief external

off steam. He has trouble with

they were statements of a very

strategist and pollster) helped

his entourage because he’s too

clear position. They are the

put in the Lodge. “Strangely we

quick for them.”

opposite of slogans they are

haven’t ridden together yet; we

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goals,” he says. “Orchestrating

were supposed to during the

“We talk about rides all the time.

a campaign is actually very

campaign but he got a bit crook,”

I’ll often text him and tell him

mechanical and very logistically

Textor says. “I did have some

about a ride I’ve done and he’ll

complex. Anyone can go and talk

epic rides on my own down to

say, mate that’s really good.

to ten people on the street and

Portsea and back to relieve the

Over dinner during the election

find out whether their concerns

stress before election day.”

we were discussing how hard it

are economic or societal, or

is to pump out 40 kms an hour,

whatever. What we do is look

Textor says the PM always has

how many watts it takes…typical

beyond that and ask what lies

his bike with him. “He used to

blokey cyclist talk.”

behind that frustration?”

Executive Profile

Textor was also former PM John

“The campaigns can be very

something in a highly contested

Howard’s pollster for more than

complex. We might be working

environment.”

a decade. And last year he ran

on community acceptance of

a successful campaign to get

a resource project in an African

Adopting the same techniques

Boris Johnson re-elected as

country. We have to find a team

we use for politics; market

mayor of London. “He’d turn up

and local speakers, and then we

research and polling, structuring

at meetings and press events on

have to manage that process

a message and running a

a shitty old commuter bike that

and the research in it.”

good strong campaign so they

I was always trying to get him to clean,” laughs Textor.

E X E C U T I V E C Y C L I S T M AG A Z I N E

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waste, repay p the new taxes boats.”

communicate their message “We don’t do normal marketing/

better. We’ve taken political

PR; we only get involved

techniques and adopted them

But it’s not all high profile

when people have a big

around the world now to

politicians that get Textor’s

serious challenge. It’s always

corporate events.

attention. Most of his clients are

a campaign: A campaign

from giant corporations: oil and

to win back a lost asset, a

gas, mining, banking, finance,

campaign to win a proxy vote,

and fast-moving consumer

a campaign to win over a

goods. “Staying focused on

community, a campaign to get

our bread and butter clients is

regulatory approval of a drug or

important,” he says.

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ISIS Group Executive Gary Anderson.

A popular route on the daily “Beaches” rides through the Eastern Suburbs.

This section of Bronte Road was part of the Olympic Road Race in 2000.

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Bronte Road, Bronte

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Greg Johnson TAL Life Limited Executive Profile

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Greg Johnson TAL Life Limited

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unconventional. I started fresh

and built a business with a

out of university and joined a

partner in the liquor industry.

management consulting firm. It’s

We built a pile of hardware and

an oxymoron to be a graduate

software to help distributors,

and a consultant and this was a

pubs, bars and nightclubs

pretty ordinary experience. Since

improve their profitability. It was

I was a kid I had wanted to be a

a wild ride both professionally

Catholic priest and given I wasn’t

and personally.

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money I made from that business

enjoying consulting I left my job and joined the seminary.

I was then at the end of my twenties and had a wife and

I discovered pretty quickly

child. All our money had gone

that the priesthood wasn’t for

into building my businesses, but I

me - not least because of the

then found myself with a partner

celibate lifestyle! I’m not really an

who didn’t want to use any of the

obedient personality and one of

equity to deleverage and grow

the vows that a priest takes is to

the business. I took the hard

be “obedient” to the church (i.e.

decision to put my family first

you’ll follow the party line, which I

and decided I needed to provide

guess is fair enough).

some stability for my family and

E X E C U T I V E C Y C L I S T M AG A Z I N E

General Manager Marketing & Retail Product TAL Life Limited

I’d describe my career as

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Executive Profile

returned to corporate life.

My father was running a business doing business restructuring and

The last ten years have been

I joined him - helping him do the

great fun and have been spent

legwork and also developing

in financial services - first at CBA

software systems to support our

running product portfolios, then

clients (I will confess to being a

at Aussie helping the business

bit of a technology nerd). This

grow and become more than a

was great fun, but dad was

mono line home lender and over

headed to retirement so I went

the last year I have been working

off on my own and built an IT

in life insurance at TAL.

business around the time of the dot com boom. I took the 71

What sports have you been involved with?

As a kid I played most sports and have always been pretty active. I love endurance sports and have done a lot of running, cycling and triathlon.

E X E C U T I V E C Y C L I S T M AG A Z I N E

When and why did you get into cycling ?

I have always loved riding bikes - I can still remember my first bike as a four year old - it

TAL Life Limited

was called a bobcat and it had solid plastic tyres! As a teenager I used cycling as a means of

I work for TAL which is the second largest life

escaping day to day life - I vividly remember the

insurer in the Australian market. We insure

adventure of solo rides to Gosford on the old Pacific

several million Australians either through direct

Highway and the descent to the Hawkesbury which

relationships, through financial advisers or through

felt like I was riding at 100km/h!

providing the insurance in superannuation funds.

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Describe a good week on the bike?

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What current business challenges do you face

I commute to work, but that is just bread and butter.

The insurance market in Australia is going

For me a good week is not about kilometres but

through a lot of upheaval and is at something of a

quality and variety. An ideal week is a good social

crossroads. Whilst in the past the big challenge

ride on the road with friends, a harder ride where

was to get people to be aware of the need

there is an opportunity to flog myself, preferably up

for insurance and the value of insurance, the

a hill, and some variety such as a mountain bike ride

challenge has now become the level of claims,

on the single tracks at Ourimbah or track racing at

pricing and sustainability. Insurance businesses

Dunc Gray on a winter Friday night.

consume large amounts of capital with relatively low returns on that capital. Whilst our first

Do you have a favourite ride/s?

responsibility is to be there for our customers

I like to climb and live north side in Sydney, so on the

when they need us most – i.e. at claim time – we

road it would have to be the gorges - Bobbin Head,

need to balance this with our need to ensure

Galston Gorge, Berowra Waters and if possible an

the long term viability of the industry for both our

extension through to Mount White. Off road I love

immediate shareholders and others who provide

the flowing single tracks of Ourimbah or some of the

the capital that ensures all Australians have access

great tracks down at Mogo.

to affordable insurance.

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Executive Profile

What is a cycling ambition?

For me I feel most alive pushing myself to find my rhythm up a hill. It is a test not only of physical condition but very ambition is to stay in condition to give the younger blokes a hard time up the

What bike/s do you ride?

I subscribe firmly to the formula that the right number of bikes is given by the equation n+1<d where n is the current number of bikes and d is the number of bikes that will get you divorced. So far, I’m still happily married with the following stable: Road race: Merida Reacto 909E Commuting: Boardman Pro Track: Felt track bike

E X E C U T I V E C Y C L I S T M AG A Z I N E

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hills for as long as possible.

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much also of mental strength. My

Triathlon: Azzurri Chrono Pro TT Singlespeed shenanigans: Custom Paino steel in lurid fluoro Offroad: GT hard tail and a fully rigid Niner 29” single speed How do you balance your personal, professional and riding lives?

A question I am often asked given I have six children and a reasonably intense career. The professional side is relatively easy - I don’t believe in working very long hours, I believe in being effective. I am one person, 73

but have a team of about 30. Being effective is less about me spending hour after hour in the office and much more about spending my time enabling, motivating and challenging my teams.

I tend to work about 8am to 630pm. I get to ride every day because I commute to and from work five days a week.

E X E C U T I V E C Y C L I S T M AG A Z I N E

On the personal side I have been renovating my house for the last couple of years (lots of kids will do that to you). I’ve had to accept that my riding takes second priority behind my family and given I’m on the tools all weekend, my riding life has suffered. However, in ordinary time, the balance between personal and riding life is pretty easy. Weekdays are a great opportunity to get out for some riding fun and my main opportunity other than that is Sunday morning. I have a wonderful wife who recognises the importance for me to have some time with mates and I work hard to make sure that the arrangement is reciprocal. When family conflicts arise I have a

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policy that the cycling always comes second. It happens rarely but

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by always making family the priority it creates a lot of goodwill.

Something to share with the group…

Probably the most commented on thing about me is that I have six children. Despite my earlier comments about the catholic priesthood, this is not because of religious beliefs or because I don’t have a TV. It is simply because I love being a dad and I love having a family. I’ve never heard someone get to the end of their lives and say that they wish that they had worked more and had one or two fewer children. I often hear people say they wish they had more children.

I’m blessed with a wife who shares this love of kids and family.

Helping these beautiful young souls to become vibrant people is tremendously rewarding. It is chaotic at times, but I relish the chaos. I’m looking forward to the kids being old enough to beat me up a hill!

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Life Insurance

“This is how it should be” - Michael Forbes.

Story by David Rae.

How Life Insurance Saved this Cyclist after a Serious Injury Imagine you are out on your morning training

“My insurance coverage has throughout been a

ride. There is plenty of traffic passing but it’s no

godsend to our family that has allowed Monica to

big deal, as you’ve ridden along the same road

have time off work to help me through the most

so many times before. But today a passing truck

difficult stages of rehabilitation particularly whist I

cuts a little too close and clips your right hand

was in hospital” Michael says.

E X E C U T I V E C Y C L I S T M AG A Z I N E

side throwing you into the back of a parked four

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and a nasal gastric tube so he could be fed. He

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underwent a number of operations to fuse his spine

wheel drive. This was exactly what happened to

So what did having insurance in place mean for

Michael Forbes in mid-2008.

him in terms of their home, finances and also his

Michael was on a training ride along Beach Road in Melbourne preparing for the state time trial championships. The accident broke his cervical spine at the C4 level making him a quadriplegic.

He was transported to the Alfred Hospital and then on to the Austin Hospital intensive care unit.

A tracheotomy was inserted so he could breathe

in two places and pins were inserted to mend his broken jaw. He spent three weeks in intensive care, another three weeks in the spinal unit and it would be seven months before he checked out of hospital and went home to his wife and daughter.

The physical and emotional toll on his family was enormous and the rehabilitation continues today. What Michael and his family didn’t have to worry about however was how they would cope financially. Prior to his accident Michael had put complete protection in place for his family so they could cope should the unexpected occur.

recovery? “I was able to set up a pension fund that provides our family with cash flow enough to pay the family bills and enjoy life as best we can. Any money we earn on top of my pension allows us to have holidays and treat ourselves. I’ve been able to purchase a new home that more adequately meets my accessibility needs as well as a motor vehicle with modifications that will allow me to drive. We have no mortgage.” Michael says.

What would have happened to Michael and his family had they not had any insurance in place?

Michael’s says “At the time of my accident we still had a mortgage. My wife would have had to go back to work full-time in order to meet our family bills. With the insurance cover that we had she was able to put her work on hold and be with me in hospital. The mortgage was taken care of so we did not have to worry about the financial impact of my accident. We were able to focus solely on my recovery” Depending on how serious it is, an accident on the bike could leave you off work for an unknown period of time. In Michael’s case” I didn’t work at

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all for the first four years after my accident. I then

Life Insurance

began doing some volunteer work just one day a

supporting each other, not worrying about paying

week (spread across the whole week). Now I work

the mortgage and other bills.

have no financial need to work.”

a lump sum if you become disabled and are unable to ever work again. You can use this lump sum to

If this sounds like something that only happens to

pay off debts, cover medical and carer costs and

other people, take a look at the statistics. According

invest so that you have an annual income to help

to the Amy Gillett Foundation, in 2011 there were

maintain your lifestyle.

35 bicycle riders killed and a further 9,577 injured.

And while membership of Cycling Australia, MTBA

Trauma Insurance (Critical Illness Insurance) –

or BMX Australia includes some basic insurance,

pays a lump sum on the diagnosis or occurrence of

it is just that – basic. Don’t think you can rely on it

one of a list of specific injuries such as major head

to cover your mortgage or rent, living expenses for

trauma or illnesses such as heart attack, cancer or

long let alone medical or rehabilitation costs.

stroke. It provides you with choice and flexibility at a time when you need it most. You will be able to

What type of cover should you be thinking about to

reduce your working hours, spend time with your

make sure you and your family are protected?

family, get treatment or rehabilitation and pay for a carer and any number of unexpected things.

Income Protection Insurance – provides a replacement income of up to 75%-80% of your

As Michael says “my insurance coverage allowed

current income if you are unable to work due to

Monica and Ashley to be with me during the most

illness or injury. It provides a monthly benefit, can

difficult and trying times of my injury and continues

cover you for short or long periods and offer various

to benefit me to this day. This is how it should be.”

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Total and Permanent Disability Insurance – pays

E X E C U T I V E C Y C L I S T M AG A Z I N E

active part of committees at my daughter’s school. I

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about a day and a half week as well as being an

waiting periods to suit your needs. Depending on your policy, the payments may continue until age 65

You can read more about Michael’s journey here:

if the disability is ongoing or permanent.

www.michaelforbes.org/

Life Insurance – pays a lump sum on your death

Member David Rae is a Director of Canberra

or the diagnosis of a terminal illness. So if the worst

based Beames & Associates.

happens, you can ensure that your mortgage

www.beamesandassociates.com.au

and other debts will be paid off, provide for your children’s education and maintain your family’s lifestyle. This will allow your family to focus on

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