Greg Tingle - Career Blog

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Media Man Australia Website Network Updated

Websites

Media Man Australia

Media Manager

Casino News Media

Australian Casino News

Property News Media

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Monday, April 27, 2009

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities to Employ Gambling Theme - Gambling911.com - 12th February 2009

Gambling911.com has learned that upcoming episodes of Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities will feature "some casino and gambling themes". The show's second season was the highest rated launch in Australia's history.

George Freeman, played by Peter O'Brien, ran a number of Australian casinos (gambling houses... "with no name" and unadvertised, sort of the opposite of casinos to that of the James Packer's Crown Casino (which is all above board and advertised, mainstream and is legal etc).

As we have come to learn, the world of casinos and bookmaking in Australia is quite fascinating to say the least, and this should play in superbly with the Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities theme.

Media man, Greg Tingle gives us a taste of the old school gambling lifestyle in Australia:

"My grandfather, Eric Fraser Cameron Tingle ran a SP bookmaker operation from Newport Beach plant nursery which also doubled as a barber shop... tripled as a SP hangout. Today Newport Beach TAB is next door. A decade ago I used to regularly have a punt at the TAB with the late, great (and notorious) Big Time Bristow.

"I caught up with Tim at his home at Newport, just around the corner from my old home at Pittwater, 3 weeks before Tim's unfortunate (and natural) death. I pointed to Chris Master's book entitled 'Not for publication' and the chapter entitled, Guilty Buildings'. I recalled to Tim, ‘That's you isn't it Tim?' TB replied, ‘You nailed it in one Greg'. That's the scoop... its never been published or put in the public domain before." (Credit: Gambling911.com)

Media Man Australia Profiles

Underbelly

Network Nine Australia

"Big" Tim Bristow

Australian Casinos

Casino News

Australian Casino News

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Online Gambling Heating Up in Australia - Gambling911 - 6th February 2009

The online gambling industry is really starting to get hot in Australia it seems.

The land down under is seen as the land of opportunities, but it is often forgotten by the folks up north. That's not so much the case with the online gambling sector. Last month we watched with excitement as the Aussie Millions Poker Tournament turned out yet another millionaire. It's now among the most popular live tournaments in the world today.

Many of the world's top online casino brands have been doing the ring around down under to see what media, PR, spin and online exposure mileage they can secure in the land known to be settled by convicts, back in the days when Captain Cook set shore and 1000s of Aboriginals were murdered in the progress.

Well known media analyst and entrepreneur, Greg Tingle of Media Man Australia is taking his share of the phone calls and letters of enquiry.

"We're been doing business with some some of the world's top online casino brands for a number of years now... Virgin Games, PKR, 888, WPT and Betfair. Recently the amount of enquiries coming in has been huge," Tingle told Gambling911.com Friday. "We've locked down business deals with PartyPartners, Slotland, JackpotCity, The Bingo Affiliates, BetCruise, and recently we joined our mates down the road here at Bondi Beach... Rewards Affiliates.

"Captain Cooks Casino has been hugely popular, but I haven't figured out whether it's the Bondi Beach locals or international whales coming to our region to check out the bronzed Aussies. We were privileged to spearhead the Ezybet sports betting media and publicity campaign which attracted major Australian and international interest."

Most of the excitement centering around the Australian sports betting sector has to do with deals being reached with the NRL (National Rugby League).

"The NRL (National Rugby League) is like a religion in Australia, and punters love having a punt," said Tingle. "The massive campaign was impossible to miss, and sources at the NRL are even looking at following some aspects of the TitansBet (Gold Coast Titans) business model".

Tingle also says, "There was also good interest by worldwide online casino entities to penetrate Australia, but the Ezybet exposure and worldwide story has really lit a fire under the industry."

More online casinos and poker sites will be entering the Australian market in the coming months, Tingle advised. (Credit: Gambling911)

CAP Down Under A Great Success - iGaming Business - 19th December 2008

Leading online marketing resource and community website for Internet casino affiliates, CasinoAffiliatePrograms.com (CAP), has announced that its first-ever CAP Down Under event in Australia was a resounding success.

The four-day affiliate marketing conference was held over the last week of November at the five-star Shangri-La hotel in Sydney and saw 180 people attend. CAP stated that 80 percent of attendees were Australian while 66 percent were affiliates and that the event was organised partially in response to requests from members of its CAP Forums, a highly trafficked social networking community administered from its main site boasting almost 8,000 members, an industry-leading figure.

“This was an incredible event, CAP Down Under attracted a ton of participants from all over the world,” said Alex Pratt, the event’s organiser.

“From the opening party sponsored by RewardsAffiliates.com in the Opera Bar with its stunning views of Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House to the attendance of Australian Boxer Jeff Fenech who played heads-up poker against the delegates for prizes, there wasn’t a dull moment. And with a huge variety of experts in the affiliate marketing and search engine marketing fields, there was no shortage of informative discussion either.”

CAP Down Under was the first Australian iGaming affiliate marketing conference in history and saw leading exhibitors from all over the world including ReferBack.com, CanBet/IAS, CentreBet.com and 888.com.

“The team at CAP Down Under have done awesome,” said Greg Tingle from Media Man Australia, a participant who also served as a moderator while assisting with coordination duties.

“It’s been a great conference. Some of the stuff that we’ve seen, slots and poker and search engine news, it was very impressive and I’m sure we’ll be hearing a lot more about CAP Down Under here in Australia.” (Credit: iGaming Business)

Ferguson dumped as Nine scrambles for No. 1, by Conrad Walters - 12th January 2009

The Nine Network, conceding the need to rebuild its 6pm news bulletin if it is to have any hope of dethroning Seven's ratings supremacy, has dumped the newsreader Mark Ferguson in favour of the 60 Minutes journalist Peter Overton.

Last night it began trumpeting the journalistic background of its new frontman, who claims ownership of the anchor desk at Channel Nine tonight, with Mark Ferguson remaining as reader of the weekend news.

The promotional shots featuring footage of Overton in some of the world's hot spots is a clear attempt to distinguish him from Seven's frontman, Ian Ross, also a former Nine news reader.

Media analysts yesterday gave the network cause for optimism, saying Overton was likely to be well received and respected.

"For Nine to start to get a bit of traction of Seven, this is where they've got to make the inroads," said an analyst at PHD, Barry O'Brien.

"They've given Mark Ferguson the opportunity. It hasn't quite worked out. So I suppose in 2009 you've got to try things. Overton's got appeal, [but] television is always a roll of the dice."

Another media analyst, Greg Tingle, agreed that Overton's appeal would help Nine. He predicted an initial boost as curious viewers tuned in. He believed that community work done by Overton and his wife, Jessica Rowe, would extend the appeal.

"I would definitely expect the ratings to boost up, and I think the Australian public is ready for the change," Mr Tingle said.

The move was a "calculated risk", he said of the station that once seemed unassailable in the ratings. "Because, let's face it, Channel Nine can't afford too many more stuff-ups."

Nine Network executives yesterday stressed Overton's journalistic credentials. "[Overton] is the undeniable choice for us," said the director of news and current affairs at Channel Nine, John Westacott.

For the past eight years Overton has been a presenter on 60 Minutes, where he has reported from Afghanistan, Iraq, and Indonesia and as anchor of the September 11 coverage in 2001. He will continue to file stories for the network's flagship current affairs program.

The change in personnel is directed at Channel Seven, where Ian Ross has consistently won the 6pm competition for viewers. "As commercial television always is, we're locked in a very demanding fight for ratings," Mr Westacott said.

"The combination of Peter Overton and Mark Ferguson gives us the best crack at rebuilding our 6 o'clock news." (Credit: The Sydney Morning Herald)

Strong local content, by John Elder and Tom Reilly - The Sunday Age - 5th October 2008

Cheap and nasty — and even worse, boring — is what Australian-made free-to-air television was looking like for a few years. Big Brother with its turkey-slapping pants down was probably the lowest point … along with that great trite hope of locally made drama, The Alice, a pretty-looking stinker with its travelogue photography and toothless characters born from a drongo dreaming.

"It was looking pretty ordinary for a while," says commentator Greg "Media Man" Tingle. "But what a difference a year makes. We now have what's almost an epidemic of Australian-made shows. Just look at Underbelly on Nine, Rush on Ten, and Packed to the Rafters on Seven. They're mixing it with the best foreign imports and coming out on top.

"There are so many quality shows being produced, it's hard to keep up with them."

Tingle says the unsettled mood of the free-to-air networks during the late '90s and early 2000s — unnerved by the threat of cable TV and the internet revolution — has been turned around such that "there's a feeling we're entering a golden age of Australian television".

Seven's homey sitcom Packed to the Rafters has been watched by an average of 2 million viewers since it debuted Tuesdays at 8.30pm just after the Olympics. Many of those viewers stay tuned for the enduring hospital soap All Saints. Seven is also quite gleeful about the 1.6 million who regularly watch Monday's gritty City Homicide.

At Nine, where the ratings are sustained right now by endless repeats of Two and a Half Men, the good ship Sea Patrol held its own in the first half of the year with more than 1 million viewers. And we learned that almost 600,000 Victorians had not yet downloaded Underbelly illegally when they tuned in to the first pixellated episode last month; add them to the million interstate viewers who watched in April, and it may have earned back its legal fees.

While the two newest cop dramas, Nine's The Strip and Ten's Rush, are struggling, the numbers show that Australians have rediscovered the habit of watching dramas with a local accent.

The turning point came a year ago, Tingle says, with the return of David Gyngell to the helm of Channel Nine. "What the Australian networks desperately needed was a creative boost to competition," he says. "Without a strong Nine asserting itself, the industry doesn't flourish. The other thing that's happened is the networks have stopped just looking at numbers and started focusing on quality. That's what healthier competition has achieved."

Dr Vincent O'Donnell, an honorary fellow at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology's School of Applied Communication, agrees Australian TV has had a resurgence in the past year as a result of increasing competition between broadcasters.

"Historically, Channel Nine was always regarded as the home of well-written drama shows that were well-received by audiences, while Seven liked to consider itself as the broadcaster which excelled at sports," he says. "But a few years ago those perceptions started to change as Nine faltered. I believe when they commissioned Underbelly, it was probably as a result of that shift. It was an attempt to reassert themselves in this area of fast-moving, well-written drama."

O'Donnell says commissioning a big-budget program such as Underbelly "is a gamble for networks but one which hopefully they'll continue to make.

"A big-budget drama like that would cost … $300,000 to $400,000 for an hour of television. If a network bought a drama in from America, they'd probably get something for little more than a tenth of that. But it's important to remember that Australian audiences have always tuned in to these well-written locally produced shows, so hopefully networks will have to keep investing in them, even if they do cost a lot."

According to Geoff Brown, executive director of the Screen Producers Association of Australia, the Underbelly strategy was the result of a change in attitude to project financing by the major industry players. "A few years back, the Film Finance Corporation made a decision it would invest in 13-part Australian mini-series, along with the network licensees. What it did was ramp up budgets and led to shows like Underbelly, with substantially better production values and better writing.

"In film production, the critical relationship is between producer and director; in television, it's between producer and writer. We have very good writing teams in television, and certainly the investment in writing is one of the main reasons why the current crop of Australian productions are doing so well. A good idea doesn't work without good writing."

Brown points to programs such as The Circuit, Rush, Sea Patrol and East West 101 as examples of good writing translating to success with viewers and critics. "We make the best drama for the cheapest dollar anywhere in the world. We have to compete with the CSI franchise, which costs … $5 million to $6 million an hour to make. For the high-end of Australian drama, you're looking at $600,000 an hour … so our stories have to be more narrative-driven."

Brown says Australia has a history of producing good television "but the networks lost their way in the '90s and early part of this millennium. They backed away from Australian drama in particular and put their focus on infotainment and reality programming. They kept serving up more Big Brothers and in the end this didn't work for the networks. The audience has shown itself to be more sophisticated … and now Seven and Nine are re-establishing their brands on the back of good old Australian drama."

Some analysts point to a lack of quality programs from the US — a result of the writers' strike that crippled Hollywood — as a key reason behind the resurgence of Australian-made drama.

"This makes our local offerings even more appealing," says one industry insider. "There was also a hiatus where few local programs were being made, so again, when new ones came around, there was even more interest in them.

"The shows are actually good. The networks have invested heavily in them: probably figuring that they have to meet their local content quotas, they might as well invest and do it properly. The scripts and the acting have reflected this willingness to take it seriously and make hits."

And that added slice of healthy self-image — attributed to the efforts of former prime minister John Howard — is another reason audiences are keen to watch shows for Australians, by Australians, about Australians.

"We're not selling shrimps on the barbie any more," says Greg Tingle. "We're a more sophisticated society and our television programs demonstrate that.

"Our locally made shows are hot exports in their own right, and they help sell the country. Our entertainment is part of the tourism spiel … the rest of the world sees us moving ahead with quality. The confidence for that was certainly bolstered under the previous government."

Jonathan Nolan, chief executive of Pisces All Media, which runs the Hottest on TV website, agrees. "No matter what else you might say about him, John Howard made Australians feel great about themselves. It really started with the 2000 Sydney Olympics, but Howard actually presided over a cultural shift that saw the death of the cringe factor — the adolescent craving for approval from America and Britain," he says.

"Even the dumbest talking-heads on TV have the confidence not to cringe and fawn all over celebrities visiting from overseas. Compare that to the old days, with Molly Meldrum constantly saying how wonderful it was that such-and-such a pop star was in the country."

Nolan says evidence for this new-found confidence can be seen in private investment in television production. "We had a sheltered workshop here, where everything was driven by government grants. All that did was compomise quality. That's no longer the case. People invest in these shows because they believe in them, not just because they're getting a tax break …

"The pay-off is that we now perform extremely well on the overseas market. You get a show selling well overseas — like Stingers or Police Rescue — (and) you have an earner for life. At the Roma Fiction Fest (a television awards and buying festival) in July, there were buyers from all over Europe looking at the Australian shows with the greatest interest.

"The Italian shows looked like something from the '70s … they were desperately clinging to their own culture, while the Australian shows were more sophisticated and well-placed for the international market."

Dr Sue Turnbull, co-ordinator of the Media Studies Program at La Trobe University, says the Australian push into the global market was pioneered in the '80s by Neighbours, Home and Away and older programs such as The Sullivans and Prisoner. One British critic whinged at the time that UK television was overrun by Australian content. "There were 11 different Australian soap operas being shown on British TV in a week," says Turnbull.

In the '90s, the Australian invasion died down such that only Neighbours and Home and Away held a significant audience. We were making some good shows, but the Brits weren't interested. "There was the great failure of Sea Change to find a market in the UK. It never got a release."

Now, Aussie producers are deliberately targeting the global market ahead of local viewers. A second series of Sea Patrol was planned ahead of the first series release, with a view to an international release — which it gained through Hallmark.

Turnbull says that the later episodes of Kath & Kim were blatantly written for the UK, featuring appearances by Kylie Minogue "and the fellows from Little Britain".

While Australian-made "usually goes well at home — from the days of Graham Kennedy on IMT to Packed to the Rafters — audiences won't watch bad Australian TV. Like The Alice."

With MICHELLE GRIFFIN (Credit: The Sunday Age)

Sunday, August 31, 2008

Talk Up Your Chances - The Sydney Morning Herald

Networking is the only way to get ahead, writes Hugh Montgomery.

The first grisly lesson for anyone entering the job market is to throw the books away. It's who you know, not what you know, that counts.

As a young PR consultant, nothing filled me with more horror than the pressure to "work a room". Arriving at industry get-togethers with a business card hastily scrawled in felt-tip pen and avocado stains down my front, I looked more out of place than Paris Hilton at a Vatican tea party.

Networking still comes with a powerful stigma, even though it's vital for developing business portfolios or finding job opportunities. A friend of mine calls it "careerist brownnosing by the professionally undeserving".

But the fact is, it works. Greg Tingle was a blue-collar boy "destined to drive trucks" until he gatecrashed the media world five years ago. Now he runs his own PR firm and lists himself as "a TV presenter, journalist, radio broadcaster, internet author, all-round media entrepreneur and man of business brilliance".

Tingle cast his net wide for career openings, unable to rely on the traditional avenues of family and friends. His big break came in 2000 when he rang 2UE's John Laws to offer the inside scoop on life in the athletes' village at the Sydney Olympics, where he was a volunteer. It was the beginning of a lucrative relationship with Laws, 2UE and Southern Cross Broadcasting.

Tingle's approach to networking is no-holds-barred. One time, he cornered celebrity PR man Max Markson for a photo at the launch of his book, Show Me the Money! They've since collaborated on projects for stars such as Shane Warne and he now considers Markson "like family".

Susan RoAne, author of How to Work a Room, insists we shouldn't be ashamed of networking. It's simply about "sharing resources", which has been occurring ever since "Eve offered Adam an apple in the garden of Eden".

Besides, she says, there is a definite need to resurrect the art of conversation.

"Technology [is the culprit] in most countries," she says. "People are doing things online and not face-to-face ... they email the person at the next desk instead of getting up and going to talk to them."

So what are the secrets for triumph at those dreaded networking events? Internet research is vital, otherwise you might accidentally ask the chief executive to refill your wine glass. "With Google, we can go into every event a little bit more prepared," RoAne says.

Conversation starters are also important, so if your knowledge of international affairs doesn't run beyond Brad and Angelina, it's time to scour the newspaper. This means reading the footy pages, even if you have as much interest in sport as jumping around a padded cell.

RoAne denies that networking is manipulative and fake, even though some of the advice she reads in self-help books "turned my stomach, [it] was so smarmy". "I don't have children, but I have [learned] that when people have children, that's what they talk about," she says. "I couldn't care less about the [food] mothers are feeding their babies but if I want to have a relationship or do business, I've got to be a little more flexible."

RoAne suggests a seven-to-nine-second "opening gambit" that puts a humorous spin on your job title to make you stand out from the crowd.

Tingle, meanwhile, believes in flashy business cards. Rather than opting for Patrick Bateman-style monochrome sleekness, try something more flamboyant. Tingle's are black and gold and "stand out a million miles away".

He also carries around recent clippings of his work. "[People] like to see what's occupying someone at the moment," he says. "Just to make sure they're being active and hitting some runs."

But beware: even the smoothest networker can be relegated to a "one-night stand" if follow-up with a contact is poor. "While everyone else is emailing, text messaging or maybe doing nothing," RoAne says, "you [should] send a note saying, 'Thank-you for [your] time', and they will be happy to recommend you further. We save thank-you notes, we don't save thank-you emails."

Finally, it's important to store your hard-earned contacts. Carole Stone, a prolific party hostess and author of Networking - The Art of Making Friends, keeps a personal database with more than 25,000 "friends". The database contains information on when they met, who introduced them, what events she's invited them to before as well as details on their partners - both personal and professional.

Stone is famous for her regular "salons" at her London flat, attended by some of Britain's leading movers and shakers. Her annual Christmas bash is no drinks'n'nibbles affair with the rellies, but a gargantuan military operation with a guest list of 1000 including cabinet ministers and movie stars. "As the replies come in, I update my database with new telephone numbers and addresses," she says. "That's a big job that sometimes keeps me up all night."

Stone is the ultimate proof of how networking can, as RoAne says, become a "lifestyle not a work style".

So where does that leave me? I'm still a grumpy hermit who enjoys showing disdain for 99.9 per cent of human kind, but I must admit the concept of networking has become ever-so-slightly more palatable.

At a social event the day after speaking with RoAne, I decide to follow some of her advice. I talk footy, despite not having touched a playing field this side of the millennium. I discuss my career without being stunted by a terminal bout of self-deprecation. I even log the phone numbers of people I meet on something more durable than a napkin.

As I walk away with a fistful of contacts and a small glow of self-satisfaction, I begin to wonder if being "a schmoozer, not a loser" is really as hideous as it sounds.

HOW TO GET AHEAD

* Treat networking as a lifestyle, not a work style.
* Before you attend an event, use the internet to find out about people who might be there.
* Read that day's newspaper to pick up some conversation starters.
* Prepare a seven-to-nine-second light-hearted introduction explaining what you do.
* "Good mouth" others and pass on praise you have heard.
* Follow up contacts in a timely and "appropriately persistent" manner.
* Send handwritten thank-you notes - we all want to be appreciated.
* Stay in touch via phone, fax and email even when you need nothing from people. You'll seem altruistic even though you're not.

Source: Susan RoAne, www.susanroane.com

Greg Tingle official website - www.mediaman.com.au

Media Man Australia

Monday, July 14, 2008

Interview: Greg Tingle, Director, Media Man Australia - 12th April 2008

What was your background?

My background was varied you could say. Definitely blue collar. Dad was a miner and truck driver, who went on to become a property developer and transport company owner. Mum looked after things on the home front and was a talented artist and poet who even taught in schools. Dad was on the road a lot and I learned to become self sufficient, responsible, disciplined and strong at a young age. My late father was a fantastic role model, as so was his dad. Hard work and the entrepreneurial spirit is in the family.

When did you know you wanted to be an entrepreneur?

In 2000, when working for Telstra and volunteering at the Olympic Games in Sydney. I saw other people at Telstra get promoted into more exciting business arms of the company and I put my hand up for the Olympics (technology volunteer) as was accepted. I then started "mucking around" (learning) the internet and internet business in my home garage, and I had a vision. I realised there was a business to be made involving media, sports, entertainment and the internet. I started with beach news, pro wrestling news, internet news and just kept expanding and learning. That was 8 years ago! Now I'm a publicist, media entrepreneur, talent manager and qualified journalist who has also got to do business with some of Australia's the the world's best businesses and meet and deal with some truly amazing people.

What motivated you to start the venture?

I had a strong passion for internet, entertainment and media. I basically gave myself a promotion from Telstra. In addition, my ex marriage was coming to a conclusion and I had lost about half a million bucks all told. I decided to do something for myself (for a change). I also enrolled in TAFE - News Media and Journalism Certificate III, blitzed it, got published on the front page of the local paper, and I was away! I saw I could potentially make a lot of money in this type of business. It's not an easy way to make a dollar, but largely it's enjoyable. I had more challenges on a financial and personal front than I'm prepared to document on this occasion, however I've overcome the challenges and I'm kicking some big goals.

What are your values in business in relation to employees, partners, debt etc?

Trust and honesty is a very big thing with me. In addition, I will basically only deal with people and businesses which I like. Life is too short. I treat my business associates with respect. Teamwork, hard work and people power get the job done. Some of the best businesses I have collaborated with over the years include Messages On Hold, Virgin Enterprises Limited (especially Virgin Games, Virgin Unite and Virgin Blue), Markson Sparks! and ROC Presents. Many business people find themselves in debt in the life of a business. Debt is a normal thing in business. Cash flow and performance are more important factors.

What resources did you have when you started? What networks did you have? Were there any creative methods you used to come up with the needed resources?

I had the desire, work ethic, a computer, basic knowledge and some very good community and business connections. I also obtained more credentials at TAFE and NEIS (New Enterprise Incentive Scheme - Department of State and Regional Development). I know a computer genius of sorts who helped me with the right software, technical support and just giving me there thoughts on any number of matters that arose. I think you need a few people around you how you can really trust and depend on, because life is full of people who will let you down. One needs to be reliable and strong to stay in business.

Did you feel prepared to start the venture when you did and what risks did you take?

I was as well prepared as possible. Sometimes in life or business, there is no perfect time. There is just a time, a time to take action! I risked walking away from the comfort zone of a normal job with decent working conditions, high salary, basically knowing what each day, week and month had in store. I had to trust my instinct, and trust a few friends and associates. One needs to take calculated risks, but not risk too much, or all can be lost.

How would you describe yourself? E.g. ambitious, passionate, driven etc.

Sure. All of those and very strong with a desire to give back to the world. The media allows me to help a lot of people at the same time. Have a look at our social and community entrepreneurs and charity profiles on our company website. I love to help people, but also remembering that one needs to help themselves first, to allow a way to help others. It's taken me a few years, but I've come up with a formula to help a lot of people in the world, all at once. Staying motivated can be a challenge at times, but its so important to focus on the positives, and to also do some forward planning. Fortunately, I like people, most of the time. This is a people business.

What was your typical work day like when you began the venture and has that changed as the venture grew?

Over the years the amount of phone calls, emails, website hits and interviews (face to face and otherwise) has increased a lot. So have the hours needed. I've also worked out a way to make things more automated, so I don't have to work as hard (but still get the same if not better results). The internet landscape has changed alot, where internet business is not mainstream and there's less hype involved. News media is everywhere on the web, as is talent management, the latest, greatest thing, and everything else. It's a jungle out there, but one needs to sort through all the information and make it relevant.

Did you make assumptions that turned out to be wrong? What did you learn – key mistakes (if any) and key learning curves?

I thought I would become a millionaire from this type of business within 3 years. I was wrong. I also burnt through more money to create it than what I had anticipated. I was too trusting of people I didn't know that well at first. These days I am very cautious with who and what I deal with. I am very security minded, and I don't take unnecessary risks, and of course I trust my gut instinct. I since learnt that Sir Richard Branson trusts his gut instinct also, so I was pretty happy about learning that.

Did the venture ever come close to failure and if so how did you respond?

Not really, I just put in on hold a few times, but my strength and strong desire to succeed kept me going. A few years ago I attracted a crazy stalker, who I understand later went to jail, and I'm glad to report that I helped put her there. She was a criminal and wanted publicity at any cost, even as far as telling lies, *ullshitting the media and publicly attacking people who didn't deserve to be attacked. We all live and learn. I turned that negative into a positive, and I will include more details of the story in my book when I realise it in a year or two - 'From Newport Boy To Media Man'. When you make good friends and associates in life, treasure them with your heart. You never know when you will need a friend, in life or in business.

They say hindsight is a wonderful thing – in hindsight would you have done anything differently? Do you have an exit strategy? What are your future plans and finally what advice would you give anyone starting a business/venture?

I would have exercised more caution early in the peace with who and what I got associated with. There are a few questionable types in and around the entertainment and media world. Still, its all part of the journey. I turned some negatives into positives, like for example a conman in the television business, where I was interviewed about the TV and publicity business on national television and came out looking great and gained a lot of respect (and coverage) and the stalker situation, which got me in a position to deal with some very high level individuals at the likes of Google, Yahoo!, Virgin Enterprises Limited, News Limited, Fairfax, The Australian, the ABC and even The New York Times and Australian High Tech Crime Centre. I've got an exit strategy of sorts, which continues to evolve. I also have lots of backups, and plans B and C, if plan A doesn't work out. Overall, I am extremely happy and satisfied with my successes in life and business, especially considering the huge challenges and insurmountable odds I have overcome. I plan on expanding my business venture, start some other business, and partnering up with some other ones, especially in the eco business, eco tourism, travel, gaming and aviation sector. I believe to always look to cast the net wider and see what type of businesses are growing. I pay very close attention to what's happening at Google, Virgin, Markson Sparks!, the Department of Environment, ROC Presents, News Limited and Fairfax. Keeping your finger on the pulse, adapting to change and listening to good advise is key. Hard work, smart work and trusting your instinct can pay huge dividends. Always strive to do your best, and also take some time out to smell the roses. Find some good role models. Know who your real friends are. Maintain some sort of work / life balance, and stay focused, and that's a great started to getting a new business venture off the ground.

Media Man Austrlia Profile

Greg Tingle

Website

Media Man Australia

Greg Tingle - Career Blog

My Blog List

Greg Tingle website links

Blog Archive

About Me

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Media Man Australia Website Network Updated

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Media Man Australia Website Network Updated

Monday, April 27, 2009

Media Man Australia Website Network Updated

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities to Employ Gambling Theme - Gambling911.com - 12th February 2009

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Media Man Australia Website Network

Online Gambling Heating Up in Australia - Gambling911 - 6th February 2009

CAP Down Under A Great Success - iGaming Business - 19th December 2008

Ferguson dumped as Nine scrambles for No. 1, by Conrad Walters - 12th January 2009

Strong local content, by John Elder and Tom Reilly - The Sunday Age - 5th October 2008

Sunday, August 31, 2008

Talk Up Your Chances - The Sydney Morning Herald

Monday, July 14, 2008

Interview: Greg Tingle, Director, Media Man Australia - 12th April 2008