What does it really mean to be an entrepreneur? And how do we build a business that works, not just a job that pays?
In this episode, Jesse Green is joined by Alan Manly OAM, a distinguished entrepreneur, innovator, director, and author whose unconventional journey from the computer industry to educational leadership offers a masterclass in business building. Alan founded Group Colleges Australia (GCA), which includes Universal Business School Sydney (UBSS), one of the early pioneers of online education in Australia.
Alan shares lessons from decades of entrepreneurial successes and failures, chatting about mindset, systems, and real-world challenges of building a business from the ground up. From defining what it really means to be an entrepreneur, to understanding why queues are a business killer and why every team needs structure and process, this conversation is packed with insights for any business owner ready to level up.
Alan is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Australian Institute of Management, and was honoured with the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his contributions to tertiary education and community service.
In this episode:
- [00:00] Why “entrepreneur” used to be a slur and what it really means today
- [02:00] Alan’s early life, entrepreneurial spark, and escape from poverty
- [04:50] Lessons from the PC boom and a corporate-to-startup leap
- [06:40] Is it really about the money? What drives true entrepreneurs
- [10:15] The power of cash flow and why it trumps everything
- [13:00] How a queue changed Alan’s approach to business and customer service
- [18:40] Why dentists (and other professionals) are often “condemned to wages”
- [20:45] The real barriers to scaling: delegation, systems, and procedures
- [24:00] Understanding team performance
- [30:00] How knowing your stakeholders can protect and grow your business
- [34:00] Why dentistry is both science and art and deserves to be celebrated
- [38:00] Business as the ultimate personal development journey.
