The guest speaker for this year's BizMonth Business Lunch has made a successful living as an entrepreneur in the corporate, travel and technology sectors.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Melbourne entrepreneur Gus Balbontin is best known for his time at travel guide publisher Lonely Planet, where he held numerous roles such as executive director, chief technology officer and strategic advisor.
Five years before he started at Lonely Planet, Mr Balbontin moved to Australia from his native Argentina [Patagonia] to chase his dreams.
Mr Balbontin will present from Melbourne via video link, and said his talk will encourage local business leaders to embrace forward-thinking approaches.
"It's absolutely critical for individuals and businesses to embrace the novelty of new ideas, different thought processes and the environment around them," he said.
"If you starve your brain of novelty, your adaptability will disappear on the spot, because your brain will get used to the same processes over and over again."
Mr Balbontin has spent the past three years presenting business talks to a vast variety of audiences, from groups of 10 across regional Australia and New Zealand, to crowds of 10,000 across North America, Europe, South America and Asia.
"A person's background has zero bearing on the ability to reach as many customers as possible," he said.
"It may sound crazy, but unrealistic expectations have the potential to create new realities."
The BizMonth Business Lunch will take place on September 29 at BMEC. Tickets cost $35 and are available from www.bmec.com.au.