111: Guy Pearson rides the waves to better coworker connections [podcast]

The Green Apple Podcast: there's life beyond the cubicle

Guy Pearson likes to work. A lot. He started his own firm, Interactive Accounting, one of the first cloud accounting firms in Australia, and a few years later, he started Practice Ignition. He spends so much time with both that he refers to one as his wife and the other, his mistress. When he was younger, he liked to play rugby, but because he’s had to start both companies from the ground up, he hasn’t had much time for hobbies or passions – something that he now realizes needs to change. So he’s being more intentional with making time for surfing, playing basketball, and going to concerts with friends.

In this episode, Guy and I talk about how important culture is to a firm or company. He says, "You can train everything else, but you can’t train someone to be a good fit for your culture." Therefore, during the interview process, he’s sure to ask questions that lead to candidates letting their personality out by sharing their hobbies or passions. He thinks coworker relationships are so important, he flies the entire global team to Sydney each April for their internal conference.