He’s the Co-Founder of one of Australia’s biggest travel groups today, but it’s not the title or the career a young Graham Turner envisioned for himself growing up on an apple orchard in Queensland.
In a recent interview with the Australian Financial Review, during which the Flight Centre Managing Director opened up about his past and influences, Turner revealed that owning a travel business was never part of his childhood dreams.
Although being an industry mogul has helped Turner earn a spot on the Rich List 2017, as a 12-year-old he saw himself employed as either a veterinarian or an agricultural scientist.
“One thing I didn’t want to be was an apple orchadist.”
Graham Turner, Flight Centre Managing Director
As a known environmentalist, it actually isn’t too hard picturing Flight Centre’s boss dedicating his life to wildlife.
Meanwhile, when asked about his biggest influences, Turner recognised the effect his father had on his career because of his role as a “progressive, innovative, small-business person”.
“He invited my opinions even from a young age,” he said. “I suspect my opinions were crap, but what’s interesting is he made me think.”
When it comes to being so successful, the Flight Centre boss said he believes it comes from working in a family business from a young age as well as growing up in a “one teacher for 40 kids” environment where students were forced to teach themselves.
Click here to check out the full interview.