20/20's Twenty Questions with Adam Gowlett, State Manager for Satterley Property Group Adam Gowlett is the State Manager for Satterley Property Group, a Perth based development company, who arrived in Cairns from the West to spearhead the hugely successful Smithfield Village development, and Cairns is lucky to have him.  Adam loves his family, cars and his job – in that order.

1. What was your first ever job?

At school I was the obligatory paper round, followed by a stint in a French polisher’s workshop.  My first real full time job after studies was for Westpac.

2. What did you want to do when you were 20?

My original ambition was to be in the automotive industry, panel, paint or mechanic…since I was told I never had the aptitude, took that up as a hobby,  and went on to do my own work, winning runner up best paint at a car show and entering the same car in the Summernats, driving it from WA. 

3. What are your 3 tips for success?

Be passionate about what you do.
Treat people with respect; how you would like them to treat you.
Be committed.

4. What motivates you most to go to work each day?

I love the thought that I am creating a place people value; a new community.  I am passionate about leaving a legacy behind that my daughter will be proud of.  One of my mentors said to me that he loves the land development industry “ because it doesn’t matter what project it is, how big or small it is, every one will jump up and bite you a different way”. At the time, Stan had been in the industry over 30 years, and I agree wholeheartedly.

5. What is the best thing about doing business in Cairns?

The people and the lifestyle.  Being here since 2006, and travelling back to Perth and occasionally Brisbane, everything in Cairns is so accessible. The huge population of tourists here make the lifestyle feel less “intense”.

6. What do you dislike most about the industry?

Huge lead times and the bureaucracy that goes with it. (I must say though, there are beacons in every agency and they really are incredibly valued within our industry). The difficulty to get across that we’re here to do the right thing. Doing the wrong thing in our business is certain to alienate our community, undermining all the hard work we’ve done and would set us up for failure and a deserved tough time.   

7. What business decision or action have you taken that has had a beneficial impact on the Cairns region?

Our CEO’s decision to buy the old Daikyo site; and his faith in me undertaking this project.
I think that our group have been a refreshing change for the various agencies and Council and that we have lifted the development standards for Cairns.

8. If you had an opportunity to change careers for a month – what would you do?

Swap with Kylie and stay home and look after our daughter. I cherish the time we get and like everyone, spend too long at work and away from the ones we are doing all the work for!  I’d swap in a heartbeat. If not that, then a month working in Chip Foose’s US hot rod factory!

9. What advice would you give a person starting a career in the property industry?

If you can get a good mentor, that’s a great start. Be positive, ask lots of questions and learn from everyone. Be respectful.

10. Have you ever had a great idea or innovation that you wish had the time to pursue?

Oh, heaps… all the time. I drive Kylie nuts with my ideas, schemes and plots!

11. Who do you aspire to in business or in life?

Sir Richard Branson, what a cool life, entrepreneurial, and has a heap of fun on the way through too.

12. Where is your favourite tourist destination?

Denmark in WA…cool climate rainforest region, some of the biggest trees in the world, amazing coastlines, great wine region, great fishing.

13. If you could re-live one moment in your life – what would it be?

Taking my wife and daughter home from hospital. Aimee was born 6 weeks early, and it was tough leaving them in hospital twice a day for the best part of a month.

14. Who would be on your ultimate dinner-party table of 8?

Craig Lowndes – V8 Supercar Driver
Rachelle Splatt  - Pint sized Aussie Top Fuel Drag racer, fastest mum in the world!
David Suzuki – scientist/environmentalist
Geoffrey Robinson – QC and MC of the Hypothetical TV series
Sir David Attenborough – Anthropologist, amongst other things
Madonna – Entertainer and still not a media favourite.
Sir Richard Branson – Entrepreneur
Kylie, my wife.

15. Describe the best holiday you ever went on?

Summernats – 5 weeks touring Australia in a showcar. We drove from Perth to Canberra, spent a week living at Natex, then toured up through the blue Mountains, Sydney, all the way down the coast to Melbourne, then old Coast Road to Adelaide and back to Perth via Port Lincoln.   

16. Which is your favourite restaurant for that Friday afternoon lunch?

Everyone who knows me will know it was Mangostins; guess I’ll have to find a new one.

17. What was the latest gadget/ toy you bought?

Car stereo…big amp, time alignment head unit, subwoofer, speakers, sound deadening and all that - no, don’t expect anyone to understand.

18. Tell us something we don’t know about you?

I’m a petrolhead?  I was born in South Australia?

19. What’s the best advice you have ever been given?

Leave. I’ve had a few jobs, and got into the Land Development industry in the Public Service. When an offer came up in the private sector, I was still relatively young, and the Public Service had security etc. but the general consensus from my peers was to take the offer.  I went, never looked back and I’ve moved about 4 times since.  Funnily enough the public service set me up for that, as in the 14 years I was there, I only spent 12 months doing my own job, the rest of the time I was acting in someone else’s job, or in another department.

20. What do you want to be doing when you are 80?

Playing with my grandkids, supporting my daughter’s family and hopefully providing some mentoring role in some capacity.