I am Colin Wilson, and before I stood on a stage I spent 18 years running a real business: the good years and the ones that nearly broke me. That business is Key Business Advisors (KBA), which my wife Lorraine and I founded in 2008 and which I still direct today. Everything I speak about comes from that, including the mistakes.
Where it comes from
I have mortgaged the house, made a payroll that did not look like it would land, had the hard conversation I had been avoiding, and rebuilt a team after a year that tested all of us. Strategy, leadership, sales, culture and the toll it all takes never arrived as separate problems. They turned up together, usually before 9am, which is exactly how I talk about them on stage.
What I do now
These days I split my time between speaking, writing and helping owners get back in control of their businesses. I speak across Melbourne and Australia to business owners, franchise networks and associations, and I keynote and MC conferences in conservative sectors as well as lively ones. The book came from the same place as the talks. Away from the stage I still lead Key Business Advisors, and in 2017 Lorraine and I started Keyba Careers, a sister business that helps students, job seekers and career changers get job ready.
What I believe
Most business advice is too clean. Real business is messy, personal and relentless, and the people running one deserve a speaker who treats it that way. I also believe nobody should have to trade their health for their business, which is why mental health runs through my work. 100% of all profits from Colin’s book go directly to support Beyond Blue.
Credentials
- Founder and Director of Key Business Advisors, running since 2008.
- Co-founder of Keyba Careers, helping people get job ready since 2017.
- Accredited in the Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team (Lencioni methodology).
- Keynote speaker and conference MC.
- Author of Your Business Beyond Tomorrow.
- Proudly supporting Beyond Blue.
- Top 3 speakers at the REDARC Conference.
- Keynote and three-day MC for the Australian Cemeteries and Cremation Association.
Beyond the stage
Outside work I was a former competitive ballroom dancer, which is where I first learned to read a room and hold it. It is a fair reminder that what looks effortless on stage usually took years of practice off it.
Ready To Inspire Your Audience?
Book Colin Wilson for your next conference, franchise event, or leadership presentation and deliver practical insights that leave a lasting impact.
