What Losing a $20 Million Business Taught Me About Responsibility

I started New Sensation Homes from scratch. At its peak it was turning over more than $20 million a year, employing around 40 to 50 people and managing roughly 120 jobs on site.

From the outside, it looked like success. Behind the scenes, I was struggling with addiction every day.

When it all came down

In April 2022, the company went into liquidation. Around 50 homeowners were left with unfinished homes.

I sold everything I personally could and put the money back into the company to finish as many homes as possible. We ultimately completed around 70 of the 120 jobs that had been underway.

The people behind the headlines

The impact of a business failure extends far beyond the person whose name is attached to it. It affects families, employees, subcontractors, suppliers and everyone who placed their trust in you. I carry the lessons from that period with me.

Our decisions have consequences, and we cannot always undo the hurt we have caused. But our past does not have to determine the direction of our future.

What I measure now

I used to think success meant the size of the business. Today, health, family, meaningful relationships and doing work that matters sit at the centre of everything I do.

At Six Seasons Recovery, success means the person who arrives feeling lost and leaves with hope. The family that begins to rebuild trust. That is the work that matters to me now.