Description

In this episode of What I Learned in Business, James H Stewart sits down with Evan Thornley — entrepreneur, investor, reformer, and one of Australia’s most original thinkers on business and social change.

Evan’s career has been anything but conventional. He co-founded LookSmart, one of Australia’s first tech companies to list on NASDAQ at the height of the dot-com boom, before riding out its spectacular crash. He later entered Victorian politics, led the global Better Place electric-vehicle venture, helped rescue ABC Learning through the creation of Goodstart Early Learning, and today chairs LongView, a business tackling housing affordability and generational inequality.

James and Evan explore:

• What it was like to ride the rise and fall of the dot-com bubble
• The lessons from taking billion-dollar risks — and losing
• Why Evan left politics to lead change from outside government
• The story behind Goodstart and the ABC Learning rescue
• How LongView is rethinking housing and wealth inequality in Australia
• What Evan's learned about resilience, risk, and purpose across every chapter

This is a conversation about big ideas, bold failures, and rebuilding success with meaning.

Key Takeaways:

• How failure can sharpen strategy and conviction
• Why purpose-driven business models are the future
• What leadership looks like in times of technological and ethical disruption

“The line between visionary and fool is very thin — but it’s where all the progress happens.” — Evan Thornley

About Evan Thornley:

Evan Thornley is an Australian tech entrepreneur, investor, and impact leader. He co-founded LookSmart, led Better Place Australia, was a driving force behind the GoodStart consortium that rescued 650 childcare centres from the financial collapse of ABC learning and now heads LongView, a purpose-driven property business focused on long-term wealth and housing reform.

Connect with Evan:

LinkedIn | https://longview.com.au

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What I Learned in Business (That Didn’t Kill Me!) — hosted by James H. Stewart, exploring the real lessons from business, innovation, and resilience.

Connect with James:

🌐 JamesHStewart.com | LinkedIn

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily reflect the views of their organisations, affiliates, or of the host. This podcast is for general informational purposes only and should not be taken as business, financial, or professional advice. Listeners should seek their own independent advice before making decisions related to any topics discussed.

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