221 – Outspoken entrepreneur Shane Yeend

To follow the life and career of Shane Yeend is no trivial pursuit. If we were to poll a studio audience on the terms most used to refer to him in the media, we’d have a list that includes dotcom survivor, interactive pioneer, master negotiator, and outspoken entrepreneur Shane Yeend. Trying to pick the one most commonly agreed upon by Shane, Premier Jay Weatherill, entrepreneurs, and Walmart executives, would most likely end in a family feud of mega proportions. So, tonight, we have decided to roll the dice and make our way around the surreal gameboard of Shane’s life, using nothing but curiosity, imagination, and tips from friends and listeners, while relying upon our own sense of being able to pick fact from crap.

We have some opening questions that have been submitted by our mutual friend, Leila Henderson. They are good, so let’s start with them.

From Leila: Shane, I’m intrigued that you live here but guessing you’ve lived a double life … you bring a bit of an edge, and you’ve sailed quite close to the wind on several occasions. Basic questions first: Do you consider you have advanced negotiation skills? We’re they learned or innate?

Leila: What were you like at primary school?

Leila: Where did you hide the money?

Now it’s our turn to move to the topic of board games. Where did the idea of DVD Interactive board games come from?

You got mightily stabbed in the back by some big players. Is this the eternal risk entrepreneurs face?

Back in those days we had two hit board games, but we were this small Adelaide company that didn’t know anybody so we’d go to toy fairs, rent a room and hang out in the hallways waiting to spot the Wal-Mart or Target buyer. Because we had a successful board game they would come and look at what we had if we’d promise to stop bugging them.

You created the DVDi category. Do they still hold up today? I don’t even have a DVD player any more. Can they work online and is that a lower price point?

“Every time WalMart sends us a million dollar order we need half a million in cash and if we’ve only got $100,000 in the bank on any one day we come up short. And you can’t control it because once you’re on the shelf at WalMart, if you’re out of stock you start getting fines. We’re on a 14-day turn around with WalMart in 3,500 stores and then there’s Target, Kmart, Toys R Us, Barnes & Noble as well, so there’s this huge need for working capital.”

Two questions: How do you convince investors to lend that money. Would the bank tax have affected this?

Secondly, Toys R Us is now gone from Rundle Mall. How healthy is the games market for retailers?

I’ve rolled a few questions about cannabis, too. You have been part of a frustrating push to develop a legal cannabis production sector in South Australia. Where is that push at, at the moment, and is there still potential in the idea?

In your frustration, about a year ago, you took out that full page ad blasting the government for dragging its feet. This led to the altercation with the Premier that took you and many people by surprise. Was this a good move, in retrospect? Are there other businesses with potential to put out ads like that?

Premier Jay Weatherill has been quoted saying Labor will win the next state election, ‘We have a united, formidable team; we’ll offer stable, certain government’. There was talk of you dogging him throughout the election campaign, with Jay-TV broadcasting at his media events. Is that still on the cards? Do you still see potential in Stephen Marshall?

How would you describe your perfect politician?

Turning to entrepreneurism again, there was something poignant you said in the wake of Brandon Reynolds having a tragic Today Show interview about his Sociabl App. You said, “he raised money and built the tech that delivers a great experience. Maybe all he needed was some experienced mentors.” Does that still stand as advice that is possible to follow?

Andrew Andrews: Why does the old Adelaide guard of North Adelaide (and by definition the members of the Adelaide and Queen Adelaide Club) allegedly hold back the growth of SA and what we need to do to dilute their seemingly omnipotent power over the politicians and senior business leaders who think they are still in control.
Bruce Andrew Gannon retorted: it’s a shame that this “old Adelaide” excuse is still used for the failings of this city/state, just suggesting that we are puppets to some group of inbred families is so very sad………..we are the makers of our own destiny and I suspect Shane would concur or he’s just a gambler and would take on any good (or bad) idea and play with it to see where it leads!!
Andrew: Yes totally agree we are the makes of our own destiny, personally speaking it’s not an excuse for me, however the dark forces of resisting change do exist. The more we openly talk about it, the better our world will become I think.
Bruce: rue but it has nothing to do with old guards or the black sheep of landed families being gotten rid off but more weak government looking to the next election and not to the future it’s why democracy fails us constantly…………Playford wouldn’t have achieved what he achieved without the electoral system helping him nor Dunstan for that matter!!
Andrew: I’ve thought about this question many many times over the years. Sometimes I wish we were a penal colony we would not have so many people with their finger so up their a*** thinking that they are god almighty.

How do we grow and support enough good leaders, not managers, to build our state in a sustainable and innovative way? What do we need to change in South Australia to have sustainable growth that does not jeopardize our future?

Nigel Dobson-Keeffe challenges the panel to pick the fake story from three stories from South Australia’s past.

Advertiser – June 1939
BUSINESS MAN CALLS FOR STRONG LEADERSHIP
Sagging In Defence and Development
FEDERAL POLICY CRITICISED
Apathy Which will Lead To Jitters
A sudden sagging in defence and general development plans by the Commonwealth Government since the death of Mr. Lyons was the chief reason why people were now susceptible to something like jitters said the managing director of General Motors-Holden’s Ltd. (Mr. L J. Hartnett), last night, when he criticised a statement by the Prime Minister (Mr. Menzies) that many business men were astonishingly susceptible to “jitters” and a war complex. There is obviously a need for a plan of action, and for evidence that action is being taken, to provide reassurance that everything possible Is being done to safeguard the nation in a time of i emergency, Mr. Hartnett added. One of the teeming inexplicable things about the Australian economy in the present situation, continued Mr. Hartnett, was the connecting up of the prevailing low – prices for primary products with the steady increase in the cost of, living.

The South Eastern Times – September 1929
EDUCATION FOR LEADERSHIP.
Is our national system of education affording opportunities for the development of leaders? Up to the present, perhaps, results have somewhat disappointing. Do we have too many winners of Rhodes scholarships, who are necessarily picked men? Are we putting reliance into the gifted few? Intelligence tests enable the expert to make a true estimate of an individual, and the expert is aware of these new psychological advances. These tests clearly show that more effort can be spent on teaching the slow and dull to bring them up to a high standard. It was equally wasteful to spend more time than necessary to handle gifted children by methods suited to children of normal ability. These children, through the grace of God, already have the gifts the others do not. It was unfortunate that communities were not so solicitous for the welfare of the dull child as they were for the gifted child. Opportunity classes should be established for the purpose of giving the backward children opportunities of developing to the best the powers they possessed. Such classes, had been established in this State, and recently an opportunity class for challenged children had been established at the teachers’ college. The result of these classes may be a new spirit of leadership in the young Australian. At any rate the move is in the right direction.

13 NOV 2017 – Business in SA
Advertiser – December 1942
Madame Wu On What Is Good Leadership?
Today we hear it mentioned that this or that one is a poor or a good leader, according to the value placed on them by others called on to follow. Yet how does one determine good leadership? I think perhaps if one is a born leader, no matter what the sex, one is ever on the lookout for an opportunity to benefit those who follow, as much as, if not even more than, oneself. Also one must be prepared to listen to and consider, all ideas, especially foregoing all self-interests. Such an outlook would naturally sharpen one’s mind as well as encourage real co-operation, since all active people are willing to follow an “alive”, just, and understanding leader. Quite a number of women today find themselves leaders of various patriotic groups, and become nervous in making decisions, never having had to face such responsibility previously. They view original suggestions from others from their own narrow experience, and, fearing to face a new responsibility, sometimes cast a vote against the new venture. Naturally this causes discord among the more progressive workers, who consider it poor leadership. Leaders who are not born to their job, but have it thrust upon them, very often need our sympathy rather than criticism, but it is a pity they cannot compromise, or admit their inefficiency to lead. A letter recently told me of a leader who never gave her patronage to any project unless she would glean some measure of kudos and she held up schemes submitted until they had been weighed on the scales called personal benefit. I was asked to venture my opinion on such behaviour, so may I  suggest that no one who [clutters up the pathway of enthusiastic workers, by waiting and watching for self-benefit, can claim to be a first-class leader? This leader’s slogan should always be To look forward and not back, to look out and not in, to lend a hand, and above all, to listen to the other fellow. Such people are the successful leaders in all patriotic  interests as well as in civil life.

In 100 Weeks Ago, we hear a snippet from our chat with Sky Harrison and Ellen Morgan from the now-defunct Aspire Magazine.

This interview coincided with the death of former premier, John Bannon. In InDaily pieces that week, it was revealed how much he personally took on the guilt for the State Bank disaster (he was the leader) even though others had let him down. This snippet covers a range of comments about being a scapegoat and beating ourselves up due to hindsight.